Page 119 of Misdeeds of a Billionaire

“Agreed,” Alessio declared. “With your experience training with the World Health Organization and the UN, hospitals will fight over you.”

I gave them a tight smile. None of the opportunities excited me. I had dreamt about working in my father’s hospital since I was a little girl. Even before we moved to France.

“We could use her UN work to our benefit,” the senator chimed in. My head snapped his way, my eyes clashing into him. “My reelection campaign is about to start.” Was this guy for real? Anger bounced through the room, playing ping-pong between Senator Asshole and me. “After all, she has no other political connections.”

I shot to my feet, anger flaring through every cell in my body. My eyes found my son who was now staring at me, wide-eyed.

“Are you for fucking real?” I hissed, my hands slamming against the long table and sending all the silverware rattling. Ineverlost my temper. It could mean life or death when it came to my profession. But the nerve of this guy was incomparable. Noting my son’s startled expression, I inhaled a calming breath, then forced a smile on. “Baby, can you go and play with your trains? Mommy will bring your dinner upstairs.”

Ares’s eyes darted around before landing on Kostya and Kol. He didn’t want to leave his new friends.

“Kostya, buddy, go with your new friend and Kol,” Alexei instructed, and I offered a grateful smile.

The moment they disappeared from view and the sounds of their little feet faded, I turned my wrath back onto my new father-in-law.

“Spare me your self-righteous crap, Dr. Swan,” he spluttered. “Everyone’s for sale.”

My cheeks burned, fury flaming through my veins. The worst part was that I couldn’t dispute it, because I’d sold myself to Byron. To save my son, my sister, and myself. Had Byron shared that detail with his father?

“Men like you should never be allowed into positions of power,” I hissed. My ears buzzed with anger that simmered through my veins. “You will not, under any circumstance, use my name or anything about me for your fucking campaign.”

“All the members of Ashford—”

Everyone watched in shock as I cut him off.

“Use my name, or my son’s, and I’m warning you, I’ll be sure the world knows exactly where I stand with you.” My body was roiling with the anger I felt trickling down my spine.

Senator Ashford didn’t seem concerned. He leaned back and tipped his glass up, draining it in one mouthful. “And where’s that?”

“That I’d never vote for you, for one. If your reelection hung by a single vote—mine—you’d lose. Nobody needs your fucking corruption.”

He laughed. Fucking laughed. “Good thing you’re not an American, then. Your vote doesn’t count.”

“It seems you didn’t do your homework the first time you threatened me.” Rage was a powerful adrenaline rush but also the best way to slip up. “Both my sister and I were born in the States, Senator Asshole.” Royce started clapping his hands, but I was too mad to think anything of it.

“Baby, don’t upset yourself. I’ll handle this,” Byron said, and it had the exact opposite effect. It made me see red.

“Upset?” I growled. “Are you serious? I am way past the point of being upset. This man is fucking nuts and destructive.”

Senator Ashford sneered. “Thisis why you’re inadequate, just like you were then.Thisis why certain people don’t belong in our family.”

For a fraction of a section, his eyes darted to Alexei and there wasn’t an ounce of doubt in my mind that Senator Ashford didn’t approve of him either. Not that it looked like Alexei gave two shits about it. I had a feeling the man could snap his father-in-law’s neck and not lose any sleep over it. Good for him!

I scoffed, even though this conversation was starting to veer toward dangerous territory. “Nobody sane would want to be part of your fucked-up family.”

And with that, I left the room and all the Ashfords behind me.

Chapter48

Byron

My wife disappeared and the tension ticked as I ran through all that had been said.

It was clear from her reaction that my father had done something. Something terrible.

My grip on my glass tightened, and I was surprised it didn’t shatter. I had to take a second to swallow down the burning rage so I wouldn’t lunge across the table and wring my father’s neck. Could that fucker leave any of us alone to live our lives without constantly meddling?

My eyes traveled around the table, but my next words were aimed only at my father.