Page 61 of Vows In Corruption

“That you won’t judge me for what I’m about to say. You want the truth, I’ll give it to you, but just because I’m handing it over doesn’t mean that you will like it.”

There is no hesitation in me.

There is no second thought as I throw a nod in his direction and make him the promise of no judgement. Because nothing he could say is going to make me look at him differently. That much I know.

“There are two reason why I want it. One you will think it’s endearing and the other, well, you might hate.”

“You don’t know that.”

“Oh but I do, sweet Ella.”

A shiver runs through my body at the term of endearment. I shouldn’t like it as much as I do, but everything that this man does an says affects me in ways I would never want to admit out loud.

“What are the reasons?” I ask, trying to get my mind away from what Bennett simply calling me sweet does to my body.

His eyes don’t waiver from mine as he speaks. “What I told you a minute ago, wasn’t complete bullshit. The company deserves to be ran by a Lane and if things were different, it would have been. If my father hadn’t died, he would be here right now giving this company his all. But he did die, and his oldest son isn’t here, so now giving this company what it deserves falls to me, because nobody else is going to.”

My heart stutters a bit. Bennett may not hear it but I do. There is so much heartbreak in his voice that all I want to do it is go over to him and wrap my arms around him and never let him go. My brain is telling me to do it, but I stay rooted in place.

“And I know what you might be thinking.” He continues before I’m able to say anything. “But it’s not out of obligation. Nobody is obligating me to take on this role. I don’t feel obligated to wear the title just because my parents are dead or because my brother isn’t here. I want to do this. I want to hold that title and build this company in a way that will surpass my father’s dreams. I want to extended build up his legacy so that his grandchildren have something to look back on and wonder what their grand father would have done. I want that role so that I can make my parents proud and see from where ever the fuck they are that at least of their sons is doing okay. I want them to be proud that their son took meaning in their work and made it his own.”

He was right. I am finding the first reason endearing and heartbreaking. Here is this man, this larger than life man with everything he’d ever want in the whole world, with a little boy still deep inside of him, just wanting to make his parents proud.

For a few seconds, I picture the person in front of me the same age as Drake and wonder if he was that exited to see his dad when he came to the office. If he wore matching suits with his dad just for the fun of it. The picture in my mind is heartbreaking especially because how young Bennett was when his parents died.

A tear rolls down my face, but I catch it before more follow behind it.

“What the second reason?” I ask, wanting to stop from more emotions taking over.

“You’re not going to like it.”

“Try me.”

His face changes. In a matter of seconds the little boy that lost his parents at the age of eight is gone and in his place is a man that I don’t recognize. A man that looks like he is hungry but I can’t pinpoint what. More so when a smirk forms on his face and it’s not one that I love seeing. This smirk is different from the others. This smirk almost scares me.

“I want the power. I want the power that comes with the title and I want the respect. I want the ability to come in here and ruin the lives of the people that have wanted to ruin mine. I want people to answer to me and not the other way around.”

A shiver runs through my body in a different way than it did a few minutes earlier.

He wants power and if he is propositioning me with marriage, I know that he will stop at nothing to get it.

And as much as I want to think that it’s an egotistical thing to want, I understand it. I understand why he would want something like that. Why he would want the respect and the authority. Having that type of power in your hands makes you a different type of person and I can see Bennett using it in way that would not only benefit him but others as well.

“Power is a good thing to have.” I let out, trying to figure out why I don’t hate the reasoning like he said I would.

Bennet comes closer to me, almost crowding me. “Not the type of power that I want. What I want, what I crave, shouldn’t be at anyone disposal, I don’t want to just run Lane Enterprises, I want to take over the damn city and make it my playing ground and when I’m done with Chicago, I’ll move on to different parts of the world.”

I swallowed audibly, not sure what to do or say.

Run away Ella. Run away now and don’t look back.

I would. I truly would if the type of power that his is talking about wasn’t at a smidge beneficial for me.

That type of power would stop me from looking over my shoulder.

That type of power would protect me and Charlie if anyone came looking for us. That type of power can pay off a debt that is going to haunt me forever. He did say I can ask for whatever I wanted, I could ask for the money that I need to pay the rest that I owe. It would be a huge asks, but he wants something just as big in return.

“Tell me what you are thinking, sweet Ella.”

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