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“I don’t see any compassion being shown for my shoes. Or to me. I’m the one standing in the rain here. He’s already in the box.”
“Then maybe you should just wait in the car,” I spit.
She glares at me. “Gladly.”
Isabella turns in a huff and wobbles away, her heels getting trapped in the ever-growing mud. Serves her right. I don’t need her setting my mother off once we get her settled. I glance at my watch again impatiently. How long does it take to sedate one woman? Any longer with this man and I might not last.
“You have to forgive Isa.” Leonardo sighs. “She doesn’t have a tolerance for death after her mother passed.”
I nod, staring at the gaping hole below us. “Death can be a touchy subject.”
“I think that it’s great that your father left you everything,” he continues. “Gives the transferring of it all a lighter load.”
“Yeah,” I say, ready to jump in the hole myself.
“Are you sure you’ll be able to handle it all? If it ever becomes too much, I have a crew ready to help at any time.”
I look up at him with a tight-lipped smile. “I appreciate that. It’s nice to have someone you can trust so close to the family business.”
He smiles. “Whatever I can do to alleviate your burden amidst this sudden tragedy.”
“Johnathan!”
We both glance toward the parking lot, the sound of my mother’s laughter echoing around the graveyard. Leonardo’s face contorts with disgust. “I believe that your mother is in need of assistance.”
Clearly. But I’m not about to go and offer my arm to her. Even if she is my mother, that woman hasn’t acted like one in years. And today is not the day to start pretending.
“Would you mind helping her?” I ask. “I think she might just hit me if I try to help.”
“Of course.” He nods, walking away with disdain. Better him than me.
I wait until Leo’s far enough away and look around for any hidden bodyguards. For once, everyone is more focused on my inebriated mother. I sigh with relief and close my eyes.
This is the first moment since my dad died that I’ve had to myself. I guess being the CEO of a large firm does come with a giant target on your back. But do they really have to guard me every second of the day?
I hear the sloshing of approaching footsteps and internally groan. Now what?
“Hey, man.”
I open my eyes as Jax walks up beside me. The rain drips onto my jacket as he knocks my umbrella over, giving me a hug.
“Normally I have to wait until you’re drunk to get one of these.” I laugh, hugging him back.
“Well, today’s a special occasion.” He grabs both my shoulders and looks me dead in the eye. “Are you doing okay? And be honest.”
The kindness in his eyes is more than I can take, and I fidget a little. “Honestly? I don’t know.”
As soon as they confirmed his death, I was whisked away to sign every paper they could find to transfer things to my name. Rights. Assets. Partners. It just became words on a page at some point. Another signature here, another initial there. Every movement of the pen taking more and more of my freedom away.
“Word on the street is that you’re the new CEO.” Jax nudges me.
I chuckle bitterly. “Word travels fast.”
“I’d congratulate ya if it wasn’t so—”
“Found it!”
I perk up at her voice. I must really be losing it if I’m fantasizing in the middle of the day. But the sound of sloshing grows closer. This is too real to be a fantasy.
