AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Meaning Grandpop never really thought I’d pull this off.
Kat’s been a way for Grandpop to test me, and he’s been thinking about my failure from the very beginning.
And Riley’s his chosen successor.
Rage boils in my stomach. Rage beyond anything I’ve felt in a long time. I’ve worked my ass off, fought my cousins, done nothing but prove myself again and again to Grandpop. I earned my position through sweat and blood, and now Grandpop wants to give it away to Riley all because the dumb fuck got some upper-crust girl pregnant?
“Have a nice evening,” I mutter and push past him. They must be too surprised to say anything because nobody calls out or tries to stop me as I storm into the main lobby of the Oak. I pull out my cell and when I’m in a good, private spot near the central tree, I call Grandpop’s office.
He answers on the third ring. “Hello?”
“Grandpop,” I say and try to keep the anger from my tone, but I’m finding it impossible. “I ran into Riley at the Oak Club just now. He and his wife say hello.”
“You didn’t call me to pass on your cousin’s greetings,” Grandpop says, sounding amused. “What’s the matter, Ford?”
“He told me something. You’ve beengroominghim for the past few weeks. You’ve been nudging him toward the heir position.”
“Have I now?” He laughs softly. “News to me.”
“Don’t play games with me, Grandpop. You all but told me that’s what you were doing the other day when I visited. I know you love nothing more than to pit the boys against each other, but we’re not children anymore.”
“Yes, that’s true, you’renota child anymore, Ford. So why do you think you can speak to me in this way?” His voice is icy now, all the humor gone.
“I’m done with the games. I want your word. I’m the heir.”
“I can’t do that.”
“Iearnedthis and you know it.”
“And yet you’re still failing your last test. How long has it been, Bradford?” I grimace at my full name. Grandpop only ever uses it when he wants to hurt me. “You’ve had plenty of opportunity to get me what I want and yet you still haven’t. I don’t know if you enjoy playing house with that cheap Stockton girl, but I’m not foolish enough to bet on a single horse. If you fail, or perhaps I should saywhenyou fail, Riley will be my second choice.”
I grind my jaw and have to grip the tree to keep from screaming into the phone. I’m losing it, losing my cool, losing my control, and I don’t know what the fuck happened to me. I was never like this before Katherine, and yet now that she’s in my life, it’s like all the emotions I’ve been able to so easily tame all these years keep coming up and ripping me to shreds.
I have to get myself together.
“I’ll give you what you want,” I say and my tone is a barely restrained growl. “Stop the shit with Riley.”
“Actions, Ford. Not words. Actions. Good luck, but I won’t wait forever.” Grandpop hangs up.
My life feels like it’s a single stitch unwinding. I’m coming apart and being pulled in multiple directions, and I’m going to come loose if I can’t find a way to keep myself together. Hurt Kat and get my dream—spare Kat and keep her as my wife but lose my family. Can I live in a world where Riley’s in charge of the Arc empire? Where Riley’s running our restaurants?
The idea makes me sick to my stomach.
Chapter 21
Ford
I’m going to hurt Kat.
I can’t stop thinking about it at the bar with Carmine and Brice. We talk and laugh and joke but it’s like everything happens to me from a distance.
I’m going to hurt Kat.
The thought feels wrong. I keep saying it in my head, over and over, but it never quite makes sense and I can’t make the words sound like they mean anything. I’m going to hurt her. I’m going to hurt Kat because there are no other options now, it’s either do this terrible thing and achieve the one goal I’ve struggled toward my whole life or give up on my old dream for a girl I barely know.
There’s no real choice. After we finish our drinks, I leave the Oak Club and head straight to the Arc house. I text Kat on the way and let her know that I’ll be out late and she shouldn’t wait up.Having too much fun? You could be having fun here with me, she texts back and I have to shut off my phone.
I’m going to hurt her.
