A Flame Divine ♕

XL. I N T E L

m e r r i k

Merrik slammed the door to his BMW. He was not happy about their meeting place, but Stellan was right—it was neutral territory.

Stellan followed him through the gates of the cemetery, toward Uncle Hugo's grave. He would meet Frank there and negotiate a deal. Merrik would be sure he gave up the name of the man who killed his beloved uncle, and then he would get justice.

Stellan cleared his throat when they reached the still fresh grave. Frank was nowhere to be seen. "Merrik, what are we going to offer him?"

Merrik swallowed and looked at his brother seriously. "How would you feel about giving up the business? Both of us."

Stellan's jaw dropped. "You—we—I mean, this is your entire life, Merrik," he stammered.

Merrik breathed out slowly. "I'm beginning to see that there are more important things in life," he admitted, looking into his brother's eyes. Merrik had an epiphany last night, as he laid there surrounded by the people he loved.

"You know I have no qualms about ditching the business," Stellan said. "I've been sticking with it for you."

Merrik breathed a sigh of relief. "Well, that settles it then. I'm going to offer Frank the business. It's worth it to me to be able to get revenge on whoever the bastard is that took Hugo from this world."

Stellan nodded. "I'm with you, brother." He held out his hand to shake, but Merrik pulled him into a hug.

"Well, isn't this just precious?" a snide voice echoed through the quiet cemetery.

Merrik and Stellan turned and looked at Frank, and Merrik began to shake in anger. Stellan laid a hand on his shoulder and stepped in front of him. "Let me handle this," he murmured. Merrik raised an eyebrow and stepped back, allowing Stellan to have his moment.

"Frank. I never wanted to see your ugly mug again after seeing what you did to Carmen, but if it means I can get retribution for what you did to my family, I'll repress the need to kick your fucking ass."

Frank sneered. "Pretty boy, you fucking wish. You couldn't kick my ass even with your Neanderthal brother assisting."

Merrik couldn't help but laugh. "Really, Frank?" He motioned toward his broken nose. "You really think I didn't tell my brother that Carmen kicked the shit out of you?"

Frank's cheeks reddened. "Enough shit talking. What are you going to give me for the name?"

"You give me that name, and you'll have the business completely to yourself," Merrik proposed. "You wanted us out of the way? We'll give it to you. So long as you never bother any of us again."

Merrik watched Frank's eyes bug out of his skull. "You're fucking with me," he laughed. "That's it? You'd give it all up just for revenge?"

"You obviously don't know my brother," Stellan said.

Frank looked between them again. "How do I know I can trust you?"

Merrik crossed his arms over his chest, his biceps straining against his designer button-down. "How about the fact that you almost killed the love of my life and ruined her chance to have a child. I came to your apartment to put a bullet through your disgusting skull, but I didn't. I keep my word. Now give me the fucking name, you cretin."

Frank's face contorted and he curled his lip. "Fine. Here it is... you might want to hold onto your brother because this is gonna shock the fuck out of you." His smile turned smarmy. "It was Sean. Sean Flannery."

Merrik didn't even spare a goodbye. He turned and walked out of that cemetery, Stellan hot on his heels, leaving Frank and his revelation behind.

Sean. He should have known! The bastard was second in line to inherit the business after he and Stellan. He had also put up a fuss over Carmen at their dinner meeting weeks ago. He saw it all clearly now, even through the red curtain of his anger.

"What now?" Stellan asked. "You're just going to sign the business over to Frank?"

Merrik nodded. "But first, we're going to the bank."

Stellan opened the passenger side of Merrik's BMW and got in, and Merrik could feel his stare.

"What?" he asked as they sped away toward downtown, glancing at his younger brother.

"I—I don't know. I'm just so shocked that we're actually doing this," Stellan admitted.

Merrik sighed. "We're doing it. But not before we take what's ours."

Stellan's brow dipped and then a grin spread over his face. "We're draining the bank accounts."

Merrik smirked. "Fuckin' right we are. That money is ours. I didn't promise Frank back profits. I promised him the business. Let him build it back up."

Stellan shook his head and laughed. "You're brilliant, you know that, right?"

Merrik smirked. "I've been told." He glanced over at his brother. "But thank you. It means more coming from you."

°°°

"Are you sure you're okay with this?" Merrik asked Carmen as they packed up the rest of their belongings. "I feel bad for uprooting you so soon after you've settled in." He passed a hand through his hair, gripping the back of his neck.

Carmen straightened and dusted her hands. "Mer, this is the right thing to do. Too many people know where we live, and I will feel better knowing we'll be safe from people like Frank and Sean." She stepped toward him to pull his hand out of his hair. "I am more than okay with moving." She punctuated her words with a kiss to his knuckles.

Merrik signed a breath of relief. "All right. I just want to make sure you're happy."

She smiled and put her hand on his cheek. "As long as I'm with you, I'm going to be happy."

He leaned into her palm and turned his face slightly to kiss it. "I feel the same way." He picked up the last of the blankets from his linen closet and dropped them in a box. "How do you feel about us living with Stellan and Everly for a while? I don't know, I just... I feel the need to be near them right now."

Carmen smiled and brushed her hair out of her face. "I think it's a great idea. How are they getting out of their lease, though?"

Merrik frowned. "I'm pretty sure Stellan has to pay a big penalty to get out early, but with the withdrawal we made at the bank the other day... that won't be an issue."

She smiled at him. "I can't wait to see the house you picked out for us."

He couldn't wait for her to see it either. Situated just outside Chicago, it was thirty-six hundred square feet of brick HardiePlank that sat on three-fourths of an acre. With four bedrooms and four and a half bathrooms, they would have plenty of room to be together and also have privacy whenever they needed it.

Together, he and Carmen loaded the last boxes into the moving truck and he locked the door to his penthouse for the final time.

It was a place carved for work and solitude, where he spent countless hours alone or with the flavor of the week. But it was also a place he had found himself, and where he met Carmen for the first time, trembling in his living room. He was saying goodbye, not just to the roof that had sheltered him for the past few years, but to the business and the last vestiges of his old life.

He was more than happy with the direction his future was headed—with Carmen, Stellan, and Everly, surrounded by the ones he loved.