When the Last One Falls

Chapter 26

Brantley~

After assuring Magnus that Shera wasn't going to bankrupt the company with her two finds, I found myself needing a drink. In all honesty, there was very little that could bankrupt Kingston Industries. I was also pretty sure that Magnus and Shera's one-night stand was at the heart of most of their fights, and it was stupid, considering that it had happened over two years ago.

As I wrapped my hand around another glass of whiskey, I almost dropped the tumbler when a pair of blue eyes glared up at me.

Dylan Finnick-Pickerel.

"Is there a bigger sonofabitch on the planet?" she hissed up at me, and I had no idea what was with these combative women.

"Excuse me?"

"You couldn't even wait for the divorce papers to be served before parading other pussy all over the place?" she asked, her eyes glittering with sincere anger.

"What the fuck are you talking about?" I snapped down at her. No one knew that I was planning on divorcing Keris. Well, other than my father, Magnus, and Onyx. Even Beau didn't know because the fucker didn't know how to keep his mouth shut.

"Or is that the plan for paving the way for your brother?" she sneered. "If everyone sees you fucking around, then no one will bat an eyelash when Beau ends up marrying your ex-wife, right?"

That had my blood hot.

"What the fuck are you talking about?" I repeated. "Not that my marriage is any of your business, mind you."

"Hate to break it to you, dick," she kept sneering. "But your marriage is very much my business since Keris is my friend."

"Be that as it may, I still don't see how you have a say in our relationship," I snapped. "Besides, if you really are that close of friends, then you'd know that she wants nothing to do with me."

"She overheard your father scheming to get her pregnant, and you not doing a damn thing about it," she countered, and that was the problem with eavesdropping and rumors.

"I still don't see how any of this is your business," I fired back.

Her lip curled with disdain. "Oh, so you're just fine with her marrying your brother? Does she really mean so little to you?"

I shook my head at that absurdity. "What in the hell are you talking about? The last thing that my brother will ever do is get married."

"Well, when the wife in question comes with mines worth billions of dollars that your father refuses to part with, I'd say that the youngest Kingston won't have a choice," she shot back. "Unlike you, Beau doesn't have your financial success to fall back on, so he's going to be a good son and do whatever your father asks of him, which includes marrying Keris before the ink is even dry on your divorce papers."

"You're lying," I spat. My father knew that I was in love with Keris. I'd been brutally honest when I had informed him of my plans to divorce her and give her back her family's legacy.

"Well, someone might be lying, but it's not me," Dylan retorted. "Last week, we ran into your brother at Skipper's Lounge, and he was drunk enough to spill all the business." My back straightened at that. "He overheard you and your father arguing, so he felt it necessary to let Keris know just how much he was going to enjoy fucking her. He sounded as eager as a kid on Christmas."

I could feel my blood pressure spiking to unhealthy levels. I was letting Keris go because I couldn't stand to have her in my life and not beg for scraps. There was no way that I was going to watch her on my brother's arm, wearing his ring, seeing them together during the holidays.