Chapter Forty-Eight #2
Terrance left, and I made alterations to the statement and sent it back to Misty. Then I started replying to all the phone calls and emails that I had to and dealing with today’s urgent business so that I could leave after the press conference.
My pack also kept checking on me. Including Riley, who wanted permission to implement the plan she’d come up with when this war first started.
Me
Let’s hold that thought for a moment.
After all, my mother hadn’t actually done anything other than state that it was all lies carefully crafted to slander her.
Riley
I’m ready when you are.
My phone rang as I sent out yet another reassuring email while trying to finish a spreadsheet.
“Your sister is here; can I send her in?” Shayla asked.
“Sure.” I sent the email and started making a graph.
The door opened, and Katie stormed into my office in a cloud of angry spruce. “I’m going to fucking murder her.”
“What did she do?” I paused to give my sister my full attention.
“Okay, first it was shitty that she hit you. I didn’t know about that.
Also, I made a statement about busting you out, because I’m a lawyer and all.
But…” She paced. “Dad had the foundation make a statement that the Morris Foundation’s views were not her personal views because donors and community partners are scared.
This is a plan that we have in place. You know what she did? She fucking fired him.”
“What? Can she do that?” Anger burst inside me. How dare she? Dad gave up so much of his own pursuits to support her business and the foundation. Granted he enjoyed it, but he would have rather been a professional rugby coach.
“No, she can’t. Not according to the charter.
Troy can be fired by only her, but Dad, he requires all of us to vote to be fired, and you know I’m not voting against Dad.
He’s the one who made the foundation powerful, even if Troy likes to take the credit,” Katie replied as she continued to pace my office.
“Burn it down, Katie.” I got on my phone, hands shaking from anger, as I texted Riley.
Me
Go ahead. Just don’t do anything illegal and be careful.
“Oh, I will. She was aware he was making a statement and her publicist signed off on it. Will you speak out, too?” Katie asked.
“Yes. I have a press conference scheduled. Firing Dad is not okay. Okay, we’ll probably need to implement Project Phoenix, which involves bringing in a new board that’s mostly not family, changing the foundation’s name, and clearing it of any problematic family members.
That is, if Dad still wants to be in charge of everything.
I’ll send you the documents we created.” I found them and emailed them to her.
My twin stopped mid-pace, hands on her pregnant belly. “You and Dad had a plan for all of that?”
“Well, yes. We always thought that there might be a time when we needed to distance the foundation from the company in order to continue to further the foundation’s mission.
But we never thought it would be because Mother melted down and fired Dad.
We thought it would be more like some of her projects didn’t align or Liam getting involved in a scandal,” I replied.
Picking my phone back up, I looked up my mother firing my dad to see if it was online–and the statement.
“Liam? It’s Troy who has a fucking mistress.” She grimaced.
“What?” I looked up in disbelief. His wife was a bitch, but she loved him–and they had kids.
“Yeah. I might just send her proof out of spite because I know she doesn’t know. Spite being in that he’s supporting Mom in all this. Probably because without Dad, he’s in charge of the foundation.”
I continued searching through social media. How fucking dare she?
“Yep. Don’t worry, I have all the receipts.” Her look went sly.
Katie had a ruthless side. Her dealing with the hospital that had been mean to Grace had shown me that ruthlessness wasn’t always a bad thing when used to protect the people you loved.
I texted Dad.
Me
I love you. If you want the foundation, Katie and I will burn the world down. Already sent Katie the Project Phoenix documents.
Dad
I’ve barricaded myself in my office and locked everyone out of everything. They want to play dirty? I can play dirty. I can’t believe she’d do that. We had an agreement.
Frowning, I looked at Katie. “Do our parents love each other? I mean, I know they did, once. But do they still?”
Her look went sad. “If they do, I think this may have killed it. A divorce will get nasty.”
“Fuck. I’ll protect Dad. When it comes down to it, he always took my side when I really needed him to.” As much as the teasing and calling me sport angered me, I loved him.
Was I a terrible son if I admitted that I wasn’t sure if I loved my mother? With another sigh, I replied to Dad.
Me
Katie and I are on your side.
Dad
Thank you.
I looked at Katie, who was now straightening all my books. “Dad’s preparing for war. He’s fine with us burning shit down.”
“Let’s do this.” Katie punched one hand with another.
I texted Wes to see what he could do to help, then looked back at her. “Let’s. Because she’s crossed her last line.”
“That was incredible,” Misty commended as the press conference finished, and I left the room, not wanting to talk to any other members of the press.
“Good, because I’m not doing that again.” I felt nauseous.
Terrance joined me. “That was amazing. I can’t believe your mom tried to fire your dad.”
“Me neither.” I headed to the elevator, Terrance with me.
“Go home, Bren,” Terrance urged.
“I think I will.” I looked at the family calendar. Grace was home this afternoon, but that was all right. I’d just let her know that I was in a bad mood and to steer clear so that I didn’t accidentally hurt her feelings.
Going up to my office, I collected my shit and grabbed my helmet.
“I’m out for the rest of the day,” I told Shayla, and went down to the elevator.
Yes. I’d go home, work my frustrations in the gym, then play the piano. By the time everyone got home, I’d be fit for human interaction.
I was almost at my bike when a small green motorcycle with a sidecar stopped in front of me.
Grace took off her helmet. “Get in the sidecar, we’re going to buy some chickens.”
“Um, what?” I just stood there blinking at her.
“I’m kidnapping you. Get in the sidecar.” Her face went stern as she sent a text. “See, I even told Jett. I know today has been shitty. So, you’re going to come with me, and we’re going to feel better. Now, get in the sidecar.”
There was something so fucking cute about her trying to order me around. Yeah, I’d been looking forward to some solitude, but the urge to make her happy was greater.
“Look, we don’t have to talk. We can just exist together. Get in the sidecar? Please?” The pleading notes in her tone tugged at me.
“Will I fit?” Was I really going to squish myself into the sidecar to please her?
Yes, I was.
Putting on my helmet, I folded myself into the sidecar the best I could and fastened my belt. Huh. Yeah, this wasn’t made for Alphas, but it wasn’t that uncomfortable. Which meant the next time Wes made noises about not fitting, I could call him out on it.
Now, was this legal? I wasn’t sure.
“Where are we going?” I asked as she took off.
“First is food, since it’s past lunchtime.”
“I could eat.” That nauseous feeling I’d had earlier giving the press conference was passing.
We drove to an area I’d never been to that was a bit on the outskirts and stopped at some place called Mom’s Barbeque. The place looked old, and cars crowded the parking lot.
“I really want some barbeque. I mean, we got a smoker as a mating gift, but I’ll experiment with it over the weekend.” She dragged us inside a very casual, but busy, place that smelled of roasting meat.
“Two?” the hostess asked, as she grabbed plastic menus and led us to a wooden table.
I looked over the menu. Okay, I could see what she was going for.
“This is supposed to be the best barbecue in the area,” she said.
Someone came over to us to take our drink order.
“I’d like a whiskey smash, he’ll have a bourbon, and two waters,” she ordered. “We’ll need a few moments to look over the menu.”
The server looked at me, I nodded, then the server smiled at her. “Sure, Hun.”
“I hope you don’t mind that I ordered for you, I figured with the day you’ve had you might need it,” she added, scent going a little anxious as she fiddled with the menu.
“It’s okay, Grace.” As promised, she’d been quiet on the drive over. It made me wonder if there was more to this kidnapping than just my having a shitty day.
Though either way, I was flattered that she’d do something like this for me.
The server brought our drinks and took our order. She was still quiet.
“I appreciate you kidnapping me. Does your boss know that you’re on an adventure instead of working?” I asked.
“Yes. I was supposed to work from home this afternoon, anyway. The interns are on a field trip to the warehouse.” She took a sip of her drink.
“Katie and I are getting violent. Also, I gave a press conference. Fuck. I hate them.” My phone rang. Mother. Nope. I sent it to voicemail.
“I’ve never given one,” she replied, taking a biscuit out of the red plastic basket and putting butter and honey on it.
“Ugh, they’re a necessary evil.” Without meaning to, I dove into what exactly had happened, not knowing if she actually knew specifics.
“I’m glad you’re protecting your dad. I don’t really know him, but we talked a little at the party and the science dinner, and he seems nice.” She finished her biscuit just as they brought us food.
“He is. My dad annoys me sometimes, but when I asked him to stop doing something I didn't like, he actually did.” I hadn’t been called sport once since my request. If I’d known asking would make him stop, I would have done it years ago. I hadn’t because it didn’t work with my mother or brothers.