Page 116 of Wicked Union

“He’s forfeiting the Vanderbilts’ right to the common equity. All of The Founders are given an equal share, except the Elders. They have a lot more.”

“So I get more than what our grandfather left us?”

He nodded. “Billions more.”

After Remington signed the last paper, he set the pen on the table, a look of defeat on his handsome face. He couldn’t have been much older than his early fifties. Not an ounce of gray hair. No wrinkles. I could see what Rhys would look like in twenty-five years.

“The Vanderbilts are exiled from The Founders Society,” Carl told Remington and Rhys. “You are to have no contact with any member of The Devil’s Knights or The Founders Society. I would suggest fleeing the country. You’re finished here.”

Cole said exile from The Founders Society was worse than death. Overnight, the Vanderbilts went from one of the wealthiest families in the world to bankrupt and connectionless. No one would go near them out of fear of angering The Founders.

“Understood,” Remington said with a nod.

He turned to leave, grabbing his son by the shoulder to steer him out of the room.

I got out of the chair and strolled toward them. “Rhys, wait.”

Before he reached the door, he spun around to look at me.

“You could have gotten further if you weren’t such a dick to me. I would have helped you.” I shook my head, hating the sight of him, but I had to get this off my chest. “We could have been friends. Using me to get ahead backfired. I hope this is a lesson you never forget.”

“I was only trying to save my family,” he said in a hushed tone, head hung low. “I never meant for you to get hurt.”

“Well, I did. And God only knows what you would have done to me if Cole hadn’t contacted my father and saved me from our wicked union.”

“If it’s any consolation,” he said as his eyes met mine, blowing out a deep breath. “I’m sorry for everything. I like you. It was never personal.”

“I said yes to marrying Cole at our wedding.” I wanted to piss him off, hoping it would sting a little. “And when I took my vows, I was pregnant with Cole’s child. So even when you thought you won, you didn’t. I just let you believe you did.”

His eyebrows furrowed at my confession. “It was always going to be Marshall, anyway. I could see you two were in love with each other. But I couldn’t help myself. I had to have you. And my family needed the dowry.”

I wasn’t the same girl who arrived at Fort Marshall months ago. That version of Grace Hale didn’t exist. I was tainted by Rhys and loved by Cole. Between the two, I found the perfect balance of who I wanted to become.

“I feel sorry for you, Rhys. I even wanted to give you the benefit of the doubt because horrible people raised you.” My eyes darted to Remington, who stood in the entryway, before returning my gaze to Rhys. “But then I thought about how I was raised. By an abusive grandfather who made me think I was the daughter of a terrorist who killed my mother. You can use your family as an excuse for why you do horrible things to people, but if that’s true, then so could I. I could have been like you. But I chose to see the good in people. That’s why I gave you a chance, even when Cole warned me about you.”

He bobbed his head, swiping a longer strand of black hair away from his face. “You’re right. I fucked up. And I’m sorry.”

Pressing my lips together, I nodded. “Goodbye, Rhys.”

He winked. “Bye, princess.”

ChapterFifty-Eight

GRACE

After Carl adjourned the meeting, Bastian guided me beneath the building. No one was allowed to come with us. Only the Elders could use the key to access the secret door.

In typical Founder fashion, we moved through hidden passages until we were directly beneath the ground level. It smelled like dirt and sewage down here, and with me being pregnant, I wanted to puke. Even the slightest smells turned my inside to mush.

Bastian stopped in front of an ancient door and removed the skeleton key. He turned it in the old lock and smiled when it clicked into place. “Are you ready to see what kind of power this key holds?”

I nodded. “Open it.”

He pushed on the door. But as I had expected, we needed more than the key to access what was behind it. Before Carl left, he transferred the security access to Bastian. I would only have to intervene if he was unavailable.

My cousin put his hand on the scanner on the wall, then leaned forward to let the computer take a retinal scan.

I laughed. “Why even use the key if no one can get past this door?”

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