Page 26 of Inevitable Inheritance

Marty flipped her attention back to Taylor, her face full of sympathy and concern, “What did he do?” she asked kindly, without even a drop of accusation directed at Taylor.

Oh, this was good, Taylor thought, as she saw Derrick silently going postal.

“He has been trying to drag me back out here for like ever,” Taylor told Marty as she began her tale. “So, first, he pretty much kidnapped me from home—”

Taylor was rewarded with exactly what she desired: Derrick’s head lit up like a brake light.

“Where is home?” Marty interrupted.

“East Coast,” Taylor said quickly, giving as little away as possible. She continued, “Then he tells me we are just going out, and instead he hijacks me onto a plane and brings me here. No clothes—not even my makeup!”

Marty gasped. Damn, that girl loved drama, and her makeup. She whipped her head back to Derrick, “You are an asshole!”

“But that isn’t the worst of it,” Taylor said, relishing the sympathy and the support she had against Derrick, and the way it was making him as angry as possible. “He then gets me on the plane, and gets me drunk on brandy, of all things—”

“Damn, Derrick. You couldn’t even get her champagne or a nice wine?” Marty interrupted, totally exasperated with her brother.

Taylor was now hoping Derrick was in good health, because he looked like he was going to have a stroke based on the color of his face.

Taylor went on, “And then I wake up here, in his bed, having no idea where I am. And he took my jeans off without my consent,” Taylor finished.

Marty gaped at her brother.

“Derrick Simon Allen Fletcher,” she whispered hoarsely, “what the fuck is wrong with you?”

Taylor smiled smugly at Derrick, crossing her arms in front of her and leaning a hip into the island. One for Team Taylor, zero for Team Derrick. “Yeah, thank goodness you got me the clothes,” Taylor said to her, tugging on the tunic she had dressed in after her shower. “I would have been a mess without it.”

“Oh my God, no problem! If I had known it was you, I totally would have gone all out. But he wouldn’t tell me anything,” Marty replied, jerking her thumb at her brother, who was taking slow deep breaths to calm himself. He looked just a shade lighter than the fire engine red he had been seconds before. But that changed when Marty spoke again.

She turned back to Derrick as a thought clearly flickered through her mind, “Hey, so is this why you got all over that photog last month?” she asks as if all the pieces fit now.

Okay, so red was bad, but the purple color now covering Derrick’s face was truly alarming.

“Time to go, Marty,” he said to his sister, speaking in even tones through his teeth.

“Oh my God. It all makes sense now—”

Derrick cut her off, grabbing her by the arm and towing her to the door.

“What photog?” Taylor asked, this had to be spectacular information the way Derrick was pulling his sister by the arm so hard her feet were practically off the ground. Marty’s toes danced on the floor like a ballerina across the stage, but she was totally unfazed.

“You didn’t hear?” she asked, wriggling away from Derrick, who tried to grab for her again, but she snaked out of his way, having years of practice under her belt.

“I don’t get into that stuff anymore,” Taylor said, a hint of sadness in her voice.

“Gotcha,” Marty said. “Well, a few weeks ago—”

“Marty, if you don’t leave, I will personally dispense that frat party picture of you to every tabloid on the planet,” Derrick said menacingly.

The threat stopped Marty in her tracks. She rolled her eyes, “You do one keg stand and forget a bra …” she muttered. “Fine, I’m going.” She went to hug Taylor, but instead grabbed her hand and jerked it to her face.

It took Taylor a second to gain her balance, and she wanted to ask what the heck Marty was doing. Then she realized Marty was gawking at the rock on her finger. It all made sense now—Taylor had forgotten all about the ring. Marty’s head almost spun off her neck as she started to look from the ring to Taylor then back to the ring and then to Derrick.

“Is this … are you …?”

Rendering Marty speechless twice in one night was an impressive feat for anyone. Taylor was honored.

Taylor looked at Derrick, and he motioned to her with his head.Right. I’m in charge. The ball is in my court. I’m taking the bull by the horns.Taylor repeated every other saying she could think of having to do with power. She needed to answer Marty.

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