Addicted After All (Addicted #3)(33)

“Stocks have dropped. Hale Co. isn’t looking good, and the board is pressuring me to not only name an heir but to hand the company off. I can’t represent it anymore. But I refuse to pass Hale Co. to some random, white-collared little shit. It’s going to one of you four beautiful little shits and staying in the family.”

He’s been sitting on this for weeks, months maybe. The board is forcing him to step down, and I can’t even wrap my head around stepping up. I have a comic book business. I’m about to have a baby. Lily is hormonal and starting to regress. I’ve been sober for only four months since the last time I relapsed.

Hale Co. is a multi-billion dollar company. And I still feel like a little kid playing grown-up.

“If no one is going to say anything,” my dad starts again, “then I’ll go on. You need to impress the board, not me. They can vote you out at any time, so you have to earn their respect. But they will accept one of you, guide you, train you. This, I know. Hale Co. is a family company, something my father passed to me, and they appreciate that. It’s a goddamn good marketing tool.”

Ryke points at Daisy on the loveseat. “She’s not my f*cking wife, so keep her out of this.”

“I needed to give the board some options. She was one of the names brought up due to her affiliation with Fizzle. And if she means something to you, then she means something to me and the Hale legacy. If you don’t f*cking marry her, then she’s still a goddamn Calloway.”

A rock is in my throat, but I somehow clear it to ask, “Is the board choosing who takes over or are we?”

“The board will decide. You’ll attend functions with them, meetings, and when they choose, you have to be willing to sign the papers and commit. If you don’t, the company is no longer in our family’s control, and we’ll lose a substantial number of shares.”

I didn’t think that my dad would turn my world upside down again. Not like this. It’s a life change for one of us.

Ryke just keeps shaking his head over and over.

“Ryke, I’ll be fine,” Daisy tells him. “It could be fun.”

He towers above her while she’s on the loveseat. “You spent years doing things for your f*cking mom. I’m not letting you do the same for my dad.” He turns back to Jonathan. “I’ll go through with the meetings, whatever. Just leave Daisy alone.”

“That’s not how it works,” he says. “She can sabotage herself so they won’t pick her, but she’s still required to attend the meetings.”

Ryke’s eyes flash hot. “You can’t just promise people things without asking us if it’s f*cking okay.”

“Do you ever look at the name beside all the deposits in your checking account, Ryke? It’s Hale Co.—every penny in your trust fund is from that company, and so I don’t believe I should have to ask for your permission.”

Ryke sets his hands on top of his head. “This is f*cking unbelievable.”

“I’m losing my goddamn company, and you’re throwing a hissy fit. You’ve never even had real job. You’re all privileged and lucky. Every day you take it for granted.”

Shit.

It’s like he busted something in Ryke. My brother charges forward, and I shoot to my feet and grab his shoulder.

“Come on,” I whisper to him, trying to force him backwards, but he’s like a brick wall and his target is on Jonathan.

Ryke glowers. “I grew up pretending to have no real f*cking parents. I’m an alcoholic. Both of your sons are alcoholics. There is no amount of privilege and wealth worth what’s been f*cking done to us and said about the people we love.” And he ends it with, “I’m lucky to be alive, but I am not lucky to be your son.”

My ribs bind around my lungs. The fact that they’re on speaking terms, after years of silence, is progress enough.

“Please, tell me what you really feel,” my dad says dryly.

Daisy jumps to her feet and stands between Ryke and my dad. She places her hands on my brother’s chest. “Ryke, it’s okay.”

I glance back at Lily. She’s staring off in a daze, but her palms are flat on top of the blanket. She’s not touching herself. That eases some of my worry.

“Stay the f*ck out of this,” Ryke tells her. “I don’t want you in it.”

“I’d rather be picked to run Hale Co. than watch you take it over,” she says honestly. “You’ve told me a million times how you’ve never wanted to be a part of it. And you always say to never do things that you hate, do the things you love. So don’t change now.”

His nose flares. “You’ll f*cking hate this job too. You’ll be inside a building, in a cubicle, all f*cking day, Dais.”

“It’s an office,” our dad interjects, “with one of the best views of Philly. There are plenty of windows for her to jump out of.”

Ryke looks like he could strangle him.

I grimace because it’s a bad comment—one that I could’ve easily made instead.

“Ryke.” Daisy clasps his arm, drawing his attention to her. “How about you let me decide what I hate and what I love, okay?” Her voice is sweet, but her words pack a punch.

He relents, right there. “I f*cking hate this,” he says lowly.