Broken Rules by Michaela Grey

Author:Michaela Grey [Grey, Michaela]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: gay romance
ISBN: 978-1-64080-500-2
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Published: 2018-07-23T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Sixteen

One month later

“WHAT DO you mean, it’s all gone?” Alice said, her voice shrill. She was all in black, a handkerchief held to her face and the tip of her nose pink from crying.

Noble Whittier squirmed in his seat. They were in the Reynard library, gathered to hear the reading of the will. Sterling was sitting on the couch beside Cricket with Dorian on her other side, unable to quite believe what he was hearing.

“Your husband siphoned millions of dollars from hundreds of investors, Alice. They all want their money back. In addition, he left behind staggering amounts of debt that must be paid.”

Alice waved the handkerchief. “So sell some of the antiques. They’re worth a fortune.”

“Believe me, they’ll have to be sold,” Noble said. He was a stuffy man, short and stocky, with square fingers and a pugnacious jaw. “As will the house, the vehicles, the yacht, and Sterling’s apartment. From my calculations, if you liquidate 95 percent of your physical assets, you’ll be able to pay off the debts.”

Cricket gasped, and Dorian swore viciously under his breath. Sterling didn’t move, frozen to his seat. This couldn’t be happening. Bad enough he’d killed his father. Now this? He stared at Noble, whose lips were still moving, but Sterling couldn’t hear over the buzzing in his ears.

Alice was openly weeping into her dainty linen handkerchief. “There has to be something you can do!”

Noble shifted his weight again. “I’m doing everything I can, Alice. I promise. But you need to start making arrangements to sell your valuables and contact a Realtor to put the house on the market.”

“What about the trust funds?” Alice asked, lifting her head. “Couldn’t we use those?”

“The trust funds are tied up in so much red tape that they’re basically untouchable,” Noble said. “I suppose it’s possible that once they’re freed, you could use the balances to pay off the bulk of the debts, but that’ll be years, Alice, there’s no telling how long it will take.”

Dorian patted Cricket’s knee. “You can stay with me and Tatum. It’s a one-bedroom, but if you don’t mind sleeping on the couch, it’ll work.”

Sterling stood up, and everyone turned to look at him. “I have to—I can’t—” He swallowed around the lump in his throat. “I have to go.”

“Good,” Alice said, the sudden venom in her voice shocking. “This is your fault anyway. I can’t believe you did this. We were doing fine, and you went and rocked the boat. How could you?”

“Mom!” Cricket protested, reaching for Sterling’s hand, but he pulled away.

“She’s right,” he said. “I fucked it all up.” He hesitated, looking at his mother, her slim shoulders bowed and shaking as she wept. “I’m sorry, Mom.”

Alice didn’t answer, and after a moment, Sterling nodded and left.

In his Lamborghini, he called Colby.

“Hey, man!” Colby’s voice was too loud, overly cheerful in that way he had when he knew his friends weren’t. “Been too long! How you holding up?”

“Can I sleep on your couch for a couple of weeks?” Sterling asked abruptly.

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