Chapter 8 - The Brother at the Door
Marcus stopped when he saw Claire.
For one second, every layer of charm disappeared.
Then Nathan stepped from behind the door.
Marcus went white.
“Hello, brother,” Nathan said.
Marcus took one step backward.
Nathan closed the door.
“You look disappointed.”
Marcus recovered quickly.
“You don’t understand what happened.”
Claire laughed once, sharp and bitter.
“I watched you drug him.”
Marcus looked at the laptop.
“Those files can be manipulated.”
“You knew he was alive.”
“I was trying to keep him alive.”
Nathan crossed the room and slammed Marcus against the wall.
“By putting someone else in my grave?”
Marcus did not fight back.
His voice dropped.
“You found the money. You thought I was stealing it.”
“You were.”
“No. I was moving it.”
Nathan’s grip tightened.
“For who?”
Marcus looked at Claire.
“Vincent.”
Their father had been dead for eleven years.
Nathan stepped back.
“Don’t use his name.”
Marcus smiled without humor.
“You still think Dad died of a heart attack?”
Silence.
Claire felt cold despite the heated room.
Marcus continued. “Dad built something before either of us were old enough to understand it. A network. Judges, contractors, cops, port officials. He called it the Circle.”
Nathan said, “And you inherited it.”
“I inherited a cage.”
Claire stared at him. “Then why try to take my shares?”
“Because the Circle needed control of the company.”
“And you gave it to them?”
Marcus’s expression twisted.
“I delayed them.”
Nathan grabbed the laptop.
“You expect us to believe you’re the victim?”
Marcus looked toward the door.
“I expect you to survive the next thirty seconds.”
The hallway lights went out.
A suppressed pop struck the door.
Then another.
Marcus dropped to the floor.
“They followed me.”
Nathan cursed.
Claire looked from one brother to the other.
“Who?”
Marcus pulled a small pistol from his ankle holster.
“The man who ordered Nicholas killed.”
Nathan aimed his gun at Marcus.
“Name him.”
May you like
Marcus met his eyes.
“Your godfather.”
