Chapter 32 #3
“He’s going to suffer in a way that I’m sure you will all find satisfactory.
” Scarlett pauses in front of me again, one hand on her hip.
She has a pair of boxers in her other hand, holding them out to me like a peace offering.
“If you want one of Chet’s fingers, you can have it.
You just have to let my girls cut it off. Seem fair?”
I lift a brow, accepting the boxers and slipping them on.
I flex my gloved hands, peering at them and wondering why I have to wear them inside my own house. If I were to disappear tomorrow, what would be left of me? Maybe…just inside our room, I can make a few exceptions. I peel both gloves off, throw them away, and then put my hands on Scarlett’s waist.
“I don’t want any part of that cretin near me.
Do what you need to do with him and, as with Ernest, I will be satisfied that he paid up his share of karma for helping to instigate Papa’s death.
” I press a kiss on one of Scarlett’s cheeks and then the other.
Her full mouth. Our tongues are entangled, and it’s not a polite or romantic sort of kiss.
It’s lascivious, and I love every part of it.
“You looked so hot in that suit,” Scarlett whispers against my lips, leaning her body on mine.
“I suppose we have to make some big decisions when it comes to the fate of the Borisov Group and all the projects planned for Springfield. You’ll have to keep putting on that suit and playing the part of CEO for the foreseeable future. Are you up for it, Mr. Force?”
“Mm.” I reach out for the top of the dresser, handing a small stack of papers over to Scarlett. It’s the confirmation of our name changes. Not just mine. Scarlett’s. Kellin’s. Adrian’s. Ash’s (under Aspen, since legally that’s the only living twin between them).
Borisov. For now, we all belong to the Borisov family.
For now, that’s okay.
Later…we’ll handle that minor detail later.
“This, too, came with Burt’s delivery this morning.” I sound apologetic but really, it’s a small price to pay. “I imagine that when Uncle Burt signs you to Tricked Out Talent, he’ll let you use Scarlett Force as your stage name.”
“Yeah? He better. I only ever play to win, you know that.” Scarlett crumples the papers up and tosses them into the bedroom trash can, making me shudder. I can handle that. Some non-perishable garbage left for a day or two. Ash sees my discomfort and rushes to get the can.
“No. No.” I step forward and wave him off. He gives me the most quizzical look I’ve ever seen in my life. The frog croaks from atop the bedroom’s second dresser. “Clean your frog’s home and don’t worry about something as small as this. It can wait a few days.”
Scarlett appears shocked. Personally, I’m sweating. My bare palms are wet when Ash grabs onto them, and I can’t quite seem to keep my gaze off the shredded paper in the can.
“Do you want to help with his terrarium?” he asks excitedly, causing the hair on the back of my neck to stand straight up.
His fingers are all over my hands, clutching at my sweaty palms in excitement.
His dark eyes gleam as Bohnes, Widow, and Scarlett all look on in rapt interest. Apparently, each dynamic pair within this group is of piqued interest to the others.
I should not have taken my gloves off.
“I…suppose.” I’m led over to the dresser by Ash, left without any desire to sanitize my hands when he lets go. Watching him touch the terrarium lid without any gloves on causes me to re-evaluate that sentimentality.
“Once you make up your mind to do something, you just do it, huh?” Scarlett asks, grabbing onto my arm and peering around me as I watch Ash remove a water dish dirtied by the corpses of crickets. A shudder passes through me.
“Thus, the reason we fell for one another,” I reply easily, and this time, the shudder passes through Scarlett instead.
I glance down at her, catching her dark eyes with my own.
Bohnes and Widow are right there, too, unwilling to be left out of any event, no matter how small.
On the bed, Ash’s frog stuffie stares back at the room with solid black glass eyes to match those of his master.
“As per the by-laws,” Ash mutters crazily, but then he smiles to himself. It’s better than you are cordially invited, so I welcome the switch with a smile of my own.
As per the by-laws, my father’s company has been restored to my hands. As per the by-laws, Chet Archer is no longer affiliated with our business. As per the by-laws, my wife has a measure of control in the actions Borisov Group takes.
During our next board meeting, we’ll cancel all of the pending projects in the Prescott neighborhood.
Every single one of them—including three data centers outside the current urban growth boundary, ushered in on the sly.
A bittersweet victory, since the damage is already done.
The family won’t allow us to build anything new.
I reach around Ash to grab the dirty water bowl and then I carry it into the bathroom, washing it with a generous amount of soap and scrubbing underneath my own nails until they bleed.
I do not put any gloves on for the rest of the night.
In fact, for the next two days, we barely leave that room and I don’t wear any gloves at all.
I barely wear clothes.