Chapter 14 #3
“What about it? The contract was pretty simple. You bring the Henley property on board and you get Montgomery, right? So you think it’s some sort of trap.”
I leaned back, steepling my hands under my chin and thought about this whole situation I found myself in. “When has Reginald ever willingly offered to give me control of Montgomery before?” I didn’t need him to answer the question, but I knew he would.
“Never. He’s hoarded it like a fucking dog does bones.”
“Even though he put no effort into keeping it alive. Even before Mother died, they both forgot about it.” It was one of the many things that had driven a wedge between myself and my mother before her death.
Not only had she foisted Reginald on us, but she’d willingly put Father’s company into his hands to do with as he wanted—which was to do precisely nothing with it.
It survived on name recognition and whatever my siblings and I could do to keep it going.
“So why now? Why is he so anxious to turn it over?”
Lachlain picked up a pen and twirled it in his fingers. “Got me?”
“This is a Montgomery dream come true.” The minute the words left my mouth, I knew they were the truth. I knew I spoke aloud what I’d been mulling over for days. This was everything my father and his father had built the Montgomery brand on. This could be what I made my mark on.
It was everything I could breathe new life into the brand on.
“Wait. What the hell are you saying? You want to make this your first jewel in the Montgomery crown?”
I nodded and watched Lachlain’s face morph from shock to something much more knowing.
“How much of this has to do with one Reese Henley?”
More than I was comfortable telling my brother.
More than I was even comfortable admitting to myself, if I were being honest. “Nothing.” Lie.
“It has to do with what I should have been doing all along, and that was honoring Father and not letting Montgomery die on the vine.” Working with Reese’s family, we could make something of this property, of the businesses.
That I’d be working with Reese shouldn’t be this much of a selling factor, yet it was.
“There’s still another matter you’re forgetting.”
“No, I’m not. He’s up to something. We simply have to figure it out.” If I got my hands on this property, I wanted no way for Reginald to undermine the deal or the Henleys. “I want to know what the fuck’s going on, Lachlain.”
He muttered a curse. “So do I, brother, so do I. What do you want me to do?”
“You remember what Reginald’s CEO contract says, right?
” Any illegal activities would cause his forfeiture of control of Conti-Montgomery and all assets.
“Pull everything you can on Montgomery’s financials.
Something isn’t right, and I’d stake everything I have that it centers on money.
You’re the numbers guy. Find out what the fuck is going on with our family’s company.
” I watched as my brother sat up straight, a wicked grin on his face.
He would be as happy as I would be to take down Reginald.
“Don’t tell Grandmother or Sofia.” Both women would go in, guns blazing, if they saw the slightest opening to be free of Reginald.
Lachlain pointed at himself. “Do I look like a crazy person? Speaking of Grandmother, she wants to know when you’ll be home and why you are avoiding her?”
One question I could answer, though explaining it would be entertaining. “I’ll be here for a couple of weeks. I’m working at the Henley businesses.”
My brother’s mouth dropped open, and he leaned forward. “Excuse me? You’re what? Why? Is that why you’re not in a suit?”
“It is, and it’s because Reese asked me.
” The grin spreading across Lachlain’s face told me to keep talking before I heard his take on the subject.
“She thought I was here to help, a fact I did not dissuade her of.” Probably because somewhere in my brain I knew what Montgomery could do.
Somewhere in my pants too, probably. “The only way she’d listen is if I learned about them. ”
Lachlain laughed. Not a slight chuckle, but a full-body laugh. “This is the best thing I’ve ever heard. She’s got you tied up in knots, brother. I love it.”
“She does not.”
“Whatever. So I guess seduction is on the menu?”
Anger took over as I bit out his name. “Lachlain.”
Wagging his finger, he chuckled. “I have to say, as the brother who is way better with women, it would be a hell of a lot smarter if you just simply give into the attraction I sense you feel and not ‘seduce her to get her business.’”
“I never said I was going to seduce her to get the business.”
“You never said you weren’t either. I know you considered it, and to be fair, I don’t blame you.
She’s hot and you’re interested.” He held up his hand when I opened my mouth to dispute him.
“Don’t deny it. It’s going to go a lot better for you if you take the business aspect out of that part of your relationship, especially if you’re wanting something more. ”
“I didn’t say I wanted something more.” Truth be told, I didn’t know what I wanted with her, only that the need that clawed inside of me was something I didn’t think I could resist much longer.
I’d never really thought about the future in terms of a relationship or “more,” and now was definitely not the time.
A skeptical look crossed my brother’s face, before he spoke, “You know, Clay, Grandmother said this whole thing was fortuitous; maybe she didn’t mean just the company.”
He hit the disconnect button, leaving me staring at a blank screen, with his and Grandmother’s words ringing in my head.
Fortuitous.
Maybe she did know what she was talking about.