The Bastard (Filthy Trilogy 1)

“It’s true,” I assure him, because while yes, I’ve randomly read up on Eric’s successes, Gigi told me before I ever left for Denver. “He just hit the billionaire mark.” I can feel Eric’s attention settle on me, heavy and sharp, and I suddenly regret those words. Now, it seems like I went to him, chasing his money.

My gaze snaps to his, the connection jolting me—my God, this man affects me. “You’re very successful. That was my point.”

“Was it now?” he challenges, shadows in his eyes that I do not wholly understand, but I am certain they relate to the bastard and the princess, and not in a good way. He thinks I’m one of them. He thinks I went to him with an agenda that wasn’t what I claimed. He thinks I used him and now, he’s here to make us all pay.

“I have work to do and so does Harper,” Isaac snaps. “We’ll have to have the happy reunion charade later.”

Eric straightens. “Later won’t work for me.” He advances into the room, all long-legged swagger, to stop in front of Isaac’s desk. “I’ve been hired to do a full audit of the company’s operations and paid well enough to ensure I’m willing to spend time here.”

My cheeks heat with anger and embarrassment. I’m right. He’s not here for me. Gigi paid him. Of course, she did. I told her not to. I told her that changes the dynamic of his presence here. Isaac laughs. “No one paid you to audit our operations. I’m the president and my father damn sure wouldn’t have called you in.”

I grip the back of a chair, my only shield in the war of brothers I’ve never quite experienced until now. I wonder if I knew how bad it was would I have gone to Eric, but who am I fooling? I would have taken any excuse to see Eric again. I wanted that man. I still want him, even knowing now that he most likely isn’t here to help me.

Eric perches on the edge of Isaac’s desk, power radiating off of him as if he’s just taken ownership of the entire room. “You’re scared shitless that pops is up to his old games, aren’t you?”

There’s a flicker of something in Isaac’s eyes that he quickly banks, but I saw it and if I saw it, Eric saw it. “I’ve earned my place here. He trusts me. So, no, asshole. I’m not afraid of anything that has your name attached to it.”

“No?” Eric challenges, his hand settling on his powerful thigh, muscle flexing beneath his ink, a portion of the jaguar exposed, lines of numbers beneath it. I wonder about those numbers. I wonder if he wanted that jaguar to be exposed to mock everyone in this building, including me.

“No. We both know you rode Grayson Bennett to the bank. Is there trouble in paradise? You need a new ride? It’s too late for that.”

“You’re not afraid of anything with my name attached,” Eric repeats. “Interesting and good to know. That’ll make it easy for me to get everything I need from you.”

“The only thing you need from me is a kick in the ass to get out of my office. I have work to do.” He swats at Eric like he’s a gnat, the bastard brother, only this bastard brother is a billionaire who is smarter than him. I fight my urge to protect Eric. He can protect himself and I’m terrified that Gigi has given him the opening to destroy us.

“You’ll get him whatever he wants.”

At the sound of Gigi’s voice, I turn to find her standing in the doorway, and at five-foot-one with flaming red hair and piercing blue eyes, she might be seventy-seven, but she’s a force to be reckoned with. “You underestimate me, boy,” she snaps, her voice loud, but Isaac shakes like her hands. “I told you I need to know what’s going on,” she adds, curling her fingers into her palms. “You told me to rock away in my rocking chair, which by the way, I don’t own a rocking chair.”

“Grandmother—”

“Gigi,” she amends. “I’m Gigi around these parts, the woman who started this place, like Harper’s father started her family’s business. Now let’s get real for once. Either there is something going on you don’t want to tell me about or there is something you don’t know. Your brother will figure it out.”

“No,” Isaac says in instant rejection. “No, he will not. There’s nothing going on here but normal business. You will not disrupt our operation. You’re getting old and paranoid.”

She snorts. “Not old enough to suit you. Eric gets his brains from me.” She looks at Eric. “Didn’t know that, did you? I’m smarter than the average gal, despite the fact I let Grayson Bennett steal you away from us.” She doesn’t give him time to reply. She homes in on Isaac again and orders, “Get him what he asks for, son. Don’t make this more difficult than it has to be.”

“You don’t have the power to make this call,” Isaac argues. “I know you did this while dad is in Europe for a reason, to sideswipe me and root Eric in my business before he could stop you, but he’s one phone call away and our combined stock overrules yours.”

“Actually,” Eric says dryly. “My stock with Gigi’s combined overrules any vote.”

“You don’t own stock,” he

snaps.

“I do now,” Eric counters. “I bought out the bank this morning with a premium they couldn’t resist.”

Isaac goes completely, utterly still and I watch as hell swims in the depths of his stare. “You did what?” he bites out, while I swallow hard at this unexpected turn of events that might just change this company forever, and I’m not sure it’s for the better, not when I see the real anger between these brothers.

“Family needs to be protected by family,” Eric says, his gaze shifting to Gigi. “Don’t you think, Gigi?”

Now she swallows hard, a telltale sign that she had no idea he’d done such a thing. “Yes,” she says. “And I haven’t always remembered that, son. I do now.”

“So, Harper tells me,” he says dryly, eyeing Isaac, “I’ll work in the conference room for now. Get me access to all databases and all facilities.”

“That will take time,” Isaac says.

“I’ll get it done myself,” Eric says. “I’m impatient like that.” He looks at me, his blue eyes sharp, but unreadable. “You’ll work with me on the audit. Everything else will come second. It was one of my terms when I agreed to do the audit.” Perhaps it’s my imagination, but I swear that his voice lowers, the heat in his eyes smoldering with possession as he adds, “You’re all mine.”