I understand. This is my legacy—what I was always supposed to do in the end. Everything has led here.
Lily suddenly chimes in, “He has a business already. He doesn’t have time for anything else.”
It’s true.
“Managers, staff,” my father emphasizes. “He can leave Halway Comics in good hands, and Superheroes & Scones is practically running itself.”
I shoot him a sharp look. “Lily does a lot—”
He cuts me off, “I expect Lily to put her best effort in the running too.”
He can’t be serious. “She’s pregnant,” I say with edge.
He outstretches his arms. “It’s a baby product company. There is no better time for her to be involved than now. And when she gives birth, she can bring Maxof to some product testing.”
“Maximoff,” everyone corrects him.
“Get used to that.” He scowls and searches the living room with his daggered gaze. Still no liquor cart. Sorry, Dad. “Not everyone will understand the things that you do.”
Lily sits straighter. “I’ll do it.”
“Lily.” I shake my head. “No.” The last thing that she needs is more anxiety.
She says, “Better me than you.”
“No,” I cringe, realizing exactly how Ryke just felt. I clench my teeth harder than before, more pissed now. I don’t want the girls at Hale Co. I don’t want this life for them.
They were free.
Weren’t they?
“Both of you are self-sabotaging,” I snap at Daisy and Lily.
“No,” they reply adamantly.
I’m lying on the tracks of a train—letting it speed over me and just hoping that I’m not swept up in the momentum. It’s now that I recognize what will happen.
We’re all agreeing to my father’s proposition for each other. No one will back down anymore.
I was indebted to my dad the moment he chose to let me live and enter this world. I thought I proved myself to him, but this future has been here all along, a path that I knew I’d meet at some point. The suit and tie, the briefcase with the Hale Co. logo.
It’s mine to take.
No one else should.
But everyone will fight for it. I can already see the wheels spinning in my brother’s mind. His constricted muscles and the shake of his head that says back down, let me have it.
Ryke would endure hell for eternity if it meant that I could go to heaven.
Once upon a time, I think I would’ve let him. Not anymore.
He deserves his paradise. So I’ll fight against my brother. I’ll fight against Lily and Daisy for this position. The winner is the loser.
And this cage has my name on it.
{ 13 }
LOREN HALE
“This is it?” I ask Ryke as he carries down Daisy’s duffel bag. Rose has a five-piece suitcase stacked by the door along with the rest of our luggage for the yacht trip.
“That’s it.” He tosses the duffel on the pile. The girls are eating breakfast while we haul everything to the car. “How’s Lily?” Ryke asks me in the foyer.
Connor abruptly finishes texting and straightens up off the wall.
“She’s fine,” I say vaguely. It’s been a couple days since my dad unleashed the news about Hale Co., and afterwards, I held Lily in my arms all night and tried to distract her with a Harry Potter marathon—something that wouldn’t arouse her.
I think I said no only two times before she rolled away from me and tried to fight her compulsions. I have my fair share of ups and downs, but it’ll always be harder watching Lily hit a low than going through my own. Watching someone you love in pain—and not being able to fix it—it’s agony that I don’t wish on anyone.
“Have you had sex?” Connor asks while Ryke slips on his shoes, about to go for a short run with me. He bends down to tie the laces.
“Have you?” I retort. Connor knows the rules now. I’m not sharing details about my sex life without something in return.
Connor cups a mug of coffee. “She woke up to me thrusting inside of her. So I’d say yes.”
My brows rise at that image. Jesus.
Still crouched, Ryke gapes at Connor. “You didn’t really fuck her while she was asleep.”
“She woke up a couple seconds after I pushed into her, which is the point.” He sips his coffee and watches Ryke’s expression darken. “Heel, boy,” Connor banters.
I smile wide, even as Ryke stands an inch taller than me. Now he’s closer to Connor’s height than before. “Fucking hilarious.”