The Porsche tires shrieked against the pavement as Audrey slammed on the brakes. The car jerked to a halt in the wide, circular driveway of the Horton family estate in Long Island.
Jalynn threw the passenger door open before the car even fully stopped. Her feet hit the gravel. In one fluid, practiced motion, she gathered her wild hair and twisted it back into a low, neat bun.
She ripped the black leather jacket off her shoulders and tossed it onto the passenger seat. She smoothed down the front of the conservative cream tweed suit. The fabric scratched her skin, but she ignored it.
Audrey watched her from the driver's seat. She shook her head. To go from a raging force of nature back to a delicate flower in less than three seconds was terrifying.
Jalynn walked fast across the manicured lawn. Her low heels dug into the grass. Before she even reached the heavy front doors, the sound of shouting hit her ears. The noise was coming from the study on the first floor.
She pushed the front doors open. They swung wide on silent hinges. She walked straight down the hallway toward the open door of the study.
Jalynn stopped in the doorway. Her eyes swept the room, taking in the physical positions of everyone inside.
Her father, Silas, was slumped back in his heavy leather desk chair. His face was the color of ash. His right hand was clutching his chest, right over his heart. His breathing was shallow and ragged.
Her uncle, Gideon, was leaning over the massive mahogany desk. Both of his hands were planted flat on the wood. He was shouting, pointing a thick finger at a stack of papers sitting right in front of Silas.
Bianca, Gideon's daughter, stood near the bookshelf. She was wearing a ridiculous haute couture dress, her arms crossed over her chest. A nasty, mocking smirk twisted her face.
And standing right next to Bianca was Chuck Larsen. Jalynn's ex-boyfriend. The man who had stolen Horton's trade secrets and handed them to Gideon.
The sight of Chuck's smug, arrogant face made Jalynn's blood physically heat up. A muscle in her jaw ticked. She forced her facial muscles to relax into a blank, unreadable mask.
Jalynn lifted her foot and brought her heel down hard against the hardwood floor. The sharp crack echoed through the room like a gunshot.
Everyone froze. Four heads snapped toward the doorway.
Bianca looked Jalynn up and down. She sneered at the plain tweed suit. "Look who decided to show up. Did you just come from volunteering at a soup kitchen, Jalynn?"
Jalynn didn't even blink at her. Her eyes were locked on Gideon. The air around her felt freezing cold. She walked straight past Bianca, her shoulder brushing past the girl without a second thought.
Gideon stood up straight and scowled. "Step outside, Jalynn. The adults are discussing the survival of this company. This is no place for you."
Jalynn ignored him completely. She walked right up to the desk. She reached out and grabbed the thick stack of papers-the Equity Transfer Agreement.
She lifted the document. Her eyes scanned the top page. The clauses were predatory. They were designed to strip her father of everything. A short, sharp laugh escaped her lips. The sound was dripping with pure disgust.
Jalynn gripped the top of the thick stack with both hands. Her knuckles turned white. She flexed her wrists and pulled her hands in opposite directions.
The thick paper fought back for a second, and then it gave way. A loud, violent tearing sound ripped through the quiet room. She tore the entire stack of documents straight down the middle.
Gideon's eyes bulged out of his head. The veins in his neck popped. "Are you insane?!" he roared. "That was the only money keeping this company out of bankruptcy court!"
Chuck stepped forward, his face red with fake outrage. "Don't be stupid, Jalynn. Horton's cash flow will be completely dead by tomorrow morning."
Jalynn raised her hands. She threw the torn halves of the contract directly at Gideon's chest. The heavy papers hit him and fluttered to the floor like dead leaves.
"Horton Enterprises is not running out of money," Jalynn said. Her voice was calm, steady, and loud. "Our cash flow is going to be stronger than it has ever been."
Bianca let out a loud, shrill laugh. "Are you hallucinating? Where are you going to find tens of millions of dollars in liquid cash today?"
Jalynn didn't look at her. She calmly unclasped her vintage purse. She reached inside and pulled out a single, neatly folded sheet of paper.
She unfolded it and slammed it face-up onto the mahogany desk. The heavy seal of the New York City Hall caught the light.
Gideon frowned. He leaned over and snatched the paper off the desk. His eyes scanned the text. When his gaze hit the line for the spouse's name, his breath hitched. A loud gasp ripped from his throat.
Chuck and Bianca crowded behind him to look. Chuck's face instantly drained of all color. He looked like he had just been punched in the stomach.
Jalynn tilted her chin up. A cold, razor-sharp smile touched her lips.
"I am legally Mrs. Deryl Atkins," Jalynn said. The words hit the room like a bomb.
She pointed a finger straight at the door. "Now take your people and get out of my house, Gideon. Unless you want the Atkins family legal team to explain the concept of trespassing to you."
Gideon started sweating. Thick drops formed on his forehead. He knew the terrifying power of the Atkins conglomerate. He dropped the paper back onto the desk. He ground his teeth together so hard the sound was audible.
Without a word, Gideon spun around and marched out of the room. Chuck and Bianca practically ran after him, their footsteps frantic and panicked.
The front door slammed shut in the distance.
