Chapter 3 - THE COLLAPSE OF JULIAN'S FINANCIAL HOUSE OF CARDS
Julian lunged forward across the table,
his face distorted with blind rage as he tried to grab the tablet from my hand.
"You bitch!"
he screamed,
forgetting every lesson in etiquette our mother had drilled into him.
"You're ruining everything!
My restaurants are opening next month!"
Before his fingers could even graze my sleeve,
I sidestepped smoothly,
my military training taking over with effortless precision,
and pinned his arm behind his back with a sharp,
controlled twist.
Julian howled in pain,
slumping forward against the mahogany table as his face pressed hard against the legal briefs.
"Keep your hands to yourself,
Julian,"
I whispered coldly into his ear.
"Violence has never solved a financial audit,
and it certainly won't save your restaurant empire."
Victoria shrieked,
rushing toward us and beating her fists against my shoulders.
"Let go of your brother right now,
you ungrateful monster!"
"Get off her,
Sienna!"
Richard bellowed,
charging around the table with his fists clenched.
I released Julian with a sudden shove,
sending him sprawling backward into the lap of a terrified corporate lawyer,
while I pivoted to face my stepfather.
Richard stopped dead in his tracks less than two feet away from me,
hesitating as he looked into my eyes.
He saw no fear,
no hesitation,
only the icy,
unflinching gaze of a military commander who had stared down armed insurgents in hostile foreign territories.
"You wouldn't dare touch me,"
Richard muttered,
though he nervously took a step backward.
"Try me,
Richard,"
I challenged quietly.
"Assaulting a commissioned officer of the United States armed forces during the execution of federal duties carries a mandatory federal prison sentence."
Richard swallowed hard,
his bravado evaporating instantly as he glanced back at Arthur Vance for guidance.
But Arthur Vance was busy sliding his legal pads back into his leather briefcase with trembling hands.
"This meeting is concluded,"
Vance announced,
May you like
standing up abruptly and knocking his chair over backward.
"We are withdrawing our representation immediately."
