“I’m about to be in charge,” Leander assured him, still holding Ilona’s hand tight in his own. “Ladies and gentlemen, your current president is not only a walking disgrace, he’ll soon be arrested on charges of assault and making false reports to the police. The things you’ve read online are not a PR smear as he would like you to believe. They’re true and I’ve brought a presentation and documents to prove it.” He nodded at Androu to start the projector.
“And embezzlement,” Ilona interjected.
The room went silent. Everyone swiveled their attention to her. If a pin had dropped on the carpet, it would have struck with the force of a gong.
“That doesn’t surprise me,” Leander said to her. “But I don’t have evidence of that. Do you?”
Midas snorted. “No. Because it’s not true.”
“I went to Paxos,” she said. “I tried to buy the restaurant my mother once worked at, but learned it was already a Pagonis property. The proceeds are supposed to accrue for my use, but somehow the funds have been going into an account that eventually benefits Midas. And it’s empty.”
All the heads swung back to Midas.
“Accounting error,” he said with an unbothered blink. “I’m sure we can clear that up.”
“Indeed. A full audit will be my first priority,” Leander said with deadly assurance.
“You don’t have the votes to take over,” Midas said with a scathing chuckle. “I know you don’t.” He sent a glare of intimidation around the table.
Several people dropped their gazes and shifted in their seats.
“Did dear Mitéra instruct you to vote for him? Or me?” Midas asked Hercules as if he already knew the answer.
“She wanted me to vote for you,” Hercules admitted then sent a glance toward Ilona as though looking for her reaction to that.
Midas sat back, releasing a snort that said, See?
“Until I explained that I spoke to the police and reported I was with her the night Ilona was assaulted in her apartment. And that you weren’t with us.” Hercules darted a glance at the gathering thunder in his brother’s expression. He slouched protectively, but continued. “Once she realized she might be charged with providing a false alibi, she told me to vote with my conscience and left for New York. She’ll remain there indefinitely.”
Leander lifted a brow at Midas. Your move.
Midas ground his teeth so hard there should have been an audible crack. “That doesn’t prove I was anywhere near Ilona.”
“No,” Ilona agreed with quiet dignity. “But the florist receipt for the roses and vase does imply you had them brought to my door. And my neighbor heard your voice. He and his partner both reported that I said it was you outside the door.”
“Why are you still here?” Midas demanded hotly. “Only one of you should be in this room. You said he’s here to vote your share so get out.”
“The one who is leaving is you,” Leander said with grim satisfaction. “Let’s proceed with the vote.”
Leander looked around the table, ending with Hercules. He felt a pinch of guilt for stalling the man’s gallery showing. He had meant it to be further pressure against Midas, but Ilona was right. It had taken on a more personal element that wasn’t right.
“Are you prepared to support me?” Leander asked, accepting that Hercules might refuse.
Hercules licked his lips and looked to Ilona again. “I can’t. Keep my paintings. Get whatever you can for them. Ilona has explained you’re due compensation from our family. Let that be mine to you.”
Leander didn’t want paintings.
“Forget what ought to come to me,” he said impatiently. “Are you really not prepared to depose the man who is responsible for all of these scandals? For harming your sister?” Leander shook his head in disbelief. Outrage. “I’m not here for payback.” Not anymore. “He has to be stopped. Surely you can see that! I do have the votes, by the way,” he told Midas as the other man made a dismissive noise. “Even without Hercules or your mother.”
This time, however, when Leander looked around for confirmation, gazes dropped. Men and women he had spoken to himself, people who had assured him he had their support, couldn’t meet his eyes.
A cold fist wrapped itself around his heart when even Rideaux winced and opened his mouth, seeming to search for words as he looked to Ilona.
“Leander.” Her voice was apologetic, her touch on his arm light. Tentative.
And he knew. He knew that she had interfered. She was preventing him from taking over. She was stealing his moment when he should be exacting the revenge he had poured his heart and soul and blood and sweat into achieving.
She had warned him from the beginning she wouldn’t be used as a pawn.