Scott returns the grin. “Hashtag team Fartemis.”
Ares and Scott hi-five like it’s the best idea in the history of the world.
Artemis groans, dropping his face into his hands. “I want to say I hate you, but I need your help, so I won't. Apology accepted.”
Ares’s gasp is as award-winning as Athena’s classic eye rolls. “What? Asking for help? You? Say it ain’t so.”
Apollo jabs him in the ribs. “Like it’s not hard enough for him right now. Don’t make it worse.”
Arte’s rigid next to me. “I hate asking for help.” There isn’t a single person in the room who needs him to say it but it’s a big thing for him to say out loud.
“We’ve noticed.” It’s Alejandro who answers, which speaks volumes. The three half siblings don’t know Artemis nearly as well as the other three, and even he’s noticed my man is an island.
Artemis surveys the group around him. “I don’t like to take up space.”
That lands somewhere just south of my ribs. Because I know exactly what it costs him to say that—and I can take a guess at how long he’s been trying to disappear out of his own life.
He clasps his hands together on his lap. “Or people’s time or energy if I can help it.” He meets the eyes of every one of his siblings before he continues, and I take one of his hands in my uninjured hand to give him some silent support.
“But I can’t do this alone.” His jaw flexes, like he hates saying it out loud, like it’s admitting defeat of some kind. “And I hate it, but it’s true.”
No one says a word for a long beat.
“Mamá has helped get the board members back in line, but Alonso will be a different matter entirely.”
Athena’s nostrils flare. “About that.” She casts a cursory glance at her mother, who gives a firm nod. “The smug bastard’s already been beaten at his own game.”
Artemis sits up straighter.
“Firstly, the NDAs he had our siblings’ moms sign are void because they were signed under duress.” She shakes her head like the words taste dirty in her mouth. “He threatened to cut off his measly child support if they spoke. But the guys aren’t covered by it and haven’t been since they turned eighteen.”
“So they can sue for inheritance.”
Athena smirks, and Jesus Christ, if it isn’t a little terrifying. Alotterrifying. “He paid child support for years, a shittily low amount for a man so fucking rich, but whatever. To hide it from…” She winces, clearly not wanting to say her mom. “Everyone. He paid them through a shell company. But in order to create a legal paper trail for the payments, he stupidly made the boys minority shareholders.”
It dawns on Artemis. “They already have voting rights?”
Athena nods.
“There’s more.” Apollo’s eyes have a dangerous glint in them as he speaks. And I don’t think it’s on purpose, but this whole fucking vibe tells me never to cross this family if I don’t want to be destroyed on a cellular level.
“The family trust contains a morality clause that voids his controlling interest if he’s proven to have committed…” Apollo clicks his fingers a few times.
“Moral turpitude,” Ares supplies.
“Being a prick,” Athena adds at the same time.
“Conduct unbecoming,” Apollo finishes.
My shoulder throbs again, sharp and insistent. It’s a stupid parallel, but I can’t shake it—bodies breaking, systems breaking. Men who thought they were untouchable finding out they’re not. This isn’t about me, not in the least, and yet… it doesn’t feel like a world away from my situation either.
“The boys all submitted standard paternity tests days ago, results are in, and to no one’s surprise, they’re fambam. The legal paternity tests will take a few more weeks, but we won’t need that to flex in the boardroom. It wouldn’t be an instant removal by any means,” Apollo continues, his voice hard, “but it gives the board grounds to act.”
Artemis holds up a hand, his eyes working back and forth like he’s doing the math. “The paternity tests are done already?”
Apollo shrugs. “Just because you didn’t ask for help, doesn’t mean we didn’t know you needed it. Or that we weren’t going to give it. He tried to bury all of it, obviously, but Mamá keeps meticulous records.”
“And has an exceptional legal team.” Gabriella’s voice is as sharp as broken glass.
