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“Don’t go,” Jessica moans, doing some swirling motion with her hips that nearly makes me go cross-eyed. “You’re always with Elise. This is my time.”
“Jess.” I pull her down to gently kiss her lips, already knowing what decision I’m going to make. “She’s my best friend's sister. I have to help her if she needs it.”
“But I need you!” she whines. “I need you so bad, Dan.”
I curse, indulging myself in one more deep, searing kiss before I begin to extricate myself. Jessica gives up the needy act, letting her arms fall to her sides on the bed with an annoyed huff. While I button my shirt, she crosses her arms and rolls so that her back is toward me.
“I’ll be quick,” I promise. “Just wait here for me.”
“I’ll think about it,” she grumbles.
Elise is waiting for me in the foyer, standing so stiffly it looks like she’s made of glass that’s ready to shatter. Dressed in designer jeans and a pale blue shirt, I don’t think she’s come here from work, but I guess whatever she has to tell me just can’t wait any longer.
“What’s up with you coming over uninvited?” I ask, causing her to whip around and see me descending the stairs.
“Never-mind that,” she replies dismissively. “Do you have a few minutes? I have to talk to you.”
“Not really, but you’ve sort of forced my hand by coming here and refusing to leave.” I cross my arms, trying to look aloof, when in reality I’m worried. Elise is full of nervous energy, the corners of her mouth turned down in a frown, and I wish I was free to do everything in my power to fix her problems. Right now, though, all I can do is listen.
Elise doesn’t wait for me to offer her a seat, instead walking the short steps into my sunken living room and sitting on a white chaise lounge. I follow, thinking that sitting means we’re going to be here longer than expected, and Jessica is going to be pissed. But there’s no way around it.
Taking a deep breath, Elise starts off the conversation by revealing the most shocking part of her story right up front. “Andries paid Patricia off. A hundred thousand euros.”
My thoughts shudder to a stop before coming back online. “What exactly do you mean?”
“So I guess he went to see her right before she was supposed to sign the agreement to drop the charges against Karl. Andries was upset by that and told her he’d match whatever Karl was willing to pay her. When her lawyer told her she could probably get more, Andries said he would match that, too, and then she haggled with him! They agreed on a hundred thousand euros, and now she’s living like a princess in a condo downtown.”
I can barely believe what I’m hearing, but Elise has no reason to lie. “Holy shit, that’s a lot to think about. You need to keep this quiet until we figure out what to do.”
She crosses her ankles and looks away from me, a clear sign that she’s uncomfortable, and my stomach sinks. “Well, about that…”
I take one deep breath and let it out. Then I do it again until I feel centered enough to ask, “What exactly did you do?”
“I already told my dad,” she admits, regret dripping in her tone. “He brought the whole PR team in on it, and now they want me to reveal everything at the annual shareholders meeting. They all think it will help clear Karl’s name and allow him to continue working at the company…”
Rage whips through me like fire. “Why in the hell is Sebastian so dead set on protecting that bastard!? He’s one man and it seems like your father would move heaven and Earth to keep him around.”
“I don’t really understand it either, except that he’s a really important part of the company and Dad’s afraid that if they lose Karl, all the shareholders that have a good relationship with him will be pissed. Plus, Karl brings in a crazy amount of business.”
“That’s a pathetic excuse.”
“He actually pulled me into his office and told me that he can easily see me as the next CEO and wants to help me get there. I get why so many people go easy on him, even with the rumors of what he did. He’s a charismatic man.”
“Again, not really an excuse,” I continue, failing miserably to keep my tone even. “What Andries did is insane, no doubt, but your dad protecting Karl isn’t exactly great, either.” I pause, piecing together everything she’s just told me. “Obviously you aren’t going to speak at that event, right? You can’t just throw your brother under the bus and expect him not to cut you off from his life.”
“I don’t want to, at all,” she concedes. “The idea of doing that to Andries makes me sick.”
I’m relieved she isn’t going to torch her still vulnerable relationship with her brother. “Then what do you need my help for? It seems like you’ve already made up your mind.”
Elise bites her lip. “I didn’t say that.”
I groan. “Please tell me you’re joking.”
“Look, morally and emotionally I don’t want to do this thing. It makes me feel gross inside. But this is my future and my career we’re talking about, and let’s be real, my brother can’t offer me a job with the same standings as Dad. I have to think about myself sometimes…” Her face falls just slightly. “Someone has to.”
I feel a thread of guilt, and the urge to sit beside her and draw her into my arms, but all of this is much too serious for silly daydreaming. “He’ll never forgive you.”
“Unless…” She looks up at me through those dark lashes. “You speak to him right after my speech and tell him I didn’t have any other choice.”
