The Million-Dollar Heart by Rebecca Ryan

Leopold, the leader of the first squad, knew the unwritten leadership rules all too well. So, it stood to reason that Percival, the head honcho of the entire task force, would be even more clued in.

But now, even Leopold’s moves were being curtailed, never mind the liberty of the whole special squad.

Percival set aside the application form he had been holding, tapping his polished fingertip on the signature line. “Why don’t you take this up with the boss yourself?”

The rage on Leopold’s face fizzled out in an instant.

Would he dare?

For someone even Percival called “boss,” he was just a small fry; there was no way he would throw himself into the shark’s jaws.

Leopold slumped into his chair, rubbing his temples in frustration.

After a few seconds of silence, he asked, “Boss didn’t even ask you before signing off on this? Why didn’t you go to him first?”

Percival took a sip of his sweet fruit juice and said, “He said since Fiona’s my flesh and blood, having me sign could give someone leverage over me. If anything went sideways, there would be no one to cover for me, so he just went ahead without telling me.”

Leopold’s jaw worked silently, failing to snap shut.

Every word Micah said was for Percival’s sake. How could anyone argue with that?

Unable to sit still any longer, Leopold cursed under his breath, stood up, and stormed out. He slammed the door behind him, not caring if he would end up getting a beating.

This was just too damn suffocating.

Percival neatly filed the application form away and glanced up at Vivienne, his eyes usually icy, now melting with a certain warmth. “Vivienne, shall we go have a look?”

Vivienne rose, taking the fruit juice from Percival’s hand, and sipped the rest through the straw. “Yeah, let’s check it out.”

…

Ellington

from her cries,

poor baby,” she sobbed, “Dad, you’ve seen it. Fiona was fine when she went in, and now she’s in the ICU. Can you imagine her suffering? It’s all Vivienne’s fault. If

the blame

I’m just an Ellington by marriage; you can ignore me, but my children are Ellingtons by blood. If you don’t

Henry, knowing she was not the type to settle down. But she

would have sacrificed half the Ellington fortune to keep such a woman out if he

bed, her complexion ashen. “Mom, please leave us. I

theatrics. She left, allowing Fiona to make her own appeal — it was always

more she made a scene, the more reasonable Fiona appeared. That was the real

you don’t stand up for yourself like before, I’ll disown

distress. She turned to Richard. “Grandpa, this mess is my fault. It has

more of a back seat since the Ellington

had his own fish to fry and

financial fraud; it was bound to be part of

doing things, and Fiona would not

Richard said, his voice softening. “Now that you’re out, live your life well. I won’t let you down.

to stay with the Ellington family. Once I’m better, let Mom, Jeffrey, and me leave Rivenwood. As for Dad… Grandpa, can you

did he have the heart to outright refuse. He could not forgive his

his first granddaughter, and before Isolde was born,

her, the only girl amidst a

had always been self-reliant, never troubling the family, and had a knack for

butted heads with Percival, she focused on

welcomed her back to the company without

What a pity…

your recovery. Stay here. In a little while, your uncle will return, and you’ll have to meet him. He’s always been

seemed to lift, and a genuine smile spread across

youngest son, was the cool

than his nieces and nephews, Flynn had been the ringleader of their childhood shenanigans,