The Proposition 5: The Ferro Family Read Online Free Page B

Hallie.”
    Bryan straightens and glares at her, “Don’t you dare.”
    Constance smiles and it looks perfectly malicious. “I would never try to take you away from her. I owe you something for my error all those years ago. She can stay.”
    “Write it.”
    “What?” Constance blinks, looking stunned.
    “Write it down and sign it. I want the notary here as well. After that’s done, you can tell whoever you want.”
    “Just let the doctors look you over. Then this silly need for signatures and a notary aren’t needed.”
    Bryan lifts a brow at her. “Do it. There’s something else you’ll want to know and I’m not saying a damn thing until the notary is here.”
    Constance seems annoyed and then her gaze flicks to mine. “I keep my promises.”
    “I wouldn’t know.” I reply coldly.
    Bryan looks at Sean who stands behind his mother. He’s pieced everything together, I can see it on his face. Sean interrupts. “I’ll do it. Who else do you want here?”
    “Jon and Jos.”
    Sean nods once. “Done.” He leaves the room quickly, and although he didn’t react, I know the realization that his cousin will soon be gone struck him hard. It’s the way his shoulders stiffened and his jaw locked. The movements were minor, but I saw them all the same.

Chapter 7
    “You can’t be serious?” Jos blinks and folds her slender arms over her chest. “You can’t do this. We’ll contest it. You know we will.”
    Jon glances at Sean, but says nothing. Bryan is sitting up in bed and I’m next to him wearing a pair of his sweats.
    His arm is around me, possessively, protectively. “I know, which is why I had this drawn up. Sign it.” Bryan has been holding an envelope. He lifts it, handing it to Jon. His cousin opens the letter and picks up a pen, scratching his name across the bottom before passing it to his mother.
    Constance’s eyes flick over the letter and she shakes her head. “No, this is not how these things work. You can’t hand over your part of the estate to a stranger. Even if you married her, and you died, she still wouldn’t be given this amount of money. You’ve lost your senses, Bryan. I cannot sign this. I cannot promise you that I won’t contest this decision.”
    Jon speaks firmly. “She’s not a stranger and she would have been his wife if we hadn’t meddled.”
    His mother gives him a look that could kill a bear. “No, I’m not signing this. You’ve been ill for some time and your mental facilities have been compromised. No judge in his right mind would allow this will to stand. This is Ferro money, not hers.”
    Sean has been standing next to Joselyn. He’s leaning against the wall, silent. Bryan’s sister keeps switching between denial and rapid blinking, as if she’s trying not to cry. “He’s not that sick. I’ve seen him every day. He’s been laughing!” As if that explained everything. She covers her mouth with her hand and rushes out of the room.
    Bryan sighs loudly and nods at Sean. “Go get her.”
    Sean rushes after Jos, closing the door behind him.
    I had no idea what Bryan wanted, but now that I’m looking at it, I’m afraid to speak. He wants me to be his heir. Some of his things are part of the Ferro estate and this amount of money is more than I got for book sale and movie rights combined. I want to tell him I can’t take this, but he sees it in my eyes. Bryan strokes my cheek and says softly, “I want to take care of you, even after I’m gone. Hallie, let me. Please.”
    “I love you, and you don’t have to prove a thing to me. Besides, I have enough money, even with Neil buying the house and spending most of my advance.” Ooops. I hadn’t told him that part, yet.
    Bryan looks furious. He’s ready to jump out of bed. “That fucking son of a—”
    Pulling his arm, I plead with him. “Stop! Bryan, you can’t fix everything and I don’t want you to. Time with you is so much more precious than trying to get that money back. Plus I have a huge ass