“That’s because it was your fucking fault!” he screamed again. It was like talking to a wall.
“Look, I’m sorry you feel that way, but there’s nothing I can do about it,” I said bluntly. “You have a Board to answer to. I suggest you give some thought to what you’re going to tell them.”
My intercom buzzed, and I picked up the handset, knowing the gesture would drive my father to the brink. How dare I pay attention to something else when he was trying to give me a dressing down… I could see the thought practically painted on his face.
“Andy is here, sir,” Jane said over the line. I smiled.
“Excellent. Send him in.”
“No!” screamed my father loudly enough for Jane to hear him in her office. “You fucking tell him to wait!”
I gave a sigh. There was no sense in inflicting my father’s toxic rage on my friend. Not when Andy and I had things to celebrate. It would be a buzzkill.
“You’ll be joining me at the Board meeting this morning,” he snapped. “You have to answer to them. Not me.”
“Really?” I asked. “And why would I do that? You’ve been captain of this ship. You’re the one who let them down.”
“Because you’ll do it if you know what’s good for you. If you expect to keep living this fancy little lifestyle of yours with the flashy cars and the expensive houses, you’ll do as I fucking well tell you!” he sneered.
“Oh? You mean the cars and houses you already took away?” I said coolly. “I don’t need them. Go right ahead.”
“I can take the rest! I’ll shut down your goddamn accounts!” he threatened.
“And you can do that too,” I said. “I don’t need your fucking money, Dad.”
And I didn’t. For the first time in my life, I didn’t need this man’s support. I may have been pulling more than my share of the weight in this company for a decade, but he’d kept his hands firmly on the purse strings. And it was a purse I no longer cared about.
His face was red now. “Don’t you dare think you can turn to your mother. I will forbid her from helping.”
“I wouldn’t dream of it.” I knew he wouldn’t believe me. But with the deal Andy had just put together for us, I wouldn’t need help from anyone. Not me, or my children, or my children’s children. I had my own legacy to leave behind…a legacy to share with Sasha. The sense of freedom it brought with it almost made me giddy.
He’d paused to catch his breath, and I glanced down at my watch. Yet another gesture designed to incense him.
“Andy’s waiting, Dad. If there’s anything else…?” I raised my eyebrow and flicked the button on the intercom. “Send him in, Jane,” I said to my PA.
“Well, actually, now that you mention it…” Dad said. I smiled up at Andy hovering in the door and nodded for him to come in. “I wanted to have a word with you about that little piece of ass of yours.”
I heaved a sigh. “Dad, I’m not interested in anything you have to say about Sasha.”
Andy was pulling out a chair in front of my desk. “Good to see you, Mr. Walker.” He smiled politely. My father ignored him flat.
“Yes, well, I think you might be interested in this. I had my man take a little look into your girlfriend’s background. Just for shits and giggles,” he smirked.
Asshole. Just like him to take things up a notch. A private investigator? What the fuck! But I kept my expression neutral and shrugged.
“I really don’t care, Dad.”
Andy had set a manila folder on my desk. Beside it was a bottle of The Macallan. He gave a wink.
“So, then I’m guessing you know all about her past?” my father pressed on.
“Yes. She was an escort. I know about it. We already went over this at your lunch, remember? When you were groping her under the table?” My father was a prick. I didn’t know why I’d spent my whole life trying to earn his respect. He hadn’t earned mine.
“And what about her family? Has she told you about them too?”
I shrugged again. She hadn’t revealed much about her past. But I knew most of it was too painful to share. It didn’t bother me. It would come out when she’s ready.
Andy was reaching for the folder, and I was itching to see what was inside.
