His Will

Stunned silence greets Charles.

Anna recovers first. “You missed a section.” She taps her long nail on the top of the wood desk.

“I’m sorry, but this is all it says.”

“My name is not there.” Her voice is perilously high.

Charles nods his head. “Yes, I know, and I encouraged Michael to give you a widow’s portion, but he reminded me you were not his widow nor any widow at all. As for you”—he turns to Sera—”Mrs. Goodwin, I advised Michael to give you a gift free and clear of all strings, but he refused. He said that this would be best as it is what you both want.”

Sera shakes her head. “No. No. He wouldn’t have agreed to this. He knows I ha—” She cuts herself off. “It’s just not what he would’ve done,” she finishes.

Hates me, does she?

“You forgot a section,” Anna repeats. “Read it again.”

Charles stacks the paperwork in a neat pile and tucks the papers into his bag. “If you’ll send us your debts, we will be happy to pay them off,” he instructs as he gets to his feet.

“That’s all I’m getting?” Lucas revives himself.

“Michael estimated your debts were about five million, but no matter the amount, we will pay it.” Charles steps toward the door.

“Is that all I’m getting?” Lucas shouts. “And her? She gets the rest of it? That’s fucked up! I’m his brother.” He raises his hand, and maybe he was going to hit her or maybe not, but I’m not waiting to see the outcome. I catch his arm in mid-air.

“Calm the hell down.”

He jerks out of my grip and sneers. “You’ve always wanted to fuck her. I guess this is as good a reason as any.”

2

SERA

I gasp, jumping to my feet to get out of the way when Jericho punches Lucas square in the jaw. Lucas stumbles back, his eyes wide with shock. I’m surprised too. Not because Jericho punched someone but because he did it over Lucas making a crude comment about me.

Then again, he probably did it more for his own reputation. He’d never want anyone to think he’d sleep with a whore like me. I’m sure Lucas insinuating such a thing is what really pushed Jericho to violence. That’s all I am to any of these people. Normally I don’t care what they think of me, but Jericho’s comment about his check being in the mail still stings. I hate that he still can bother me after all these years. He somehow knows just how to ruffle my feathers.

If only he knew that he’s the only man to have ever even so much as kissed me. A kiss I’d asked him for. He’d been more than willing to give it. He’d even wanted to give me more. Until he found out who I was. Lucas wipes his mouth with the back of his hand, smearing blood across it.

“You’ll pay for that.” Lucas lunges at Jericho, who side-steps him easily. I watch as Lucas stumbles into the desk, knocking half of its contents onto the floor. I glance up, knowing Asher’s bedroom is above us. He was fast asleep when I left him for his nap. I’m praying all of this commotion doesn’t wake him up and scare him.

“I won’t pay over a cent of what is owed in your debt as of today’s date,” Jericho drawls. “Anything you stack up from here on out is your responsibility.”

Lucas snarls at Jericho as he tries to get to his feet. I don’t know why Michael was nice enough to even do that for Lucas. He doesn’t deserve his kindness. The man is always getting himself into some kind of trouble, and Michael was always having to bail him out. It’s never a small amount of trouble, either. It’s the kind that gets you a broken kneecap or a missing finger—if you’re lucky. I guess that’s better than the alternative.

That might be the only silver lining when it comes to Michael’s passing. The fact that I can get away from Lucas and all the darkness that follows him. I was always worried that would be what took Michael from me before Asher.

“I think we’re done here,” I say loudly. “I would like everyone to leave my home.” I try to keep the tremble out of my voice, wanting to be strong.

Michael always said I was strong. He knew me better than anyone else in this whole world. He was my best friend. My only friend really. I thought I was his too, but now I’m not so sure. Why would he do this to me? Tie me to Jericho. Did he not trust me to handle things on my own?

I suppose I never did have anything to do with the money, but I also didn’t spend the way Michael did. Even after having been married to Michael for three years, I still wasn’t comfortable with the wealth that came along with it.