“You have to promise me you won’t hurt him,” she said. “You have to promise that you’ll leave him alone.”
I rolled my eyes at the words. “If I get what I asked for I’ll have no need to harm him.”
There was another silence down the line, only the faint sound of her breathing came to my ears before she spoke again. “Okay. Whatever you want.”
It wasn’t a lie when I told her that I always got what I wanted. One way or another I’d convince people to come around to my way of thinking. My family name came with a reputation and with Dad no longer here it fell to me to maintain the honor.
“I’ll come and get you now.”
“Now?” The word was a squeak of surprise.
“No time like the present,” I told her before hanging up. I didn’t need to hear her try to unsuccessfully barter her way out of this one.
After I finished signing off on the paperwork I’d been interrupted from, I called Dante to tell him I’d be busy for the rest of the afternoon before I slipped into my black Maserati to collect my payment. Pulling up outside the Griffin household, the car looked completely out of place next to the dilapidated building, proving they had nothing of interest to offer me.
Knocking on the door, I waited for an answer. There was no need for force when Mia had agreed so willingly.
“Ready?” I asked when she pulled it open.
Mia turned away from me without a response and walked back into the house. As I stepped over the threshold to follow her, she threw a look over her shoulder and said, “I didn’t invite you in.”
To say I was surprised at the bite in her tone would be an understatement. I wonder where this feisty attitude was when she came to see me earlier. Not that it would have changed the outcome.
“Sweetheart, you’re going to hurt my feelings if you keep talking to me like that,” I told her, slapping a hand over my heart in mock pain.
Hector was standing in the living room when we walked in, eyes red-rimmed, though whether it was from crying or drinking I couldn’t be sure. Mia walked straight over, hugging him tightly. She looked nothing like her father but the dark features she possesses must be inherited from her late mother.
“Mia, please,” Hector choked, clinging to her.
“I have to do this, Dad,” she said as she pulled back from the hug. “You kept me safe so let me return the favor.”
I cleared my throat, uncomfortable with the display. “As touching as this is, I have business to attend to.”
“You bastard,” Hector spat, pointing at me angrily. “You cold-hearted bastard.”
I’d been called worse in my lifetime, but I still didn’t take kindly to Hector taking a swipe at my character. Anger blossomed in my chest and my hands balled into fists at my side. He was the only one to blame for the mess he found himself in. How did the man who had stolen from me have the nerve and stupidity to call me names?
“Don’t you dare!” Mia said, pulling my attention to her. She stepped in front of her father with fire in her eyes. The meek woman who had stood in my office earlier today had disappeared and been replaced by one of steel.
“Get moving!” I ordered her, not willing to start a fight right now. This was meant to be a simple collection and instead, I was on the edge of playing stupid games with the both of them.
Mia turned away from me to speak to her father again. “I love you, Dad. I promise I’ll be okay. I promise I’ll be back.”
She kissed him on the cheek before picking up the small duffle bag.
“You don’t need to bring anything,” I told her, but her grip tightened on the bag. “Suit yourself.”
I led her from the house to the car, unlocking the doors. As I went to open the passenger side, Mia’s hand shot out and grabbed the handle first.
“I can manage it myself,” she told me coldly.
She slipped into the car gracefully and slammed the door with such force that I winced. It looked like we’d need to have a discussion about respecting property. Starting up the engine, I caught a glimpse of Hector in my mirror, holding onto the doorframe before I pulled away to head home
“You’d be better off without that waste of space,” I commented. My own father had his faults, but he made sure that we were never in any trouble we couldn’t handle.
Mia didn’t respond. She didn’t say a single word as I drove down the familiar roads that led us just out of town where I resided. Rounding the corner, I saw the gates to the property and as I stopped to allow them to open and grant us access, I cast a glance over to Mia.
“Welcome home, princess.”
