Page 216 of Mad As Hell

Ash smirked knowingly. “We get Beckett to go all in by exposing Gary. He buys into this last company with everything he has left to get ahead of Gary, but what he’s really doing is going completely belly up. They each invest in a company they’ll own fifty percent of, but all they’re buying is a piece of paper. We’ll own them both in one fell swoop.”

“We’re counting on Beckett believing Ryan’s word,” Linc pointed out, his tone dubious. “That’s he’s utterly and completely in love with Maddie to the point he’d say fuck it to his future.”

Ryan smirked and kissed my jaw. “Not a stretch.”

Heat curled in my belly as I cuddled closer to him.

Linc rolled his eyes. “We get it, bro. You got the girl and lost your balls in the process.”

I smirked at Linc. “I can assure you his balls are firmly intact and functional.”

Linc’s jaw dropped as Ryan barked out a laugh.

“Can we stop talking about Ryan’s balls and get back on track?” Court drawled, rolling his eyes as Bex giggled.

Ash scooted to the edge of the couch and looked at Ryan, all business. “Beckett’s hatred of Gary is bigger than anything else. At this point, he has nothing to lose. If he sits on his ass, Gary will outmaneuver him. Do you think you can sell it to him?”

“Yeah.” Ryan nodded slowly, and I could see the wheels turning in his head as he figured out how to pitch it to his dad.

“But if Beckett stops to look into what’s going on, he’ll know he’s been played. He could even give Gary a heads up,” I argued, shaking my head.

Ash grimaced. “It’s a risk, I know. But it’s the only real play we have if we want them both taken out now. You two announce your marriage at the meeting. During it, we’ll take Phoenix public with all our names listed as owners, and the fact that we control every company Beckett and Gary have bought into.”

I gaped at him. “You want us to go public at the Cain board meeting? In front of Gary and Beckett?”

“Are you fucking insane?” Court stared at him.

“Ash, I don’t know…” Ryan hesitated, looking torn.

Ash glowered at the floor as he seemed to take a beat to figure out how to say what he needed to. “Guys, this is it. We’re not going to have another shot at taking out Beckett and Gary. Gary is leveraging himself to the fucking gills with this deal. If we get Beckett to do the same, they’ll fold. They won’t have a choice.”

Linc sucked in a sharp breath through his teeth. “Okay, so we take out Beckett and Gary, but we still have a problem. Phoenix going public means my father—and Court’s—will know. We’ll lose all elements of surprise.”

“It’s not ideal,” Ash agreed grimly, “but it is the only way to completely stop Gary and Beckett right now. We’re out of time.”

“Stopping Gary and Beckett is only half the battle,” Court argued. “My dad and Linc’s—”

“Are counting on being able to strike a deal with the Russians to open up a pipeline to funnel as many women and children through as they can.” Ash glared at him. “But the deal hinges on the money Beckett and Gary are supposed to provide. Without those funds, they’re all fucked.”

“But won’t that put Maddie and Ryan right in the line of fire?” Bex asked softly. “If they’re at the board meeting, it’ll be them against a room full of assholes.”

“We could all be there,” Ash replied.

“Jesus,” Linc hissed, throwing himself back against the couch with a pissed expression. “Then Court and I lose the inside track with our fathers, and we’re flying blind. Ash won’t be working on the books anymore… We’ll be fighting a war without the advantage of knowing our opponents’ next moves.”

Ryan’s somber gaze moved to each guy in the room. “We need to vote on it.”

“No,” Linc said immediately. “Yes, we’d take out Gary and Beckett, but Phoenix isn’t ready to take on my dad. Not yet. Even if things with the Russians go south, he still has too much pull for us to take him on.”

Court looked at his best friend. “I agree.”

“I say we go for it,” Ash reiterated. “Ry, you know it’s the right play.”

Ryan looked at me and slowly nodded. “I agree with Ash.”

Bex bit her lower lip. “What happens when there’s a tie?”

Linc scoffed. “Time to call Grandpa. He’s the tie breaker.” He looked at Bex and his expression softened a bit. “When we set up Phoenix, we each got twenty-two and a half percent. Grandpa got the residual ten. We needed someone to be able to break a tie, if it ever came to it.”

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