Taming Lily (The Fowler Sisters #3)(59)

And he didn’t want me at all.

Coming home set me on edge. Just booking the return flight nearly sent me into a panic attack. I’d taken a Xanax on the flight home to help me relax and I ended up sleeping through practically the entire trip. Went home and crashed into bed only to wake up at three in the morning, wide-eyed and petrified. Deciding to give in to my alert state rather than fight it, I got up, picked out my outfit, took a long, hot shower, went over what I would say to everyone again and again in my head while I blew dry my hair, and hoped like hell I didn’t make a complete idiot of myself.

Violet is my first obstacle and so far, so good.

“I thought you were serious about staying in London indefinitely,” I tell her as she goes around her desk and settles into her chair as if she’s never been gone from the Manhattan headquarters of Fleur. They kept her office intact and for good reason. She’s such an integral part of the company and will most likely be running it one day. And I’m sure Daddy realized quickly that she couldn’t stay away for too long.

I settle in the chair opposite her desk, amused by the exaggerated grimace on her face. “We didn’t want to deal with Pilar—that’s why we stayed away for so long. Ryder and I both thought it was for the best. But then grumbling started happening around here. Lots of rumors of how people weren’t happy with the direction she was taking the company in. And then Father started finalizing the marketing and release plans with our perfumes, telling me constantly he needed me here. Even Grandma called me, asking me to come back.”

I go tense at first mention of Pilar’s name. I always forget that Pilar and Ryder used to be a thing, which I shouldn’t because hello, that’s huge. And weird. Though I don’t fault Ryder, since Violet told me about his background and what a shitty life he had growing up.

“There’s grumbling about the direction Pilar is taking the company? What are you talking about? What sort of control does she have, anyway?” I ask, curious. If Pilar had her way, she’d bump all of us and take over completely. Not that I’m a threat per se since I don’t even work at Fleur, but I still own a percentage of the company and I know that drives her crazy.

I know all three of us make her crazy. That’s why she’s plotting and scheming, coming up with ways to take us out—and Violet’s her biggest target.

I should tell my sister my suspicions, that I believe Pilar is trying to sell trade secrets to Fleur’s competition, but how? How can I break it to her without completely freaking her out and sending Ryder on a murderous rampage? I can’t risk it.

So I keep my mouth shut. I have my own plans. Now that I’m back, it’s time for me to set a few things in motion.

“There’s lots of talk about expansion in the works and no one is pleased, least of all me and Ryder.” Violet smiles every time she mentions her fiancé’s name. I wonder if she’s even aware of it. “She wants to grow too fast and that could harm the infrastructure of the company. Her grandiose plans were getting out of control and I couldn’t stand hearing about it another minute. Neither could Ryder. That’s the real reason we’re back, to put a stop to her before she ruins Fleur for good.”

I raise a brow. “So you’re back to undermine Pilar’s plans?” Pilar has to know this. And that’s why she’s being such a bitch, pulling out all her weapons and lining them up in a nice, neat row.

Violet smirks. “As best we can. We can’t have her ruining our legacy, can we?” She pauses, her eyes dancing with mischief. “I’ve heard, too, that there’s trouble in paradise.”

“Do tell.” I lean forward, eager for gossip about Daddy and Pilar. Any information I can glean I’ll store for later purposes. As in using said information against Pilar.

Violet glances at the closed door with a little nod of approval. Heaven forbid she get caught gossiping about the company, even if it is with just me. “She’s pushing for marriage soon and he’s not agreeable. Yes, he gave her an engagement ring, but it was more to shut her up than to do anything else. She’s getting restless,” she says, her voice low, as if there are microphones in the room catching our every word. “Grandma told me he came to her complaining. He’s not ready to get married.”

“Really?” I’m surprised he would confess something like that to his mother, our grandmother. Our father loves nothing more than putting on airs about how perfect everything in his life is. He gave Pilar that ring not only to please her, but because it looked good, the two of them working together, a beautiful, younger woman on his arm. A partner in crime who’s savvy and headstrong, and who’s more than ready to take Fleur to the next level. Forget his daughters who are willing to do the same thing.

Well, daughter. I have no interest in running Fleur and I’m starting to think Rose has lost interest as well.

Of course, heaven forbid we girls cause him any trouble—hello, I was born to give him trouble—or a scandal. Rose’s new husband with the slightly shady past and her out-of-the-blue pregnancy didn’t make him happy. Violet’s quick dumping of her ex Zachary and rushing into a relationship with Ryder McKay didn’t please him at first, either.

We won’t even get into how often I displease him. Almost on a daily basis.

“Yes. Really. I don’t know how much longer they’ll be together, but it’s not looking so good. And I think Pilar’s aware of it,” she admits. “I’m not protesting, though. You know how I feel about her.”