Chapter 33

Leo

Grace looks incredibly peaceful as she sleeps and I don’t want to disturb her. We ended up staying awake most of the night. After we christened our bed, we talked about our experience at the zoo, and when we got tired of recounting that we discussed the future at great length.

Exhausted from the long day, she finally fell asleep. I tossed and turned a while longer, thinking both of her and my brother and my long-awaited freedom from Newbury Toys.

I managed to doze for a couple of hours, dreaming about the conversation I need to have with my brother today. I awoke at six but couldn’t bring myself to get out of bed. It was both an attempt to delay the difficult conversation, as well as a strong desire to lay with Grace as long as possible.

The clock ticks over to seven, and I can’t delay my task any longer. Apparently he’s back in Sydney, Australia and it’s already eleven at night there.

Reluctantly, I get out of bed and pull on my bathrobe. My movements are slow and quiet to ensure I don’t wake Grace.

I grab a cup of coffee, my kitchen staff always makes sure there’s fresh coffee in the pot at all times, and make my way to my den. It’s a small room with imposing windows located just off the hallway at the base of the stairs.

Thinking back over the past week, I remember how the death of Grace’s mother brought her and her sister together and how I much want to rediscover the same relationship with my brother.

Hopefully he also wants to heal our relationship. After all, the last time I saw him we had a fistfight.

There’s only one way to find out. I exhale sharply, and push call.

No answer. I hit call again.

After seven rings, George says, “What the fuck do you want?”

“Hey brother, just calling to see how you are.”

“Bullshit. You want me to sell, and I’m not, so leave me the fuck alone.” He spits venom through the phone.

“It’s nothing like that.”

“Then what is it? Do you need a kidney?”

“Nah, I’ve just had an epiphany and want just smooth things over with my favorite sibling.” I try to make my voice sound light and playful.

“I’m your only sibling.”

“Exactly, and our parents would be devastated if they could see us now.”

“Good thing they can’t see us.”

“When’s the last time you spoke to Aunt Elizabeth?”

George pauses, like he’s been caught off guard. I wait patiently for him to respond.

He sighs and says, “I don’t know, three years ago, four years ago. Something like that.”

“Exactly. Realistically we are the only family each other has. We really should try to get along better.”

“I’d get along with you just fine if you stopped trying to make me sell my company.”

“It’s hardly your company, I’m the one who does all the work.”

“I own fifty percent.”

“Pretty good for doing sweet fuck all,” I say, trying to contain the familiar old anger rising within me.

“Fuck you, I’m going.”

“I don’t want to talk about the company. It’s not an issue anymore anyway. I just wanted to reach out to you and say we should get a drink sometime, and try to be nice to each other.”

“What do you mean it’s not an issue anymore?”

I take a sharp inhale of breath. Do I tell him now? Is it too soon? Is the clause something I should keep secret from him?

“Tell me!”

“Calm down.”

“I don’t believe this. You call me up out of the blue and say you want to be my buddy? Then you tell me that selling the company isn’t an issue anymore? Are you high?”

“No, I’m not high, don’t be ridiculous.”

“Then why did you call me?”

“Because I am tired of fighting with my only brother.”

“And this business about selling the company not mattering anymore? Does that mean you’ve come to your senses and don’t want to get rid of the mega corporation with our name on it?” His voice is whiny and patronizing and really fucking annoying.

I speak without thinking, “Nah, I’m selling the company, I just don’t need your permission anymore.”

“Huh? Why?” he snaps.

“Because I’m going to be a father, and my child gets an equal say. So your fifty percent of the company is about to become a third.”

George erupts in laughter, the sound grates on me and I hold the phone away from my ear.

“You’re going to be a father? What did you do, offer one of your whores a big chunk of money to have your baby?”

“No need.”

“Well, since you only see escorts there’s no way you suddenly met someone and fell in love.” He drags out the word love, saying it as if it’s the dumbest concept ever.

“It’s none of your business.”

“So it is an escort,” he chuckles.

“Nope.”

“Ah, so it’s a woman who’s pretending she’s not after your money. She’s counting down the days until she can get a big whopping divorce settlement.”

“Trust me, she’s not.”

“Whatever you want to believe.”

I think back over all my time with Grace. As far as I’m concerned, there’s zero chance that she’s after my money. But I don’t feel the need to justify my belief to George.

“It doesn’t matter. Nothing matters. All I’m calling for is to smooth things over.”

Ownership numbers run through my mind, and I realize I might be able to sell the company before the baby is born. “Actually, I’m giving you the chance to sell now. That way you get half of the proceeds. If you wait until the baby is born, you will get a third. That’s worth almost one and a third billion dollars. Surely you understand that you should sell now.”

The line goes silent for a moment and I think he’s hung up on me, but then he coughs. It turns into a coughing fit, but I don’t feel the need to ask him if he’s okay. Instead I wait patiently for him to admit total defeat.

“Maybe once the sale is finalized we can put the past behind us and be civil to each other.”

“Fuck you and your whore,” he roars, and I start in surprise.

“I told you—”

“I know, I know, she’s not a whore.”

“Thank you.”

“She’s just someone who’ll do anything for money.”

“Who cares if she is only after my money? It’s irrelevant. The baby is what matters.”

“What really happened? A drunken one-night stand and you forgot to put a condom?”

“I didn’t forget anything.” My blood is boiling and I’m running out of patience fast.

“So, this baby was planned?”

“Yes, this baby was planned. Absolutely!” I shout in reflex, standing up.

“All to force me to sell?”

“Yes, you wouldn’t sell the company any other way. So I had to have a baby. And now you have to sell.” Words are coming out of my mouth without me thinking about anything other than crushing George.

I turn around, looking for something to throw, and come face to face with Grace. She’s standing just the other side of the open door, her eyes wide and her mouth hanging open.

She’s dressed in her jeans and T-shirt from last night, but is barefoot.

“Grace,” I say softly, dropping the phone and taking a step to her.

“No, no, no,” she stammers, and runs away.

“Hello? Leo?” George’s far-away voice says as I’m frozen in spot, stunned.