Page 102 of Wicked Heiress

“I would. It was the best decision Luca ever made for me.”

“He does that a lot, huh?”

Her lips curled up into a tiny smile. “Yeah, but I like it. I never have to worry about a thing because Luca has already thought about it.”

The men reappeared by the French doors, their conversation carrying across the backyard.

Cole dropped into the chair beside me. “What did we miss?”

“Nothing. Just talking shit about all of you.”

He snickered. “Not about me. I’m the perfect husband.”

I kissed his lips. “So true.”

Luca and his brothers resumed their places at the table. He opened a new bottle of Macallan and passed around glasses.

“I think a toast is in order.” Alex raised her glass of ginger ale that had one sip left. “To Cole and Grace having their first child.”

“And to Grace becoming the next Elder of The Founders Society,” Bastian added.

Everyone lifted their glasses.

“Salute,” Luca said.

Chapter Fifty-Seven

GRACE

I sat at the head of a table large enough to seat fifty men. All of them stared at me, eying the Elders key in my hand. Now that I possessed the Adams fortune, it made me the wealthiest woman in the world.

I didn’t want the money.

Or the power.

“Women are not allowed to become members of The Founders Society.” Carl Wellington was the highest-ranking Elder now that my grandfather was gone and spoke for the group. “But it seems Fitzy has left us with a bit of a predicament.” His gaze moved to the other three Elders. “The Devil’s Knights made an exception to allow my granddaughter to become their queen. And with that precedent set, I don’t see any reason we can’t allow Grace to maintain control of the Adams’ right to a seat at this table.”

A few of The Founders stiffened. Some shook their heads or cleared their throats to disagree. They didn’t like the idea of me joining their elite society. This was a rich boy’s club, and I didn’t fit their ideal of a Founder.

The Elders made up the top five spots on the Forbes Billionaires list. I would never go back to being an Adams. Now, I was Grace Marshall.

“All in favor?” Carl asked the Elders.

Archibald Marshall glanced at me, one eyebrow raised. “Do you understand the power that key holds, young lady?”

Cole’s grandfather looked at me like I was a little girl. In his eyes, I was just a kid. The same as his grandson.

“Yes, I do.” My eyes drifted to Bastian, who sat at the opposite end of the table beside the Salvatore brothers and his adoptive father. “That’s why I want Bastian to take my place. He’s an Adams, too, and risked his life to steal the key from our grandfather. I’m only alive because of him. If not for his selflessness, I wouldn’t be sitting here.”

An echo of shock rang out among the men at the table.

Gasps.

Whispers.

They couldn’t believe anyone would give away this much power. Even Bastian looked surprised, his mouth hanging open.

Luca Salvatore smirked as if he’d won. His family had just been admitted into The Founders Society because he married Alex. She was the only reason they were allowed to be members.

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