Til Debt Do Us Part (Married At Midnight #4)

Chapter 12

Twelve

Dare

"S tandards, boy. Morgan men must have standards." Remy spews crumbs with each word, flecks of saliva catching in his white mustache. "You've gone soft. Knocking up the first piece of trash you?—"

The aroma of truffle oil and rosemary assaults my senses as Magda lays the final course before Remy. His liver-spotted hands tremble around the silverware, years of greed and entitlement etched into the deep lines of his face.

"Enough." The word comes out harsher than I intend, but I won't have him speaking of Talia that way. I may have doubts about our marriage, about the way she's changed me, but Talia is no whore.

Remy's eyes narrow, peering at me through thick glasses. "You forget yourself. I built this empire from nothing, and I won't have it crumble because you chose to saddle yourself with dead weight."

My fingers curl into fists beneath the table, the leather of my gloves creaking. He's always been cruel, but age has sharpened his barbs. "The company is secure. Our profits are higher than ever. When will it be enough for you?"

"It'll be enough," Remy sneers, "when we have it all. When every rival is crushed beneath our heels. You're too soft for what needs to be done, too distracted by that woman and the brat she's carrying."

"Talia is my wife." Even as I say the words, doubt flickers. Have I truly let Talia soften me, as Remy claims? Our marriage was one of convenience, a means to an end, but now...

I shake off the thought, meeting Remy's gaze. "The company will be mine, with or without your blessing. I've proven myself, and it's time for you to step aside."

Rage contorts Remy's features, aging him twenty years in a heartbeat. "You ungrateful whelp. After everything I've given you, everything I've done to make you into a man, this is how you repay me?" His hand clenches around the knife, knuckles white. "You'll have nothing. Do you hear me? Nothing!"

Spittle flies from Remy's lips, the final shreds of his control unraveling. I stare at the knife in his grip, heart pounding. He may be old, but Remy has always been dangerous.

One wrong move, and this could end in blood.

I swallow hard, trying to keep my expression neutral. "There's no need for threats. We both want what's best for the company."

"The company is mine!" Remy snarls. "You'll get nothing. Do you hear me? Nothing!"

He raises the knife, eyes glinting with madness. My heart leaps into my throat, pulse racing as I calculate the distance between us. If I move fast enough, I might be able to knock the knife from his grip before he can?—

A crash shatters the tension. We both start, turning to find Tripp crumpled at the foot of the bar cart, broken glass and amber liquid pooling around him.

Remy's face contorts with rage. "Look at you! You useless, sniveling drunk. Get out of my sight before you embarrass us further!"

Tripp flinches, scrambling to his feet and bolting from the room without a word. I stare after him, an odd pang in my chest. When did the disappointment I've always felt toward my father morph into something else?

Was it a pity? Guilt?

I shake off the thought, meeting Remy's gaze. His fingers flex around the knife hilt, eyes glinting with warning. The threat is clear: push me, and you'll end up worse off than him.

My jaw clenches. "If you won't hand over the reins willingly, I'll take them by force."

"You?" Remy laughs, a harsh bark that grates on my nerves. "You don't have the spine. You'll always be that pathetic little boy begging for my approval." His smile is razor sharp. "And you'll always be denied."

My fingers curl into fists under the table. "We'll see about that."

Remy scoffs, waving a dismissive hand. "Enough of this nonsense. What have you done with that brother of yours?"

I shrug, feigning nonchalance though my heart kicks into a gallop. Does Remy suspect I had a hand in Burn's recent beating? "He's recovering. Nothing to concern yourself with."

"Hmph. Useless, the both of you." Remy saws into his steak, juice dripping onto the plate. "At least your wife's proven useful. An heir at last, even if the timing's inconvenient."

I grit my teeth against the urge to slam Remy's head into his plate. "Talia is not a broodmare for your empire. Our child will have nothing to do with you."

"You seem to forget, boy, that you and everything you hold dear belong to me." Remy levels me with a glare, mouth twisting into a sneer. "Including that wife of yours and the bastard she's carrying."

Rage blisters through me, searing away all pretense of civility. How dare he threaten what's mine? I surge to my feet, chair crashing behind me, and slam my hands on the table.

"I will tear this whole goddamned family apart before I let you touch them!" I snarl, heart pounding as Remy rises with predatory grace. We're nearly eye to eye, generations of hate and violence stretching between us.

All at once, Remy smiles. "There's the spine I've been waiting for." He sits, picking up his knife and fork. "Prove you have the guts to take what's yours, and the company is yours."

"And if I refuse?" I ask warily.

Remy shrugs. "Then you'll always be that pathetic little boy." His eyes glint with menace. "And I'll always be the one holding the knife to your throat."

I grind my teeth, staring at the old bastard. He's laid down the gauntlet, daring me to make a move against him. If I don't, he'll always see me as weak. But if I do...

The doors burst open with a crash, startling us both. Felix strides in, eyes wild behind his glasses.

"We have a problem," he announces, barely sparing me a glance.

Remy's gaze sharpens. "What is it?"

"The board is planning a coup. They don't think either of you are fit to run the company." Felix's fingers press together in front of him like a monk praying to his god. "They're going to call an emergency vote during the meeting this afternoon to remove you from your position. I’ve heard chatter about bringing in an outside CEO. Someone from New York."

"Over my dead body," Remy snarls, shoving away from the table. He storms toward the door, pausing only to spew venom over his shoulder. "If you want your birthright, boy, you'd better grow a spine… and grow it fast!"

In the ringing silence, Felix clears his throat. "So. It seems congratulations are in order for seizing control of Morgan Enterprises." He offers a weak smile. "All hail the conquering king."

I slump into my seat with a groan, pressing the heels of my hands against my eyes. The board is making their play. Now I'm going to be forced to make mine.

To take the company by force and prove to Remy I have the guts to stand up to him. Or refuse, and forever remain under his thumb.

The knife's edge has never seemed sharper.

Felix sidles up beside me, laying a hand on my shoulder. "Come now, don't look so glum. This is what you've wanted, isn't it? The chance to finally take the reins and steer this company into the future?"

I shrug off his touch, glaring at the closed door. "Not like this. I wanted to earn it, not have it handed to me on a silver platter because the board thinks Remy's too unstable to remain in control."

"How doesn't really matter, does it? Only the end result." Felix's voice lowers conspiratorially. "We both know Remy's been losing his grip for years now. It's time for some new blood to take over. All you have to do is step up and seize what's rightfully yours."

"And if I refuse?" I ask quietly. "If I stand by Remy instead?"

Felix scoffs. "Don't be foolish. Remy would throw you under the bus in a heartbeat to save his own skin. You owe him nothing." His fingers dig into my shoulder, hard enough to bruise. "Don't throw away your chance at freedom for misplaced sentimentality. Take the company, Dare. Take it, and we'll finally be free of that venomous old bastard once and for all."

I stare at the table, at the remains of our lunch gone cold and congealing. My head pounds, a fierce ache building at the base of my skull.

Freedom. Power. A chance to reshape Morgan Enterprises and steer it in a new direction, one that doesn't involve bowing and scraping to Remy's tyrannical whims.

But at what cost? Betraying the man who raised me, no matter how cruel and abusive he's been? Selling out my own flesh and blood for my own selfish gain?

The knife twists, carving me in two. I don't know which way to turn without drawing blood.

I push away from the table, chair legs screeching against the tile. "Enough. I won't discuss this any further."

Felix's eyes narrow. "You're making a mistake."

"The only mistake here is you thinking you can manipulate me. Now get out of my sight before I have you thrown off the property."

Felix sneers but says nothing more, storming off in a huff. I scrub a hand over my face and take a deep breath, trying to ease the pounding in my head. But it's no use. The vise around my skull is closing in with crushing force.

I need to find Talia. Now.

The walk to our rooms is a blur. Voices and figures swim in and out of focus, obscured by the fog in my mind. By the time I reach our suite I can barely see, staggering into the bedroom as the migraine overtakes me.

"Dare!" Talia is at my side in an instant, her cool hands guiding me to the bed. "What's wrong? You look terrible."

I groan, clutching at my head. "Migraine. Feels like my skull is about to split open."

"I'll call for the doctor."

"No, just… just give me my medication. It’s in the bathroom cabinet."

She helps me take the pills, then draws the curtains and eases me down against the pillows. I cling to her, the only solid thing in a world gone hazy with pain.She takes off my shoes and draws the blanket over me, rocking me gently.

I pull her close and press my face to her belly. She startles, but then she sits down and runs her fingers through my hair.

If my head weren’t about to explode, I’d seduce her right here, right now. I fucking love her.

"Shh," Talia murmurs, stroking my hair. "It's all right. I'm here. Just rest."

Here. She is right here with me. With her arms around me, the agony and confusion fade into the background. Here is the only place I want to be.My eyes sink closed.

Damn Felix and his schemes. Damn Remy and his empire.

Here, with Talia, is the only freedom I need.