Daniel Kline is there too.He’s perched in an armchair with a legal pad, already wearing the face he uses when he’s about to politely ruin someone.
“Callaway,” my mother says, and she makes my name sound like a brand she’s evaluating for damage.“You look tired.”
I glance at the view.“Yeah.It’s exhausting winning and being happy.You should try it sometime.”
My father’s mouth tightens.“Are you here to accept our conditions?”he asks, sounding pretty smug.The poor asshole.“You should sit.I’ll have my assistant call the women that are interested in becoming Mrs.Callaway Livingston Harrington Winthrop.”
I don’t.I take my time walking in, then stop in the center of the room and look around like I’m touring a museum exhibit calledWealth Without Joy.
“Nice place,” I say.“I forgot how much it looks like nobody lives here.”
My mother’s smile doesn’t reach her eyes.“We don’t have time for theatrics.”
“Wrong,” I say, pleasantly.“We have all the time for theatrics.I’m on a day off.I came specifically for theatrics.”
Harvey steps beside me, steady as a metronome.“Mr.and Mrs.Winthrop.Daniel.Thank you for making yourselves available on short notice.”Harvey inclines his head.“If you don’t remember me, I’m Harvey Wellington-Grant Lawson the Fourth.Mr.Winthrop’s representative.”
My father scoffs.“His representative.”Then he frowns.“You’re related to the Wellington-Grant Lawson family?”
Harvey rolls his eyes as if almost saying, unfortunately.
I laugh.“See, I told you they’d care about your family.”
“You don’t need a representative to deal with this.”Daniel Kline finally speaks, voice smooth as glass.“Mr.Winthrop, your father requested?—”
“I know what he requested,” I cut in.“He requested I come running.So here I am.But he’s going to learn something today.”
My mother’s lips part.“Callaway?—”
“No,” I say, still smiling.“I’m going to talk now.You can practice being quiet.It’ll build character.”
Her eyes flash—offended that I’m not playing along.Good.Let her feel it.
Daniel clears his throat.“We assume that this meeting is to address your relocation ...and new living arrangements.”
I glance at Harvey.“Are we doing the part where we pretend they’re not embarrassing themselves?”
Harvey makes a small note on his phone.“We can skip to consequences.”
Daniel sits straighter.“Mr.Winthrop?—”
I hold up a hand.“Daniel, if you say ‘Mr.Winthrop’ again, I’m going to start calling you ‘Danny boy’ in front of my mother, and I think we both know that would cause her to self-combust.”
My mother’s nostrils flare.“Callaway.”
I look at her, and grin because I think she knows that I know ...Danny boy is one of her lovers.A very good boy that likes to be spanked.Listen, I didn’t watch the videos—yes, there are videos—but Harvey gave us the Spark Notes and this is one of her boy toys.
“I’m here to collect what you stole.”
My father’s eyes narrow.“Watch your tone.”
I grin.“Or what?You’ll ground me?Take away my allowance?Send me to my room?Please.I’d pay money to watch you try.”
Harvey steps forward and places a thin folder on the coffee table like he’s setting down a dessert menu.
Daniel’s gaze follows it automatically, predator noticing movement.
Harvey speaks, calm.“We’ll begin with property.”
