Chapter 147
“Liam?”
I’m staring at a stranger.
“I’ll make it quick, Leah. You’re the victim in all of this.”
My hand waivers. It’s like I know.
I know in my heart.
But my mind refuses to accept what my eyes are seeing.
Liam shakes Ryker’s hand. “Your percentage will be routed to your account by morning.”
“What is this?” I whisper. “One big setup?”
He rolls his eyes. “Obviously.”
“But why?”
Ryker gathers the papers and his expression is sympathetic. “If it is any consolation,” Ryker tells me, and his accent has thickened. “Your willingness to set aside everything for family… that is the rarest form of loyalty.”
“Goodnight, Ryker,” Liam says pointedly.
I tighten my grip. “You won’t be able to access the firewalls or the lab. I’ve changed all the passcodes.”
Ryker and Liam share a glance.
“Nice try” he says. “But we have a building full of engineers.
Even if they can’t hack it, I can find someone who will.”
2
Ryker glances at me oddly, his chin giving the slightest nod
before he turns his back on us and walks away.
I am paralyzed.
I prepared myself for many outcomes. But this was not among
them.
Liam stalks me and I swing the gun until it is aimed at my brother. “Don’t take a step closer.”
His eyes flash gold. “Or what? There’s not enough bullets in that clip to ki ll me and we both know that.”
“They’re silver.”
I don’t know if they are, but I’m going with it.
He smirks. “Guess we’ll see if you can’t get off enough shots then.” His eyes flare once more. He’ll be on me in seconds.
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“Stop!”
He freezes but this isn’t a stalemate. It’s more like a standoff.
He’s waiting only to see who will react first.
I have to keep him talking. I have to try and reason with him.
“Liam…you’re my brother. You don’t have to do this. I named
you my successor. I sealed it in blood. I left you everything. You’ll be Alpha. You’ll have the corporation-I’m just trying to get it back on its feet. Brother, I’m dying…”
He tsks. And then gestures at my stomach. “And what of that
vile ba stard growing inside you. Did you think I’d raise his pup!?”
I gasp.
“Did you really think I’d let some mongrel ba stard usurp the bloodline of the Roberts that has been strong and pure for
centuries!”
I shake my head, hardly believing what I’m hearing.
We’re alone in some lavish room. I’m holding a gun and my hand is shaking. Liam is berating me like he’s trying to talk himself up or convince himself of how wretched I am. Or maybe that’s how he needs to see me in order to justify what
he’s doing.
“You don’t have to do this, Liam.”
“It’s not your fault, I know that,” he says without really hearing
- “You were just an ign orant kid. But you’re a grown woman now. And you should’ve aborted that abomination yourself.”
I’m flayed by his words. I can’t even reply because I am cut too deeply to know what to say.
Liam curses. “It’s like my own family can’t even recognize the responsibility of putting Pack Roberts first!”
“I’ve only ever put Pack first,” I say quietly.
“No, that’s not true. And all that crying home to dad… you
weakened him too.”
I feel like I’ve been punched. “I never meant for dad to commit
suicide.”
His slow smile is cr uel. “Who said he kil led himself?”
