“Welcome home,” I muttered, the familiar ache returning to my chest. It was one I knew I would carry for the rest of my life along with the hollow sensation that reminded me I had left half of myself in Jacksonville.
I took a few more minutes to soak in the memories, realizing too many terrible events shadowed them to remain there any longer. Returning to the car, I glanced at the missed calls from Tori, too weak to listen to her messages or read her texts yet. Ittook me until I had settled into my new home to finally build the courage. Hearing her confusion turn to anguish then anger and back to anguish before the messages stopped drove me to pour a glass of scotch. I’d never been a hard-liquor man, but something told me this wouldn’t be my last glass. Especially if it dulled the horrendous ache that left me feeling as if someone had cleaved my chest in two.
I fidgeted with the collar of my dress suit, straightening my jacket as I stepped from the elevator and through the doors. Sleep had been futile, and my eyes felt like cement blocks.
“Welcome home,” Paula, my father’s secretary, greeted me. “He’s waiting for you.”
I gave her a nod, the only functional response I could provide. Deep breath, emotions fortified behind a wall that was anything but supportive, I walked down the hall to my father’s office. Hesitating for mere moments, I opened the door to his office and entered. The windows behind him offered a magnificent view of the city, the wide office attempting to make my father look small behind his desk. It hadn’t worked. Nothing could make my father small. His presence dominated every space he was in.
“William.” A terse greeting from a man who hadn’t seen his son in years. He’d made an effort to attend my college graduation but hadn’t bothered when I’d gotten my master’s. Liv was the only one who had attended. Otherwise, it was only my brief and distant trips home that had left our paths crossing. “Nice to see you made the right choice.”
“Choice?” I stalked over to his desk, my hands landing on it as I stared him down. “You gave me no choice.”
“I gave you another chance, and in return for your obedience I left your plaything alone.” He snapped his paper and folded it, still not looking at me. “If you remain loyal to your family and this company, I’ll continue to leave her and her family alone.”
“Plaything? Is that what you think she was?” His eyes lifted to me. Cold, heartless brown eyes. Emotionless like they’d always been. “Do you even know what love is? What it’s like?”
His jaw ticked. The only noticeable change in his blank expression.
“Yeah, I didn’t think so, or you would have never asked me to leave her.”
He stood and slammed his fist on the desk, his calm cracking. “You knew the rules, the expectations. This is not a blame I shoulder. It’s all yours. You led that girl on, knowing you were breaking the rules I established long before she walked into the picture. Don’t let your guilty conscience slander me.”
“Wouldn’t think of it, Father. Your lawyers might come after me, or you might disinherit my sister as punishment for my mistakes. Maybe torment an innocent family because you didn’t get your way?”
His eyes evaluated me before he sat back in his seat. “You need new suits. That one looks like it’s been in your closet for ten years. I won’t have the heir to my empire looking like a pauper. See that you dress appropriately tomorrow.”
My fists clenched, and I bit back my retort, thinking of Liv and Tori, both of whom would suffer if I walked out like I wanted.
“Report to Frank in the mailroom.”
“Mailroom?”
Dull brown eyes flicked to me like I was nothing more than a pest he wanted out of his sight. “Did you think I’d offer you the CFO position as soon as you walked in here?”
I had, and of course that hadn’t been his plan.
“You’ll earn your dues like your sister did. You still owe me the time you were supposed to be working at the Jacksonville firm but instead passed your time between a woman’s legs.”
The air hissed as it dragged through my clenched teeth.
“No more fucking around, William. It’s time you accepted that you are my heir, and this company will be yours one day. Until that time, you will do as I expect, and that means making up for the year and five months you lost by leaving the position that would have given you the experience I expected from you.”
“God, you’re an asshole.”
“And you’ll be one, too, William. It’s the only way men like me succeed. Now get out of my office and get fitted for new suits on your lunch break.”
The paper snapped open again, his attention no longer on me. A clear dismissal. An order I would obey only because he had fueled my need to see our plan through again. To dismantle his empire piece by piece until he sat across from me at a conference table and realized I’d been behind it and was now the only one willing to bail him out of it. All while building my own empire and remembering every day why I despised him.
Chapter 15
Tori
Awide stretch had my fingers hitting the empty side of the bed. I looked over to see that Gabe was no longer there. Grogginess lingered as I reached for my phone, bumping into the empty wineglass. It had knocked me right out. I was a lightweight with wine, but it had been a nice topper to a wonderful night. Butterflies skittered through me when I thought of the way Gabe had made love to me. Like he was savoring every moment, memorizing my every curve and freckle.
Ten o’clock. Had I really slept that late? I never slept that late, and Gabe had a way of waking my body in the morning that made it impossible to go back to sleep, especially on my days off. I sat up, kicking my legs over the edge of the bed and wiggling my toes to wake them up.
After using the bathroom, I searched for Gabe’s T-shirt, not finding it on the floor where it should have been. Maybe he was washing it.
