Page 43 of Seizing Control: Part One

Voice reverberating in my ears like he’s speaking from the inside of a tin can, my father tells us, “This idiot played right into his hands. Bear called me when he saw the body and realised that I was gonna put a bullet in his fuckin’ head for double-crossing me if he didn’t bring this to me.”

I’m shaking from head to toe when I place my hands on Sander’s cheeks and make him lift his head to look at me. “Did he hurt you?”

My twin brother, my literal other half even though we’re not technically identical, meets my eyes with reluctance. His reply is stilted, laced with misery and apology as he says, “He knocked me out from behind. I didn’t even know it was Bear until he started sendin’ me messages, demandin’ to meet up so I could pay him to stay quiet about it.”

“Why didn’t you tell me? I could’ve helped.”

“I went to Dad,” Sander admits in a ragged whisper. “He just laughed and said you’d go to jail if I opened my mouth to anyone. When I said I’d confess to it—” My brother gulps as he contemplates the murder I committed. “—to save you, he laughed even harder at me. Told me the evidence wouldn’t hold. That I’d just end up takin’ you down with me.”

As soon as the same threat that Dad used to force him into the deal to abandon me trips from Sander’s lips, Zeke is stalking over to my father. I clutch my twin tight as my ex-fiancé pulls his arm back, ready to punch Dad in the mouth.

Cocky as ever, my father drawls, “I wouldn’t do that if I was you… for two reasons.”

Uncle Cass adds. “You needa hear him out before you make things worse.”

“Fine,” Zeke snarls. Understanding that Sander needs me most right now, I concentrate on keeping him from passing out while I also try to keep up with the conversation between Dad and Zeke. “Are you gonna give us these reasons, prez, or should we just guess?”

“Guess,” Dad crows.

“First reason. You haven’t given the body to Joseph yet, but you have given him enough evidence to open a murder investigation.”

“Well, look at the boy wonder go. You are right on the first count.”

“Fuckin’ arrogant prick.”

Dad chuckles. “You haven’t seen anythin’ yet.”

“Little Cherub.” I awkwardly shuffle backward to face him. It’s more respect than he deserves, but he holds the freedom of everyone I love in his hands, so I’m forced to tread carefully. Despite my resolve to remain stoic, the question he poses as he gestures toward Zeke still manages to surprise me. “Tell me… do you still love this piece of shit?”

“Yes.”

It’s the unequivocal truth, and that’s the only thing we have on our side right now.

“Then I’m correct in assumin’ that you’d do anythin’ I asked of you to stop him goin’ to jail?”

When Zeke tries to wordlessly order me not to agree, I refuse to acknowledge him. “I would.” I shoot an apologetic glance in my first love’s direction as I expand on my answer. “But I don’t know what else you can take. Zeke left me like you wanted, and you stole my trust. I have no man, no life, and no money. You’ve hurt my brothers. You’ve betrayed the Shamrocks. Dishonoured our name in front of everyone I love. You’ve ruined everything… I have nothing left to give you.”

With the way Zeke stiffens and frowns, I figure he hasn’t been filled in on everything that went down while he was in Sydney. As I begin to second guess my choice to seize control of the situation with honesty, my father lobs another verbal grenade.

“Do you remember Alexander’s good friend, Hugh St. James?”

“No!” Zeke shouts. “No fuckin’ way. You can’t do this to her.”

“Hugh.” I shudder at the memory of the part he played in my kidnapping. “I remember him well.”

“That’s good because he’s gonna be your husband.”

“Fuck, no.” My twin shoves me aside so he wobble to his feet. He pounds his fist on the table. “He’s a fuckin’ sadist. Worse than Alex.”

Dad speaks over him, “Due to Alex’s absence, Joseph refuses to move forward with our plans. After some serious discussions over the past few months, we believe we’ve found a suitable path forward. Our organisations needa be joined in more than name. It’s the only way to ensure unity. A marriage, ’specially now it’s been proven you can fulfil your womanly duty and provide an heir, is the best way to consolidate our interests.”

Before I can gather my wits well enough to decipher a way out of the disaster my father has planned for me, Zeke makes matters worse. “I’d rather go to jail than sign Lily up for this.”

“I was hoping you’d say that,” my dad drawls with delight. Chuckling like a cartoon villain, he hits the intercom button again. “Make the call.”

Rushing forward and dropping to my knees, I grab hold of his hand and try to make him look at me. Tears stream down my face as I beg without shame, “Please, Dad. Don’t do this. Surely we can find another way to reach an agreement—one that doesn’t hurt Zeke or Sander.”

All I receive in response is a devilish smirk and an ultimatum. “If you refuse to marry Hugh, Venom will go to jail for Alex’s murder, and your trust fund will remain in my possession. The same goes for your brothers. I will disown them. They’ll be on the fuckin’ street. Anyone who tries to help a’one of you little fuckers will find themselves in the same situation… or worse. Sander won’t be able to fund your lives for long, not with a busted leg and the positive drug test that’s about to be on his record.”

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