Bayou Beauty (Butterfly Bayou 4)

“Charles, you should know that if you even try to go after Gabriel, I’ll be the one funding his legal team. You think you’re suing Gabriel, but you’ll be suing me. I’ll make it my life’s goal to bury you in legal fees and make sure everyone knows exactly who you are and what you did.”

Charles wore slacks and a button-down, his hair mussed enough that Rene wondered if he’d bothered with a shower. “You can try.”

Roberta held a hand up. “Rene, it’s so good of you to join us. I’ve been trying to contact you all morning. This is not the way I expect you to run things.”

“Did I not make myself clear last night that I’m not running anything?” He looked around the room. His aunt Cheryl was there along with two of his older cousins, and Aunt Marietta along with her two boys.

He noted that Ashley was standing in a corner, her arms over her chest. She moved in behind her brother. “You know what Gabriel is saying is the truth, Rene. He’s being brave enough to own up to his mistakes. He helped Charles find out what the company’s bids were, and Charles sold them to rival firms. Gabriel wasn’t right to do what he did, but he had his reasons, and some of them were because he was afraid of what that bastard would do to him if he didn’t help. Charles threatened him.”

Gabriel shook his head. “There’s no excuse. I should have gone straight to Rene, but Charles also offered me cash and we needed it. I took it. I’m not trying to get out of my responsibility here, but I want every one of you to know exactly who you’ll be putting in charge of the company and this family. We all know whoever runs the company is the head of the family, and Charles hates all of us.”

“I don’t hate this family,” Charles said between gritted teeth. “I only hate the fact that we have slavishly followed Rene and his father wherever they wanted to take us. We gave them all the power, and for no good reason.”

“My father was the only one who wanted to run the company. I was trained to run the company,” Rene argued. “I’ve been working for Darois since I was tall enough to push a mail cart.”

“Rene, if you would just listen to us when we tell you we need more money.” Aunt Marietta was dressed in designer wear that could have fed a hundred people. “You’re too conservative in how you handle the business. The dividends aren’t enough.”

He was done being polite. “Then get a job or fix your budget. This company isn’t an ATM. It’s a business, and I will run it like a business. Every single one of you gets dividends that should mean you don’t have to work. Does that mean you can buy a new yacht every year? No.”

“I’ll get you that yacht, Marietta,” Charles promised.

“And that will be the last thing you buy with dividend money because, in order to do that, Charles will have to run the company into the ground,” Rene shot back. “All I can offer you is a steady income that will provide for all stockholders for a long time to come.”

“He says that because he doesn’t need the money. He can be careful because he’s got all the money in the world.” Charles sneered his way.

Rene felt Sylvie put a hand on his arm. When he looked down at her, she nodded toward the doorway.

His mother was standing there with Louis, who had a thick file in his hand.

Charles was continuing his rant. “He will never take the chances we need to make all of us truly wealthy, and he did nothing to deserve his wealth.”

Louis moved in behind Rene. “I think I have a solution. I knew there was something in the company bylaws. The only question is, do you want to use it?”

Did he want the company back? He watched Charles. Why was he so angry? Why was he fighting so hard? It wasn’t merely about the company. So much of Charles’s rage seemed aimed directly at him. He needed to think about it. “Give me a minute. Something is wrong here.”

“I think you’re right,” Sylvie whispered.

“Who’s done anything in this family to deserve their wealth?” Gabriel asked. “I know I didn’t do anything to deserve the position I’m in.” He wasn’t backing down, and Rene was impressed with the younger man’s spine. “My father walked out and left us nothing. I’m angry with him, but I’ve got to pick up the pieces and make something of my life. What I’ve come to realize is that you’re offering us all something cheap.”

“I’m offering you money.” Charles looked at Gabriel like he was a piece of trash on his shoe. “And I’m not offering you anything at all since you won’t have a job when I take over. You should tell your mother to think about selling her shares because you won’t be welcome in this family again.”