Page 193 of Morally Black Betrothal
“Time for what?” I snapped.
“For your resignation,” Dad snapped right back. “Youwillresign as the interim CEO. I’ll appoint someone else, which will be neither of the snakes present, and in the meantime, I’ll consult with the executive officers on the running of the company until someone is confirmed.”
“Daddy, you’re not supposed to go back to work,” Shea started.
“I’ll do whatever needs to be fucking done!” he barked. “Since my good-for-nothing children can’t seem to step up to the plate.”
Owen looked like he’d swallowed a whole fucking baseball when he realized he wasn’t going to benefit from his ploy. It disappeared, however, when Liza passed me another document—another contract bearing my name and the terms of my resignation.
I scanned it all and looked up. “All my shares revert to the company? I’m not signing this.”
“It’s not your choice,” Dad said, more calm than he’d been all day. “There’s a morality clause in your inheritance, boy. And you fucking broke it with this stunt.” He shook his head. “There’s an art to fucking people over, Brendan. You were sloppy. It’s unforgivable.” He gestured back to the contract. “You’ll retain your personal wealth, of course—I’m not a monster. But your stake in this company, your position, your future here.” He shrugged. “You’re out.”
For a moment, I was back in the backyard in Southie, right after Owen and I had finished a fight. Owen had lost, as he usually did, and had gone inside to nurse a split lip. Dad, however, had stayed outside to critique my performance.
If you end a fight, you have to fuckingendit, he’d told me.There’s no point in delivering a haymaker if you can’t knock the fuckers out.Like this.
And then he’d punched me. More than that. My own father had knocked me out, right there in the backyard.
And he was knocking me out today.
“Niall,” one of the officers interjected, “perhaps we should discuss?—”
“It’s done,” Dad said firmly.
And just like I’d known that day in the yard, I knew it now: the fight was over.
The rest of the meeting passed in a blur.
I signed the papers, knowing that if I didn’t, things would be even worse.
I just wanted to be free.
But just before the meeting adjourned, I did the one thing I could still control.
“I’d like to make a nomination for interim CEO,” I said. “Formally. Before the board.”
Dad raised a sly silver brow. “That’s hardly your place anymore.”
“It’s my right as a departing officer of the company.” I proceeded to cite the corporate bylaws I’d memorized years ago. Partly because I was the one who wrote them. I turned back to Liza, who was already taking official notes that would go to shareholders. “I nominate Ronan Black for the position.”
The silence in the room was deafening.
Like it was passing through a kaleidoscope, Owen’s face turned several shades of red and purple. “That’s insane. I’m the obvious choice?—”
“Are you?” I looked around the table, meeting each board member’s eyes. “Ronan has been running operations on the tech sector for three years. He knows every secret this company has, does what’s necessary to protect it, and has the ruthlessness needed for the role. Don’t be fooled by the jokes. He’s a killer, and you all know it.” I paused, letting my gaze linger on my brother’s furious face. “Owen has certainly shown his talent for information gathering, but it seemed more about himself than the company.”
“You bastard,” Owen hissed.
“The nomination is seconded,” said Bas Huntington, to everyone’s surprise.
Owen looked like he was going to explode.
“Third,” Liza said, though she looked a bit more reticent with a glance at Liam.
Others began nodding in agreement.
“The nomination will be considered at next week’s meeting,” Dad said tightly. “Liza, you’ll contact Ronan. He needs to get his ass back to Boston.”
