“Oh, f**k me. My maid and your wife talking?” I couldn’t think of anything worse. I’d have to fire her.

Frederick laughed—a large timbre that drew a genuine smile from Tess. I wasn’t surprised; Frederick was a smooth son of a bitch. “You know she’s the most loyal staff member you’ll ever have. And she knows we would never do anything to hurt you. Leave her alone when you see her next.” He raised his eyebrow, hinting that he knew.

Knew about the wedding.

He’d been invited to a wedding that I had absolutely no idea about. Who else had she invited? Goddammit, I really better call her before she invited all of Paris.

Frederick clapped his hands together, reclining into the black couch. “So, as nice as it is to see you, Mercer, I’m taking this isn’t just a pop in. You want something.”

Tess looked to me, her eyes wide with curiosity.

I smiled loving the thrill of anticipation. I couldn’t wait for her reaction when I told her what we were here for.

“There’s a file in your cabinet under my personal record. Can you get it?” I asked, looking Frederick straight in the eye.

He frowned, trying to work it out. The funny thing was—he knew. He’d watched me write it.

Hauling himself upright, he traversed the office before unlocking one of the filing cabinets and pulling out my particular portfolio. It was empty but for one piece of paper. Everything of importance I kept on encrypted hard-drives and in a safe hidden at my chateau. But this—I needed a witness to make this legitimate.

Cracking open the file, his eyes flew to mine. Clearing his throat, he asked, “You sure about this?”

I locked my fingers together, focusing on the rush of blood rather than snapping at him. Ridiculous question. I wouldn’t deem it with an answer.

Frederick nodded slightly, grabbed a pen from his desk, and came to sit back down.

Tess scooted forward as Roux placed the file on the small table between us, spinning it around to face her. He smiled, holding out the pen. “You’re up. Have a read, and if you’re okay with it, sign away.”

I rolled my shoulders, dispelling some of the rapidly building tension in my spine. Tess vibrated with questions mixed with apprehension.

Frederick never took his gaze off her as she reached for the file. Asking me, he muttered, “Do you think it’s a good idea… after all, the current market is rather…volatile.”

Tess froze. Her eyes snapped up. “Volatile?” Looking to me, she added, “What’s going on? Do I even want to know what’s in here?”

Yes, you damn well do because then you can get over my wealth because it won’t just be mine anymore.

I glared at Roux, before glancing her way. “Yes. Frederick is only aware that if you sign it, you share equal risk. If the business crashed tomorrow you would be held accountable, same as me, for any debts payable. But I have no debts outweighing my assets, and it isn’t going to crash tomorrow, so there’s no f**king risk to worry about.” Grabbing the edge of the folder, I opened it. “Stop delaying and read the damn thing.”

Tess flat-out ignored me. Planting a hand over the writing on the page, she asked Roux, “Tell me. Did you mean that or something else? I think I have a right to know.”

Goddammit, why was everything so hard with her when it came to money?

I leaned back, seething in the chair. My arms crossed; I wished I’d gone with my other idea of forging her signature and never showing her the damn will. I’d been so close to doing it, but Frederick talked me out of it. Bastard.

Roux placed his hands on his thighs, thinking through his answer carefully. As he should. Because he was a bastard.

“Q’s right about the debt. But I’m not worried about Moineau Holdings going under. That won’t happen. It just can’t—not with the strength of the company. What I am—not so much concerned about but definitely interested in seeing future projections—is a new side of the company that is brand new last week.”

I rolled my eyes. This was the part where Roux made me sound like some Mother f**king Theresa and for Tess to fawn all over me. I didn’t mind the fawning, but it wasn’t like the newspapers portrayed. It wasn’t at all like they said.

I got my hands dirty. I put motherfuckers in the ground where they belonged not turned them into a law enforcement that was almost as corrupt as they were.

“What new part?”

Frederick grinned. “Well, ever since Q tore off his mask and flew out of his birdcage—get it?” He waved his hand, chuckling at his own joke. “People know what hobbies Mercer is into. They’re aware of some, not all, of the details of what he did to get you back.” His eyes flickered to mine. I wanted to clamp a hand over his mouth, but I looked away, effectively giving him permission to continue. “Q’s contact at the local police force spoke to the press.”

I growled at that. I’d sworn him to secrecy for over ten years, and now he’d fed me to the paparazzi.

Frederick pointed a finger in my direction. “You know he had no choice. He stood up for you when people were painting false accusations.” Looking to Tess, he finished, “Anyway, the company has undergone some changes, and we’re still not sure where those changes will lead us.”

Tess breathed hard, tucking a riot of curls behind her ears with a rapid twitch. “What changes?”

Roux met my eyes. “Care to jump in and explain, Mercer? After all, it’s your fledging.”

I scowled. I didn’t want to hear what I already knew, and I had no desire to talk about it either—even though I was secretly pleased and rather honoured how the news had gone down with the world.

You want her to inherit everything. It’s only fair she knows exactly what she’s accepting.

I sighed, unlocking my arms to sit forward. “You’re doing such a good job. Finish it.”

Frederick nodded. “Fine. Well, the bad news is, the company lost its backing from over forty-eight percent of its regular investors. Overnight they cut association with all subsidiaries of Moineau when they heard the news Q accepted sex slaves as bribes to finalize developments. There was an uproar when they heard he not only accepted them as bribes, but kept them in his home.”

Tess gasped, a hand flying to cover her mouth. “Oh, my God.”

Frederick sighed, enjoying the theatrics of telling a sordid tale. “I know. Terrible. Death threats were sent, a few properties were defaced, and we prepared for the end of Mercer’s empire.”