Chapter 29

Grayson

DAY 30

Today’s the day. And I’ve never felt more alive, even though I’m in the mansion that always feels like it’s sucking the life out of me. I still don’t like it, with the creepy portraits staring out at me, and the dark tapestries full of dust. But it doesn’t have a hold on me like it used to.

I wake next to Isabella. Sun streams through the open window and illuminates her face in fresh morning light. Now when I look at her and feel such a deep sense of happiness washing over me, it doesn’t scare me anymore. It doesn’t feel like she has some mystic and sinister power over me, pulling parts out of me I never knew existed. That’s how it used to be. Now it’s glorious. Like victory every time I look into her eyes.

She opens hers, blinking sleepily. A sleepy, happy smile crosses her face as she realizes where she is, realizes I’m next to her. This is bliss. My mother was always reciting poetry about the depths of love and soaring to blissful heights and being with each other even beyond death. She loved all the classics. Sometimes as a little boy I used to recite them, too. But I never understood them. It all sounded alien, packed with emotions only weak or strange people would have. But now I’m sinking. Flying. Drowning. Soaring. On wings I never knew existed for anyone. Much less for me.

“Morning, Gray,” she says. Her voice sounds like music.

I stroke her dark curls away from her face. “Morning, Isabella.”

She sits up and hugs into me, curling up small. I love the feel of her satin nightgown against my skin. “Do you really think Mr. Fink will let this all go through?”

“Yes,” I reply strongly. “He’d be a fool if he didn’t.”

She looks up at me, her blue eyes like a dream. “Well, then, we just have to hope he’s not a fool.”

“Don’t worry,” I tell her. “I’ll make sure you get the money you need. I can’t wait to see your business back on its feet. We’re going to bring it all to a new glory. Then start our angel investing. We’ll be successful. Successful and happy. And nothing can stand in our way.”

She giggles. “Fighting talk. I love it.” She leans up and kisses me. “I’d better shower and go put on my battle clothes.”

“No battles here. Just victory.” I give her one last kiss and we both get up.

I’ll wear my powder blue linen suit. It’s in an African pattern with white and blue detailing. It’s certainly eye-catching. I’d have never thought of wearing that in front of old Fink before, but I’m not trying to please him. I don’t want to pretend anymore. I want this all to be real. With a crisp white shirt and gray leather shoes, that suit will feel like me. And that’s all I want to be right now. Not an arrogant, manipulative bullshitter. Not a smooth-talking ladies’ man. Not a bad boy. Just me. Me, just as I am.

I dress quickly and decide to have a proper breakfast, something I’ve only started doing recently. Before, it was just a coffee or an energy drink. I go down to the kitchen and fix it for myself. Croissant with butter. Granola with milk. Orange juice. I feel fresh. I feel light. I fix some for Isabella for when she comes down.

Eddie stalks in as I’m enjoying a moment of pure, simple happiness. “I was looking for you,” he says harshly.

“My brother,” I say.

“Cousin.”

“Sit.” I pull out the stool next to mine at the breakfast bar.

He shoves his hands in his pockets. “Nah, I’m all right.”

He doesn’t look all right. “What’s up, bro?”

“I’m not happy with the ten percent you offered me. I want forty.”

“I can’t.” I want all the money I can get, not for yachts and big cars and gambling anymore, but to help struggling businesses. “I’m starting a business doing angel investing for various—”

“I couldn’t care less. I want my cut. You should count yourself lucky I didn’t sabotage your whole little game with Isabella. Remember, if you fuck up, all the money comes to me.”

I feel this horrible clenching in my stomach. “Look, one hundred mil is a hell of a lot of money, Eddie, you can do anything with that.”

“Then you take the hundred mil, if it’s so much money, and I’ll take the rest.”

I’m almost speechless. “Why are you only saying this now? Is there something in particular you want to do with the money?”

“I don’t see how that’s any of your business,” he says tightly.

Something in me snaps. “We had our agreement, and it still stands. Ten percent or nothing, Eddie. Take your pick.”

He takes a fake flourishing bow. “Oh, thank you for your largesse, Your Grace.”

I rock back in my chair. “You’ve changed.”

“No,” he says, his eyes flinging fire. “You’ve changed.”

“Yes, I have,” I agree. “I’m becoming a better man, and it feels damn wonderful.”

“Good for you,” he scoffs. “Get me my forty percent, or your life might start feeling not so wonderful after all.”

“Is that a threat?”

He pokes me in my shoulder, sending me almost falling off the stool. “Just get me my forty percent.”

I leap to my feet. “Don’t touch me, you bastard.” I hold my head up high. “I’m not going to fight you.”

Eddie laughs but without any joy. “You’re such a stuck-up idiot. You think you’re so special. Anyway, Isabella’s only using you. You’ll see when she runs with her cut and never sees you again.”

“Don’t say one more word about Isabella.” I stand up close to him.

He shoves me away. “Or what? In fact, don’t even answer that. I don’t want to hear another sentence out of you except, here’s your forty percent cut, Eddie.”

“In your dreams.”

He raises his eyebrows. “I can make your life very difficult, Gray. You know, say, come to the meeting and wrap Mr. Fink around my little finger. He always liked me better, anyway.”

“Come to the meeting,” I spit. “You think I’m afraid of you? Come to the meeting and do your worst. Now get the hell out of here.”

Isabella appears at the door with a smile. “Oh, hello, Eddie.”

“Hello,” he says. Then he turns to me as he says, “Good luck today, Isabella. Good luck.”

“Thank you. We’re pretty confident.” She’s so happy she’s missing the undercurrent completely.

I am so mad I don’t even want to talk about it. I dive into my granola and put all thought of Eddie out of my mind.