Holiday Bridal Wave - Gwyn McNamee Page 0,1
family business without a fucking penny.”
Athena chokes on her wine and finally manages to swallow it. “Well, shit.”
Mother growls. “Not you, too.”
“Sorry, Mom.” Athena’s shoulders rise and fall nonchalantly. “But that’s kind of bullshit.”
This time, Father slams his fist against the table so hard it rattles the glasses. “That’s enough out of you two. Grandfather and I did what we had to do to protect the family. After your brother ran off with that harlot and their bastard child, we needed to do something to ensure that the family business is going to move forward with a Warren at the helm, one who is a dedicated family man and not prone to scandal or running off whenever his dick twitches.”
Athena snorts and covers her mouth with her hand as she looks at me. “Dad, if you think that’s not gonna happen with Archimedes then—”
“Shut it, little sister.”
I’ve had my fair share of romantic dalliances in the past, but I’m discreet about it. I know better than to tarnish the Warren name with illicit affairs. Artie was young when he met Penelope. Young and too dumb to realize what his actions then would lead to now. I don’t think I’ve ever been as pissed at him in my life as I am at this moment. This is because of Artie. The man is blissfully happy and has everything he’s ever dreamed of, but in order to get it, he left me in this quagmire.
He never wanted the company. He never wanted the power. It’s all I’ve ever wanted, and now, I’m not going to be able to get it because these requirements are absolutely ludicrous. It’s almost as if they want me to fail. But that makes no sense. That would only leave Athena to take over, and she would need to comply with this ridiculous requirement, too. She’s still in college. And she’s more than demonstrated her contempt for the company. Enough that I don’t think any of us expect her to come home to work when she graduates. That will never happen, and they know it, which means they fully expect me to comply with the trust and find a wife in little more than a month.
Absolute insanity!
I suck in a deep, fortifying breath, trying to regain some semblance of control. Perhaps there’s an opportunity to approach this diplomatically, to come to some sort of middle-ground on these requirements. “Why the deadline, Father? That gives me what…thirty-seven days to get married?”
He plasters on the fake Warren smile, the one we’ve all practiced so well and polished to perfection. “From what I hear, you have a lot of very lovely lady friends. It shouldn’t be hard to find one willing to commit their life to you, given the billions of dollars you stand to inherit.” He shrugs. “Pick one.”
Pick one?
He cannot be fucking serious.
Not one of the women I choose to spend my nights with is anyone I would choose to spend my life with. And he knows it.
This is a punishment. I’m being punished because Artemis couldn’t keep his dick in his pants when he was eighteen. I don’t have any unplanned children running around—at least, not that I know of—yet, I’m the one who’s now going to have to figure out a way around this trust provision in the next five weeks.
If Artie were here right now, he’d be getting a swift kick to the face or better yet…the cock…since that’s what got him in so much trouble in the first place. I fucking love the guy. And Penelope. And Max. But Christ…has he put me in a position.
I drop the crumpled paper on my empty dinner plate and shove back my chair from the table. All eyes follow me as I rise to my feet. I button my suit coat and meet the eyes of everyone at the table before finally landing on Father. “I don’t know what you thought this would accomplish. But if you want to keep a Warren at the helm, this isn’t the way to do it. What if I’m not able to comply with the terms in the next five weeks?”
Father shrugs again, but I know it’s a major pressing question. His eyes flick over to Athena. “There’s always your sister.”
And I’m sure he has something up his sleeve to force her into compliance, too.
BLAIRE
The elevator pings, announcing his arrival. But I’ve known he was coming ever since Rinaldo down at security called up to give me the warning that Archimedes had