27. Chapter 26
Ria
After Leo went out with my brother last night, I purposely went to bed before he came home as my head was all over the place, but mostly just full of Leo.
Leading the monthly briefing with our executives and associates yesterday, I found myself seeking him out throughout the whole meeting.
Every time I did, he was already looking at me, a soft smile on his lips, with those bright blue eyes that had me stumbling over my words. I never stumble. Ever.
When I went to bed last night coiled tight with tension, I decided I had to get my control back.
I’m wearing my favorite navy blue pantsuit and Prada pumps with a crisp white shirt.
My hair is pinned up elegantly into a bun at the nape of my neck.
The whole image I’m trying to portray is the CEO I know I am.
The one who has her shit together. I had a good talking to with myself this morning, and as Leo said, I’m going to own this.
Control and order. I have no room for chaos.
My heels stutter to a stop when I reach my kitchen and see Leo, my brother, Jade, and Deacon of all people sitting around my kitchen island.
Seems I have room for a little more chaos.
“What the hell is going on?” I scan each of their faces, hoping to find something, but all I see are dark circles under Leo’s and Hunter’s eyes, and Jade’s face looks just as confused as I feel.
“Absolutely no idea.” Jade glares at a sheepish-looking Hunter.
“Your brother kept me up half the night tossing and turning but refused to tell me what was playing on his mind.” She drums her nails against the side of her mug, assessing my brother, and to his credit he does look a little scared of the tiny but formidable woman who is about to become his wife.
“I told you, Tink, that I’d tell you what’s going on but I needed to do it with Ria here too.”
“We don’t keep secrets,” she says softly as he cups her face.
“And I’m not.” God, the love that radiates off these two makes me so damn happy. My eyes flick to Leo who is already looking at me, and my stupid heart somersaults in my chest.
“So come on then.” Walking toward my coffee maker, I switch it on, trying to center myself and grasp that control that I’m desperately trying to get back.
Turning and leveling the men with my gaze, they all look sheepish as they look down at their feet.
My stomach rolls at their expressions. This can’t be good.
Whatever has my unflappable brother, his clown of a best friend, and his grumpy other best friend looking like I just told them Santa wasn’t fucking real has to be serious.
“Out with it, Hunter. I haven’t got all day. ” I sigh.
“I… We…” He looks to Leo and Deacon for help, and something passes between them as he sucks in a deep breath. “I had Deacon do some digging.”
“Digging? Into what?” I scrunch up my face and wonder what the hell he has been up to.
“Ezra.”
“Ezra? What the fuck, Hunter?” My pulse quickens as I start to panic. If he’s been messing around and this comes back on me, I’m completely fucked. Ezra is already pulling at every thread within my business to unravel it; I can’t let Hunter hand him the fucking scissors.
“Something has just felt off, Ri. Come on; you know it. How the hell did he manage to get the funding to buy Peak? Nothing makes sense.”
“You stepped down as CEO, Hunter.” My voice is calm, but I know I’m getting my point across as I glare at my younger brother across the island. “You’ve overstepped. I didn’t ask you to get involved.”
“I know you didn't. That's why I haven’t mentioned anything until now.”
“Until now? You think it’s acceptable to keep these types of things from me?” My voice rises slightly as I continue. “You told me all those months ago that you trusted me to run Bright. Your exact words were ‘you could do a better job than me.’ So why make me feel like I can’t?”
He is silent as Jade rises from her seat, shaking her head then walking around to stand by me. His face says it all—he knows he’s fucked up.
“And you knew about this?” I look at Leo who just slowly nods. I huff out a humorless laugh. “Unbelievable.”
“I told him we should tell you. I didn’t want to keep it from you.” He pulls at his blond locks and groans. “But Ri, this is big. What Deacon has uncovered all makes fucking sense.” He comes around to stand with me and hands me a folder. “It’s all in there.”
I take it as Deacon slips behind me to pour the coffees.
“It all fits, Ri Ri. And now we know what we’re up against.” Leo grips my shoulder gently, the warmth from his touch easing the ache in my stomach slightly. “Read the file, Ri.”
Glancing at Jade, I see her nod, then I place the folder on the marble counter, opening to the first page.
My eyes go wide when I see the photo staring back at me.
It’s Ezra—a much younger Ezra—standing next to a huge smiling man who is looking down at him with what can only be described as adoration and pride. I know that man.
Dale Lucas.
The man who has threatened to ruin Dad, and has tried at every opportunity. They have been enemies since college. Apparently he had a thing for Mom but she only had eyes for Dad. But why the hell is he there with Ezra?
“He’s Dale’s son?” I shriek, making Jade jump, and Hunter nods. “But Ezra never mentioned his dad the whole time we were together.” My mind is racing trying to remember anything from our time together. But there’s nothing. It was always just him and his mom; they said his dad had left them.
“His dad walked away…” I whisper. My fingers shake as I page through the file.
“It seems that Ezra was the result of an affair from when he would visit London on business.” Deacon places a coffee next to me.
“Dale’s wife didn’t want it getting out that he had been unfaithful; they kept him hidden.
Paid Ezra’s mum well for her discretion and told her to stay in London.
” He points at the financial report showing substantial funds being placed in accounts with Ezra’s mom’s name.
“But he was a huge part of his life, just in the shadows. It wasn’t until Ezra was older and graduated with his master’s degree that he moved to New York.
That’s when he started spending more time with Mr. Lucas.
But again, they kept it quiet and were never photographed together except for this one time.
” He points to a picture of the two men laughing, Mr. Lucas’s arm slung around his shoulder and looking so proud.
Checking the date stamp on the picture, bile rises in my throat.
It was the day he ran. The day he left me, crumpled and broken, and he was smiling.
A warm palm slips into mine, and my muscles start to uncoil as Leo pulls me into him.
Looking up at him, I see the understanding swimming in his eyes.
He’s noticed the date too. Falling into his embrace, I wrap my arm around his waist and he eclipses me, dropping a gentle kiss to the top of my head.
Silence fills the room, and I’m suddenly aware that all eyes are on us as Deacon clears his throat.
Reluctantly, I go to move, but Leo holds me tighter and I’m grateful for his touch.
“And now he’s part owner of Peak Investments.
” Deacon flicks to the last page of the report showing me the contract for the takeover of Peak. And there it is in black and white.
“What the hell is he playing at?” I whisper.
“Dale is using Ezra to bring down Bright. It’s the only explanation,” Hunter muses as he moves around the island and reaches for Jade.
“You’re seriously in the doghouse for this, Stone. Your sister is in charge here, not you.” She keeps her arms crossed and her guard up.
“I know, Tink.” He kisses her forehead, and I see her resolve melt as her arms loosen and she runs her hands across his chest.
“Something still feels off,” Deacon says, rubbing his hand across his jaw as he continues. “I’m nowhere near done looking into these two. But I thought you would be interested in what I have found so far.”
“Thank you,” I say quietly, nodding slowly as my eyes trail back down to look at the photograph. What the hell is he playing at?
“Now that you have this information, what are you going to do?” Hunter peers over Jade’s head, assessing me, concern etched in his sharp blue eyes and a slight frown set in his brow at how I’m holding on to Leo.
“It explains a lot, but it doesn’t show he’s doing anything wrong,” I muse. “There has to be something in here.” I slowly untangle myself from Leo and pick up the documents.
“What if there isn’t?” Jade asks. “What if it’s all legit and he wants to just do something nice for his son?”
“Then why hide who his son is from the world?”
“Good point.”
“Do you think Trixie knows?” Leo asks.
“I doubt it. She would have said something,” Jade says.
“You sure about that?” Deacon raises his brow at her. “He seems to have her under tight control.”
“I hope you’re wrong,” Jade murmurs.
“I’ve got someone keeping an eye on her.”
“You do?” Jade and I say in unison.
“I didn’t like how he treated her in Vegas, so I’ve got subtle eyes on her.
” He shrugs. “If he slips up I’ll know.” Reaching into his pants pocket, he scans his phone before muttering out a string of curses and furiously typing out a message.
“Look, I’ve given you everything I have for now, and I’ll update you when I find anything else out, but I need to get back.
Olive has to be at school in an hour.” He moves toward the door, not looking up.
He wasn't always this way—blunt and distant. It makes my heart ache for what he’s been through.
But there is only one person who will melt his frozen heart and that’s his daughter, Olive.
My office door opens slowly, and a white napkin is waved through the gap. I can’t help the giggle that bubbles out of me at the gesture. “You’re safe, Leo.”