Chapter 37
CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN
MARCUS
It’s evening when John’s car pulls up to our condo to take me and my brother to Skynet.
I stare down at my gray three-piece suit, hoping to god that I never have to wear it again.
John is dressed similarly with his dark hair slicked back, and he’s holding a black leather briefcase.
It’s a little disconcerting seeing him look so businesslike. I’m used to John the dad.
I text Sabrina that we’re on the way, and she sends me a winky-face emoji as John’s driver starts the trek over to Bellevue. I tug at my collar, feeling itchy as usual. Seb is staring at his phone as he texts away, his lip curled in a small smile.
“You’re nervous,” John directs at me.
“Yeah, I just want this to be over with.” But also, we’re about to confront two very dangerous men, so my brain has been spiraling with all the worst case scenarios.
John looks between us. “You guys are about to blackmail your father. How’re you both feeling?”
“Like I couldn’t care less what happens to that asshole.” Seb’s voice is rightfully saturated with resentment and venom.
I sigh. “You know, I loved him a lot more than he deserved. I forgave him. Made excuses for him. I wanted him to be proud of me.” My eyes water, and I blink.
“I feel so stupid now. Skynet’s money raised us.
It put me through college. It funded so many milestones in our lives.
And. . . it was also responsible for killing people.
Innocent people. It’s just so fucked up, and I’m so angry.
” I look out the window, trying to regain my composure.
Seb’s hand lands on my knee with a gentle squeeze.
The silence is heavy until John finally speaks. “Honestly, I think everything we found was a bit serendipitous,” John says.
“How so?” Seb asks.
“As you know, I’ve dealt with Ryan and Martin before,” he says wryly.
“They have countless connections and deep pockets, and they won’t back off unless you have something on them.
” He taps his briefcase. “We’re speaking their language.
Building this blackmail case against them ensures your father will be out of your lives for good. ”
“How are you so certain?” Seb asks, worrying his bottom lip.
John sighs. “I experienced it firsthand.” He glances at me.
“Uncovering what happened to Jeremy’s parents was the last straw for me.
Jeremy’s mom and dad were both on Skynet’s board, and Ryan orchestrated their accident after they decided they wanted out.
” He looks between us. “You boys may remember that I was on the board at one time, too.”
Seb and I exchange a look. We always suspected as much, but after the extramarital affair between John and our stepmother, it seemed like irrelevant information.
Seb raises an eyebrow. “And you escaped unscathed.”
John looks uncomfortable and nods. “Exactly. Knowing what I know now, it feels like I got off easy.” He gives me a sad smile.
“Your dad was one of my closest friends for a long time. Your stepmother and Allie, my wife, were inseparable. I knew a lot about Martin and Ryan from all the way back when we were in college together. When everything came to light about me and Ellen . . .” He swallows and looks away.
“It’s fine, John,” I say quietly. “It was almost five years ago. We’ve gotten past it.”
He nods and continues. “Well, let’s just say Martin was rightfully pissed and wanted me out.
So he and I came to an agreement that involved the movie theater and a lot of money.
Ryan was livid about the exchange, but I had dirt on them and they had dirt on me, so we called it even and parted ways.
” He looks at me, determination in his eyes.
“I realize now that I got lucky. I want Ryan to pay for what he did to Jeremy’s parents—what he probably did to a lot of other people. ”
Seb’s lips tighten. “The way he treated his own son was un-fucking-forgivable.” He cracks his knuckles with a manic look in his eyes. “Do you think I’ll get to hit him again?”
John chuckles darkly, the dad-like demeanor I’m so used to completely gone. For a moment, I see Lincoln.
“You hit him?” I chortle. “Seb, you’re like, the least violent person I know.”
His eyes flash. “You should have heard what he said to Michaels and Fi,” he growls. “I would have killed him if I could.”
I can’t tell if he’s joking or not. “Our father is such a piece of shit, but Ryan took it to a whole new level.” I grit my teeth. “No matter how dumb he plays, Dad knew what Ryan was capable of doing to you and Charlie. To me. To Jeremy. And he still chose to protect his business.”
“Typical Martin,” Seb scoffs. “All he’s ever cared about is money and power.”
I nod. “I wish I’d seen it sooner. I was so fucking blind seeking his approval for most of my life, and now, looking back, it was so obvious that he never cared about any of us. Not even Mom or Ellen. He’s just a narcissistic asshole.”
“You were just a kid who loved his dad,” Seb says. “I wanted him to be different too.”
John clears his throat, his hand flexing on his thigh. “As long as Martin backs off and signs over the pub and Ryan is arrested . . .” He stares out the window. “I thought Martin was bad, but Ryan is the worst kind of person. He creates guys like Dennis so he doesn’t have to get his hands dirty.”
I give John a pointed look. “Speaking of him getting arrested . . .”
“The authorities are already in place so that they can grab Ryan in case he runs.” He taps his chest. “He threatened Jason and Athena on the audio files we recovered, but didn’t explicitly state his intentions, so I’m wired up. I’m hoping we can goad him into admitting everything.”
Seb’s eyes widen. “You’re wired?” He glances at me. “Did you know?”
I nod. “And I mentioned it to Sabrina.”
“What if they search us?” Seb asks.
John shakes his head. “I mean, it’s a risk, sure, but like I said, I’ve made this type of deal with them before, so I don’t think they’ll suspect.” He gives me a small smile that I can only describe as evil. “Plus, some new information came to light a couple of nights ago.”
Before I can ask what he’s talking about, we pull up to the curb in front of Skynet. We head inside, taking the elevator to the top floor. I’m not surprised to find Regina waiting for us when the doors open, her mouth pinched in frustration.
She steps forward, her heels clicking loudly on the shiny floors. “What the fuck is going on, Marcus?” Her eyes narrow as she takes in John and my brother standing behind me. “What’s all this? I thought you were meeting with us alone.”
I shrug. “I brought my lawyer.”
“And your brother?”
“This involves him too,” I say.
“I warned you—”
My patience dissolves and I lean close to her, cutting off her tirade. “Your little threats mean nothing to me,” I growl. “Now take us to the meeting room.”
Her eyes widen with surprise and then cloud with anger, but she turns and leads the way. I look around, taking in the sterile feel of this place—cold, sleek furniture and gray and black accents. I hope it’s the last time that I have to set foot in this building.
Sabrina is already seated, a smug look on her face.
Her father sits beside her, looking bewildered and a little pissed.
She winks at me. Her father retired last week, and Sabrina accepted the role of CEO.
After this meeting, we’ll be calling off our engagement so she and Laura can live happily ever after on their terms. I’m so happy for them.
My father and Ryan are talking quietly at the head of the table, but they both do a double-take when they notice John.
“What the fuck are you doing here?” Ryan growls.
“I’m here on behalf of Marcus and Sebastian,” John starts coolly. My father looks confused, and Ryan’s eyes narrow. “It’s time to make a deal.”
The first thing John did was lay out his terms to take over as BB&B’s primary investor.
He showed my father and Ryan hundreds of pages documenting Ryan’s unsavory activities, including Skynet’s tenuous connections to several money-laundering operations.
When Ryan scoffed that there wasn’t enough proof to get him arrested, John pulled out his phone and played the audio from that night with Jeremy’s parents.
It’s the second time I’ve heard the recording now, but listening to Ryan’s exchange with Jeremy’s parents still makes me nauseous.
And so angry. I’ve been thinking a lot about little Jeremy and everything he went through because of Ryan, and this moment feels important, like we’re finally about to win for once.
I glance at my dad, who’s been strangely quiet through most of the exchange, but after hearing the audio, I see the exact moment that he panics.
“What the fuck is this, Ryan? You fucking offed them?” Martin’s wild eyes bounce between me and John. “I swear I had no idea. I wasn’t part of this. Skynet shouldn’t suffer—”
Sebastian slaps the table, and my father flinches. “Because that’s all you care about, right, Dad? The reputation of your precious business? Jeremy’s parents were murdered by your business partner, and you’re worried about your business?”
Ryan scoffs. “I hired someone to murder them. There’s a difference.”
We all stare at him, dumbfounded.
I glance at John, and he shrugs. Well, alrighty then. That admission was the final nail in his coffin.
Ryan swats at John’s phone, which slides back across the table. “And I don’t know where you got that audio, but it’s a deepfake. And even if it’s true, you have no real proof that I had Jason and Athena Hart killed.”
My father looks completely scandalized. “Jesus Christ, Ryan.”
I’m honestly not sure that my dad really knew the extent of Ryan’s psychopathy. Ignorance is bliss, I guess.
Sabrina clears her throat. “Martin, are you agreeing to Marcus’s terms or not?”
He narrows his eyes. “I’ll sign the pub over to John and back off Sebastian and Charlie, but I still want him on the board. At my side.”
She shakes her head. “Not happening.”
I shrug and nod. “She’s right. Not. Happening.”
He glances at me, bewildered. “Marcus—”
“No.” I stand, towering over him, and for once, my father looks like the small, weak man he actually is. “You don’t get to dictate my life anymore. I don’t want to be part of Skynet. I’m not your cis-het clone, for fuck’s sake.”
“My what?” he asks slowly.
“I’m queer, Dad. I’m bisexual. And Sabrina and I will not be getting married. And I’m in love with Jeremy. And you can keep your heteronormative bullshit to yourself.”
His eyes widen with outrage, but before he can speak, Sabrina cuts in. “I suggest you think very hard before you say what you’re about to say, Martin. I’m the CEO of Pine Investments, and I will back out of this merger if you don’t shut the fuck up.”
Sabrina’s lips flatten into a hard line, and I’m so grateful for her right now. Her father just looks embarrassed and defeated, and I almost smile. This clearly isn’t how he thought this meeting would go.
My father opens and closes his mouth a few times, and then his whole body deflates. “Okay,” he says quietly. “Marcus is free to go.”
John gives my dad an eat-shit smile and pulls the paperwork from his briefcase. He slides it across the table and tosses a pen on top of the pile. “Sign next to the X, my friend.”
For the first time in a long time, the tension seeps from my body like water from a sponge. I grin at Sebastian, and he gives me a wink.
My brother and sister are safe.
I’m my own person.
I can do whatever the fuck I want with my life. And, more importantly, love whoever the fuck I want.
Shit, I’m finally free.
The best part of the night, though? The authorities are waiting outside the conference room, and we all watch with varying degrees of satisfaction—even my father—as Ryan is escorted into the elevator in handcuffs.
I glance at my dad. “Well, you just lost two board members.” I glance at Regina, who’s glowering at me.
“And I’m not sure if you plan on keeping her around, so you’re about to be very busy.
” I smirk. “Not to mention, your business partner’s arrest is a nice little scandal.
You should probably get ahead of the media if you don’t want Skynet’s reputation to take a hit. Good luck.”
Then Seb and I leave.