“Yes.” Danica was much too relaxed for what was going on. She leaned back in her chair with a humored smile on her face. “My wife should have some shares in the company. We heard that Petrov & Nabokov were struggling in the financial sense, so they seemed like a good place to start. They’ll be more than welcome to buy back some shares later when they’re more stable.”
During her daughter’s speech, Russell did not once look away from his daughter-in-law.He doesn’t think of me like that, though.He thinks I’m some Succubus damning his daughter.
“By the way, the baby’s doing great,” Danica continued. Alicia swallowed so hard she almost choked on her spit. “Alicia has another doctor’s appointment soon. With any luck, we’ll be able to get some photos to share with Grandpa.”
Alicia assumed that her wife was playing into Russell’s fantasies of grandchildren, regardless of who begat them. Anything to calm him down, right? Indeed, Russell’s countenance softened, although no one would call it happy. “If I may, daughter.” He pointed to Alicia. “I’d like to speak with her. Alone.”
Danica frowned. “I don’t think so. Anything you have to say to her, you can say to me.”
“When you’re in charge one day, you’ll understand why you need to speak to the members in your family like this. God forbid you have an insolent son who can’t keep it in his pants and knocks up the first woman he has feelings for.”
Alicia looked at her wife.Is she going to let her father talk to me like that?
Apparently. “You should go, Alicia. Take your bodyguard with you.”
“Please,” Russell spat. “What do you think I’m going to do to her? Tickle her to death?”
Perhaps. Alicia wouldn’t discount anything.
Warily, she stood up and followed Russell out of the office, her heart exploding in both fear and anxiety. Dee rose from her chair out in the main office, nodding to Alicia as she shadowed the woman and older gentleman to a conference room.This is the same one he last lectured me in.Back then, he had offered her money to get away from his daughter. Now he sat in there with her – alone. Both bodyguards stood outside the door. Even with the blinds open on one of the windows looking out into the office, Alicia still didn’t feel safe. She hoped Russell couldn’t sense her jittery nerves.
“Christ,” he muttered, lighting a cigarette. Heavy smoke blasted in Alicia’s direction. She coughed. “Look at you. Some skinny bitch my daughter probably dragged off the street. Where did she meet you again? That disgusting club of hers?” He pulled the cigarette out of his mouth. “Should have figured. That girl thinks with her gut more than her head. Do you know how many of her messes I’ve cleaned up over the years?” He scoffed before Alicia could answer. “Of course you don’t. She’s known you as long as she’s known her most recent bowel movement.”
If that was his clever way of calling her shit, well… it almost worked.
“You and I find ourselves in a dirty quagmire, my dear.” Russell took another drag of his cigarette. “I don’t want you here. I don’t want you touching our money, let alone our office chairs. I sure as hell don’t want you having children that aren’t even ofMoreau blood. You’re pretty, but that’s it. And an anomaly. Do I really need your brother’s disease getting into my family?”
Alicia’s mouth dropped open.
“I’d rather my daughter marry an Oriental princess than someone like you.”
How the hell was she supposed to respond to that? If Alicia were a stronger woman, someone better prepared for this kind of bullshit from the time she could remember, then perhaps she would have a few choice zingers for her father-in-law. As it was, nobody warned her that one day she would be married into a family that hated her – and all it took was the patriarch deciding she wasn’t good enough for the heir.I doubt the idea of my being pregnant is sitting well, either.“So do me a favor. If you really are pregnant, I’ll cut you one of two deals. You can either leave my daughter now – and I will ensure you and your illegitimate bastard are well taken care of for your cooperation – or you could have this child and leave. By leave, I mean leave my grandchild behind. Either way, you need to leave, with or without this child.”
Even if Alicia weren’t lying about being as pregnant as they claimed her to be, the idea of either leaving Danica to have her baby in secret or leaving her baby behind with this crazy family was absolutely revolting.
“You can’t get rid of me like you got rid of your own wife.” Alicia slapped her hand over her mouth. Shit! Had she really said that out loud?
Russell’s smile was nothing like his daughter’s. His smile was cunning, conniving, and all-around crafty. Was Alicia playing right into his hand?
“You’ve proven that, Ms. Colbert. Doesn’t mean I’m not going to try.”
She gulped. “Is that a threat?”
“It’s a promise, Ms. Colbert. Now get out of my sight.”
She didn’t stay around to hear more of his insults. What was the point? He hated her. That much had been made clear… and nobody was in the mood to defend poor Alicia Moreau. Well, except for maybe Dee, who instantly followed her charge across the office… and veered alongside Alicia to the ladies’ room instead of returning to Danica. I can’t look at her right now.Alicia needed distance to clear her mind.
If it could be cleared!
She burst into the ladies’ room without any regard for anyone else in there. Luckily, the stalls were empty and the sinks abandoned. Dee entered, closing the door behind her while still giving Alicia plenty of space.
“Need help, ma’am?”
Alicia clung to the nearest sink. Her chest tightened. Her eyes blurred. Fuck. Another panic attack. Could anyone blame her? Another threat was made on her life!
“What did that asshole do, Alicia?”
She lifted her head, one hand on her heart. “Dee,” she began, unable to look at her. “Unless I’m with my wife, I need you to stick by me. Do you understand? You’re the only person I trust.” Hadn’t she climbed through fiery debris to get to Alicia and drag her to safety? I have a hard time believing she’s in cahoots with my father-in-law.Nobody else could be trusted. Alicia didn’t even trust Abby and Ms. Sarah Clayborn right now. She would say she trusted her wife, but Danica was hilariously out of touch with what was going on in her own family.
