Page 13 of Lush

“We market the hell out of our sustainability angle on this new liquor line. Capitalize. More money for us.”

The room buzzed with voices, but all I could hear was the thudding of my own thoughts, each one centered on getting back at the Kings, this town, my own damn family.

I fucking saved him. Pulled his lifeless body onto the shore, while everyone looked at me like I was a murderer.

“This isn’t the way we do things. It’s not tradition,” Bernard, one of Dad’s supporters, said, but I didn’t care. My fingers fumbled in my suit jacket, searching for the case. I’d quit smoking years ago—for her—but that Reese was gone the moment Laurene deserted me.

If I had died that night instead of Conrad, would she have shed a single fucking tear? Would anyone have cared?

“Let’s get one thing straight,” I said. “I’m not running this company into the ground just so we can cling to the same product line that stopped working before Y2K.”

I lit the cigarette, inhaling deeply, feeling the burn in my lungs like a small reprieve from the fury building inside me. First, I’d wipe out the Kings. Would Laurene regret it then?

I should’ve let her drown in her own lies. Instead, I took the fall, even when it’d been ruled an accident, the town didn’t care while she walked away clean. But every now and then, the memory of her laugh crept in—the way we were before everything fell apart. I hope the guilt eats her alive. I hope it fucking rots her.

Bernard adjusted his tie. The man had been in this company longer than I’d been alive, and he wore his resistance like a badge of honor. “Reese, these old strategies sustained us for decades. Your father?—”

“My father,” I cut in, “also believed in fax machines and filing cabinets. Times change. So do strategies.”

Bernard cleared his throat. “We need to show some loyalty,some integrity.”

That meant nothing. Not after all I’d lost.

“Loyalty and integrity?” I scoffed. “Money’s what makes the world spin.”

Laurene taught me that when she vanished. And Dad? He never gave a damn about integrity. Despite not being his first or second choice, I’m the one who picked up the pieces and turned this company around. But he’ll never fucking admit it.

“Conrad had solid plans for this company?—”

“But he’s not here, is he?”

Bernard blinked and paled. “Conrad’s strategies stand the test of time.”

“I’m not sticking to a six-year-old plan.” My ideas he had stolen. “Conrad’s six feet in the fucking ground.”

Laurene had thrown me under the fucking bus. I should’ve seen it coming. Should’ve known Laurene King would save her own ass before she ever thought about mine.

“Your time here is up, Bernard.”

“Wait, what?” Bernard recoiled so hard he damn near snapped his neck.

“You’re no longer working for Ashbourne Distilleries.” I leaned back, watching the color drain from his face. “No room for people stuck in the past with a dead man. Pack your shit.”

“I’ve been here for thirty years!”

“And that’s exactly the problem.” I exhaled smoke. “I’m running this companymy way.Change is non-negotiable. Get out.”

The room was deathly quiet, all eyes on Bernard.

“Get the fuck out!” I slammed my hand against the table.Calm down. Don’t fly off the handle, you’re trying to change their opinions of you.

Bernard’s hands trembled as he struggled with his things. He stormed out, the door slamming.

“Everyone in this room needs to believe in me and in thevision. If you’re here clinging to the past, don’t bother staying. But if you’re ready to work, we’ve got plenty to do. Now get me that ranch.” I stared down the table.

They all rose. But then the office door swung open, and my father stood in the doorway.

“Well, well. Look who finally decided to show up. No one had to drag your sorry ass out of a bar?” I clenched my jaw as the staff filed out, leaving us to one of our typical yelling matches. “What do you want? I need to get to the airport for Germany,” I said, putting out my cigarette.

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