Egotistically Yours by Hayley Faiman

Chapter Forty-Five

LAURENT

Liftingthe drink to my lips, I take a large gulp, too large for the liquor proof in the glass, but I need it today. I need everything that I can get at this point. This has got to be the most stressful thing I’ve ever dealt with in my life.

“So can it be done?” I ask Sebastian.

My dad chuckles and I flick my gaze over to him. “Can I just say?” he begins. “I love this. In the end, I unintentionally fucked you over while intentionally fucking over Susan, but I love that you’re just as ruthless as me when you need to be.”

“I was thinking that it was a trait from mom,” I mutter.

He snorts, shaking his head. “Not in the slightest. I may seem calmer and more levelheaded these days, but only because I don’t have to be a ruthless hard-ass anymore. I’ve already paid my dues and am on top. You, my son, are just getting started.”

Pressing my lips together, I lean back and watch him for a moment. Then I look over to Bash and take him in. “What do you think?” I ask him.

Sebastian smirks. “I’m more than okay with it. This is perfect. It’ll release you of all liability of Astor Investments. Send her notice of you vacating the building. It’s amazing. And there is nothing in the documents that you signed that says you cannot hand over the company to someone else. Fuck, you could let Landry run it.”

My dad holds up his hands and starts shaking his head. “I can’t do that, nope. No fucking way. I’m not even trying to get in on that,” he says.

“No, I want Cody off of my back. This is the best thing that could have ever landed in my lap. This puts the two people that I can’t stand most in the world, pitted at one another, and gets me completely out of it.”

“Let’s do it then,” Bash says. “Now on to yourself and your career,” he begins.

He explains to my dad what the contract states for me and all of the information surrounding the noncompetition clause that is tucked away in the paperwork. I watch as my dad’s eyes narrow at that information, then he snorts.

“Susan strikes again, one step forward, two steps back,” he mutters.

“We have options, but they skirt the line of legalities and I’m telling you right now that the ideas did not come from me,” Bash says.

“Would Bethie be okay with this?” my dad asks.

I shrug a shoulder. “Probably. I don’t want to ask her though.”

“What do you want to do, Laurent. I’m not saying that you have to work for me. But you need to provide for your family as well. I’ll help you in any way I can. I’m fine with signing over your dividends to you. What you’ll get from your trust won’t touch the principal balance, and it’s more than enough to live comfortably.”

Shaking my head, I lift my hand and run my fingers through my hair. “I can’t do that. I just can’t. I need to work,” I ramble.

My dad reaches his hand out and wraps his fingers around my wrist. He squeezes gently and I lift my gaze up to meet his. “Take some time, Laurent. Let’s get you moved to Colorado. Get you two all set up, then we’ll work on the next step. You’re trying to do too much at once. I’m your father, let me take care of you.”

“Dad,” I warn. “You’ve done so much for me. I’m selfish, but I can’t ask you to do anything else.”

My father’s lips curve up into a grin. “You aren’t asking.”

There’s a moment of silence where none of us speak. Then Bash reaches out and taps the center of the table with his knuckle. Both my father and I shift our attention over to him. He’s got a grin on his face.

“This is what we’re going to do, Laurent.” I arch a brow and wait for him to tell me his plan. “You’re going to let your father handle the financial aspect of things right now. Then we’re going to come up with the next step.”

I open my mouth to protest when my dad’s phone rings. He pulls it out and looks down at the screen, then frowns before he slides his thumb along and places it up to his ear.

“Is everything okay?” he asks, his brows knit together with concern. “Leave right now. Just go somewhere public,” he demands and that has the hairs on the back of my neck standing up.

I clench my jaw, gnashing my teeth together and trying not to take the phone from him and demand that whoever it is on the other end of the line tells me what is going on. My dad ends the call, but he doesn’t tell me what the fuck is going on, instead he makes a phone call.

“Hansen,” he shouts. “Something is going on. Go and check on them right now,” he barks.

My father ends that call and his gaze finds mine. His eyes connect to my own and finally he tells me what is going on.

“Tennessee went by your penthouse. There was nobody at the door in the lobby. When she went upstairs, she knocked on the door, but Bethie didn’t answer. She tried calling all morning to get a hold of her. She wanted to bring her lunch, but she can’t get an answer. When did you talk to her last?”

My heart leaps to my throat. It stays there and I try to swallow the lump down. It takes me a few attempts and finally it goes down.

“I haven’t,” I admit. “It’s been a day full of meetings and I just haven’t had the chance. What do I do?” I ask, feeling completely lost.

My father stands, digging some money out of his pocket and throws it on the center of the table. It’s more than enough to cover the bill and he starts to walk out of the restaurant. Bash and I quickly follow behind him.

I feel like I’m in a fog, as if I’m on the outside of my own body looking down. It doesn’t feel real, and I don’t even realize I’m walking toward my dad’s car. I can’t drive though, I’m aware enough to realize that.

Bash climbs into the back seat and I sink down into the front. We all buckle in and my dad starts to drive, heading straight to my place. I’m under no illusion that we’re going to find Bethie just taking a little catnap on the sofa. I feel it deep in my bones, there is something wrong.

“Wasn’t Hansen supposed to be watching her?” I ask, finally finding my voice.

My dad clears his throat. “He was trying to find this fucking guy that’s been following her around. He’s been working on digging up information on both Susan and trying to figure out who this guy is. Didn’t you say you were going to get security?” he asks.

Guilt consumes me.

“I haven’t had a chance. I thought having the doorman and a lock on the goddamn door in the fucking penthouse was enough,” I grind out, feeling angry at myself.

My family is in danger.

My whole fucking world.

I was worried about a job and money, money that isn’t really a worry because my dad created a trust fund for me years ago. I’m here being selfish, yet again, when I should have been focused on Bethie and Tucker instead of my goddamn self.

BETHANIE

There is a moment of silence while Zara watches me. Then I hear a knock on the door. This is my chance, my only chance, at least that’s what I think to myself. Except my legs still won’t move, I’m upstairs, and Tucker is in his crib. I cannot and will not leave him alone with the crazy assholes.

I want to cry.

Zara grins, her lips curved up and her eyes full of crazy. “Nobody knows you’re here. Nobody is going to find you in time, Bethie.”

If I had any confidence left inside of me, I would tell her she’s a liar, but it’s getting later in the day and I don’t think that she’s lying at all. In fact, I think that she could be correct. I think I’m well and truly fucked.

“What do you want from me?” I ask, keeping my gaze on Zara and only Zara.

She tilts her head to the side and licks her lips as if she’s thinking about the question. I know that she’s not. She can’t be. She has a plan, she’s had a plan, and she’s just torturing me right now.

“I want your life, Bethie. I’ve wanted Laurent since I was five years old and nothing is going to stop me from getting him.”

I’m taken aback by her words. Five years old? Laurent has never said that he’s known her since he was a kid. I just assumed she was someone who applied for the position after Landry left. Blinking, I suck in a breath, unsure of what to say and unsure of what to ask. I don’t want to piss her off, but I’m beyond curious at this point.

“I’ve surprised you, yet again,” she informs me.

Indeed, she has. I don’t confirm that though. I watch her, waiting to see what other tidbit of information she’ll release. The longer I keep her talking, the more chance I have of getting out of this unscathed.

“My mother and Susan have been friends for years. I’ve been watching Laurent my whole life, waiting for my chance and you ruined it all.”

I don’t bother telling her that she’s not his type. That I didn’t steal anything from her, that I don’t think he even knew she existed before he hired her.

I don’t say any of that, because she would probably try and strangle me and I don’t know if I can quite move my legs yet. I have more feeling in them, but I can’t test them out yet.

There is another knock on the front door and I pray that it’s Laurent, but then I realize he has a key. I feel deflated, but with both of their attentions focused on the door, I attempt to stand up. My legs work. They work. And I’m standing by the time they turn around to look at me again.

I don’t know what I’m going to do with my newfound ability to move my legs, but I do know that at least I have a bit of a fighting chance. Something ugly crosses Zara’s face, then she turns to Peter and I know that this is it. This is the moment. This is make or break.

“She’s yours, Peter. I’m done with her. She knows that she’ll never have Laurent again. And I know that he’s mine now. You won’t live long enough to see us together. That makes me a bit sad because I really want you to see just how happy I can make him,” she rambles.

My stomach twists and I wonder if she’s under the care of a doctor because she is clearly delusional or something. She’s just not right, but I don’t have time to worry about her mental abilities in this moment, I need to figure out how to save both myself and Tucker.

“How did Peter get involved in all of this?” I quickly blurt out.

Zara grins, and I know that right now, this is her element. She is far too excited about this and she wants to tell me. She wants to scare me and I’m good with all of that because I want to waste as much time as humanly possible.

“I ran across Peter by happenstance. I was visiting Susan as soon as she was put in prison and Peter here, was visiting his sweet little serial killer mama.”

Fuck.

“So, now it’s time for Peter to earn his pay,” she announces and I watch her walk toward me, but then she shifts and starts walking toward Tucker.

Absolutely fucking not.

I jump in front of her, between the crib and her body, and I place my hands on her chest and push her backward. She lets out a cry and falls down to the floor.

“Get the bitch,” she growls, looking back at Peter.

The fight for my life has now come to me.

It’s time.