Sailor, this semester, is back in school while my classes are still online. The last thing I want is to run into her while there. Of course I could have made sure we didn’t have any classes together or near one another, but it was too much of a risk. It was easier to let Sailor do her thing. It’s more important to her, anyway. The only thing I’m getting out of it is money, which I already have enough of. School isn’t important to me.
Sailor doesn’t have class for a while, so I should be safe here now without worrying about running into her and bothering her. I don’t know if running into me has been a concern of hers, but I hope it isn’t. I just want her to get back to her normal life, and stop being afraid all the time.
I step into the familiar office and find my father’s secretary at the printer against the far wall, by the tall windows. The machine is running, so I doubt she heard me step in. When the machine is done, she grabs the stack from the machine and turns, startling when her eyes meet mine.
“Good Heaven’s,” she gasps, putting her hand on her chest. She swallows hard before coming over to the tall counter and putting the papers on the shelf below. “What can I help you with, Jaxon?” she asks, already sounding annoyed by my presence.
“Is the boss in?” I ask with a smirk, jerking my head toward his closed door.
“No, he isn’t here yet. But you’re more than welcome to sit and wait for him.”
“What time do you expect him?”
She glances at the clock on the wall. “He’s usually here by 8:30.”
The clock says it’s 8:07.
“Usually?” I ask.
She gives me awhat do you want me to do?look.
“Fine. I’ll wait.” I take a seat in the corner, glancing over the magazines laid out on the table, but not a single thing catches my attention. Alumni publications, local fun spots, and of courseForbesandTime. I pull up the feed to Sailor’s house to pass the time. Both girls are still sleeping, and I wonder if Amelia has any classes today that she may be late for. I’d like to make sure Sailor was awake on time, but that’ll only freak her out.
By the time my father walks in at 8:42, annoyed doesn’t begin to cover the way I’m feeling. But I have to play nice because I need something from him, and that is by far my least favorite thing to do with anyone, never mindhim.
He groans when he sees me, shaking his head as he walks to his office.The feeling is mutual.I get up and follow him, slipping in before he can slam the door in my face. I sit in theseat across from his desk, straightening my back and focusing on making my facehappyrather than the resting dick face I was graced with. He gets himself settled, putting his briefcase down, straightening his tie, then sitting in his chair. The glare on his face almost has me laughing, but I hold it back.
I need him.
I have to keep reminding myself of that or I’ll never get anything.
“What do you want?” he snaps.
I haven’t been here in months, and still both of these people in the office have no tolerance for me. It’s sad, really.
“What a way to greet your only son.”
He rolls his eyes. “Don’t give me shit, Jaxon. The last time you were in here, you blackmailed me into some bullshit, and I’m sure you’re about to do the same. So get on with it.” He gestures at me with a flick of his wrist.
“No blackmail today,” I say flatly.
His expression doesn’t change. I don’t blame him for not believing me. I am too much like my mother, and he knows it.
He says nothing, just waits for me to speak. We will sit here all day if I don’t say something, so I just get it out. The less time I have to sit in front of him, the better.
“Has she reached out to you?” I ask. Only someone who knows him well would notice the slight twitch in his left eye, so I add, “Don’t lie to me. There’s no point. You have no reason to protect her.”
“Actually, I do,” he says. “She owns me, and you fucking know it.”
I huff a laugh. “What did she say to you?”
Clearly, he knows nothing of what’s going on.
“I can’t tell you.”
I tap my fingers on the armrest, regarding him for a long moment, mulling over how much to tell him. I finally decide thattelling him everything won’t hurt, and in fact may work out in my favor.
“I don’t know what she said to you, but she’s no longer…involved.” His eyes narrow, and then he smiles. I raise a brow. “What the fuck is so humorous?”
