Page 161 of Mexico Can Choke On It
“I’m sure the Brinkman girl was… an entertaining pastime. She looks like she’d be a hellcat in the sack.You can keep her as a sidepiece for all I care.”
“Don’t talk about her like that.”
“Quit mistaking pussy for principles, son. Acknowledge her for what she is. The bartender you’ve been fucking to rebel against your birthright.”
“I told you her name is Petra.” My fingers dig into the armrest, rage crawling under my skin. “And this isn’t rebellion. It’s my life.”
“Your life is property of Sterling Industries,” he says, his eyes drilling into mine. “Always has been. You’re not going to be the little shit who ruins my legacy. Marry Amanda, then fuck whoever you want. Now, pick up that goddamn ring.”
My hand trembles. The velvet is sandpaper against my fingertips as I slip it into my jacket pocket.
He smashes the glowing end of his cigar into the ashtray. The last tendril of smoke curls into the air and dissipates.
“Knew you’d come around, son. Welcome back to reality.”
I don’t look at him. “Are we finished here?”
“Not quite.” He straightens his jacket. “I’ll be personally overseeing tomorrow’s engagement. Consider it a father’s pride in his son’s… evolution.”
KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK!
Gavin pokes his head through the door, his usual confident demeanor replaced by worry.
“Mr. Sterling. Bryce. Forgive the interruption, but have you seen Petra? She’s gone completely off-grid. I sent her away from rehearsal, expecting her to cool down, but she’s disappeared.”
Reginald’s mouth curves into something that would terrify demons. “Ah yes, your fiery sister. My people tell me she hightailed it to the airport twenty minutes ago.”
“Airport?” Gavin’s brow furrows with genuine confusion. “I know she’s upset, but ditching the wedding entirely? She wouldn’t do that.”
Ice floods my veins. No. Please, God, no. Don’t let him—
“I imagine,” my father says, his tone cold and calculated, “it’s because she learned my son was fucking her while he was still committed to Amanda.”
The words detonate in the room like a bomb.
Gavin turns, his face a growing storm cloud—no emotion yet, just pressure.
I stand so fast the chair legs screech against the floor. “Gavin, let me explain.”
Explain what? That I betrayed him? Lied to his face? Burned every ounce of his trust to the fucking ground?
“Bryce, tell me he’s lying.”
I want to.
But the words are too big to lie and too brutal to speak.
I lock up.
Reginald leans back, entirely too pleased with himself. “Oh, I’m afraid you’re just scratching the surface, Mr. Brinkman. My boy here has been keeping quite a few secrets from you.”
Gavin’s jaw tightens. “What secrets?”
“Well, since we’re tearing the bandage off,” he says, buzzing with satisfaction. “Bryce, want to bring him up to speed on your departure, or should I?”
“Father, no—”
“My son is abandoning Heartvest the instant your IPO finalizes.” Each word drops like an executioner’s axe. “He’s being summoned to the big leagues, where he’ll take the reins of a real company.”
