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I know when.
When I fell in love with someone I never should have.
“Everything okay, Miss Aria?” Edward’s voice startles me out of my reverie.
I smile as I look at him. “I hope it will be, Edward. I hope it will be.” I repeat the words like a prayer. He frowns, making me chuckle. “Come on. Let’s go home.”
ChapterFourteen
BISHOP
A red mist coats my whole being like a second skin. Fuming doesn’t even begin to describe how I am feeling right now.
Not only is Aria pissed—and with good reason—that I am going to miss Christmas, but the reason why I won’t be spending the holidays with them is making my blood boil. It makes me want to ram my fist into Calvin Hastings’s face until he is unrecognizable.
My father has arranged for the Parkes to join us for the holiday, along with the whole brotherhood. It’s our engagement party of sorts. Well, the private one for the families anyway. Make no mistake, Stacey Parkes is organizing the engagement party of the century in the New Year. Little does she know, that if I have anything to do with it, it won’t be happening. I’ve spent some more time with the girl, and Jesus Christ, I am beginning to loathe her. I thought she would be meek and submissive. Her own father told me I could mold her into what I want. It was a lie. Stacey has come out of her shell in recent visits, revealing her real personality. Shallow, vain, vapid, and very fucking forward.
The meeting had ended, and Stacey and I were left alone in the lounge of my father’s house. No longer than a couple of minutes after everyone had left, and the girl fucking jumped on me. I sat on the couch, trying to ignore her whiney voice, but she made it hard. Scrolling through my cell, I counted down the hours until I could see my princess and son when she knocked my phone out of my hand and straddled me. I was so stunned by her audacity; I didn’t move for a few minutes as I stared at her in total shock. I soon snapped out of it when she started grinding her pussy against my limp dick. Her skirt had ridden up, showcasing her panties and her arousal, which became more obvious when a damp spot appeared on my pants. She was soaked. I shoved the little horny bitch off me and glared before snapping, “Don’t you ever touch me again without my permission.”
Her eyes widened in shock. Worry and embarrassment crossed her face before she covered it. Climbing to her feet, she smirked down at me. “Soon, I will be touching you all I like. We will be married, Xander. I will have your children. You better get on board with that because there is no way out of this. Not for you. Not for me.” She bent down so she was eye-level with me and winked. “I can’t wait to have that big cock inside me.” she purred before turning on her heel and leaving.
No way was I marrying that viper.
The only girl that would wear my ring and have my last name would be my princess. I will make sure of that.
I have a meeting set up with Ryker and the others at his office. He informed me they have found out some pretty incriminating things about my father. I am hoping it is the information we need to get rid of him completely, but I doubt I am that lucky. Calvin Hastings is smart; there is no way it will be this easy.
Clicking the button on my fob to open the door, I climb inside, turn the ignition on, and get on my way to the Strip. I am anxious to get this over with,desperateto get back to the east coast and my family. I hate that I am missing Baron changing every day. Hate that I can’t touch my girl. It’s frustrating, to say the least.
Sighing, I put my foot down as I weave in and out of traffic all the way to the hotel Ryker’s family owns. It’s the only place we feel confident enough to conduct our meetings. Ryker’s office is soundproof and probably one of the only areas my father doesn’t have eyes and ears.
A little while later, I pull up in the underground parking lot and make my way to the private elevator that I know will take me to Ryker’s floor. Only a select few have the codes to enter the building this way, and my father is not one of them. He would have to enter through the hotel and be granted access to the top floors. That way we will know if Calvin Hastings shows up here for an impromptu visit.
The elevator comes to a stop, the doors pinging open in the next second. I stride out, moving toward the conference room everyone will be waiting in. My black loafers make a squeaking sound on the marble floor, and I stop, scowling down at my feet until a feminine voice has my head snapping up.
“Sorry, sir. We just got the floors shined. It seems everyone who walks through here today is making the same sounds.” She flashes me an apologetic smile.
I glare at her as if it is her fault, making her shrink back. “Is he in the conference room?” Ryker’s assistant knows who I mean without saying his name.
She nods and squeaks, “Yes.”
Softening my features, so as not to be a complete asshole, I give her my thanks and continue squeaking down the hall. Pulling the door open, I pause, surprised to find Walton Vanderbilt inside. I thought it would just be the four sons. But if Ryker’s father is joining us, then the information they have must be what we are looking for to overthrow Calvin. Walton wouldn’t concern himself with something small.
“Ah, Xander, my boy. We were waiting on you to start,” Walton says in greeting.
I grimace at the name before plastering on a smile and stepping inside. My eyes shift between everyone in the room—Walton, Ryker, Stone, and Zane. Their faces give nothing away as I make my way to a chair and sit. “Well, I’m here now, so let’s begin.” I want to get straight to the point. I need to know if they have anything. I need to know how long it will be until I am reunited with my family full-time.
Ryker clears his throat as he scowls at me, no doubt at my abrupt attitude. I ignore it. If anyone knows what I am going through and why I am so determined to bring my father down, it’s him. He is the only one who knows about Aria and Baron. “So, as we all know, we are here and all in agreement about removing Calvin Hastings as the leader of The Five Families.” Murmurs of understanding sound, and Ryker continues, “I called you all here today, as my father may have some information that we can use to bring into dispute Calvin’s ability to lead the brotherhood.” His eyes go to his father, and Ryker nods. “Dad.”
Walton leans forward, a smirk playing on his lips. “Firstly, I would like to say that I do not agree with the contract marriage your father has decided for you, but it could be our way to remove him.” I frown at where Walton is going with this. He shoots me a knowing look and continues. “You see, I have done some digging into Spencer Parkes, and what I have found so far? Well, let’s just say, it concerns me. It seems your father and Spencer have had private dealings between themselves for a couple of years now, dealings that do not benefit the brotherhood. Now you may think this doesn’t matter, but it does.”
He clears his throat. “As is our way, all business conducted must benefit the whole brotherhood somehow. Case in point, this hotel,” he waves his arms around. “Although it belongs to my family, ten percent of profits go into our organization. So, it seems that Calvin has been doing underhand transactions with Parkes without the other families’ knowledge, and the question is, why?”
Walton makes eye contact with us all, and I see the determination in his gaze. “We will find out why this has been happening, and when we do, we can expose him. The other heads of families will not like that Calvin is being shady, and it will bring his loyalty to the brothers into disrepute. I also find it curious why he specifically chose to do these secret dealings with Spencer Parkes, and now he wants to bring him into the fold. It also brings into question the Fancotts’ deaths. There is more to the circumstances of this than what we originally thought.”
“You think he had something to do with it?” I ask.
Walton blows out a breath. “I’m not sure. But it’s all a bit of a coincidence, and I don’t believe in coincidences.” I study Walton’s face and then Ryker’s. Walton may not be outright saying it, but he does think my father was behind their deaths.
