KNOTTED BY THE ALPHA STEBROTHER I HATE

"So, how does it feel?" Mr. Carter asked. He took a slow sip of his champagne.

I kept my expression neutral. "How does what feel, Arthur?"

"The new family dynamic." Carter gestured vaguely toward the center of the ballroom.

Harlan was standing there with Helene. They were posing for a photographer from a major financial magazine. The flashbulbs kept going off in rapid succession.

"It feels like a very strategic quarter," I said.

Ms. Reed laughed softly next to him. She tapped her manicured fingers against the rim of her glass.

"Come on, Levi. It's a wedding. You can drop the corporate script for one night."

I looked at her. Evelyn Reed managed one of the largest hedge funds in the country. She didn't care about romance any more than I did. She just wanted to see if I would slip up and reveal a vulnerability.

"I never use a script, Evelyn," I said. "I just prefer to focus on the reality of the situation."

"And the reality is?" Carter asked, leaning in closer.

"The reality is that Cross Industries just secured the Moreau social capital. Helene brings a whole new demographic of investors to the table. She sits on the boards of three major philanthropic foundations. It is a smart merger."

Carter raised an eyebrow. "A merger. Is that what we are calling it?"

"What else would you call it?"

"Most people call it a marriage," Reed pointed out.

"Most people don't run billion-dollar conglomerates," I replied smoothly. "A marriage implies a merging of hearts. This is a merging of assets. It is much more reliable."

Carter chuckled, shaking his head. "You are colder than your father, Levi. I'll give you that."

"I prefer the word focused."

"Well, whatever you call it, the board is happy," Carter said. "Stock is up four percent since the announcement."

"I'm aware," I said. "I drafted the quarterly projections."

"Speaking of projections..." Reed lowered her voice so the passing waiters couldn't hear. "When is Harlan actually stepping down?"

I didn't blink. "You would have to ask him."

"Don't give me that," she said. "We all know you run the strategy division. You've practically been acting CEO for a year."

"I am the Vice President of Strategy, Evelyn."

"For now," Carter muttered. "But Harlan is getting older. He can't hold the top seat forever."

"He certainly tries," I said.

They both chuckled at that. It was the safe, expected response.

Underneath my tailored suit, my muscles were pulled tight. I had spent my life preparing for the CEO seat. I sacrificed my youth, my free time, and any semblance of a personal life to make sure I was the only logical choice to succeed him.

I wasn't going to let a messy public wedding ruin the optics now.

"Just make sure the transition is smooth when it happens," Reed warned. "The market hates instability. We don't want any sudden surprises."

"There are no surprises at Cross Industries," I said. "I don't allow them."

My assistant, Greer, stepped up to my side. She held a sleek tablet against her chest. She was wearing a sharp black suit that blended in perfectly with the shadows of the room.

"Excuse me," she said to the investors. She didn't sound apologetic at all.

"What is it?" I asked.

"The European accounts just closed," she murmured, stepping close enough so only I could hear. "We locked the shipping routes for the next fiscal year."

"Good. Are the margins where I wanted them?"

"Exactly where you wanted them. Two percent above projections."

"Send the confirmation to the board," I instructed.

"Already done." She glanced toward the center of the room. "Your father is heading this way."

I followed her gaze. Harlan was walking toward us, his hand resting lightly on Helene's lower back.

"Thank you, Greer. Handle the press by the buffet. Make sure they only get the approved angles."

"On it," she said, turning and walking away without missing a beat.

Carter cleared his throat as Harlan approached. "Looks like the happy couple is making the rounds."

"Behave," Reed whispered to him.

Harlan stopped in front of our circle. He looked immaculate in his tuxedo. His presence demanded immediate attention, and he knew it.

"Arthur. Evelyn," Harlan said. He didn't offer to shake their hands.

"Congratulations, Harlan," Carter said quickly. "It is a beautiful reception."

"It gets the job done," Harlan replied. He didn't even look at his new wife when he said it.

Helene simply smiled. It was a practiced, flawless expression. She wore a stunning white gown, but her eyes were sharp and calculating. She wasn't a fool. She knew exactly what she had married into.

"Levi," Harlan said, finally turning his attention to me.

"Father."

"Are you keeping our guests entertained?"

"We were just discussing the European shipping routes," I said.

Harlan waved a hand dismissively. "Leave the business for Monday. Tonight is about family."

The word sounded strange coming out of his mouth.

"Of course," I said.

Helene reached out and touched my arm. Her fingers were cold against my sleeve.

"You look very handsome tonight, Levi," she said softly.

"Thank you, Helene. You look lovely."

I hated the pleasantries. I just wanted to go back to my office and review the budget reports.

"We are just waiting on one more arrival," Harlan said.

I frowned slightly. "The guest list is fully checked in. I verified it with security an hour ago."

"Not everyone," Harlan corrected. He took a sip of his drink. "Helene's son is joining us."

The air in our small circle seemed to chill.

I looked at Helene. "I was told your son lived out of the country."

"He did," she said smoothly. "But he decided to move back. For the wedding."

"And for his new position," Harlan added.

My grip tightened on my glass. I kept my face blank, but my heart skipped a beat.

"New position?" I asked.

Harlan smiled. It was a cold, cruel expression. He loved catching me off guard.

"Dante is joining the company. I expect you to make him feel welcome."

"In what capacity is he joining?" I asked. My voice was dangerously calm.

"We can discuss the details on Monday," Harlan said.

"If he is joining my division, I need to know now."

Harlan stepped a fraction of an inch closer. "He isn't joining your division. He will be reporting directly to me. Just like you."

Carter and Reed shifted uncomfortably. They knew they were intruding on a private war. The tension between Harlan and me was legendary in the financial district. We never yelled in public, but the quiet conversations were always lethal.

"Well," Reed said, her voice a little too bright. "We should go grab another drink. Carter's glass is empty. Congratulations again, Harlan."

"Enjoy the evening," Harlan said without looking at them.

They walked away quickly, disappearing into the crowd of tuxedos and evening gowns.

I didn't watch them leave. I stared at my father.

"You hired someone without consulting the executive committee," I said.

"I am the CEO. I don't need to consult a committee to hire my own stepson."

"You don't even know him," I argued quietly. "You have no idea what his qualifications are."

"He has the Moreau name," Harlan said. "That is all the qualification he needs right now."

Helene kept her perfect smile in place. "Dante is very capable, Levi. I'm sure the two of you will get along wonderfully."

I highly doubted that.

"When is he arriving?" I asked.

Harlan checked his watch. "He should have been here an hour ago. But you know how young men are. He likes to make an entrance."

I set my glass down on a passing waiter's tray. "I'll go check with security at the front gates."

"Don't cause a scene," Harlan warned.

"I never cause a scene," I said.

I walked away from them. The ballroom was massive. High ceilings, crystal chandeliers, and hundreds of the wealthiest people in the city filling the space.

A string quartet was playing in the corner. The music was soft and elegant. Waiters moved through the crowd carrying trays of expensive food. Everyone was speaking in low, polite voices.

It was a carefully curated environment. I had spent weeks working with the event planners to make sure everything was flawless. This reception wasn't just a party. It was a statement to the market. It was supposed to show that Cross Industries was stable, united, and ready for the future.

Now, my father was throwing a random variable into the mix. A new son. A new executive.

I walked toward the edge of the room, pulling my phone from my pocket. I needed to call Greer. I needed her to run a full background check on Dante Moreau before Monday morning. I wanted his financial records, his employment history, and every mistake he had ever made.

If he thought he was going to walk into my company and take a piece of my empire, he was out of his mind.

I typed out a quick message to Greer.

Just as I hit send, the sound hit the room.

It started as a low rumble. Then it escalated into a deafening, obnoxious roar.

It was the sound of a high-performance engine. And it was right outside the front doors.

The string quartet faltered. The cellist actually stopped playing, looking toward the massive glass windows at the front of the ballroom. The polite conversations died instantly.

Guests turned around, murmuring in confusion and shock.

"What the hell is that?" someone muttered nearby.

The engine revved again. It was loud enough to vibrate the glass. It sounded like violence. It sounded like a deliberate insult to everything this night represented.

My phone buzzed in my hand. It was security.

I didn't answer it. I didn't need to. I knew exactly who was outside.

My chest tightened. A hot, sharp spike of pure irritation flared in my gut. This was my event. This was my territory.

I looked across the room and saw Harlan. He wasn't doing anything. He was just standing there, watching the doors with a look of mild amusement.

He wanted this. He wanted the disruption.

I shoved my phone back into my pocket.

I didn't run. Running showed panic. I simply adjusted the cuffs of my suit jacket and walked toward the grand foyer.

The crowd parted for me automatically. They could see the look on my face.

"Levi," a board member tried to say as I passed.

I ignored him.

I walked out of the main ballroom and stepped onto the polished marble of the grand foyer. The noise was even louder out here. The engine idled outside, a deep, menacing growl that echoed through the stone archways.

I could see the dark shape of the car through the frosted glass of the front doors. It was parked directly in the center of the valet lane, blocking everyone else.

I didn't care about his name. I didn't care who his mother was. No one disrespected my family's company like this.

I crossed the remaining distance to the entrance, my jaw locked tight. I reached out and gripped the cold brass handles.

I threw the doors open to confront the threat.