Page 48 of Cold and Broken (The Titans of Founder's Ridge 1)

“I don’t know about civilized, you have essentially called me evil and a basic bitch. And I’ve definitely thought about all the places I could fuck you in here for the past hour.” I blatantly adjust myself, showing her my arousal.

She opens her mouth to say something but her phone rings with a video call.

“Hey Z!” She chirps happily after accepting the call.

“Hi Lil. What’s going on?” His deep voice carries through the library.

“Working on psychics with Connor.” She gestures for me to come around.

I shake my head no and reach down to check my phone. I have a text from Victor asking me to come to his office. I write out a note and slide it over to Lilith so she knows what I’m doing. She reads it and gives me a thumbs up.

I find the door partially opened to Victor’s office and step inside without knocking. Michael is in there bent over the conference table looking through resumes.

“Hey son.” Victor points to one of the chairs in front of his desk. “Sit.”

Since I’m in a halfway decent mood from my time with Lilith I don’t roll my eyes at him calling me son. I just take a seat and plaster my uninterested mask on without saying anything.

“I’m sure you know that the Owens are back in town.” Victor waits for my nod of affirmation to continue. “They’re alleging that we had something to do with the explosion of one of their rigs in the Gulf.”

“Yeah, Scott approached me at my party Saturday and mentioned it. He was all over me at school today, too.”

“Obviously, we had nothing to do with it. I could not care less about their little stateside operation. They produce a fraction of what we could if we opened up drilling on our Siberian land.”

“I know.”

“They’re talking about getting retribution and there have been credible threats made to us.”

“Okay.” I run my palms down my thighs. “Should I really be leaving tomorrow? I’m not concerned about my safety but what about Lilith? Should she be left alone? What about mom and Claire?”

“I’ve hired and trained a small group of men to patrol the property.” Michael says as he sits in the chair beside mine. “Plus, she’s highly skilled in self defense, including using her pistol. I’m not too worried about her for a couple days. Unfortunately she’s used to me traveling for work so she’ll be okay.”

Lilith has a gun. I shouldn’t be surprised considering her father’s background and line of work but I am. She has always spoken of guns with an air of negativity.

“Plus Edward and Delores will keep an eye on her for us,” Victor adds, pulling me out of my thoughts of Lilith. “Your mother is safe on her family’s estate and Claire’s boarding school is as secure as it gets.”

“Good. It’s not really home that worries me. I have a couple concerns at school.” I give Victor a meaningful look. I don’t want to out her secrets to her dad.

“Does it have anything to do with how she ended up bruised from her back to her ankles last week?” Michael’s attention snaps to me.

“Yes.” I look him directly in the eye. “But it isn’t my story to tell. I will say the responsible party spent a night in the hospital and won’t be returning to Founders Prep.”

“Thank you.” Michael holds his hand out for me to shake.

“I have Lev and Griff with her throughout the day and if one of them can’t escort her one of Lev’s offensive linemen will tail her. It’s pissing her off,” I can’t hold back my smirk, “but with tensions escalating I think it’s the best course of action.” I grip his hand.

“Agreed.” Michael says.

“We should be finished with everything early enough for you to come home Wednesday night. We just need to get your shares and position in the company passed to you before your uncle tries to wrangle more power for himself.”

“Right.” Victor is a shit father and even shittier husband but he’s a damn good businessman with vision for the future. My uncle undermines him at every turn, trying to find the quickest way to get richer. I’m glad my dad is the oldest and had me fairly young so the reigns of the business will go straight to me. “Nepotism for the win.”

Michael snorts at my caustic tone. Victor scowls.

“You need to watch your attitude at the office. I know you have a low opinion of me and, quite frankly, I don’t care unless it undermines me at work.” He glares at me with the same intensity I project daily.

I nod in assent.

“You may go. We leave at 8 am.”

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