a's

n gave me a rundown o

Vincent, smaller portions held by Victor

to me, I was effectively the largest

s were managing Vincent

volved as well-Vincent's wife and

asing, neither was thrilled

u properly," Harrison said. "He wanted to reac

Syl

caught the flicker. "Mrs. Smith is.

ion: she

tes. Sprawling stone and glass set among manicured la

n. A fountain in the circular dri

the threshold, somethi

y door. "Welcome

ord still f

I couldn't help thinking-maybe this was e

-

t the entrance when a

s Sm

aked hair, impeccably tailored. Something familiar

r Smith. Y

s hand. "A

ce, then back at me, his expression carefully

e been running things here for a long time. They're not going to giv

ything. You have every legal right to be he

are you helping me?

y brother in every way that mattered

lt my lips twitch. "Than

-

deliers, marble floors, oil paintings worth more than

rs. Smith and Mr. N

windows overlooking manicured gardens,

t her throat and wrists, two servants at attention behind her. On the sofa sat N

ons and withdrew. The silenc

ylvia asked, though sh

es

me now. No need

nd this didn't feel

id, settling across from me. "We

ns and partnerships cannot be entrusted to someone with no experience in our world. We're prepared to offer you one hundred milli

d ever imagined. But nowhere near

hment of all shares in Smith family holdings, op

affair. You spent your childhood in an orphanage. One hund

ipped with f

itimate daughter as its public heir. You're still Vincent's bloo

sound like

n across the tab

cument down.

anded like

fway to her lips. Natha

legitimacy-it cares about blood. Vincent left a will, hired a lawyer, had DNA

a sharp clink. "You may have the paperwork. But you do

your decis

ack territories. Our relationships are delicate, built over decades. One wrong

can fight for wh

n this world for five minutes. Do you really

up the

t hundred million. You're offering me one hundred million-barely one percent of what

walked tow

or by family rules-I'm willing. But I won't

d son. Under the law, your inheritance rights come after mine. Are you really suggesti

sil

ening into something cold and dangerous

r," Nath

alized from the shadows-massive, stone-faced, moving with

ively calm. "I suggest you cooper

directly in front of me. "If you're u

eart hammered. "My price? You can't afford it. Vinc

ice-cold. "Then we'll hav

able. The other forced me into the chair, pinning my shoulders. I stru

ows, her back to me. Like she

the document and

to h

own onto the paper. I tried to pull aw

re going to force my sig

awed at

"You can't do thi

ted from the window, bored. "D

s. Nathan was seconds away f

lor doors ex

ning-wood splinteri

one f

by half a dozen others in dark tactical gear. The

ur-with broad shoulders and a bu

that could have been carved from granite.

swept across the room with the kind of cold calculation t

nstantly, stumbling back

n wen

ing on me. Something flickered in his eye

t, I couldn

a low, lethal growl that

's M