AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Graham was gone for over a year, meeting with foreign investors in Japan and helping to solidify our relationship with partners over there. It was disguised as a long business trip but what it really was, was a punishment. Him being kicked out because of a huge scandal he caused. Our father has never had any taste for mediocrity and he especially hates it when his children embarrass him.
My brother scowls for a half a second, before smiling again to cover it up. It must be exhausting having to keep up a face like that all the time. Then again, whenever I’m not with my family, I give off the illusion that I’m ice cold, unfeeling. I’ve carved a reputation in the company owing to that.
“You may have been able to convince father to send me there unfairly but I’m back now, big bro.”
And its payback time, is what he really wants to add. The words are left unsaid, probably because they’re a little immature, but I hear them anyway.
I shrug, crossing one of my legs over the other as I stare at him. Another annoying thing about Graham is how much we look alike. Same physique, with him being only an inch shorter than me, same green eyes, same dark hair. His skin is slightly darker than mine. We could be twins, but there are some defining characteristics that set us apart. He’s an asshole, I’m slightly less of an asshole.
“Actually, you weren’t sent away unfairly. You were sent away because there were pictures of you released online with your mouth around a stripper’s tit. Not very dignified for a Steele,” I say with a grimace.
A shadow crosses his eyes. “You sound just like father.”
I ignore that. It’s a jab he likes to use often.
“So, now that you’re back and you have father’s ear, you’ll convince him to send me to New York as a form as exile in revenge?” I ask bluntly.
He smiles, shaking his head. “Au contraire, big brother. I don’t want you going to New York, I wanted to go. But it seems father is intent on sending you. There’s an issue there that requires your particular skillset.”
My eyebrows furrow. “Meaning?” I question.
Graham simply smirks, relishing in the fact that he has some knowledge that I do not possess. At least not yet.
This whole New York thing has had me going sleepless over the past few nights. My father has still not called me in to discuss it, leaving me to speculate on his plans. I’d like nothing more than to barge into his office and spell it out that I have no plans to move to New York. But you don’t enter Richard Steele’s office without being called.
“Oh chin up, Xan,” he says the nickname mockingly, not a hint of affection in his tone.
Apart from my sister and her, no one else calls me Xan. When my sister does it, it means something else entirely. I can tolerate it. When Katerina did, I relished in it. But in her absence, the sound of it fills me with a sense of biting pain. Something Graham knows, which I’m sure is why he calls me that in the first place.
“There are worse things than being sent to New York,” he continues. “If you succeed over there, you get in good with the board. Might make your transition into the CEO position smoother. Of course, I’ll be there to throw some road blocks along the way. Don’t think I won’t fight you on that. Especially now that I’m back.”
“Did you at least learn anything useful while you were away? Become at least a little more mature?” I ask.
He shrugs. “That’s for me to know, big bro.”
Graham gets to his feet, buttoning up his suit jacket. He looks as pristine as ever, hair cropped short, with only that gleam in his eyes that never fails to make me uncomfortable.
“I’ll see you at home, dad will call you in soon,” he informs me, heading for the door. “Oh and I’m picking Nate up from school. He called earlier, asked if I was back. The kid missed me.”
I roll my eyes. “I’m sure he missed your bad influence. Do not exert that onto my son,” I warn.
I would keep Nate the hell away from his uncle but they’re actually close. Nate adores him. Graham’s a semi-decent human being with everyone else but me and I guess our father.
“Yeah, yeah. See you, Xan,” he says, walking out of my office.
My father calls me into his office an hour later just like Graham said he would. I head up as soon as he does, walking through the halls of the company and into the elevator. Thankfully, it’s empty. Once inside I press the button for the first floor, going up.
Once I arrive, I’m asked to wait for a couple of minutes before being shown into his lavish office. My father sits at his desk, a pair of spectacles on his face, his expression hard as he looks down at some documents. He doesn’t acknowledge me, not immediately. And I’m left standing, waiting for him to do so.
After what feels like forever, but is only a minute or two, he finally does look at me, green eyes intense, face carved in granite. His dark hair is speckled with gray, as is the beard he wears that’s been cut short and clean. He’s wearing a tailored navy suit. And when he stands, he stands tall, fit, especially for a man as old as he is.
“Alexander,” he says. “Sit.”
He gestures for the couches and I steel myself for yet another conversation I hope is semi-descent. Pun intended. When we’re seated, he doesn’t waste any time before getting down to business.
“I’m sure you’ve heard that I plan on sending you to New York.”
“The subject came up,” I say dryly, earning me a glare.
