Page 105 of Audacity

‘Careful.’

He stands and holds his hands up. ‘Look. I’m just feeling a bit stupid, that’s all. My holier-than-thou brother gets himself an Alchemy membership and then comes by a hooker so he can get his dick wet whenever he fancies at work, and I’m still picking up women in bars like a total muppet.’

‘You said it. Honestly, I thought you’d be more enterprising.’ I drop my grin. ‘But seriously, please do me a solid and don’t judge her on that one thing. It’s so reductive. She’s quite simply the most impressive woman I’ve ever met, and her having found a way to punch right through the glass ceiling makes hermoreimpressive from where I’m standing.’

He nods soberly. ‘It’s alright, mate. There’s nothing I don’t agree with there. I don’t suppose her mate Marlowe works for the same place? Because that would solve a lot of problems for me.’

That gets a laugh out of me. ‘You fucking wish. Anyway, you ruined your chances there when you got all tongue-tied, didn’t you?’

His mouth is a grim line. ‘Don’t remind me. Do you think Athena could put in a good word for me with her?’

Instantly, I see my opening. ‘That depends on whether you come through for Athena, doesn’t it? Now move back.’

I give my ball a good whack and watch in gratification as it sails cleanly through the blue sky. As it lands in the distance, I step back so Bren can line up his shot.

‘If you think I wouldn’t come through for you anyway, your opinion of me is even lower than I thought.’ He turns and looks out at the driving range, then back down at his ball. I wait as he practices his swing and then takes his hit. Nice.

‘You agree she’s the best person to run the foundation?’ I press.

‘Jesus, of course I do. She wiped the floor with Eleanor that time. She’s a fucking shark, and that’s precisely what we need.’

‘I agree. What does Mairead think?’ I’m a big coward, so let’s start this conversation with the most rational family member.

He snorts. ‘What do you think she thinks? She’s with me. She thinks sex is just an animalistic act and Mum and Dad are overreacting. Besides, she loves Athena.’

‘Good.’ That’s what I thought. I screw my face up before I ask, ‘And Mum and Dad?’

‘Well, if you’d had the balls to actually read any of your messages on the family chat you’d know precisely what they think, you spineless tool.’

‘Fair. How bad is it?’

I muted the family WhatsApp chat on my way home from the gala on Thursday and haven’t dared look at it since. I didn’t want my thought process—or my attempts to make things right—being coloured by any parental hysteria.

‘Heavy on the slut-shaming from Mum and occasional belligerent outbursts from Dad. You know how he gets. Though I have to say’—he breaks off to chuckle—‘she did ask you onthe chat if Athena had “gone down that path” because she had a whole gaggle of illegitimate children and desperately needed funds. I was like, “Mum, this isn’tLes Mis.A woman is allowed to make choices like this because she wants to, not just out of necessity”.’

‘Jesus. I have to say it’d be disappointing if she had a gaggle of children.’

‘Because you want to put all the babies in her, right?’

I glare at him to conceal how badly I do in fact want to putallthe babies inside Athena.

‘I’m not sure she’ll give me the chance. She’s totally retreated. It’s killing me.’

‘I don’t blame her. Fucking Harrington disrespecting her like that. He’s a fucking disgrace. I’m going to see about getting him kicked off the board. I’m pretty sure there’s a morality clause in his contract.’

‘Good.’

‘Is she going to follow up on her threat of legal action?’

‘Damn right. Seraph is on the case—she’ll take him to the cleaners.’

He nods his approval. ‘Like I said, you can’t blame her. She’s out there living her life and clearly excelling at everything she does. We were all so impressed by her. Now she has Harrington’s misogynistic bullshit to deal withandprobably slut-shaming from all directions. It’s fucking horrible. No wonder she’s put her walls up.’

I chew on the inside of my cheek as I contemplate my next shot.

‘No wonder, indeed. Which is why I have to get this position back on the table for her. It’s the only way.’

CHAPTER 54

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