Carrington Incorporated. Dad worked too fucking hard and so have I.”
“Your father was a monster. How could you take his side?”
“I’m not taking his side. I'm making my own goddamn side. My father was a monster, but you’re turning out just like him and you’re doing the same to Cora. At least Casey has some sort of spine and can stand on her own.”
Cora sucks in a broken gasp and for the slightest second, I feel bad for her, but the glare that comes straight after pulls me back in line. She steps up beside her mother. “You’re a real prick, you know that? How dare you say that about me.”
“How could I not?” he throws back at her. “Have you looked at yourself in a mirror recently? You’re a spoiled brat. I’ve been watching you, Cora and you haven’t got a redeeming quality about yourself. You’re materialistic and the way you’re going now, you’re going to end up married to a rich businessman on his deathbed with your mother still dipping into your pockets, both of you absolutely broke.”
“You’re not going to get away with this,” Laurelle hisses as the rest of us watch on like it’s an award-winning daytime drama.
“I already have, mother. Harrison was given the order to start collecting your stuff this morning. Your Uber will be here in an hour to take you back to the airport.”
“Uber?” she shrieks in horror. “Airport? I don’t ride in Ubers and I sure as hell don’t fly on commercial airplanes. I have my own car and my own jet but they will not be needed because I won’t be going anywhere.”
“No,” Colton corrects. “I own your car and I own the jet which your access was cut to the second you embarrassed Carrington Incorporated last night. Now, you have an hour to pack the rest of your things, after that, you’ll be considered trespassing and I’ll have no other option but to call the police and have you escorted off the premises, and for the record,” he says, walking back toward the couch for his mic drop moment. “I have a press meeting scheduled in an hour. It’d be a real shame if they were to witness you being taken out of here in cuffs.”
Laurelle’s face drops. “You can’t. I’m your mother.”
“Exactly. You’re my mother which is why I've allowed this to go on for so long. You weren’t welcome when you showed up a few weeks ago, and you’re not welcome now.”
Colton drops down onto the couch and the room remains silent, all eyes on Laurelle, waiting and watching to see her next move. Except, with the pressure of an audience, she finally cracks. She stomps her foot against the marble floor like a toddler and within the blink of an eye, she turns on her heel and stalks out of the room. “You will not get away with this, Colton. Mark my words, you will pay.”
“Holy fuck,” Spencer howls, roaring with laughter as Milo sits beside him with his jaw hanging wide.
A slow smile begins pulling at my lips but it falls away as a soft sniffle sounds behind me. The room falls to silence once again as we find the twins standing awkwardly in the kitchen, staring at their big brother.
Silent tears track down Casey’s face as Cora stands there dumbfounded. Casey glances around, not strong enough to meet her brother’s eyes. “Does that mean us too?” she asks in a soft tone.
Colton watches them for a second, figuring out his next move. His gaze sweeps to me before falling back to the guys, unsure how he wants to play this. “I don’t know,” he tells them honestly. “Do you want to be here?”
Casey instantly nods while Cora holds back, not ready to give in to her brother, especially after the way he just tore her apart. Perhaps being away from her mother and living with Colton is what she needs to gain a little perspective. Hell, it sure worked for me.
Casey’s eyes go wide, her bottom lip quivering. “Please don’t make me go. I like it here. I actually have friends here who don’t care that my daddy gave me a bank account.”
“Mom’s going to fight you on it,” he warns.
She nods vigorously. “I can handle Mom.”
Cora scoffs at Casey’s confidence and Colton turns his sharp glare on her, making her shrink under his stare. “And what about you?”
She pauses, looking up at her brother as though she’s trying to find the courage to