Page 73 of It Happened in Vegas

Griffin snorted. “You couldn’t have let me meet him before it came to this?”

“We got married in Vegas, kind of spur of the moment. Believe me, if I didn’t tell my own mother, why would I call you?” She retorted.

“I’ll be damned if I let an outsider have a piece of my family's company. You get nothing, asshole. I had my lawyers draft a contract, and you'll sign it if you know what's good for you,” Griffin spouted off.

I glance sharply at Sophie, jaw clenching. “What the hell is going on here?"

Griffin laughed coldly. "So you didn't tell your own husband all your family secrets? Tsk, tsk. Not a great way to start a marriage, butterfly.”

“Butterfly? Did you just call my wife a nickname?” My other hand, the one not hurting, formed into a fist.

"Stop, Keaton,” Sophie snapped. “Please let me explain."

She let out a breath, eyes darting between us. "My mother married his father, but she had me when she was young. My birth father ran off, and I have no idea where he is. Then she met Philip West—a single father with five boys older than me. They got married, and for a while things were great but money was always tight. My mom was creative, coming up with games for us kids to play. One day Philip saw one of her games that she played with me and decided it would be perfect to create and sell to other families. So they started a business from our kitchen table. The West Games company was born.”

Griffin added, "Those were the days, weren’t they? Packing orders after school, helping Mom brainstorm more games."

“You make it sound fun. It wasn’t for me, Grif. I remember your dad hovering over us like a little dictator. ‘You kids put this pieces in each slot perfectly or else…’”

My eyebrows shot up and I turned to Sophie. "You're related to the West family?"

"Was, and not by blood,” she said quickly. “Then in high school, after the kidnapping attempt on me?—”

“Wait. Hold on. You mentioned that when we played two truths and a lie, but I didn’t think you were serious. Someone tried to kidnap you?” My stomach churned for the emotional scar that must have put her through. I’d seen documentaries over the years about that, but Sophie’s face had always been blurred, out of respect I suppose.

“Yes.” She dabbed at her eyes. “As the heiress to part of the West fortune, it was a very scary time. I try not to relive it if I don’t have to.”

“It was tough on all of us, butterfly,” Griffin assured reaching a hand out to her. He retracted it upon my growl.

“Then who is Sophie Hatchett?” I shook my head, trying to make sense of it all.

“Me. I emancipated from my family after that and legally changed my name. It’d just become too much for me. I yearned for a life where none of my friends knew I came from money. Where the threat of kidnappers didn’t exist. When Mom and Philip divorced, he’d been pushing harder for more games, more money. It was never enough for him no matter how successful the company became. It took all the fun out of it for Mom. They fought and she walked away from it all with practically nothing."

“Don’t make your mom sound like such a saint. For one thing, she ran off with her filthy rich divorce lawyer. She is not hurting for money at all.” Griffin picked up where she left off. “But there was only one thing your mother required in the divorce, because she cared more about securingyourfuture than hers. Once you marry you get one-sixth of the company.”

My eyes snapped to Sophie’s, loaded with accusations, yet not able to say a damn thing because of the NDA Melanie made us sign.

“I need to know what your intentions are. That’s why I’m here. You can either join the board and claim your shares or, like my brothers, accept my buyout offer. None of them wanted to run the company like I did,” Griffin shook his head and shifted the ice bag.

“I can’t blame them. Your father took the fun out of it, destroying my mother’s creative ideas for profit. By the time I left high school, I wanted nothing more to do with it. Going to Columbia for college offered me a new start, with my new name.I met Maisy Calhoun, a normal girl from a loving family who didn’t have money, and she became my best friend.”

I tried to be understanding considering everything she went through, but she kept so much from all of the people who loved her. Most of all, me. Was there more? Would I wake up tomorrow to find out she’d kept more things from me? How could we go on from here?

“So, you want out then? I’ll have my legal team send you the buyout offer in the morning. Trust me, you’ll be set for life, youandyour husband.” Griffin scanned the kitchen, turning up his nose at the business Keaton proudly built from the ground up. “You could start up fifty of these breweries across the nation and still have money to live on easy street.”

A knock on the kitchen door interrupted us. Jessa poked her head in. “Keaton, the band's playing their last set and needs their check."

“I’ll be out in a goddamn minute,” I griped at her.

Griffin stood. "Of all my siblings, I didn’t mind buying the rest of them out. Their hearts weren’t in it. But I love West Games, Soph. It’s my life. Still... I’ve been impressed with what you’ve done with the marketing campaigns here for Hops. If you wanted to stay on, I wouldn’t be opposed. You’re like your mom. Creative. Visionary. We could work well together."

Then he locked eyes on Jessa. The corner of his mouth lifted as he followed her out. “Can you pour me another scotch, sweetheart?”

“Returning to the bar to flirt with me some more?” She teased.

He gave her a smoldering look. “That’s about the only thing I want to do in this town tonight.” He paused at the door after she left. “Friendly staff you’ve got, Keaton. And if I’m ever up in Holly Creek again, I’d definitely enjoy another scotch with her.”

I wasn’t laughing. “Leave Jessa alone,” I warned.

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