Come to my house at 10:00 a.m. tomorrow. If any of you fail to show, I’m burning every painting your grandfather ever created.
–J
I shake my head. Why did he bother with the empty threat? Did he think it’d make him sound firmer? More authoritative?
I call him.
“What do you want?” he snarls.
“Good to speak to you too, Dad. Thanks for getting on the first part of my request so quickly. As for the move…?”
“I can’t find a place that fast. My wife really likes it here.”
“She seems very friendly and sociable. I’m sure she can make friends in some other city. I hear Chicago is nice. So is Seattle.” I don’t want to have her in L.A. and drive my poor brothers insane.
“You bitch. I knew you weren’t as pure and innocent as you made people think.”
“I’m Shirley’s granddaughter.”
I can hear him grind his teeth. Grandma Shirley was instrumental in taking away a huge portion of his assets during his first divorce. I don’t think Mom knew how to make him hurt as much as her pride was hurting. Grandma Shirley knew exactly how and did it.
Of course, all that’s hearsay—I was too young to remember any of it—but I’m certain that’s the correct version of the event.
“Move before the end of the month. I mean it.” I hang up.
I need to prepare for the meeting tomorrow.
Chapter Thirty-Nine
Elizabeth
Dad’s mansion hasn’t gotten any more tasteful, and I don’t see any signs of packing. I want to ask his outrageously pretentious butler, Jarvis, about it, but I refrain. I’ve arrived with Ryder and Elliot, and can’t have them overhear.
The second Jarvis shuts the door to the study, Ryder takes an armchair. He starts texting, probably checking up on Paige. I don’t think they started out loving each other, but now…you can’t help but know they’re both deeply committed.
Elliot and I share a couch. As my half-brother, he doesn’t have the famous profile that the Pryce family has, but he’s still a handsome guy. His mother’s a beautiful woman, even though Mom would kill me if she knew I thought that.
Elliot immediately starts drinking Dad’s best scotch, which he says is a must when dealing with our father, and we gossip. He isn’t sure about his young sister-in-law’s boyfriend. “Way too slick for his age, I tell you. Who buys a girl a piccolo pendant? Weird, right?”
I smother a laugh. “No.”
“What do you mean, ‘no’? Of course it’s weird!”
I force my expression into some semblance of somber caring. “If it worries you that much, check him out. Don’t you have a guy for that sort of thing?”
“I do, but Nonny acts like I’m suggesting we make child porn every time I bring it up.” He scrunches his face.
“You don’t need her permission. She’s still a minor. And you have the right to know the boy’s not crazy or something, right?” He’s probably okay, but…
“I do, don’t I?”
“Yup. But you have to back off if you learn he’s as devoted to her as you are to your wife—”
His laugh cuts me off. “No way! What Belle and I have is like so solid and perfect, nothing can shake our love for each other.”
“Really?” I arch an eyebrow. “You’d feel the same way even if you caught her in another man’s arms?”
H