I want to tell her that everyone in this building can go fuck themselves, because what she has to say is more important. But I also know that she’s shy with her feelings, and that’s because her father is a dick and used her emotions against her.
Nodding, I take her hand, and we walk together through the waiting area and down the hall to my office. To my surprise, the door is open, and I straighten my back as I look around for my office admin. They’re nowhere to be found, and when I push open the door the rest of the way, I see Parker’s father standing there. Good, just the person I wanted to see.
“I see you let yourself in, Louis.” He turns quickly to see Parker and me walking in, and I don’t miss the way his eyes narrow when he looks at our hands.
“I came to see if Parker was here since I’ve been unable to speak with her since her accident.”
“I’m not sure I like your tone.” I move slightly so that Parker is behind my arm and protected as much as possible right now.
“I’m not sure I like you fucking my daughter.”
The words might as well be a physical blow to Parker because I feel her flinch behind me.
“Do you really care, or are you disappointed you can’t sell her off now?” He has the sense to at least look a little embarrassed as he straightens his tie.
“We’ve already accepted an offer from Liam’s family. It’s done.”
“You know I had my suspicions about you when I hired you.” I gently squeeze Parker’s hand to let her know that I’m here and nothing is going to happen to her. “Last night I had my company auditor do some poking around at your finances, and it seems you’ve had a rough couple of years.”
“That’s none of your business.” He’s indignant as he raises his chin and clenches his fists.
“Just like your daughter’s sex life, yet here we are,” I continue without giving him a chance to speak. “From what the auditors gathered, you’ve got, what, four months at best until it all comes crumbling down around you? That was when you were set to take over for me here at Finance and Legal. I’d had you all set to slide into my shoes as I walked out the door, and I would have never known about any of this, if it wasn’t for me falling in love with your daughter.”
“Bullshit,” he hisses, but I don’t think he’s talking about my love for Parker.
“You know gambling is an addiction as strong as any cocktail.” I shake my head. “But to do it with Parker’s college tuition and your retirement was just fucking stupid.”
“How dare you talk to me like this!”
“So let me see if I can guess how this was going to go. The plan was to sell Parker to a rich family and keep your name good, while embezzling money from my company while I wasn’t here to keep an eye on things?”
“Dad?” I hear Parker say softly from behind me. “Is this true?”
“He can’t prove any of it.” Louis’ face is beet red, and I can see sweat beading across his forehead.
“I think the auditors have enough evidence to prove your finances are fucked, and that’s all the evidence I need. I can’t have my chief financial officer in debt so deep he’ll never find a way out.”
“You can’t do this to me.” He’s beginning to plead now because there’s no way out of this.
“The only way you walk away from this unharmed is in my good graces,” I tell him as I squeeze Parker’s hand again. “And because I love your daughter, I’ll make sure she’s taken care of.”
“I’ll be ruined, and so will she.”
My laugh is bitter as I shake my head. “Old man, you are missing the fucking point. I don’t give a shit what you or anyone else in your clubs thinks. I’ve got enough money to buy them over a hundred times. The debt that’s suffocating you is a drop in the bucket for me, and the only reason I haven’t kicked you out on your ass before now is because you're Parker’s father. You’re a rounding error, and unless she wants to have a relationship with you, which I doubt, I’ll be happy to see the back of you.”
“Wait, there’s got to be a way to talk this out.”
“Here’s what’s going to happen. Because of what your daughter means to me and the future I want to build with her, I’m going to make this right.” I look at her and then slide my arm around her waist to pull her to my side. “I took care of your debts last night. They’ve been wiped clean.”
“What?” Parker whispers from beside me.
“Your house is being packed up as we speak and is being sold. All the funds are going into a trust that will give you a monthly allowance. You and Parker’s mother will be moved into one of my homes in the city. From there, you’ll volunteer with the community food bank and attend meetings for your addiction, along with therapy.”
“No,” he says flatly, flexing his jaw.
“Okay.” I call his bluff as I stand there smiling. “Then go, and don’t ever come looking for a dime from me.”
“You can’t make us move. Parker is still in school, I have commitments.”
