But this isn’t over, in fact, it hasn’t even begun and I steel myself for the rest.
Marshall starts to laugh, a hollow, rasping, evil sound that fills the room with the stench of evil. He turns to Sydney and sneers. “It looks like you were played, my dear. No sooner did you inherit a company, you lost it just as quickly. I’m guessing this idiot fed you a line and made you believe his fanciful tale. Trust me, my dear, you won’t get a dime from this company and neither will he. This will be caught up in the courts for the rest of your miserable life and you will regret ever laying eyes on Tyler Mortimer.”
I laugh softly. “Keep on telling yourself that, Marshall. Anyway, shall we hear the man out?”
The lawyer coughs and looks down at the contract for the third time.
“Thirty percent of the company will be signed over to Tyler Mortimer who has changed his name to Tyler Donahue. This leaves 50% still in the control of Marshall Emmerson Junior.”
Marshall looks triumphant and I smile inside as Mr. Barnes continues. “If Mr. and Mrs. Donahue bears a child a further 10% will be signed over to them bringing their share to 40%. This leaves 40% in Marshall Emmerson Junior’s control and 40% in Mr. Donahue’s.”
Marshall grins. “Stalemate. Not quite the checkmate you planned.”
He looks around the room and laughs. “Now, if you don’t mind, I’m a bit old for the circus, so leave before I have you thrown out by security. What you say is irrelevant anyway because you can’t prove this bitch is related to me and this fake will is not even recognized. All this has been is an hour wasted. Now get the hell out of my office, the lot of you.”
I hold up my hand and say roughly. “Finish reading.”
Mr. Barnes coughs and says shakily. “Marshall Emmerson Junior holds 30% personally with a further 10% held in trust that he controls until a certain, Ashton Mortimer has a child. Then that child inherits the 10% share and the father her seat on the board.”
Marshall rolls his eyes and my father looks bitter. I lean across and hiss. “So, that’s why you made that deal all those years ago. Your father was a manipulative bastard and wanted to control us all even from the grave. He couldn’t stand that your wife left you for his lowly employee. The man that knew this business inside out and helped make it the success it is today. He hated that his family was made to look like fools while his son’s wife moved on and started a family with someone else. So, he made sure you would all pay. You would only have control if you took back what you were owed. You were to marry Ashton and plant your baby inside her. You would hide the new will and make sure that nobody ever found Sydney Lawrence. Your father hated my family so much he sought to destroy them. When he died you buried his new will with him and made my father agree to your deal. My sister in exchange for the life of a billionaire. She was to remain a virgin just so you could be the one to give you the baby you needed to keep your precious shares.”
There is silence in the room as I glare at the man who made our lives hell. He just rolls his eyes and starts laughing which sends murderous intent to my heart. He starts to clap slowly and then stands, his huge frame dominating the space and reminding us that he is a force to be reckoned with.
Then he turns to look at my father and sneers. “Look what you raised between you and that cheating whore of an ex-wife of mine. Is it no wonder my father sought to destroy you? All your miserable lives you have been controlled by him. You wanted the crumbs from his table and couldn’t wait to agree to anything he wanted or even me. You made that deal with me over greed. You drove your wife away because of money and you sent her to an early grave because she stood in your way.”
My father jumps up and shouts, “Don’t you speak to me like that. All my life I’ve worked hard to keep this company afloat where you didn’t have the knowledge to. You wouldn’t have a company if it wasn’t for me and as for the deal we made, you needed it more than me. If anyone controlled anyone around here, it’s me. Obviously, your father knew that without my children your company would crumble into dust if it were left you alone to control it.”
He turns to me and snarls. “You stupid boy. Look what you’ve done. A lifetime of planning to secure all our futures hangs in the balance because of your own misguided thirst for revenge. First your sister and now you. Didn’t I give you everything over the years? You had it all. Money, status, and a promising future. Now you have nothing, just like her because you couldn’t be happy with that. No, you wanted to take it all and now Marshall will no doubt ruin us like he tried to do all those years ago.”
Then he turns to Sydney and sneers. “I don’t know who you are and frankly I don’t care. Just take hold of any dignity you have left and get the hell out of his situation. You will never get this company and if you’re married to my son, then he’ll see to it that you get nothing, anyway. You see, he’s his father’s son. We have no feelings, just a thirst for money and power. Women get in the way and just provide us with the only thing they’re good for - the next generation. So, it was nice to meet you but this will be the last time that I do because if I see you even looking at this building then I’ll make your life hell.”
I’ve heard enough. Sydney looks absolutely terrified, Mr. Barnes is hugging his papers to his chest looking as if he’s having a panic attack and Marshall is reaching for the phone. Just as I fly toward my father he growls, “Send security to the boardroom—quickly!”
Almost immediately the door opens and a hard voice says, “I don’t think there’ll be any call for that.”
We all turn to look in the direction of the voice and the relief hits me as I see my sister enter the room, holding hands with Satan himself—Ryder King.
27
Sydney
Any feeling I had left me when Mr. Barnes told me the conditions of my father’s will. It was true. Tyler sought me out to give me what was rightfully mine, only to take it for himself. I feel so stupid, so hurt and as if my heart broke into splinters that will never be whole again. He told me he used women to get what he wanted, I just didn’t think that included me. I knew he had a plan and there was a reason we needed to be married, but I didn’t know it was for his own gain over mine. He never really wanted me, it was all an act to get this tainted company. If I could walk away now, I would but my legs have deserted me. All I can do is watch this horror show unfold around me and try to dodge the hate and acrimony flying at me from every angle.
Then the door opens and two people walk in who take my breath away. The woman is beautiful. Soft, vulnerable and yet with a proud look in her eyes and a defiant stare as she holds his hand. The man walking beside her is something else. He walks with so much power and resolve and one look from his dark eyes could cut a man dead. This man has a confidence and authority that surrounds him. Even the air changes in the room as we all fight to breathe in his presence.
Tyler jumps up and rushes toward the woman and I hold my breath. I know who she is before he even says her name. “Ashton, oh my God, are you ok?”
I watch in fascination as she folds into him. His arms wrap around her small frame and he shields her from view. I see the relief on both their faces and the love they have for each other cannot be ignored. The man with her stands back and watches them with an amused expression. Then Chuck Mortimer says loudly, “So, the prodigal daughter returns, no doubt with her tail between her legs. What’s up, honey you had enough of being a biker whore and want to beg for Marshall’s forgiveness.”
I look at him in utter disgust. His own daughter and he speaks to her in this way.
Tyler spins around, his face contorted with rage but the man accompanying her steps between them and faces their father with a look that could freeze the sun. Chuck pales and steps backward just a little as Marshall laughs loudly. “Well, isn’t this nice? The whole family together once again. Funny how the little detail of a few billions going spare brings the vermin out of the gutter.”
He looks at the man standing in front of him with an angry glare. “Whoever you
are, you can leave. Leave your address and we’ll send you a delivery fee for bringing my errant bride home where she belongs.”
The man just looks at him and smiles wickedly before reaching for Ashton and drawing her close to his side. Then he leans down and whispers something in her ear and she nods, the tears gathering in her eyes. I watch in fascination as his eyes narrow and he pulls out a chair and helps her into it with so much care it brings a lump to my throat. This man loves her with everything he’s got. It’s all there in the little touches, the gestures and his eyes. However, as Tyler returns to the seat beside her he turns his attention to the men on the opposite side of the table.
Placing himself directly opposite them, he looks around as if bored.
“I expect you are wondering why we came.”
Marshall laughs out loud. “Not really. Like I said, you heard she may be worth something and want some of the action.”
The man narrows his eyes and says in a hard voice. “Then allow me to introduce myself properly. My name’s Ryder King and I believe you’ve already met my wife, Ashton.”
Marshall looks as if he’s going to hurl and looks at Chuck accusingly. “What’s this? You didn’t tell me she was married.”
Chuck looks uncomfortable and glares at his daughter as he says, “I was hoping she would see sense and reconsider her options.”
Marshall shrieks, “You stupid old fool. Why didn’t you tell me as soon as you knew? We could have sorted this.”
He looks over at Ryder and sneers. “So, what do you want? Make it quick because this little charade is starting to test my patience.”
Ryder just looks at him with a hard expression and then removes some papers from a file he is carrying. He lays them all out on the table and fixes the two men opposite with a hard look.
“Well, let me explain my business and then we can all get on with our lives.”
He holds up the first piece of paper and grins. “Here is the DNA proof that Sydney Lawrence is Marshall Emmerson Senior’s daughter, witnessed and signed by a federal court.”
I feel my heart thumping as he lifts the next piece. “And this is the last will and testament of the same man, which I believe you all already know the contents of.”
Then he removes a photograph from the folder and holds it up and his eyes soften briefly. “This is the scan of my new baby taken just last week. Ashton’s baby and therefore the heir to 10% of this company.”
I think Marshall is about to explode because his eyes bulge and his cheeks flame red. Ryder lifts another piece of paper and smirks. “This is paperwork detailing the owner of another 15% of the shares in Emmerson Oil. They are owned by a company T.R. Holdings which, as it happens, I own.”
He smirks as he looks around him. “Are you with me so far?”
Marshall glares at him and you could hear a pin drop in the room. Then Ryder pulls one final piece of paper from the folder. “This paper details that, subject to the necessary contracts in place, my entire share, along with that of my unborn baby, is to be sold to Tyler Donahue. Therefore, raising his share of the company to 55%. I believe that now gives him the controlling interest.”
He leans back and I sneak a look at Tyler. He is staring at the men opposite with a strange look. He doesn’t look triumphant, and he doesn’t look happy. If anything, he looks defeated.
As if he senses me looking, he turns to look at me and just for a second I see the pain in his eyes before I pointedly look away. I can’t deal with him. He is not the man I thought he was. All of this has left a bitter taste in my mouth and I want nothing more than to take flight and run as far as I can away from the lot of them.
Then Marshall brings his fist down on the table and bellows, “Get out. All of you - get the fuck out. How dare you come in here with your fancy lawyers and contracts? You have shit and I’ve had it with listening to you.”
He turns to Chuck and almost screams, “That includes you as well. You’ve always been weak and now I see why my father hated you so much. You stole from me and all of this is because of it. All of you, get the hell out before I call the cops and have you arrested for trespassing.”
Ryder stands up and looks at him with a bitter look. “Look at you, you have nothing else to say. No apologies and no excuses. Why do you think your father made that second will? Because he was ashamed of the son he created.”
Marshall goes to speak but Ryder silences him with a sharp look. He leans forward and says in a deadly voice. “They say when you’re about to die your life flashes before your eyes. So it would seem. Your father realized he was leaving his life’s work to an incompetent. He wasn’t bothered about his daughter he just saw her as a way to control you from the grave.”
My head starts throbbing as he carries on relentlessly. “Your father was a misogynist and the thought of a woman controlling his empire was ridiculous. He knew that you would run this company into the ground, which is why he named Tyler as the man his daughter was to marry to inherit her shares. He wanted someone who could maintain his legacy and who better than the son of the man who held it all together all these years? He was the grandson your wife took from him when she married another. He was the future he was denied, and he wanted it back. He wanted to control events and make you all pay for your weakness. The reason he didn’t name you as the man Ashton had to marry was because he wanted you to have to work for something for once in your life. He knew you would do everything in your power to get your filthy hands on her shares and you didn’t disappoint. Well, how does it feel knowing that your own father valued his enemies over his own son? Does that make you feel proud?”
Marshall glares at him and then starts to laugh like a madman.
“Work you say. Well, I’ve worked my entire life trying to live up to the great man himself. He chose this sorry excuse of a man over me every time and even when he stole my wife he gave him power over me in death. He took everything from me and I won’t let you do the same. Try if you like but I’m one step ahead of you. This company is tied up in so much red tape it will take the rest of your lives to prise it from under me. So, fuck off the lot of you and enjoy your little victory because I sure as hell am going to win the war.”
As he draws breath, we all turn toward the door as it opens and three men enter. Marshall throws his hands in the air and shouts, “For fucks sake, what now?”
The men walk across the room and stand close to him and one says in a deep voice. “Marshall Emmerson. You are under arrest on suspicion of the murder of Isabel Lawrence. You do not have to say anything, but it may harm your defense if you do not mention when questioned something which you later rely on in court. Anything you do say may be given in evidence.”
The room closes in on me as it descends into chaos. As Marshall tries to push past the men, it takes Tyler and Ryder to stop him. As I look on at the scene, I take my chance and slip quietly out of the room.
28
Sydney
I feel my heart beating so fast I can almost hear it. I put my head down and leave the chaos behind and head toward the stairwell. One look at the elevator showed it was many floors away and I couldn’t take the risk of waiting. This is too much—all of it. I need to clear my head and deal with everything I’ve just heard.
From somewhere a sob escapes and I push it away. I can’t let this break me—not yet. I need to escape first.
I take the stairs and fly down them two at a time. I need to get some distance from this place but I don’t know where I’m going. I have nothing but the clothes I’m standing in and can’t take the chance and head back to Tyler’s apartment. He will find me and I can’t even look at him, let alone listen to his excuses.
The anger is clawing at me inside. I feel so used, betrayed and foolish. I was a pawn in a dangerous game and am no longer needed.
My breathing is ragged as I reach the bottom. Just one dash across the reception and into the street and the city will swallow me whole. I can do this, I just need a few more minutes.
As I open the door to freedom my face slams into a wall.
It takes just a few seconds before I realize that this wall is a human one. Strong arms fold around me and I hear an amused voice say, “Going somewhere, darlin’?”
I am held so tightly I almost can’t breathe and there is no room to struggle. Then this wall leans down and whispers, “It’s ok, darlin’, no one’s gonna hurt you. You’re safe with me.”
He pulls back and as I look up the fear shoots through my soul as I see the man holding me. A huge tattoo of a snake covers his arm and slithers around his neck. He is absolutely huge and appears to be made of muscles. He’s wearing black combats and a black t-shirt that clings to his body leaving little to the imagination. Then there are his eyes, cold and deadly with something living in them that tells me he’s seen it all.
He smiles softly which seems wrong on his face. This man is a warrior and seeing him smile doesn’t seem right. Then I hear an annoyed voice shout, “For fucks sake, Snake, put the poor girl down. You’re enough to scare the livin’ daylights out of her.”
He laughs softly and moves away, revealing a beautiful woman behind him. She looks at him angrily and then smiles softly at me.
“Hey, you must be Sydney. Listen, don’t take any notice of this brute. He may look scary but he’s a pussycat under it all.”
She holds out her hand and smiles happily. “I’m Bonnie and I’m pleased to meet you.”
I look at them in surprise and feel as if I’m having an out of body experience. I can tell they’re bikers. They look like Ryder - fearless and powerful.
I smile and step away, trying to edge around the muscle mountain. Bonnie cocks her head to one side and says softly, “Listen, I’m sorry, honey but we are under orders to take care of you. This city is a scary place when you’re on your own and from what I understand you want to get as far away from it as you can. Listen, let me help you. There’s a coffee shop around the corner we can go to and talk it all through.”
The Billion Dollar Baby_A Billionaire Romance Page 13