Bennett Mafia(117)

“What can we do, Riley? How can I help you?” He motioned to me. “It’s obvious you’re hurting too.”

I snorted. “How can you help me? You can release me from this gilded prison your brother’s put me in. You can buy me out. Take the entire company. I don’t care. I want out! I don’t want anything to do with this place. I want to see my friends. I want my old life back.”

I wanted to hide.

I wanted to nurse my wounds alone, out of his spying eyes.

I wanted to survive him. That’s what I wanted.

Tanner’s mouth turned down. “You want out? For real?”

“Yes!”

He paused, studying me, then he nodded. “Okay. It’s been a month, but the other board members aren’t resisting me speaking for you. I’ll talk to Kai. We’ll buy out your share, give you a good price for everything.”

I was shocked.

My mouth thinned. “Are you serious? I can’t—I can’t take being jerked around, Tanner. Don’t jerk me around, not about this.”

“You really do want out?”

“Yes. Please.”

“Then we’ll buy you out.”

“Out of everything?” My father had other businesses he had invested in. I didn’t want to be connected to anything he had.

“Everything. We’ll take care of it. I’ll make sure. I’ll have Eduardo make a list of all your father’s holdings. Is there…is there anything else you’d like from me?”

“I already told you.”

“I can help with the business and investments, but I don’t think Kai will allow your old roommates to come down. We’d have to work it for them to request a transfer. They won’t come on their own. They can’t, but even if they did or we did…” He hesitated, and I knew why.

It would give me a stronger hold on my old self. I would be getting support from someone who wasn’t on Kai’s payroll.

My heart tore in half, having this small thread of hope taken away from me all over again. I turned, not wanting Tanner to see my tears. My back to him, I crossed my arms over my chest. My eyes closed, though I could feel the tears sliding down. I made a move to wipe them clean. I made sure my voice was clear of emotion. “Fine. That’s fine.”

“Riley?” I heard him move for me.

“The businesses then.” My voice rose, sharp. I didn’t want him to see me hurting. “The businesses will be fine then. I’ll make do.”

“Okay.” The floor creaked under his weight. When he spoke again, his voice a little farther away. “What about the homes your father owns? There’s a good list of them.”

God.

The homes too. Did I want to give him everything?

I could handle the homes. I could talk to a realtor, have them sell everything, unless there was one I wanted to keep.

“No. I’ll handle the homes.”

“Okay.” I still heard his hesitation, but then I heard his footsteps on the floor, down the hallway. I could hear a slight murmur from the distance as Claude met him at the door, and a moment later, Claude was speaking behind me.

“Is there anything you wish of me, mistress? A nightcap, perhaps?”

My stomach rumbled at the mere mention, and I pressed on it. “No, thank you, Claude.”

“As you wish.”

He was leaving when I rounded. “Claude?”

He paused, and to his credit, he didn’t flinch when he saw the tears on my face. “Yes?”

“Can you put a list together of the household staff?”

“Of course, mistress.” He started to leave.

“And list their family dependents?”

“Ma’am?” His eyebrows pinched together.

I almost smiled. Almost. I’d never seen Claude confused. And to hell with it. I spoke clearly. “I need to know how many families depend on my father’s money to get by. I’d like to know, if you can add this to the list, even though it might be an invasion of privacy, how much in need everyone is?”

“Ma’am?”

He still didn’t understand.

“Just make the list, Claude. Please.”

“As you wish, mistress.”

This time, I didn’t correct him. It wouldn’t matter soon anyway.





CHAPTER SIXTY-THREE


Two months later



Everything was nearly done.

Tanner was back to conclude our business, and he had been right. Kai gave me a decent price for everything. I was shocked at the number when I saw it.

“I told you he’d give you a good price.”

“Yes,” I said faintly.

He could’ve cheated me. He knew it. I wouldn’t have been allowed to sell to anyone other than him, but this number, it was at least double what I could’ve gotten from someone else.

“Just sign here.” Tanner showed me all the places.

There was a lot of paper, a lot of different holdings Kai was taking over. I began signing.

“Are you sure you don’t want a lawyer to look everything over?” he asked.

I paused, shooting him a look.

“Right.” He laughed. “I got it.” He nodded, stepping back. “Sign away. Do you want coffee? I was going to grab a cup while you’re doing all that.”