“Sandwiched between two egotistical, power crazed business assholes is where I’ve been spending plenty of my recent time. Like I don’t know things are going to turn pretty dramatic. Just got to pick my side and get ready for the action.”
Another smirk turned the corner of my mouth up. “I trust which side you’re picking.”
He smirked right back. “And I trust you’ll be allowing me in on the action of the business when we come up trumps over Drake.”
I managed a nod at that. “I’ll be thankful for your efforts. And I’ll be sure to reward them.”
Drake was better connected than anyone I’d ever known. He had fingers in so many corrupt pies that his thumbs were dripping with the juices. He was powerful and callous, stopping at nothing to walk whichever road he was committed to walking.
Right now the road he was committed to walking featured the girl I wanted to walk along mine.
He wasn’t going to let her go easily, but neither was I.
“He’ll be in touch with you,” I said to Eric again. “This is his modus operandi. Enforce his authority with a vein of fear on top, wait for it to sink in to the recipient, and then state his requirements.”
“So he’ll get in touch,” Eric said. “And when he does, I’m going to pretend I’m on his side of the table. Get in there somehow and get as close as I can to the action.”
I nodded. “I think that’s the best course of action all round, even if it does mean you’re in the heart of the enemy turf alone and trying to convince him you’re fully onboard with his scheme.”
“I’ll manage that,” he said. “I’ll be able to convince him of anything, believe me.”
I wished I did. I wished I believed that Eric had the makings of someone with that much strength of persuasion and communication. But I didn’t.
Eric wasn’t like me in so many of the ways that counted, and certainly was nothing whatsoever like Henry Drake with his power or prowess. If Drake saw through Eric’s loyalties, even for a second, it would be carnage on top of carnage and my brother would pay dearly.
Still, I couldn’t hold back from needing his help. As much as it pained me, I needed everything he could offer.
“Please do convince him,” I said. “He’ll be like a sniffer dog when it comes to your inner motivations. Make sure you’re strong in your persuasion.”
“I think I’d find it plenty easy enough to convince the whole universe that my loyalties aren’t with you,” he sneered, then followed it up with a laugh.
I couldn’t hold one back of my own. “Good point, brother of mine. Easy feat.”
He leaned across the table to slap my arm, a gesture that was becoming more and more common as time passed by. “We’re gonna do this,” he said. “We’re gonna take Drake down and take this business for our own. Just you and me.”
My stomach lurched at the thought, and I realised a terrible truth all over again.
This wasn’t anything to do with business, not for me. The power struggle over business, clients and direction meant absolutely nothing to me.
Paige was the only thing that meant anything to me in this battle. She was the only victory I was interested in.
I said nothing of this to Eric as he grinned at me.
“Yes,” I confirmed. “Team Grant will take the battlefield and end up on top, but we need to play our very best game. We’re up against serious opposition.”
“Got it,” he said, and jolted as his phone buzzed in his inside pocket. “Fuck,” he said as he pulled it free and checked the message. “It’s morning and Henry Drake really is a morning person. This one’s from him on the private portal.”
For once I didn’t opt to snatch the phone from him as he scrolled through his handset. I had to bite my tongue as his eyebrows raised, holding back every desire to demand answers.
Finally, he spoke. “Drake said he hopes last night knocked some sense into my skull and asked me to let him know where my priorities lie.”
The relief coursed right through me. “Excellent. He’s keeping the door open between you and his ongoing circle, just as we hoped.”
“Idiot,” Eric laughed. “Like I’m going to ditch my brother for the sake of a guy who just saw me battered raw on his instructions.”
I held up a hand as he began keying in a response. He paused with his head tipped, but didn’t hold back. “I do know what to say, Bran. We’ve been talking about it all night. Let me get on with it.”
I forced my fist back to the table top and held back my demands. He only looked back up from his handset once he’d obviously thumbed a reply off.