Novels by Maryann Brown

{Hailey’s pov} “Enough.” Agne’s husband stepped in. “We will sort this out.” “I’m afraid there’s nothing to be sorted.” Mr. Smith reentered the strife. “You will find the will is indefensible, with significant disincentives to any who might be tempted to challenge it.” I translated that to mean, roughly, shut up and sit down. “Now, if I may continue…” Mr. Smith looked back down at the will in his hands. “To my grandsons, Aaron Lachlan, Marcus Lachlan, Luca Lachlan, and Julian Lachlan I leave…” “Everything,” Agnes muttered bitterly. Mr. Smith spoke over her. “Two hundred thousand dollars, payable on their birthday, until such time to be managed by Clara Smith trustee.” “What?” Clara sounded shocked. “I mean… what?” “The hell,” Aaron told her pleasantly. “The phrase you’re looking for, darlin’, is what the hell?” George hadn’t left everything to his grandsons. Given the scope of his fortune, he’d left them a pittance. “What is going on here?” Julian asked, each word deadly an

{Hailey’s pov} “Enough.” Agne’s husband stepped in. “We will sort this out.”“I’m afraid there’s nothing to be sorted.” Mr. Smith reentered the strife.“You will find the will is indefensible, with significant disincentives to any who might be tempted to challenge it.” I translated that to mean, roughly, shut up and sit down.“Now, if I may continue…” Mr. Smith looked back down at the will in his hands. “To my grandsons, Aaron Lachlan, Marcus Lachlan, Luca Lachlan, and Julian Lachlan I leave…”“Everything,” Agnes muttered bitterly.Mr. Smith spoke over her. “Two hundred thousand dollars, payable on their birthday, until such time to be managed by Clara Smith trustee.”“What?” Clara sounded shocked. “I mean… what?”“The hell,” Aaron told her pleasantly. “The phrase you’re looking for, darlin’, is what the hell?”George hadn’t left everything to his grandsons. Given the scope of his fortune, he’d left them a pittance.“What is going on here?” Julian asked, each word deadly and precise.

{Hailey’s Pov}The Great Room was two-thirds the size of the foyer. An enormous stone fireplace stood at the front. There were gargoyles carved into the sides of the fireplace. Literal gargoyles.Kiara and I sat on the wingback chairs, three older gentlemen in suits stood, talking to Agnes and her husband.The lawyers, I realized. After another few minutes, Clara joined them, and I took stock of the other occupants of the room. A White couple, older, in their sixties at least. A Black man, forties, with a military bearing, who stood with his back to a wall and maintained a clear line of sight to both exits. Aaron with what was clearly another Lachlan brother by his side. This one was in his midtwenties. He needed a haircut and had paired his suit with cowboy boots that, like the motorcycle outside, had seen better days.Luca, I thought, recalling the name that Clara had provided. “Are you all right, Hailey?” Kiara asked beside me. “I’m fine,” I told Kiara. But I wasn’t. Even after t

{Hailey Pov}“You will find out soon.” Clara gave me a knowing look. The foyer was bigger than some houses, easily a thousand square feet, like the person who had built it was afraid that the entryway might have to double as a place to host balls. Stone archways lined the foyer on either side, and the room stretched up two stories to an ornate ceiling, elaborately carved from wood. Even just looking up took my breath away.“You’ve arrived.” A voice drew my attention back down to earth. “And right on time. I trust there were no problems with your flight?”Harrison Leech was wearing a different suit now. This one was black, and so were his shirt and his tie.“You.” Clara greeted him with a steely-eyed look.“I take it I’m not forgiven for interfering?” Harrison asked.“You’re old enough,” Clara retorted. “Would it kill you to act like it?”“It might.” Harrison flashed his teeth in a smile. “And you’re welcome.” It took me a second to realize that by interfering, Harrison meant coming to

{Hailey Pov}I have never flown before. Looking down from ten thousand feet, I could imagine myself farther than Paris, the Maldives, and the United Kingdom. Places that used to live in my daydreams. Places I’d escape to, somedayBut now…Beside me, Kiara was in heaven, sipping on a complimentary cocktail. “Picture time,” she chirped.Across the aisle, a lady shot Kiara a disapproving look. I wasn’t sure whether the target of her disapproval was Kiara's wide curls, the mini dress she wore, or the unapologetic selfie she was attempting to take, or the volume with which she’d just said the phrase warm nuts.Adopting my haughtiest look, I leaned toward Kiara and raised my warm nuts high. Kiara giggled, laid her head on my shoulder, and snapped the pic.She turned the phone to show me. “I’ll send it to you when we land.” The smile on her face wavered, just for a second.“Don’t put it online, okay? Craig doesn’t know where you are, does he?” I bit back the urge to remind her that she was a

{Hailey Pov} The next day, I paid a price for sleeping in the truck. My whole body ached, and I had to shower after gym. I blink at the rising sun and think about lighting a cigarette. Then I remember I’m broke, pissed, and tired of using smoke to pretend I’m fine.The truck door creaks open.Kiara stands there in her messy bun, oversized shirt, and eyes that say she didn’t sleep either.“I made coffee,” she says.I did not answer.“You don’t gotta talk, just drink it.” She hands me the chipped mug, her fingers brushing mine.I sip. Too bitter, too hot, but it’s something.She leans against the door, arms crossed. “I’m sorry about Craig. I swear I didn’t know he’d show up last night.”“You let him back in.”She flinches, and I instantly hate how my voice sounds, sharp, accusing. But I don’t take it back.“I know he’s a dick,” she mutters. “But I love him. Stupid, huh?”“No. Just sad.”She nods. The silence stretches between us, tight and uncomfortable.“I didn’t mean for you to sleep