Free Capital Risk by Lana Grayson

looked to me. “There are those among us who would disagree.”
    I said nothing. Bryant didn’t meet my gaze.
    “Now,” Stanley said. “Let’s consider our options. The girl is frightened. She’s ensuring she’s visible within her company to discourage anyone from taking her life while she is so public. So let’s be reasonable for a moment. Nicholas, does she intend to sell her stock?”
    No. The lie came easily, for both our sakes. “She’s waiting on the right price and terms.”
    “There now. She’s negotiating for a better deal. She’s offered us the contract for her farm which will generate millions in new revenue for us, and she wishes to secure her future.” Stanley nodded. “I am willing to look beyond the events of the past. Mistakes were made, and our plans were executed without the…attention to detail they required. We hadn’t planned for certain contingencies.”
    Contingencies being my love for the woman they intended to exploit, harm, and rape. I stayed silent. His words attempted to cleanse the sin of their planned murder as though they could simply wash their hands of whatever evils they committed.
    “The only way we protect the Bennett Corporation is if we kill the girl and take the stock,” Bryant said. “We don’t need another customer . We need our liabilities secured. If she dies, the problem resolves itself, right, Darius?”
    My father said nothing, watching over the table with mild amusement. He stared hard at the image of Sarah paused over the screen. I hated his expression.
    Lust.
    Sadism.
    Cruelty.
    He hadn’t his chance to attack Sarah, despite his promises of horror and pain and suffering . He’d never have the opportunity. His end was near, and then Sarah would be free of him. Forever.
    “I’ve spoken my piece before,” my father said. “Sarah Atwood is not to be killed. I’ve grown fond of my daughter, even if she is difficult to break. She lives, and we accept her offer.”
    “Darius, she owns a significant portion of this company,” Bryant said.
    “And I wish to see what she would do with it.” He leered at the screen once more. “She’s been missing for two months. That is a long time for a young girl to be alone with her nightmares. Perhaps she’s had a change of heart.”
    Despite my revulsion, I seldom had cause to vote against my father. In this case, I eagerly sided with him, sparing Sarah’s life yet again.
    “You’re making a mistake.” Bryant kicked his chair as he stood. “Your bitch will destroy us.”
    He merely smiled. “Not if I destroy her first. It’s a family matter, Bryant. I’ll handle my little girl the best way a father can.”
    The rest of the board seized the opportunity to escape from the talk of murder and money. They planned to reconvene for their weekly golf game that afternoon.
    I stood once we were alone, save for my father’s bodyguards looming between us.
    “Where is she, Nicholas?” he asked. “Our little Sarah wouldn’t do this without your help.”
    He had learned nothing about Sarah Atwood during her captivity beyond what color panties she wore and when her cycle was due. Had he paid the least bit of attention, had he respected the Atwood instead of obsessing over the crest between her legs, he’d know.
    Sarah was exactly the type to seize her revenge without help.
    “She’s come back to you then?” he chuckled. “Right when she presents the Bennett Board of Directors with a proposal to make herself richer from the investments she stole. What did she tell you? That she loved you? That she needed you?”
    I wished she had.
    “What will you do for her?” he said.
    “Anything she asks.”
    “I taught you better than that, son.”
    “And it’s taken months to unlearn it.”
    He folded his palms. I recognized his intimidating stillness. I wish I hadn’t inherited it. “I respect you, Nicholas. I always have. You are the best of both me and your mother. I never doubted the man you’d become.”
    “You