“Don’t explain shit to him. He doesn’t deserve your explanation. Just hang up the damn phone, Sophie. You don’t have to deal with him, but trust me, I will,” Trooper yelled so loud it thundered through my room.
“You’re with him?” William yelled back. “Just like your mother, I see.”
“Don’t worry about who I’m with, just don’t call me, don’t ask about me, don’t even think about me. We’re done.”
“We’re not done, Sophie, and if you think that, you’re as naive as your mother had been ten years ago. I don’t lose. You can bet on that. Don’t get too comfortable with that new life you think you’re building because you won’t have it for long. I’ll see to that, and when I crush him, don’t feel like you’re alone. I’ll always be here for you. That’s what a father does. He fixes shit for you even when you can’t see your life is broken.”
William hung up and Trooper stood over me looking like he was ready to take a life. I just wanted things to go back to normal, but that was wishful thinking. This was my new reality.
Chapter 26
Trooper
For the past two weeks, I had basically been shut off from the world, chilling with Sophie. She and I spent damn near every day together at my place or hers, doing nothing but being with each other. She worked from home because she didn’t want to deal with her father and we ordered food in or I would run out and get it for us.
It was what she needed, so I had no complaints. With everything going on in her life right now, if I could find a way to keep a smile on her face that was exactly what I would do. And for the past two weeks, she had been happy. Going to sleep and waking up with her every night and every morning had made me feel like I could make this a permanent thin., But we still had a lot of things to figure out.
“Just one more day,” Sophie whined as she pulled the covers over her head.
It was early as hell, but I needed to meet my financial planner and realtor about buying property in Chelsea. It was new construction, a perfect location that would make me a shitload of money with very little effort.
“Sophie, get your ass up. You can’t hide from the world, baby girl. I gave you two weeks. Now it’s time to get back to your life.You worked too hard to be ducking and dodging shit because of that weak muthafucker.”
I got heated just thinking about how William had her head all fucked up. If circumstances had been different, he wouldn’t be breathing. However, that wasn’t the answer. At least not now. I hadn’t quite figured out how I wanted to deal with him yet, but he would be dealt with.
“I’m not hiding. I just don’t want to be there anymore. Maybe I can just start my own company. I mean, his is not mine. He’s not even my family.”
She sat up cross-legged and frowned at me from the center of the bed. It was the first time I had seen that look on her face in a minute and she already seemed stressed just thinking about her day.
“You could do that. I believe you can do anything, and I’m all for that, but I know how hard you worked to get where you are. His name is on it, but you built it, Sophie. You made it what it is, so let him be the one to walk away, not you. If I need to make that happen, I will.”
I looked at her with a seriousness that forced a grin onto her face.
“You can’t take his business from him and just give it to me,” Sophie said before she crawled across the bed and stepped off, putting her in my personal space.
“I can do what the fuck I want. You tell me it’s what you want and best believe it will happen.”
“I’m afraid to even ask how you would make that happen.” Her head fell against my chest and she held it there for a moment before pulling away and leaving me to head to the bathroom.
“Good, because that’s something I don’t think you’re ready for,” I said as I watched her move away dressed in only a pair of lace panties and a tank top.
I heard the water running in the sink, so I headed to her closet to finish dressing. Because Sophie and I spent so much time at each other’s places, we both had closet space in each other’s spots. Neither of us had discussed what that meant, but we agreed it was just us exclusively. This was my first time being in a committed relationship of any kind, so I was still trying to get used to that. Sophie, on the other hand, looked right at home with the idea.
“So am I going to see you later?” Sophie walked up behind me and circled my waist. I felt kisses on my back before she pressed her face against it.
“Hopefully. I have a few meetings today, then I need to hook up with Los to take care of a few things. That shouldn’t take long, but I’ll call you.”
“Oh. Okay, that’s fine. I can’t complain too much. I’ve basically held you hostage from your life for two weeks.”
She let go and walked around me to step inside the closet. I took a step forward, pulled her into my body, and spoke against her ear.
“Don’t say it like that. You didn’t make me do shit I didn’t want to do, and I’m not saying you won’t see me later. I just don’t want to make you a promise I can’t keep. I don’t like doing that.” I delivered a kiss to her temple, lifted my shirt from my bag, and let her go.
Leaving her in the closet, I stood in front of the dresser and pulled my shirt over my head. I watched my image in the mirror and Sophie’s as she stood behind me placing a dress on the bed. She also stared at our images through the mirror and smiled.
“I know, I’m just spoiled. I’ve gotten used to you being with me every day, but I understand you have a life outside of me.”
Before I could respond, she and I both glanced at my phone going off with a text notification. I saw it from where I stood, soshe could too. It was Orin, who had basically been calling and texting me every day.
