Page 27 of Thorns of Malice

I furrow my eyebrows. "I don't understand."

"They used you. So use everyone. None of them like or trust the others. So use it to your advantage. Figure out how to hit them where it hurts, and do it. But, Ivy?"

"Yeah?"

Matt's eyes narrow. "Promise me you won't let them play you again. Hit them hard, then get the hell out of there."

6

Dax

One Month Later

"Where's my money, Dax?" Avery seethes, glaring daggers at me.

"Your money? Don't you mean Carrington Enterprises', money?" I taunt.

Her eyes light with more fire. She demands, "Give it back!"

I try to hold in my glee, but I can't. I grin. "There are seven figures in your account."

"You know I can't run my company off a million dollars. The operating costs alone?—"

"I don't care, Avery. Put your own money in if you've mismanaged the funds," I interject.

"You know I haven't mismanaged the funds. You stole my money," she accuses.

I chuckle. "It's not your money. Or did you forget that you wanted your company to be part of the family business?"

"That wasn't your money to take," Avery snarls.

"It's the company's money."

"It's money to be paid back into my trust fund, and you know it!"

I cross my arms and sit back in my chair. "I'm the CEO of Carrington Enterprises. You signed a contract for your company to become a subsidiary. You begged me to allow it. I did. Now you want to dictate where the funds will go? Sorry, but the money isn't yours to take. It's the corporation's."

"You bastard! If you don't give me my money?—"

"What are you going to do about it, Avery? Cry?" I mock.

More anger fills her expression. She lowers her voice, asserting, "Transfer my money back."

I scoff. "Once again, it's not your money. Now, get the fuck out of my office before I have you thrown out."

She stays planted, her rage only growing stronger.

"I mean it, Avery. Get out, or you'll be sorry," I warn.

"You can't throw me out. I have every right to this house just like you and Cooper do."

I grunt. "You have access to your wing, and that's it. Don't forget your place in this family. And speaking of our brother, why don't you go tell him to get off social media and learn to work."

She doesn't move.

I point to the door. "Last warning, Avery. Get out of my office, or I'll add debt to your company and take every penny out of it. Be grateful you have a million for operations."

Her face drains of color, and I love it. I've never had my sister in such a compromising position before. She thought she was going to outsmart me? Well, she's not.

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