Page 45 of Flame
Fucking over his children to this degree? Wow.
My attention switches to Landry. “Need me to find him?”
His chin sits between his steepled fingers. He shakes his head.
“We would lose control of the trust,” Bianca says, putting the pieces together. “We’d effectively be removed.” She lifts her gaze to her brothers. “What are we going to do?”
My attention meets Jason’s through the screen. We exchange a look, one I’m afraid to name.
“Wait a second,” Bianca says, holding her forehead. “I don’t understand how this would work. I mean, what was Dad going to do if he were still around, and I wasn’t married next month on my birthday? Just not mention it? We would’ve found out one way or another.”
“Bobby would’ve started getting paid on your twenty-seventh birthday, but he would not have any overt power until Dad triggered an action. That action must happen within three years, or it goes to Bobby by default,” Gannon says.
Bianca stands, tugging the shirt down. The fabric drapes over the globes of her ass cheeks, making it clear she doesn’t have anything on under it.
I’m too weak for this. Somebody better save me.
“What’s to say that Dad won't amend it again?” she asks. “Are we certain he hasn’t?”
Gannon nods. “Yes, we’re sure. His ability to change anything ended when Mom enacted her option from Granddad’s bailout. He could’ve before then, but he hasn’t.”
“Can we just void it?” Bianca asks, her voice growing frantic. “I’m assuming we have attorneys on this already.”
“We do,” Jason says. “But it’ll have to go through the legal system, and that—”
“Will take longer than a month,” Jason and Bianca say together.
Bianca laughs in disbelief. “I’m actually shocked. He shocked me. Dad finally went so far that I can’t believe it.”
“We’ll figure it out,” Gannon says. “Just sit tight.”
“Sit tight and hope that the legal department can figure out how to undo this mess when you know Downing is going to fight it tooth and nail?” Bianca asks. “Please forgive my language, Ford, but fuck that.”
Landry smirks.
Bianca sits again, perching on the edge of the chair. “What happens if I’m married? Then what?”
“It looks like Dad didn’t have faith that would happen,” Jason says.
Her back straightens. “What are you saying?”
Jason glances quickly at me. “I’m saying that if you get married, the deal falls through. The amendment stands as is, meaning they get nothing.”
“We’re not sure if they overlooked that option or if Dad expected to be here to keep us from finding out and thereby keeping it from becoming an issue,” Gannon says. “But yes. If you get married, the amendment is essentially void.”
Papers shuffle in front of Landry. Thoughts shuffle inside my head.
Bianca takes a deep breath and blows it out steadily. She’s holding it together well. For now.
But how the fuck do you deal with that level of betrayal? My father would burn in hell before he’d ever betray us at all, not to mention like that.
A swell of heat rises in my chest, and I cover my face with my hands. There must be a way to ensure this deal is thoroughly fucked, especially if that means it’s afuck youto Reid Brewer. It seems like Bianca marrying someone is the easiest solution. But she would have to trust that person to have that level of responsibility. That sort of sway. That kind of trust is hard for anyone, but even harder for Bianca. Such trust is—
“And the one person I trusted, although he was on my payroll, left me …”
—hard to find.
I glance at her out of the corner of my eye. Her bottom lip quivers ever so slightly. She’s scared, feeling alone—feeling betrayed.
