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“Please take care of the information and send it directly to me in a secure file. I don’t know how deep this goes.”
“I can run some system checks to see who does and doesn’t have access. I’d also ask Tom’s team to check their security logs. Want me to send HR up to make suggestions on a new receptionist?”
“Yes, thank you. I want a man this time,” I say as I pace my office.
* * *
Hours later my stomach is still burning from everything that is slowly trickling down through the system. Shelagh controlled access of everyone in my life. I had to turn my phone over to IT and security to have it scrubbed of the mirroring program that was on it. Security is running a deep dive into Shelagh and Louise, who some of the emails were being forwarded to. I’m shocked that Shelagh was doing this the entire time she worked for me. She had complete access to my life, and she used that to her advantage. I have a meeting with a local police detective to see if there are any criminal charges I can bring against her.
“Mr. Prentrick, I’ve only brushed the surface of this evidence.” My new family law attorney waves a ream of paper at me. “My suggestion is that you try to make amends with Ms. Bennington. Try to come to a compromise without the courts because, according to this, you denied the pregnancy and your son.” He sets the papers down.
“I know what it says, but fucking A, she won’t talk to me.”
I pace behind my desk with the view of Seattle in the background. I look out over the city and see the building that is just taller than mine as if she planned it that way. BUTEE Corporation stands not only taller but has been leading the city in energy efficiency and alternative heating. Elora Danvers stole my Briar, and that’s where she works. According to the affidavits of finance, she is their chief legal officer and has a salary that rivals what I could have paid her. She doesn’t need my money or my support. I tried to get the lawyer to file papers stating I could care for Orion better because I’m richer, but this attorney is too weak to take that fight.
“Look, you stated I can’t fight based on the grounds she doesn’t make enough money, but how about I can give my son a better life because of my money?” I rake my fingers through my hair, messing it up.
“Don’t even think about it, Thor.” I look over to see Remi storming toward me. “You won’t do that. She’s Rowan’s little sister. You can’t do that to her.”
Remington, Chase, Rowan, and I all met in college. We were the best of friends until Rowan died in the military. He had warned me not to pursue Briar, but I couldn’t stop myself that night. Now I face the ramifications of what I did by walking away from her.
“I know she’s Ro’s sister. You don’t think I thought of that. It’s why I stopped contact. I couldn’t bear to be around her and not hold her.” I’ve loved her and wanted her since before it was legal to. She challenged me with how smart she is, how sexy her curvy body is, and with every look from those beautiful golden-brown eyes of hers.
“Sir, if you had a relationship with her, maybe she still cares. Talk to her,” my attorney advises. “If we can avoid going to trial, that would be the best.”
“I fucking can’t. She’s blocked me from her floor again.” I tried that yesterday afternoon. The front desk told me I was not allowed in the building anymore without her permission. This has to be Elora’s doing, because afterward, I hacked the city records and found out BUTEE owns that building too.
“I know where they are, but if you fuck this up for me, I’ll kick your ass,” Remi says as he waves his good arm, babying the shoulder he injured a few months ago. He’s supposed to be starting physical therapy with a new therapist who specializes in sports injuries soon.
“Where?” I bark at him, not caring that I’m being an asshole.
My life is imploding around me, and I can’t do anything about it. My CEO came in right before my attorney did and told me that BUTEE just beat us out of another contract. This would have put our new navigational software into cargo ships at the port. I don’t know how, but Elora was again one step ahead of me and won.
“Mr. Prentrick, according to this”—my attorney waves a document around—“Mr. Ryder will be testifying that he was there for Orion’s birth and that Ms. Bennington tried to contact the father but was turned away again. Is that true?”
“Chase is involved?” My chief legal officer stands up so fast his chair tips over. He has been sitting at the table waiting for our time to discuss removing Chase from the company.
“Yes. He has been at her side since the beginning.” Jealousy rolls through my body like a wave. I hate that he gets to spend so much time with her and my son. That he was there for my son when I wasn’t. I want to punch him in the face again and make him hurt like I do right now.
Both attorneys look at each other before the family lawyer looks back at me. “You will be filing for paternity testing.”
“What? No. She states Orion is mine. I’ve seen him. He’s mine.” I need to stop this train of thought. It could cause a deeper divide between Briar and myself.
“Don’t fucking do it,” Remi says.
“We have to. We need to remove any doubt that Mr. Ryder could be the baby’s father and they aren’t trying to get a claim at your money.”
“That won’t matter. Chase is part owner in all this as well as running his own company, Ryder Corporation.” My CLO and the other attorney argue back and forth.
“Thor, her attorney sent me a summons too. I’m being asked to testify that you’ve had your administrative assistant keep me away too.” Remi opens his leather jacket and pulls out a folded set of papers. He waves them to the attorneys and then at me. “It’s true that Shelagh kept me away when she could. I swear that woman knew every time we talked, even if I called your personal cell phone.”
“She did,” I clarify for him. “She mirrored my phone, and it appears she also had wire taps in here.”
“It’s safe now?” He looks around the room as if he can find them.
“Yeah. I had IT come do a second more in-depth sweep after they found she mirrored both my cell phones.”
“I have to go. If you are coming, I’m warning you again, you’d better not fuck this up for me.” Remi turns and starts to walk out.
