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. If you knew what I was up against, you wouldn t ask me that, Alfred replied in a morosevoice.Now, Sean knew he d been played.Maybe not a lot, because at the core of it all, he knewinstinctively that Alfred had spoken the truth, but Sean also could tell when he d beenmanipulated.After all, he was a master of manipulation himself.Took one to know one. So you re telling me that both Diandra and I were the victims of your& gift? Sean put hisfriend on the spot.119 Alfred shifted uncomfortably on the sauna s seat. Not victims, Sean.Recipients of apower that managed to keep you from fucking up your life.If it weren t for me, do you thinkeither you or your sister would have ended up mated? Both of you were so stubborn andarrogant, refusing to see the truth, not wanting to be seen as weak. Alfred made a rude sound and his gaze locked with Sean s. If I hadn t butted in and usedmy gift to help you, both you and Diandra would be single today and unhappier than youcould ever imagine, he said solemnly.Sean bit back his own sigh.He couldn t imagine.His life would be awful if he didn t havehis mate and wife, Careen.Yet, getting to the place where he d accepted that he had a mate, awoman he loved beyond everything else in his life, had been a particularly rough road.Thesame had held true for his sister Diandra.Her path to love and marriage had been every bit asrocky.Now, Alfred made it seem like neither he nor Diandra would have managed to matewithout a nudge from Alfred s power. Please tell me that you didn t pick our mates, he growled, feeling unnerved byeverything Alfred had told him. Of course not.Those are nature chosen.But it s my job to ensure that those who areresistant become& more amenable to having a mate. Alfred smiled, something Sean knew herarely did. I smooth the path in any way I can without disrupting the natural flow of amating. Sean s brain raced as he absorbed Alfred s words. And now you re telling me that Holdenis in trouble? Alfred nodded solemnly. A lot more trouble than you and Diandra put together.I needyour help, Sean, or your brother will be unhappy until the day he passes to the Afterlife. Fuck. Alfred had him.Sean loved his younger siblings fiercely.He would fight anythingthat threatened their lives and happiness. So you re in. Alfred looked at him expectantly, triumph already shining in his eyes.This time Sean did sigh. Yeah.I m in. He shook hands with Alfred and realized that he d sealed a pact of duplicity andmanipulation as he did so.Luckily, being Machiavellian was second nature to Sean, and he betAlfred knew that fact quite well.120 Chapter OneThe first to arrive, Holden slipped into his seat and opened his leather covered notepadwith irritation.He disliked rah rah meetings.Despite all the team building pep talks, thingsalways went back to the way they had always been& with his oldest brother Sean wielding hisiron fist and micro-managing while he and his other brother Declan struggled not to let Seanoverwhelm them.In Holden s opinion, corporate life had been worse while Declan had been gone.DuringDeclan s tenure at a European conglomerate, Sean had refused to replace him.Instead,Holden s oldest brother had taken on acquisitions himself in his brother s absence.Sean hadgone crazy buying up whatever he could.Declan had a lot more finesse and savvy when itcame to choosing the funeral homes and cemeteries that offered the best value.The companyneeded Declan s firm hand and cool head when it came to acquiring new businesses andHolden had been relieved when his brother returned to Antaeus International.Declan s return to the company heralded the end of their sister Eden s term ofemployment in the corporate world.Her contributions to the company were myriad, but all ofthem had been tainted by her unhappiness in that environment and Sean s determination tokeep her there.It had all come to a head not long after Declan s return.Eden had ditched hermarketing job at Antaeus International, packed up her cameras, and headed to New York City.Within a few months, she d become the fashion industry s new hot photographer, making hername shooting nearly naked men in designer underwear.Sean s fury knew no bounds over herdefection and both Holden and Declan had borne the brunt of it
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