Heartless Legacy (Heartless Heirs of Canyon Falls #4)

30. Pax

Chapter 30

Pax

A s I sit at the table across from the families I’ve known and shared meals with for years, I think back to last Thanksgiving break, and compare how fundamentally different my life was then. Not better, just different from how it looks now, and I realize just how much I took what I had for granted. The friendships, the respect. The love and admiration of others. I thought I’d always have it. That I was owed it, and now, I can barely stand to look at myself in the mirror, because I didn’t deserve it. I wasn’t owed anything. I had those things because people chose to give it to me. Now they just tolerate me.

I wouldn’t call what I’m experiencing a fall from grace. If anything, I’m more popular among the legacy families than I was before. My father’s been networking his ass off. On the outside, it looks like he’s lobbying for support for new recruitment initiatives and challenges, but he’s really stacking the deck in his favor for when he makes a move against my grandfather. The topic that’s winning him those votes is the council’s supposed failure to properly vet Theona LaReaux.

Of course, he’s had to modify his smear campaign. He can’t mention the stabbing, or that he has her locked away. Had her locked away? I’m still not sure which it is. So instead, he’s merely pointing out that she’s unreliable, untrustworthy, and that she took off mid challenge with her other challenge items in tow.

I like the idea that no one can claim Thea’s points because her challenge items are still in play. It’s like a final fuck you to us all. Eloise leans over and asks, “What’s so funny?”

I hadn’t realized I was laughing out loud. I school my features and lift my glass to my lips. “Nothing. Just something I was remembering.” I nod at Mr. Charles to continue speaking. That’s another difference from last year. Eloise is sitting on my side of the table and I have to pretend to be interested in what her daddy has to say about our upcoming union.

Progress has slowed in our contract negotiations. At the beginning of the month, Mr. Charles added a stipulation for a minority share in stock in our company. Dad offered two percent. I’m not sure if he was being funny or not, because two percent is laughable. Yes, we’re supposed to have the better end of all deals because we’re elevating Eloise’s status but Mr. Charles is also right for wanting assurances we’ll go through with the marriage and that his daughter will be taken care of in case I have a roving eye after she gives birth to a male heir.

Two percent comes down to half a percent per year for four years. That’s an insult, but of course my dad’s favorite thing to do is to insult people. Just like lately, my favorite thing to do is to annoy the shit out of him. Which I’m succeeding at if the twitch in his eye is anything to go by.

My gaze swings to my grandfather, who is also staring in my direction, and I straighten in my seat. He’s not the Malcolm I have an issue with. If anything, he’s the one protecting me from my dad’s scheme. I can’t believe he added a clause to act as my proxy.

The threat to frame me for murder wasn’t just a threat. Remembering that, I smile at Mr. Charles and become a perfect future son-in-law. As miserable as I am, and as much as my friends hate me, I still love them and I won’t do anything to put them in danger.

Parker stands and makes a speech. “It’s been an interesting year. We’ve had a lot of successes, but these last few months we’ve had way more failures than I’d like to admit. It’s been hard to deal with and I’ve considered walking away, but then you get a day like today.” His hand sweeps out. “Standing here looking at your faces reminds me why I do the job I do. I’m doing my part to make this country a better place for our families.” He meets each of our gazes, finally landing on my father when he says, “And so I am thankful for each and every one of you at this table for being here and reminding me of my greater purpose.” He raises his glass and says, “Happy Thanksgiving.”

We all toast him a Happy Thanksgiving in return. He’s facing the table so we all see how widely he’s smiling when he hugs his wife, kids and J.R, and when he shakes hands with my father and tips his head in respect to my grandfather and the other council members at the table. Too bad he doesn’t know that my father should be on his suspect list.

All the other fathers go around the table saying what they’re thankful for. Parker’s smile never slips. He’s just a nice guy like that. So genuine, and he feels things deeply. Holden’s a lot like him, but he keeps his feelings to himself. I know how much Parker and J.R. value their Trium. How much they honor their oath. They’ve been best friends forever, and my father has never given them any reason to distrust him. He plays the game well.

How hard would it be to call the FBI tip line and report my father as a person of interest in their trafficking case? Do they trace those calls? Holden would know how to cover my tracks, but I can’t ask him. I’ll have to look into it myself.

I take another sip of my drink. I’m still trapped in my head, working through the fantasy of turning my father in, so I know it’s me projecting my issues, and my alcohol addled brain that makes me imagine I see Parker’s eye narrow slightly in my dad’s direction when he climbs to his feet to speak.