“Among other things.” Dad smiles. “But also, he’s the one who hired Jessa to take care of Callie.”
“Really?” I barely whisper. I have Jude to thank for bringing Jessa into my world?
He nods and my chest goes so painfully tight with gratitude toward my youngest brother. I glance across the room to where he and Iris are wrapped up in each other, snuggling and slow dancing even though there’s no music on. In an instant, I’m viewing my baby brother in a whole new light.
“Yes, Cannon took over Kingston Realties. Yes, it was supposed to be you. But let’s be real, Eli. You were in jail for years. Did you really expect that the CEO position would just stay vacant and the company would run itself until you finished serving your time? Let go of your damn grudge and move forward with your life.”
Dad’s words sink all the way in. I know he’s right. I need to make amends with my brothers once and for all. Starting with Cannon.
I plop Baby Diana into her grandfather’s lap. The little thing stares affectionately at her grandpa and caresses his face with her slobbery hand. The man makes a face that’s a cross between a cringe and a smile.
“I’ll be right back,” I tell him as I head off to where my brother is tossing back a whiskey and fixing his man-bun over by the antique cabinet in the corner.
I approach him.
“Hey, man,” he says warily, turning to face me like he’s preparing for a fight.
“What about…what about my reputation?” I blurt out. Uttering the words is humiliating but it’s time I face the real reason I’ve been staying away from the family company. My shame. I’m ashamed of the state of my reputation. I’m ashamed that, in the eyes of the world, I am nothing but a crook. “I’m a convicted felon. I saw the way everybody acted that day when I came to the office. The minute they realized who I was, they were on edge. What would people think if I was back working at the company? No-one would want to do business with Kingston Realties.”
Cannon pauses. He straightens his shoulders. “Then fuck ‘em. Fuck ‘em all.”
I furrow my brow at him.
“Our family owns ninety percent of the commercial properties in Crescent Harbor. So good luck to anybody trying to boycott us. We run this town. If employees want to quit, let them quit. If tenants want to leave, let them leave. We will replace their asses. Simple…” He ends his rant and sighs big. “You’re a Kingston, Eli. Gramps and Dad built this company for all of us. The only one keeping you from your rightful place in Kingston Realties is you.”
On that, my brother pats me on the shoulder and walks away.
49 Eli
Sometimes you have to roll over and be somebody’s bitch.
Okay, maybe that’s a little melodramatic, even for me. But last night as I curled beneath warm sheets with the perfect woman in my arms, I finally resolved to shove down my pride and come run the family business with my brother.
I love getting my hands dirty; don’t get me wrong. But throwing myself into renovations hasn’t been enough. I need to get back to the office. I need to have my mind fucking busy with spreadsheets, presentations, client files. I need to challenge myself in ways that physical labor never has.
So, here I am, standing in front of Cannon’s sprawling desk, dressed in my ironed slacks and a crisp new shirt, hands shoved into my pockets to keep from jabbing anyone in the forehead with a fountain pen.
I can do this. I’ve been doing my daily meditation. I got an excellent blowjob this morning. I’m good.
“I want in,” I tell Cannon, forcing the words out of my mouth, silently hoping he won’t make me beg or apologize after the difficult shithead I’ve been.
A cheesy grin stretches across my brother’s face, and I nearly bite through my tongue to keep from telling him to knock that shit off. “You serious?” he asks.
“Yes, I’m serious.” I grit the words out.
“Fuck, yeah. Let’s get to work.” He springs to his feet and rounds his desk. He claps his palm into mine for an energetic handshake.
“Just to be clear,” I say warily, “I want to be partners, like you offered. None of this boss-employee crap. I don’t work well with…authority.”
He laughs. “I know, man. Frank’s already got the paperwork drawn up.”
Frank. Cannon’s lawyer.
“And about Frank…I-I didn’t know you were behind that. Dad told me you’re the one who sent him to look into my case. To navigate my early release.”
My brother gives a curt nod. “It was the right thing to do. It didn’t make sense to leave you out there to dry when I had the resources to help.”
I loosen my tie to clear my throat. “Thank you for that.”
“Of course, man.” He claps my shoulder in a manly hug and I get a flashback of the way things used to be, back when I wasn’t carrying around all this anger, I get a glimpse of what the future could be like if I let some of my resentment go.
“All right. Let’s get you in your office. I’m so behind on shit lately.” Cannon says with a laugh. “If it’s a heavy workload you’re looking for, you’ve come to the right place, man.”
Cannon speedwalks down the hall, leading me to my old office. I don’t know where the hell that other guy went, but all traces of his shit are gone. I refuse to express how happy that makes me.
He calls in his secretary to help me get settled. A few junior executives come in next to get me up to speed. Cannon and I spend the afternoon working together. It turns out to be a long day, but honestly, it really isn’t that horrible. Cannon and I may butt heads most of the time, but I think it’s just because we’re too
