Deviant (Boys of Winter #3) - Sheridan Anne Page 0,94

Cruz’s father steps through with Harlen Beckett and Matthew Montgomery.

Both Grayson and Cruz instantly get out of their fathers’ seats, and before their asses have even hit their chairs, Earnest Brooks and three others are making their way through the door.

Within the space of three minutes, every single seat is taken except for two—the space reserved for the head of the Harding family and the space that will never again seat a Scardoni.

“Shall we get started?” I ask, glancing around the table at the questionable men surrounding me, wondering who the hell are allies in this twisted game and who’s waiting for their turn to shove a knife deep into my back … or abdomen.

Harlen Beckett scoffs in a tone so similar to his son, that for a brief moment, I have to look up and double check who’s talking. “I hardly think so,” Harlen says. “You have been here long enough to know the rules. We wait until every member is present at the table. Harding is a prompt man, he will be here shortly. Waiting two minutes isn’t going to kill you.”

I bite my tongue. Clearly Harlen has been living in a fantasy world because over the past few months I’ve come to learn that two minutes is more than enough time to kill me. Hell, the explosion during the ball happened in less than a second and killed countless people, something we still haven’t gotten to the bottom of.

I glance across the big room and meet Cruz’s stare. I nod and without a single word, Cruz walks around the table with the eye of every man in the room on him. He pushes through to an adjoining room and when he walks back out with Michael Harding bound and barely able to keep on his feet, the outrage begins.

“What the hell is this?” Matthew Montgomery roars as Cruz drags Michael across the room and violently shoves him into his seat.

A pleasant smile stretches across my face as I turn to face the men at the table, as innocent as can be. “There,” I smile at Harlen. “Every member is now present. I am assuming you now have no issues with me commencing tonight’s meeting?”

Seeing that I’m clearly a little unhinged and should probably have joined Sara in the institution, Harlen silently nods and flicks his gaze between me and Michael, unsure of what the hell is about to go down. Though one thing is for sure, the confusion on his face makes it clear that he’s been left out of the loop. And while I can’t necessarily trust him, I can trust that he’s innocent in this.

“Why don’t we start with the elephant in the room?” I suggest as everyone nervously looks toward Michael.

I slam the photo of Michael and Paris down on the table and slide it toward Earnest Brooks beside me. His eyes go wide, and as he flips it over to read the writing on the back, he gasps. “No, this isn’t possible.”

The photograph is passed around the table, and by the time it gets halfway, I know I have their attention. Being guilty of stepping against the leader is one thing, but concealing the fact that London had a twin sister for the past however many years is like throwing acid over an already gaping wound to these men.

‘“Last night, I discovered this photograph in my father’s files,” I tell them, watching as the photo continues to make its rounds. “What you are seeing is the start of an affair between Michael Harding and my mother’s identical twin sister, Paris Moustaff. Michael has concealed Paris’ existence from Dynasty for all these years as their affair has continued. Over the past eighteen hours, Grayson Beckett and Dante Carver have been responsible for leading an investigation into this relationship, and the information which has been uncovered … Michael must be held accountable for his actions.”

Mr. Danforth straightens, looking at Michael with a hard stare. “What actions are you referring to? The affair in itself is grounds for dismissal. Do vows mean nothing anymore?”

Carver adjusts himself slightly, and I look toward him to find his eyes on mine, silently asking for permission to take it from here. I nod and he doesn’t miss a beat. “As you all know, a few weeks ago, Elodie was attacked in her home. We believed it was London Ravenwood, however it has come to light that the woman who attacked Win—Elodie is in fact her aunt, Paris Moustaff. After speaking