“Where?” Silas’s shock registered as a slight frown, but Mason knew his cousin was just as confused as he was.
“He’s at Xeni’s house right now.” Mason started walking backward toward his car. Silas followed. “I don’t know what the fuck he’s doing there, but I need to go and get him away from her.”
“You want me to come?”
Mason paused a moment, considering it. Would bringing backup make matters better or worse? His father was his problem, not Xeni’s. He needed to get the old man out of her house. But he also knew his father and how stubborn he was.
“Yeah, come along then.”
They both jogged back to his SUV and climbed in.
“How did he get that address? Why didn’t he just come to the farm?” Silas asked as Mason did his best not to speed through town.
“The bank transfer, I’m guessing. It came from Ms. Sable’s account. You know my dad. If he wants information, he’ll get it and use it to his advantage.” Many scenarios ran through Mason’s head, but at the moment all that mattered was Xeni. He was pretty sure his father wouldn’t hurt her, not physically, but he could hear the stress in her voice over the phone. His father didn’t know how to communicate without the brash, hurtful words that were only used by the most self righteous of elitist assholes. Mason knew he’d be apologizing for months for whatever his father had managed to say in a few minutes.
As soon as they pulled into Ms. Sable’s driveway, the front door sprang open and Xeni stepped out.
“Stay in the car,” Mason told his cousin.
“No problem.”
Mason rushed over to Xeni and pulled her into his arms. “Okay?”
“No. I—do you want to talk to him? I mean, I really, really don’t want to, and I can still call the police. I just don’t know how trigger happy there are around here.”
“No need for the cops just yet. I brought Silas just in case. Let me go speak to the bastard.”
“Okay.” Xeni gripped his hand. “I’m coming with you.”
Mason nodded, then led her back into the house. The last bit of denial he’d been clutching on to vanished when they stepped into the living room. It had been years since he’d laid eyes on his father. The man had aged, and not well, but he still carried the same imposing presence about him. The danger of Jameson McInroy was his determination, his resolve. When he’d made up his mind, nothing would stop him from getting what he wanted and if you tried, you’d pay.
“Dad,” Mason said.
His father stood, his eyes narrowing at the sight of Xeni’s fingers grasping on to Mason’s clenched fist.
“Suppose I should have known.”
“Known what? What are you doing here?”
A red streak flashed over his father’s face. “I’m here to ask the questions!” he shouted. “It would have taken you another two decades to pay me what you owe me. And now forty thousand pounds magically appears in my account, so I knew I had to come see for myself. I knew you were averse to hard work, but I never thought you would stoop to conning money out of a dying woman and her relatives.
“What did he tell you?” he asked Xeni. “That he’s a true musician? He just needs someone to understand his art?”
“I didn’t give him the money. The money was his,” Xeni practically growled as she held his hand tighter. Mason glanced at her, his chest swelling with pride. He knew if he let go of her hand, she might catapult forward and rip his father’s head from his shoulders, if Mason didn’t do it first.
“I followed your terms to the letter,” Mason said. “You’ve been repaid in full. There was no reason for you to come here and there is no reason for you to speak to Xeni this way.”
“You are going to return that money and then you are going to return home with me tonight and get a real fucking job. And you will pay me back, you lazy shit.”
“I’m not payingyouback. I’m paying Moira’s father back for the moneyyouborrowed for a weddingyouarranged. This is your problem, Dad. Your fault. Your debt. Your scheme failed and you want to make me pay for it. Well, I won’t. You have your money. It’s done. Leave it.”
“Scheme. Wanting my son to grow the fuck up and stand on his own two feet. That’s a fucking scheme?”
“Grow up to be like you? How much money do you still owe Uncle Seamus—”
“That’s none of your business.”
“Right. Well, this debt is and it’s paid. Tough if you don’t like the way I got it done. I am standing on my own two feet. I have been for years. You just don’t like the way it looks from your high horse.”
