Page 108 of Sweet Wicked Vows

My dream was starting to take shape right before my eyes.

I wished Dad was still with me to see it happen. He always believed in my writing, encouraged it from a young age, and was the first to openly brag to the world about my work.

Yet all I could think about was the tears streaming down my brother’s face and his admission to needing help in more ways than one.

First thing was getting us both away from our dad’s business. I racked my brain trying to think of a solution. Dad never wanted the business to end up in the hands of a stranger. He wanted it to be family-run, but neither of us were truly cut out for the job.

Jaxon, on the other hand, took to running the business like a fish to water.

He was built to run a company.

If somehow, I could convince him and Frederic to buy or, hell, just take my shares in the company, they would become the biggest shareholders and could vote to merge the two companies together. I’d happily abdicate my position as CEO, Flynn too, and that way, the Dade brothers would be in control.

They’d run the business alongside their own.

No longer competitors but rather one large unstoppable company.

I’d be able to walk away, Flynn too, and Frederic Dade would get more than just access to our European markets.

He’d get everything.

I needed to speak to Jaxon first.

Saunders drove me across the city toReynolds Regality Jewels,where Jaxon was spending the day arranging Flynn’s takeover for me.

By the time we pulled up, the warm summer sun had tucked itself behind dark, threatening rain clouds. I ran into the building, narrowly missing the sudden torrential rainfall bouncing on the pavements.

Jaxon’s former office door was closed, and before I bothered knocking, I heard the muffled sounds of voices on the other side.

He was in a meeting.

I could wait.

Heading into my own office, I took out my phone and grinned like a damn idiot. The paperwork for the place in Soho was sitting in my inbox, along with an email confirming my business registration.

I was actually doing it. I was making my dreams come true and staring at the screen, there was only one person I wanted to share my happiness with.

“Don’t bestupide.” Jaxon’s voice sounded through the air vent. “I don’t feel sorry for the fucker. All I am saying is that he is dead. What more is there to achieve?”

“The original plan. Him dying was always going to happen. It’s simply a shame it happened before we had time to implement the final act of our plan.”

Was that Frederic?

What the hell was he doing here? Why wasn’t he still in Monaco?

“How long were you planning on keeping this a secret?” Frederic asked. “This is why you’ve been dodging my calls, isn’t it?”

Silence.

I knew it was wrong to eavesdrop on them, but I moved closer to the vent.

“You’ve been sitting on this information for months!” Frederic snapped. “Why didn’t you tell me you found the golden ticket to taking this whole place down?”

“Because it doesn’t matter anymore.”

“Don’t you dare tell me it’s because of that redhead warming your bed at night?”

“Careful how you talk about her in my presence,” Jaxon warned. “Things have changed. I’ve come to realize that what we are doing isn’t the answer.”

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