Page 90 of Heartbroken Husband
The doors finally closed behind the last executive and I looked directly at Alex. “Where are we at with the Louis situation?”
He folded his hands calmly on the table. “We’re handling it. I told you that over the phone.”
“No,” I snapped. “I don’t want the corporate runaround. Tell me what’s really going on. I want a solid plan on the table. This is an emergency. Act like it.”
Nate leaned forward, watching us with the kind of wariness one would imagine he’d only employ while witnessing two wolves circling each other over territory. “Calm down, Zach. This has more to do with Louis trying to get something from our family than it does with Adeline or the kids.”
“Then give him something,” I said firmly. “Write him a check. Buy him a yacht. Send him to another continent. I don’t care. Just fucking do something already.”
Alex’s jaw tightened. “It’s not that simple.”
“Why not?”
“Because it would validate his argument that we influenced their divorce settlement to push the marriage through.”
A bark of dry laughter escaped me. “So you’re all treating Adeline’s life like a chess move. That’s excellent fucking news.”
Alex’s gaze sharpened. “Watch it.”
“No, you watch it. She’s terrified right now and I won’t let this devolve into yet another situation when everyone else is making moves that impactherlife without her having any say in it.”
Alex reached up to massage his temples. “Marrying her immediately protects her from most of Louis’s bullshit. Legally,at least. You’ll have to take care of it from an emotional standpoint.”
“No,” I snarled. “I’m not dragging her to a courthouse or forcing the girls to be okay with this overnight just because it’s convenient. If we’re doing this, I’m doing it right. Like I should’ve from the very fucking beginning.”
“Legal protection is more important than your need to see her in a white dress,” Alex snapped. “Shit, Zach. I’m not saying it’s right, but that’s the situation we find ourselves in right now.”
“Okay, but what happens after?” I demanded. “Do you think Louis is just going to disappear because there’s a marriage certificate? He’ll go after the girls next. We talked about this and you agreed.”
Nate grimaced, clearly agreeing too, but Alex rubbed his jaw, letting out a deep sigh before he looked at me again. “We can handle Louis’s claims once there’s a legal marriage between you two.”
“Can you guarantee that?”
Jesse rocked in his chair, watching the showdown with interest, shamelessly entertained. I wouldn’t have been surprised if he found a way to make popcorn materialize in his hands.
“You two are terrifyingly similar,” he commented lightly. “Honestly, it’s fascinating.”
“Not now,” Nate muttered. “Shit, man. Timing.”
Alex ignored them, his eyes still fixed on me. “What exactly do you suggest we do then?”
“I’m not forcing her into a courthouse wedding just because a bunch of lawyers are nervous, but I’m also not putting those girls in front of a judge or opening them up to threats from Louis.”
Jesse let out a low whistle. “Ooh, someone’s inlovelove.”
“Shut up.”
He grinned wider, but I’d had enough of all of them, so I started toward the doors. “That’s it. I’m handling this my way.”
“What the hell does that mean?” Alex asked, but I didn’t answer him.
Instead, I just walked out. If I stopped moving right now, I was probably going to say something that would either end my career or my brother.Potentially even both.
The elevator ride down to the parking garage felt six years long, and by the time the doors opened, my blood pressure had reached levels that usually belonged to middle-aged men arguing on golf courses.
I stalked to the car I’d borrowed this morning, hit the unlock button, and yanked open the driver’s side door hard enough that the tiny vehicle rocked slightly on its suspension. Before I could climb in though, footsteps echoed through the garage behind me.
I twisted to see Jesse racing after me. “Hey, you can’t just storm out like you’re in an HBO succession war?—”
