Page 32 of Consequences

Summer stands behind Brock and gently rubs his tensing shoulders. “How do you know he’s embezzled if he wasn’t convicted?”

“The business world isn’t as big as people think. He’s bankrupted companies. Your godfather, Terry, took his life because Donald ruined his company and his reputation. But he has information on every prosecutor, judge, city official, and state official in a tri-state area. You name it, he probably has something to hold over someone’s head.”

“Which is how he blackmailed his way into your company,” Brock says. “You have a board of people with pasts to use against them.”

Sebastian nods his head. “I hate him, but there’s not a damn thing I can do about it. All I can do is watch the money, but I wouldn’t be surprised if he tries to take down my family’s business when he’s tired of me watching over his shoulder.”

“Then that’s even more reason to take him down,” Brock says. “An attack on you is an attack on me. I won’t let him take you down.”

“I appreciate the sentiment, Brock, but he’s untouchable. I have plans in place to be okay until I die, and he won’t be able to touch my personal fortune.”

“If we can get our hands on his information, we can neutralize him,” Brock muses.

Various different plans formulate in Brock’s mind, and he feels a strange sense of excitement. He’s been on the sidelines for years now because he’s more of the computer and behind-the-scenes guy. Getting into the action feels like an itch he can’t quite scratch but needs to.

“The moment he suspects you’re sniffing around is the moment you can be assured he’ll have you locked up with the key thrown away. It won’t end well,” Sebastian says.

Wincing, Summer squeezes Brock’s shoulders. “Okay, I know this might be a bit uncharacteristic of me, but wouldn’t killing him kind of fix everything?”

“Trust me, I’ve considered my options with that,” he says and looks up at his daughter with sad eyes. “I learned a while ago that I’m not the only one with contingency plans. If he dies, everyone he has dirt on will have their information released. I’d be taking out some of my closest friends.”

“So… He gets hit by a bus tomorrow, and everyone just has all of their dirty laundry exposed?” Summer asks.

He nods his head. “Pretty much. He has a group of men working for him that do their best to ensure nothing bad happens to him. But if he has a heart attack tonight, my entire board will be hurt.”

The wheels in Brock’s head continue to turn, and he has an idea. He just has to figure out how to get into this guy’s system. If it’s as heavily secured as Sebastian says, he won’t be able hack into it from his house. He’d have to be on-site for it to work.

“I can see you thinking, Brock. He has unlimited funds. Took money from some of the largest corporations to help fund his vendetta.”

This man terrorizes everyone, and if he’s threatening to take lives while forcing others to take their own after what he does to them, he has to be stopped. “Opting to sit idly by won’t go over well with the club.”

“I don’t think I have to tell you that money talks. Especially if that money was used to get information that buys him more than cash ever will. Like immunity.”

“Sebastian—”

“I don’t want my granddaughter visiting her father in prison for the rest of his life.”

The image of only ever seeing Summer and Marie through plexiglass pushes the excitement of the challenge back a bit.But can he really let this man possibly take his father-in-law’s company from him? And continue to terrorize and hurt Shannon?

Do I even have the balls do this anymore?

Another seed of doubt plants itself. The man behind the computer screen can no longer take care of his own. Sure, he just helped embarrass a glorified frat boy, but everything else he does is supporting the club.

Maybe I’ve lost my edge if this makes me question myself. I’ve never been easily deterred like this before. Fuck.

Chapter Eleven

Griffin’s Beach

Beckett

“Beckett?” Shannon whispers into the darkness.

“Yeah?”

“Are you asleep?”

Beckett chuckles. “Obviously not if I’m answering you.”

---