Page 8 of When the Last One Falls
“Meaning?”
“We…we’ve worked out a deal with…with someone, and they’re willing to take on our debt for unrestricted access to the mines.”
“What? Wait, you can’t do that,” I argued, knowing the terms of the trust like the back of my hand. “If you contract those rights to anyone outside the family, we forfeit the island. You know this.”
“It won’t be someone outside the family,” my mother stated quietly.
I looked over at her. “What are you talking about?”
“We made a deal with Darius Kingston, Keris,” Dad announced, and my head whipped around so quickly that I almost cracked my neck. “For unlimited access to the mines, he’ll get us out of debt.”
“So, what? Mom’s going to divorce you and marry Darius Kingston? What about his wife?”
“Not quite,” he answered hesitantly.
I stood up, that feeling of dread threatening to choke me. “Then what?!” I yelled.
“Upon your marriage to his son, Brantley Kingston, your mother will sign over the rights to the mines to you,” he said, his words stealing all the air from my lungs. “In turn, you will grant Brantley Kingston complete access to the island.”
“I can’t do that,” I hissed. “The trust is ironclad.”
“What he means is that you’ll sign whatever Brantley brings to you regarding the mines, making it appear as if you’re the one making all the decisions,” my mother explained, and I could feel myself becoming lightheaded with rage.
“I am not marrying a complete stranger just to get you guys out of debt,” I snarled. “I am not going to tie myself to a grave robber for life just to clean up your mess.”
“How about for your sister?” Dad asked, slicing my heart right down the middle. “Is her health worth whatever fairytale of happily ever after that you had in your head?”
“You sonofabitch,” I choked out.
“I’m not trying to manipulate you, Keris,” he lied. “But Lindsey’s care is extremely expensive, and who is going to foot the bill if we don’t?”
“I’llfoot the goddamn bill,” I snapped.
“Oh, really?” Mom sneered, and I couldn’t believe that she had the nerve to be angry with me when this mess was all of their doing. “Without a good insurance plan, the bills would all be out-of-pocket expenses, and not to mention the price of Pauline’s expertise.”
I felt like my head was about to explode. With Lindsey unable to work, my parents were her sole support. Sure, she got a little stipend from disability, but it wasn’t nearly enough to pay for her nurse, medication, and expensive doctors. Lindsey had the best epilepsy doctors treating her, not uninterested, over-worked, mediocre clinic doctors.
I shook my head, trying to find another solution on the spot. “And Brantley Kingston is okay with this? He agreed to marry me?”
“His father is planning on speaking with him about the arrangement, but Darius assured me that Brantley wouldn’t be a problem,” Dad answered, and he seemed so unconcerned with the fact that I was being sold to a complete stranger for diamonds, emeralds, rubies, sapphires, and whatever else the mines produced.
“And if I say yes, when is the ceremony supposed to take place?” I spat.
“This Saturday,” Mom announced, and I almost threw up everywhere.
Four days.
I had only four days to come up with a solution to my sister’s health care. As for my parents, it wouldn’t bother me a bit if they ended up homeless.
Chapter 6
Brantley~
Istared at my father, not quite believing what I was hearing. The man had always had nerve, but this was something completely different.
“Pardon me?” I asked quietly, letting him know that I didn’t appreciate being ambushed.
“You heard me,” he replied sardonically.
