Read Online Cross Check (Marriage Contract #1) by Colleen Masters - Free Book Online
Authors: Colleen Masters
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swiftly
approaching our hideaway.
Like a shot, Jay and I leap away from each other,
straightening our clothes and smoothing down our hair as best we can. I lift my
scotch glass from Loudon’s desk just as the door of the study flies open. Doing
my best to look as calm and collected as Jamison does, I turn to face the open
door, hoping the blush in my cheeks isn’t too obvious.
Cordelia stands on the threshold of the study, her rail-thin
body backlit by the warm glow of the hall.
“I knew I’d find you here,” she says coolly, glaring across
the room at her brother. “Were you planning on coming downstairs at all?”
“Not really,” Jay replies, looking back at his sister with
disdain, “I figured I’d let you be the center of attention down there. That was
always your preference, right?”
“Can we not do this in front of company ?” Delia says
primly, jerking her head my way.
“I’ll just head back to the cottage,” I offer, heading for
the door. I need to get away from Jay before I do something crazy, and the last
thing I want is to be stuck in a King sibling squabble.
“No, no. I was sent to collect both of you,” Cordelia says,
blocking my path.
“Sent by who?” Jay asks.
“The lawyers,” Delia says vaguely, shrugging her slender shoulders,
“They want to go over the will or something.”
“Now?!” Jamison exclaims stormily, “Jesus Christ, Delia. We
only just buried our parents. Can’t it wait?”
“The guests are all leaving now,” his sister replies, “I
don’t see the sense in waiting.”
“No. Of course you don’t,” Jay says, disgusted.
“In case you’ve forgotten, there are quite a few decisions
that need to be made about the estate,” Delia says primly, “Not to mention the
small matter of King Enterprises.”
“I’m sure I don’t need to be present for that,” I say
quickly, “It sounds like a family matter to me.”
“No,” Delia snaps at me, “Daddy’s legal team asked for the
two of you specifically. So. Shall we get this over with?”
“Sure? Why not,” Jay replies, marching past his sister, “No
time like the present, right?”
Chapter Five
The King house is eerily quiet as Cordelia, Jamison and I
file into the first floor conference room. The reception guests have all gone,
leaving only a picked-over buffet and depleted bar in their wake. Even my dad
seems to have headed back to the cottage. I’m surprised Frank didn’t insist on
sticking around to help clean up—that’s just the sort of thing he would do.
Loudon King’s legal team is the size of a regulation soccer
squad. I look around at the lawyers assembled around the conference table as I
step into the mahogany-paneled room, spotting plenty of familiar faces. King
Enterprises was so exclusively Loudon’s company that he had the same team of
lawyers handling his business and personal affairs, so it’s no surprise that I
recognize so many of the somber faces around the conference table.
Seated at the head of the table is Gregory Price, Loudon’s
chief counsel. Mr. Price has always been King Enterprises go-to guy for legal
matters, and I’ve gotten to know him well over the years. I’d recognize his
stark white hair and short, barrel-chested bearing anywhere. Gregory stands as
the two King children and I enter the conference room.
“Hello, you three,” he says, his usual jocular tone tempered
by the occasion, “I’m sorry to drag you into a meeting today of all days. There
just really isn’t any time to waste, here.”
“Where’s everyone else?” Cordelia asks, looking around,
“Surely there are other people who need to be here for the reading of the
will?”
“Oh, this isn’t the official reading,” Gregory says, as we
take our seats, “I just wanted to speak to the three of you alone first. Get
you up to speed with some…changes in Loudon and Priscilla’s wishes.”
Gregory’s gray eyes swing my way as he says this, lingering
on my face as if
approaching our hideaway.
Like a shot, Jay and I leap away from each other,
straightening our clothes and smoothing down our hair as best we can. I lift my
scotch glass from Loudon’s desk just as the door of the study flies open. Doing
my best to look as calm and collected as Jamison does, I turn to face the open
door, hoping the blush in my cheeks isn’t too obvious.
Cordelia stands on the threshold of the study, her rail-thin
body backlit by the warm glow of the hall.
“I knew I’d find you here,” she says coolly, glaring across
the room at her brother. “Were you planning on coming downstairs at all?”
“Not really,” Jay replies, looking back at his sister with
disdain, “I figured I’d let you be the center of attention down there. That was
always your preference, right?”
“Can we not do this in front of company ?” Delia says
primly, jerking her head my way.
“I’ll just head back to the cottage,” I offer, heading for
the door. I need to get away from Jay before I do something crazy, and the last
thing I want is to be stuck in a King sibling squabble.
“No, no. I was sent to collect both of you,” Cordelia says,
blocking my path.
“Sent by who?” Jay asks.
“The lawyers,” Delia says vaguely, shrugging her slender shoulders,
“They want to go over the will or something.”
“Now?!” Jamison exclaims stormily, “Jesus Christ, Delia. We
only just buried our parents. Can’t it wait?”
“The guests are all leaving now,” his sister replies, “I
don’t see the sense in waiting.”
“No. Of course you don’t,” Jay says, disgusted.
“In case you’ve forgotten, there are quite a few decisions
that need to be made about the estate,” Delia says primly, “Not to mention the
small matter of King Enterprises.”
“I’m sure I don’t need to be present for that,” I say
quickly, “It sounds like a family matter to me.”
“No,” Delia snaps at me, “Daddy’s legal team asked for the
two of you specifically. So. Shall we get this over with?”
“Sure? Why not,” Jay replies, marching past his sister, “No
time like the present, right?”
Chapter Five
The King house is eerily quiet as Cordelia, Jamison and I
file into the first floor conference room. The reception guests have all gone,
leaving only a picked-over buffet and depleted bar in their wake. Even my dad
seems to have headed back to the cottage. I’m surprised Frank didn’t insist on
sticking around to help clean up—that’s just the sort of thing he would do.
Loudon King’s legal team is the size of a regulation soccer
squad. I look around at the lawyers assembled around the conference table as I
step into the mahogany-paneled room, spotting plenty of familiar faces. King
Enterprises was so exclusively Loudon’s company that he had the same team of
lawyers handling his business and personal affairs, so it’s no surprise that I
recognize so many of the somber faces around the conference table.
Seated at the head of the table is Gregory Price, Loudon’s
chief counsel. Mr. Price has always been King Enterprises go-to guy for legal
matters, and I’ve gotten to know him well over the years. I’d recognize his
stark white hair and short, barrel-chested bearing anywhere. Gregory stands as
the two King children and I enter the conference room.
“Hello, you three,” he says, his usual jocular tone tempered
by the occasion, “I’m sorry to drag you into a meeting today of all days. There
just really isn’t any time to waste, here.”
“Where’s everyone else?” Cordelia asks, looking around,
“Surely there are other people who need to be here for the reading of the
will?”
“Oh, this isn’t the official reading,” Gregory says, as we
take our seats, “I just wanted to speak to the three of you alone first. Get
you up to speed with some…changes in Loudon and Priscilla’s wishes.”
Gregory’s gray eyes swing my way as he says this, lingering
on my face as if
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