“There is no next step,” he said quietly. “This is concrete. This is happening.”
Austin’s eyes narrowed. “What the hell is this?” he asked in disbelief. “Have you all lost your balls?” He eyed each man menacingly, finally coming back to Adam. “This isn’t over. Not by a long shot.”
Adam rolled his eyes and pushed his hands into his pockets. “It is over. It’s been over for a long time. It’s time to move on.”
The look of absolute fury on Austin’s face surprised even Adam. He tightened his fists at his side and dropped his chin. “Everyone out!”
Adam watched the staff scuttle out, closing the door firmly behind them. The room was oppressively silent for the thirty seconds it took Austin to reign himself in. He was furious, Adam knew, but honestly, he couldn’t have cared less.
“What the fuck is wrong with you?” Austin murmured through tight lips.
“There’s nothing wrong with me.”
“Then what the hell are you doing standing there shrugging? Do you not understand what this means?” He held up the fax and shook it.
“I know exactly what it means,” he answered calmly. He took another step toward his brother. “It means that you and I each get a settlement that will ensure we never have to worry about money again, and Carter gets what’s rightfully his.”
Austin blanched. “I beg your pardon?”
Adam shook his head. “Oh, come on, Austin. Let it go. This is how it’s meant to be! He’s the rightful owner; it was written in black and white all those years ago. He deserves to have it back and not coveted by you!”
Austin lunged at Adam, but Adam was faster. It wasn’t always so, but age brought a strength that he didn’t have when they were kids. He pushed Austin away until his back was against the wall.
“Back the fuck off, Austin,” Adam growled with a pointed finger in his face. “I am not six, and this company is not your goddamn G.I. Joe. Face the fact that, this time, your dirty little bastards couldn’t get you out of this and move on with your dignity and name intact.” He pulled back and adjusted his jacket. “Jesus, man, get a grip. You’re losing it.”
Austin swallowed. His face was beet red, his eyes wild.
Adam shook his head. “What happened, Austin?” he asked sadly. “I fucking defended you. I turned Beth against her best friend for you! I’ll never forgive myself for that. Christ, man. I mean, this isn’t you.”
“This is me,” he countered. “This is me keeping this company alive before some coke-headed fuckup drags it back to the gutter he came from.”
Adam glared in disgust. “Like you’re so fucking perfect.” He chuckled without humor. “How can you be so self-righteous when you do the things you do?”
Austin’s back straightened and a glimmer of caution appeared in his eye.
“Yeah,” Adam whispered, glancing down at the photographs. “I’m sure the board would be interested to know who else you do business with. I don’t need photographs to prove the shit I know.”
Austin gave a wry smile. “You son of a bitch.”
“Maybe,” Adam countered darkly. “But I’m telling you: let this go, Austin. Walk away with your head held high. Forget Carter, forget Kat; take your stocks, buy a house, or go on a long vacation to butt-fuck nowhere, but walk away, or so help me.”
Adam turned slowly from his brother, adjusting his tie as he did.
“Well, hell, Ads,” Austin said. “That sounds like a threat.”
Stopping, Adam looked back over his shoulder. “No threat,” he answered before he walked toward the office door. With his fingers on the handle he continued, “It’s a promise.”
*
The tension in the car as Kat drove it back to Nana Boo’s was thick, much like the snow that lay like a blanket all over the city. Carter stopped tapping his foot against the car floor and cracked his knuckles, in hopes that the tension that had set his spine poker straight would somehow ease. He was utterly exhausted. It hadn’t been helped by the fact that he was running on seven hours of sleep over the past forty-eight hours. He closed his eyes.
“Are you okay?”
Carter kept his eyes closed, quirking an eyebrow in sardonic response. Like an asshole, he had no words of comfort for her even though he knew that Kat needed them from him badly. She silently craved assurance and support. He simply didn’t know how to give it to her. He settled for placing his hand on her leg.
Contact was good.
He could tell from the tremor in her voice she was as nervous as he was about the upcoming conversation with Eva, and rightly so. Even though he had gone over and over in his head what he wanted to say, Carter knew he was walking straight into the lion’s den, vulnerable and scared shitless.