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Marshall blamed it on the time the man spent abroad as a teenager in boarding school and he knew it irked the hell out of him.
Becker’s eyes locked on Juniper and murderous rage flooded Marshall’s veins.
Marshall didn’t know how Becker knew where he’d been since he didn’t exactly make it publicly known, but he had his suspicions.
“Please, start by explaining what all this means. Mr. Becker has most of the board convinced you’ve given us falsehoods and purposely misled us about this last will and testament mess left by your father. Why all the smoke and mirrors, son? And what’s this we hear about two weeks to marry instead of a half year?”
Marshall considered his words carefully. “Part of what Becker has told you is true.”
Gasps and hushed talking took over the room like a rolling wave.
“Allow me to finish. You should consider the source of your information before drawing such fast conclusions. I’m sorry you’ve been dragged back to the city, but there really isn’t anything to worry about.”
Marshall stood at the head of the long table with his hands shoved in his pockets. Either it was that or risk burying his fist in the spoiled fucker's face.
“Did you think they wouldn’t find out?” Becker tossed more kindling on the fire and Marshall locked eyes with the man, daring him to speak one more time. He’d left the brawling days behind him when he left his father’s oil rigs for the boardroom years before, but the urge to visit the old days took a firm grip on his ire and cranked.
“Marshall, this is scandalous,” came another with more vigor. And down the line they went.
Fuck he just wanted to turn, grab Juniper and walk out.
Juniper walked to his side, her head held high, those beautiful eyes on him. Like a bucket of cold water his need to draw blood mellowed. Her gaze darted to the people seated around him briefly before coming back to him.
To his right, he heard a hiss of surprise from Becker.
She gave an almost invisible nod, taking his hand with hers.
He canted his head in gratitude as she pulled to a stop by his side. Light hints of his cologne mixed with hers caught his attention and the primal alpha in him wanted to roar. “Now, if you’ll allow me to finish, ladies and gentlemen. I’ll be brief and straight to the point.” He held his hands up when another round of speculations wanted to gain momentum and the room quieted.
“I think you owe more than some brief explanation, Marshall,” Becker said in mocking slowness. Dressed like a shark on the hunt, Becker stood, buttoned his suit jacket and drew up next to his other side. He couldn’t believe he called this man a friend at one time.
Marshall turned on his heel and silently dared him to make a move.
“These fine people placed their trust in you, Marshall, and you gave them all lies.”
“Becker, why don’t you fuck off already?”
Juniper cleared her throat behind him.
“No need, he says,” Becker continued. “My father sits on your board. Thinks of you as family and you say there’s no need to worry that the company he, and so many of these fine people, have invested forty years of his life in and which will be shut down within a week’s time?”
“Speaking of, why are you here instead of your father, Becker?”
“I’m here at my father’s request, on his behalf. To hear and report. He’s under the weather at the moment.”
Yeah, right. Something smelled rotten, but it didn’t matter right now.
He turned back to the board members. “As I said before, there have been new developments since we last spoke. I was prepared to send out an update via email to everyone and appraise you of the situation, but it seems my hand has been forced. There was a miscommunication in the reading of the will. I do have the last day of the month to marry, it seems, or my father’s demands will take effect and the company will be dismantled.”
“Why on earth would he do this?” Emotions ranged from surprise to anger and then back to surprise so fast he could barely keep up with the questions everyone peppered him with.
“I move to remove Marshall Blackwood from CEO immediately and save the company.”
“Becker, sit the fuck down and shut the hell up. You have no vote here. You are NOT your father. You’re lucky I don’t haveyouremoved.” He’d had about as much as he could take from the asshole.
“I’m just protecting my father and these fine people who have supported you for so long. Anyone with me.”
He looked to Juniper, who appeared as surprised and fearful as he felt. Fear had a funny way of having people turn on a person. The anger and wrath he’d locked away under sophistication from years in Ivy League schools broke their hold and he didn’t have time to think of his next words. Juniper placed a hand on his arm and by the grace of her tender touch or his guardian angel, he reeled in his anger enough to speak. “There’s no need, ladies and gentlemen. I already have a bride.”
