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Eighteen
Linsey
It’s been two days since I last saw the girls. My worry and fear had reached an all-time high to the extent that I was now lashing out at everyone around me. I wanted to apologize and explain it was all my fear, but nothing ever came out. I never understood the visceral feelings a parent had for their child. I knew it was strong and incomprehensible, but I understood it now, when a mother or father would say their children were their life. I got it now. Though the girls were my nieces, since Davina’s death, I became their mother, their caretaker, the one constant in their lives they came to depend on.
I was a mother.
The realization of that gripped my heart in a crushing vise as the air suffocated me. I was their mother. Me. They were mine, and I wasn’t there to protect them. Instead, I was at Duchene International trying to save their legacy. A legacy that denied me the life I wanted. A legacy that took my mother and sister away from me. A legacy that was hellbent on destroying everything I cared for.
I never cared about the money, the company, and everything that came with it. I never wanted it. For the longest time, I thought it was because I was selfish. That I dared to have a life that was all my own. I watched my whole life as my mother, then my sister, give up everything they cared about for the company. Why? Because of some misguided loyalty to a past that no longer mattered. All the money and prestige in the world could never compensate for love and true happiness.
Knowing what I had to do, I got up and went downstairs to find Vicious and several of his friends all working hard to locate the girls. Those men stopped everything to come help me, and I knew there would never be a way to repay them. I would try, but their sacrifice was unparalleled. These were honest and loyal men, and I was eternally grateful for their help.
“I want to take the company public.”
Heads snapped in my direction as I stood there at the bottom of the staircase. Vicious looked up, stopping what he was doing. Several of the men stood with shocked expressions on their faces. I knew what I was asking. I knew the moment I embarked on this plan that everything would change, but I saw no other way to protect the girls and myself. By taking the company public, the girls, I and future generations would no longer be held by the strict constraints of the company’s legacy. It was time to pave a new future, one where the descendants of Lady Duchene had the right to choose their own lives. It was time to take the company in a new direction.
“What do I need to do to make that happen?”
Montana looked at Vicious, who slowly stood. “Baby, are you sure about this because once you do this, there is no going back? The company will be a public entity. Yes, your family’s name will still be on the building, but you will no longer have control over what happens. It’s a whole new ballgame if you do this.”
“It’s the only way I can ensure the girls have a future.”
“Linsey,” Montana carefully said, stepping around the table, “We will make sure the girls have the life they want. You don’t have to do this.”
“As long as the company is private, the legacy clause remains in effect. I refuse to allow that company to take one more thing from me. I can’t.”
Storm stepped forward. “She’s right. If the company stays private, that damn clause will hinder every generation. I’ve read the company’s by-laws. It’s ironclad. However, if Linsey takes the company public, that puts us in uncharted territory, Prez. Think about it. Every company we own is private. Mercy’s construction company, my investment firm, Fury’s security firm, Malice’s charities, even your family’s company, Stone Corporation. If we take Duchene International and make it public, we can all invest in the company. We can buy up all the shares and thus become the board. With those seats, we would ensure that Linsey, the girls and future generations are safe. No one would dare fuck with us.”
“You are talking about a hostile takeover. Jesus Storm, that is a seventy-billion-dollar company with offices worldwide.”
“More,” Storm grinned. “For years you’ve been talking about taking the Soulless Sinners and making us a global entity. This is how you do it. Take one of the biggest companies in the world, install our own brothers and watch it grow. We use and contract with our own brothers for services needed. We pull this off and no one will ever fuck with us.”
“Storms right,” Vicious said, “As much as I hate the idea, it’s the only way. I’d rather work beside my brothers than a bunch of over-priced suits who have their own agenda. Though I don’t like the idea of Linsey walking away from her family legacy, I can see the possibilities it would afford. Linsey, are you sure you want to do this because once it’s done, there is no taking it back? Ever.”
“I never wanted the company Vicious. I just wanted a life of my own.”
“Baby, you can still have the life you want.”
I shook my head. “No. Not if the company stays private. Please Vicious. I know this seems like a drastic decision, but I’ve thought about this for a while, but because I am the spare, I kept my mouth shut. The company has taken more from me than I was ever willing to give. I can’t lose myself and the girls, too. Please Gregory. I know this is the right path.”
Vicious said nothing as he came to stand before me. Hugging me close, he sighed. “Alright baby. We’ll do it your way.”
Snuggling deep into his warmth, I jumped as the front door slammed open as Fury rushed in. “He found the girls!”
My leg bounced uncontrollably as I watched the clock tick by. They’d all been gone for two hours now and the longer they were gone, the more anxious I became.
When Fury rushed in and said that he had found the girls, I thought he meant the police. I never considered Malice. I mean, I knew he and Payne and several others were out looking for the girls, but I assumed it would be the police who found them. Not a Soulless Sinner.
“Honey, drink this,” Virginia Stone said, placing a cup of tea beside me. Reaching for it, I drank it, not tasting the contents. I felt nothing, tasted nothing. There were only bland shades of gray. The world has no color for me right now. I knew it wouldn’t until my nieces were home and in my arms.
“Linsey, Dad will bring them home. I know he will,” Elizabeth said, sitting next to me. Grabbing her, I held onto her tightly as I watched the clock tick by. I wanted so much to believe her. Such innocence and faith, but I knew what could happen. So many horrible things could go wrong. I didn’t know if they hurt the girls. Were they scared? Were they hungry? It was the not knowing that was the worst. The lack of knowing anything was something that I had a hard time reconciling with. I made a promise to my sister that I would always protect and care for the girls, and I failed. Davina trusted me with their wellbeing and in the last few months in my care, I have uprooted the girls twice and they’ve been taken from the only family member they had left. This was not how things were supposed to go. I needed to do better. Be better. Because if this was any sign of how things would be, then I was in big trouble.
George Stone rushed into the living room shouting, “They have the girls! They are fine!”
The tears I’d been holding in rushed out of me as I released all the angst, worry, and fear I’d been keeping at bay. Jettisoning all those emotions overwhelmed me as arms came around me, holding me tight as the front door opened and in walked Vicious holding Brianna, Montana holding Charlie and Fury, holding Adrianna, who had her arms around his neck. Jumping from the couch, I ran to the girls, taking Brianna from Vicious, who was smiling at me, clapping happily. Looking at the baby, I saw she was sleeping peacefully in Montana’s arms. Kissing her head, I turned to Adrianna. “Hi sweet angel. I missed you so much.”
“Daddy came for me.”
