Page 166 of What's Left of Us

“Then how do you explain this?” I question, showing him the document with my forged signature at the bottom. It’s nearly identical to the one he’s holding, except this one shows that I signed over all of my shares to Nikolas Del Rossi. It also has Evan Maloney’s name on the bottom, where he signed and dated it five years ago.

“I…” He clears his throat. “This seems like it’s something you should be discussing with your father. Not me. It’s him I work for.”

“It isn’t like you’re going to be of any help to him where he’s going if this ever gets out,” I point out. “Unless you’re a defense attorney too?”

The pudgy man pales. “No, ma’am.”

“I didn’t think so.” I smile sweetly, turning my father’s office chair to the side and crossing one long leg over the other at the knee. “You do like being a lawyer, don’t you, Mr. Maloney?”

His eyes bolt up to mine. “Of course, Ms. Del Rossi.”

“Danforth,” I correct, holding the necklace around my neck.

His teeth grind. “Danforth. My apologies.”

“It’d be unfortunate for the events you’ve participated in to get you disbarred. Agreeing to legitimatize forged documents seems like it could really ruin somebody’s life. Don’t you think?”

He gawks at me, and I wonder what he sees.

My father was merciless when it came to getting what he wanted. I know that firsthand. The best thing I can do is channel that for this meeting so his lawyer knows I mean business.

“You said that you do business for him, but you were hired on as an attorney for The Del Rossi Group, correct?”

He gives me a terse nod. “Yes.”

“And since I own fifty-one percent shares in the company, that means I havemorecontrol over the company than my father. Is that also correct?”

Maloney’s nostrils flare. “Anybody with fifty-one percent ownership of a company would, in fact, have more say in the company’s welfare. Yes.”

He’s not confirming in words what I already know: that he signed illegal documents to give my father the full control he wanted.

“So, hypothetically, if I wanted to make changes to the company’s leadership, then I would have the power to do that. Right?”

He grinds out, “Right.”

“Including the sale of the company itself?”

He picks up a few of the papers and eventually nods, trying not to fidget with his damp shirt. “Hypothetically,there are steps I would need to take in order to make such a hefty change, Ms. Del—Danforth. And it would take a long time to do it the right way.”

“I’m not asking you to do it tomorrow; I’m simply asking if it’s possible,” I reply easily.

“Yes,” he finally says, his jaw grinding back and forth. “If you own more shares than him, you have the power to do what you please with the Del Rossi Group, should anything happen to Nikolas or unless you buy him out. That’s what the contract says. Changing ownership will be a lengthy process, but it’s not an impossible one.”

“Good.” I lean back in the chair and look around the study, which still smells like expensive tobacco. I wonder what will happen to it. “Mr. Maloney?”

His eyes lift to mine.

“You do realize if this goes to court one day, you’re going to have to testify, right?”

For a moment, I think his heart may have stopped. It would be unfortunate if he suffers cardiac arrest, considering we’re far from done here. “My job would be at risk if they knew—”

“That my father blackmailed you.” I cut him off pointedly. “Deals have been cut before for people who have done a lot worse. I’m sure with the right convincing, you’d get a slap on the wrist and be told not to do it again. Especially since you’re making itright.”

His hand drifts over the papers, collecting them into one pile. “As long as I never have to be involved with this company or family again,” he mumbles under his voice.

“Once this deal is finished, and Nikolas is far, far away, I’m sure you won’t have to. I know I plan on being gone the second the ink dries on the contract.”

He stands, sweat stains darkening what was once a pretty sky-blue button-down as he fastens his jacket. “For your sake, I hope you are. Because the people you’re playing with are not harmless,Ms. Danforth. I would know. I’ve had the misfortune of getting tied up with them for far too many years.”

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