Eighteen: Piper Powell
1161 Words
Eighteen
Piper Powell
Ransom made me go to my first Board of Directors meeting. It was all to save face, of course. Because he didn’t want me looking into the EVOS, I was only going to pretend to be the Vice President of the company. I would show up to announce my position and tell them I was going to work mostly with the family charity. Every once and a while, I’d show up to a ribbon cutting ceremony. That would be enough to meet the requirements of the will. Ransom had asked the family lawyer, stating he didn’t want me involved in anything dangerous.
I would smile. I would put on a brave face and act like I was doing what he wanted. But the minute I left; Oliver was going to be waiting for me. To Ransom, it would look like he was taking me to brunch. In reality, we were going back to the storage shed to investigate. I had to find out the truth about my mother. I needed to find Tayen. And if my parents had been responsible for the EVOS, I needed to find them to make that right too.
I had only just finished getting dressed when there was a knock on my door. Ransom stood there, holding a dress bag with the words GUCCI written across from it. “Ransom, you’re not dressing me.”
He laughed. “Yes, I am.”
“I’m wearing slacks and a blouse.”
“You are wearing Ann Taylor slacks and a blouse. There’s one woman on the board of directors. It’s Jamie Redford. She once wore six, different outfits to a charity event along with a necklace that Richard Burton gave to Elizabeth Taylor as an engagement present.”
“The one from the Bullock Oceans 8?”
He squinted. “I don’t know what that means.”
“Never mind. Won’t it be more appealing if I’m myself?”
“No. The board remembers you as the little girl who lost her parents. Richard Tanagers adopted daughter. The little orphan. They won’t take you seriously if you show up like that. Why do you think I got you the Tesla? I needed you to look like you belong in this world.”
“Funny, since you so often remind me that I don’t belong in it.”
“Well, if I want to keep my company, you are going to be my Pepper Potts.”
“Pepper Potts ended up being CEO.”
“Right, well, it’s only in concept so it doesn’t matter. Does it?” he smirked. “Put the damn outfit on. I’ll meet you downstairs when you’re done. Maybe put on makeup.”
“Ransom, in this world I’ve learned one thing. There’s always a plan b. It’s called murder. If you ever suggest that I put on makeup, or smile, or something else I’ll do one worse.”
“What’s worse than murder?” he asked, frowning.
“I will take a knife, chop off your d**k in your sleep, cook it, and feed it to a stray dog. You will live the rest of your life dickless. Unable to take the pleasure you so crave. You will live the rest of your life remembering that a woman chopped off your favorite appendage. Do you understand?”
He stared at me. His blue eyes had gone grey again. I watched as his eyes trailed up and down my form. “You’re exhibiting some new kind of Targaryen power. Where’s this coming from?”
I smiled. “I spent several years having to deal with a psychopathic family member. It builds resilience.”
A quiet chuckle escaped him. He handed me the dress bag. “Fine. I won’t tell you what to do with your face ever again. But, at least wear the suit. Consider it a power play.” Reluctantly, I took it from him. Then watched as he left and closed the door behind him. When he was gone, I unzipped the dress bag.
Inside, there was a black woman’s suit complete with a white blouse. Very Ocean’s 8 indeed. I got dressed, brushed my hair, but I did not put on makeup. More out of principle than anything. When I was done, I grabbed my purse, phone and keys then went downstairs to meet Ransom.
Once more, his eyes trailed up and down my form. “You clean up nice, Pip.”
“I would extend the same compliment to you, but that would be lying, since we both know you don’t have a nice bone in your body.” He opened his mouth, as if to argue, but whatever words he had for me never came. I knew why. He needed me. If he was going to keep his father’s company, I had to go along with the will. If I didn’t, he’d lose the empire that he was supposed to run. He had no choice but to play nice.
“Let’s not fight,” he said, “all we need to do is get through this morning. Introduce you to the board of directors, and then you can go on your merry way.”
“Good,” I said with a smile, “because I’ve got a date with Oliver after this.”
“A date?” he said, tilting his head to the side.
“Yes, a date,” I said, “we’re going to brunch together.”
“How quaint,” he said, “well, let’s hurry then. We wouldn’t want you to be late for brunch.” There was resentment in his voice. I could have goaded him more. But I didn’t want to. I wanted to get the meeting done, so that I could find my mother. And stop her from destroying anymore people.
We exited the mansion. Ransom insisted we take his car, and I sat in the driver’s seat.
“You know,” he said, “whatever you might think, Piper, it’s never been that I never wanted you to be part of my world.”
“No?” I said stiffly.
“No,” he said, “it’s that you’re the sun. You shine over everything, burning brightly, until there’s nothing left but you.”
I bit my lip and stared at him. “Well, that’s the thing about the sun, Ransom. It can also set too.”
We drove in silence after that.
- Writer
