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“Meaning what?”
She touched my face. “Meaning he would die for you without hesitation. That’s the kind of love I’ve always wanted for you.”
“Patty. It’s time for the meeting with my daughter.”
My father’s gruff voice irritated the hell out of me. I turned my head, glaring at him. There were a half dozen emotions running through his eyes. Surprisingly, including pride. Then he shut them all down.
She winked at me. “I’m glad you’re fighting back.” Her voice was quiet, but there was mischief in her tone. “Knock ‘em dead.”
“Mr. Gregory. Please wait here. We won’t be but a few moments.” My father turned on his heel and walked off.
All I could do was sigh.
CHAPTER28
Suzannah
I purposely waited to head to my father’s office just to piss him off. He knew I was always punctual, a trait that didn’t necessarily follow the rest of the family. He’d expected nothing less than me following my usual schedule and was fuming by the time I walked in, closing the door behind me.
“We’ll be here as long as it takes, Daddy dearest.”
He hated when I called him that. When he turned around, I could tell he was fuming for more than my purposeful tardiness. “State your demands and enjoy the rest of your day.”
Someone had already pissed in his Wheaties that morning. “I’m surprised you don’t have your guard dog here issuing sideline insults.” Meaning my brother.
“I didn’t let him know about the meeting. Besides, he’s busy with Ashley’s parents.” He shoved his hands into his pockets and stared at me, allowing his gaze to fall to the matching stilettos. Then he laughed but not in jest, in realization that I wasn’t taking no for an answer.
Sadly, I had a feeling he’d been defeated long before I’d entered the room.
Now I was feeling sorry for the man who’d treated me like dirt?
“As it should be, Daddy. I’ll make this short. I know you’re a busy man. From what I understand, Kendrick explained that I want to be placed in charge of director of operations, my authority superseding Steinbeck’s. I realize it will come as a shock to him, but he’ll get over it eventually.”
He did nothing more than look at me. “You really think you’re going to get away with being a part of this charade?”
“Is that what it is? I know what you’ve done over the years, Daddy. I know the group of men you talk with, the methods of extortion you’ve used.”
The smug look on his face irritated the hell out of me. I’d been forbidden to bring my little black book with me, but I had made copies of a few pages just in case. I pulled them from my purse, sliding them across the desk. “In case you need incentive.”
For a few minutes, he didn’t bother looking at them. When he pulled them into his fingers, he almost smiled. “Perhaps Mr. Gregory was right in that you are more formidable than I cared to admit. Do you really want to destroy your entire family?”
The truth was that I had no intentions of using the information. “I just want what I’ve always wanted, Daddy. To be an important part of this family.” A full minute ticked by.
Then he opened a drawer in his desk, pulling out a small stack of papers. “I had my attorney draw this up late last night. I think you’ll find the terms acceptable.”
His attorney. The man my father had spent more holidays with than he had with his own family. The man who’d been at my graduation in my father’s place. “I’m curious what Mr. Garrison thought about your sudden retirement announcement.”
“As you might imagine, he was surprised.”
I’ll just bet he was. That meant Mr. Garrison had likely placed a codicil he hoped I’d miss in the middle of the contract. It would be fascinating to find out if I was right.
As he slid the contracts across his expansive desk, I wondered how our family had gotten here. There had been good times in the past, albeit the memories were starting to fade given I’d been so young. But they were there. That was before money and power had taken hold, dragging my father into hell, my mother soon afterward. She was happy as can be with her charity events and luncheons with her friends, a trip to Paris every other season or so, and no cares in the world.
I hadn’t noticed before, but my father had aged significantly over the last four years, as if the edge of power had driven the blade into his heart and he was slowly being poisoned. At that very moment, I realized what I’d said I wanted I no longer did. While I glanced down at the papers, I didn’t pick them up. Not yet. Maybe not ever. Everything was different now. Kendrick had done that. Maybe I should be eternally grateful.
“There’s something we haven’t talked about as of yet, Suzannah Lily.” He only used my middle name when a conversation was about to get serious. “You don’t need to worry about my involvement any longer. I’m retiring effective at the end of the month. I haven’t told anyone else yet and I would appreciate if you would allow me to address our employees and the press. I’m happy to announce your involvement, but I need a little time to say goodbye.”
Goodbye. It sounded more permanent. “What’s wrong, Pops? You’re not well?”
