Chapter 147


    “Liam?”


    I’m staring at a stranger.


    “I’ll make it quick, Leah. You’re the victim in all of this.”


    My hand waivers. It’s like I know.


    I know in my heart.


    But my mind refuses to ept what my eyes are seeing.


    Liam shakes Ryker’s hand. “Your percentage will be routed to your ount by morning.”


    “What is this?” I whisper. “One big setup?”


    He rolls his eyes. “Obviously.”


    “But why?”


    Ryker gathers the papers and his expression is sympathetic. “If it is any constion,” Ryker tells me,


    and his ent has thickened. “Your willingness to set aside everything for family… that is the rarest


    form of loyalty.”


    “Goodnight, Ryker,” Liam says pointedly.


    I tighten my grip. “You won’t be able to ess the firewalls or theb. I’ve changed all the passcodes.”


    Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org.


    Ryker and Liam share a nce.


    “Nice try” he says. “But we have a building full of engineers.


    Even if they can’t hack it, I can find someone who will.”


    2


    Ryker nces at me oddly, his chin giving the slightest nod


    before he turns his back on us and walks away.


    I am paralyzed.


    I prepared myself for many oues. But this was not among


    them.


    Liam stalks me and I swing the gun until it is aimed at my brother. “Don’t take a step closer.”


    His eyes sh gold. “Or what? There’s not enough bullets in that clip to ki ll me and we both know


    that.”


    “They’re silver.”


    I don’t know if they are, but I’m going with it.


    He smirks. “Guess we’ll see if you can’t get off enough shots then.” His eyes re once more. He’ll be


    on me in seconds.


    €


    ”


    12


    2


    7 V


    W H


    V


    I


    “Stop!”


    He freezes but this isn’t a stalemate. It’s more like a standoff.


    He’s waiting only to see who will react first.


    I have to keep him talking. I have to try and reason with him.


    “Liam…you’re my brother. You don’t have to do this. I named


    you my sessor. I sealed it in blood. I left you everything. You’ll be Alpha. You’ll have the corporation-


    I’m just trying to get it back on its feet. Brother, I’m dying…”


    He tsks. And then gestures at my stomach. “And what of that


    vile ba stard growing inside you. Did you think I’d raise his pup!?”


    I gasp.


    “Did you really think I’d let some mongrel ba stard usurp the bloodline of the Roberts that has been


    strong and pure for


    centuries!”


    I shake my head, hardly believing what I’m hearing.


    We’re alone in somevish room. I’m holding a gun and my hand is shaking. Liam is berating me like


    he’s trying to talk himself up or convince himself of how wretched I am. Or maybe that’s how he needs


    to see me in order to justify what


    he’s doing.


    “You don’t have to do this, Liam.”


    “It’s not your fault, I know that,” he says without really hearing


    1. “You were just an ign orant kid. But you’re a grown woman now. And you should’ve aborted that


    abomination yourself.”


    I’m yed by his words. I can’t even reply because I am cut too deeply to know what to say.


    Liam curses. “It’s like my own family can’t even recognize the responsibility of putting Pack Roberts


    first!”


    “I’ve only ever put Pack first,” I say quietly.


    “No, that’s not true. And all that crying home to dad… you


    weakened him too.”


    I feel like I’ve been punched. “I never meant for dad tomit


    suicide.”


    His slow smile is cr uel. “Who said he kil led himself?”