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Eric is Ian's father, which is obvious if you look at him. But Ian is different from Eric. That's easy to see when he's with Delilah. She's amazing but tough as nails. She's busy with their two kids and has another on the way. It's been a while since we've gotten together. I still like her, which is saying a lot because I don't care for any of the people my other siblings married. Of course, I don't really know them. They all moved out by the time I knew what was what, and I've had little dealing with them since.
Ian is the one person I can count on in the family, and that's only to a certain point. He's never going to sneak me out of the house or help me meet a boy, but he's nice to me.
I step into my father's office, and my heart stalls. An old man is sitting in a chair opposite of him. I have a bad feeling about this. I should have more time. I don't graduate from Stonewall for another year and a half. He promised me I had until the end of college.
“Yes, Father,” I say, trying to sound pleasant but uninterested in what he has going on.
“Adeli, I’d like you to meet Mr. Randolph Foster.”
I turn to the older man, giving a little curtsy, praying my father has brought me in here to be introduced to this man for some reason other than having to marry him.
“It’s nice to meet you.” I spin back to my father, praying this is it. Eric will tell me to run along and play, not that I play with much anymore.
“Mr. Gale, I believe we can come to an agreement,” Randolph Foster says.
I cringe, knowing that agreement includes me in some way. My heart sinks. I want to tell them no, but I'm not given a chance. Eric stands and comes around the desk. His hands are on my arms, turning me as he squeezes hard, so I’m forced to look at Mr. Foster again. He has gray hair in his eyebrows. His skin is wrinkly and saggy. His eyes are kind, but I can’t do this.
Mr. Foster stands and moves closer. His expression changes. He’s no longer so open or kind. His eyes appraise me like someone looking at cattle. I'm not a cow or goat, I'm a human, but that doesn't matter. These old men push others around, forcing them into tight boxes. I see the lid on my box closing. I'll never get out at this rate. My plans for escaping with the money in the Grand Caymans fade.
Mr. Foster nods once. “I’ll see you in a few days.”
Eric squeezes my arm harder, warning me to say nothing. We’ve been through this before. I threw a fit, screaming when he introduced me to some old man before. I spent a week locked in a closet in the basement, having to use a pail instead of a toilet. They fed me, but it wasn’t much more than broth. It was inhumane treatment, and Eric told me how much worse it would get if I did it again. I tried to push him on that issue, but I ended up back in that closet for another few days.
Eric holds onto my arm until Foster is gone. I drop to my knees, praying I can stop him. “Please don’t do this.”
Eric snorts and steps around me. “You have no say. You lost having a say in your life when you tried to run off with that punk.”
I was stupid back then. I roll my eyes before I stand and turn to face Eric. I’m not the same person who took off with Jimmy Ramirez. I’m older and wiser. I thought I was in love, and we were going to spend our lives together living on a beach in Mexico.
We didn’t make it more than four blocks. He kissed me with his tongue shoved down my throat while sitting at a stop sign. My father’s men found us there. Jimmy ended up with a black eye and a death threat. I never saw him again. Jimmy was a terrible kisser. I know that now. I guess I wasn’t really broken up from losing Jimmy, but the restrictions have been hell.
“I have until I finish college.” I want to stomp my foot, but childish actions will get me in trouble faster than I can sneeze.
“Not anymore. You’ll do as I say. Foster may allow you to finish school. That’s up to him.”
Anger rises, and I'm ready to blow when Eric turns to face me. "Don't try me. That bucket is still in the closet. I will break you if I have to."
Tears fill my eyes, and I race from the room and head upstairs. I can’t let this be it. I have to fight back somehow, but what can I do? Eric is too powerful, and he doesn’t care about me. I’m just some pawn he can force around the board.
I don’t want that old man. What can I do? I have no power and not enough money. I’ll sink if I run, but there is no way I’m marrying that man.
ChapterTwo
Niallan (Neo)
I don’t know what my father has gotten himself into, but it’s bad. He’s gone off and done something foolhardy, and I’m the one who is going to have to pick up the pieces.
Three days ago, I figured out why the company was hemorrhaging. I fixed the problem—caused by my father, of course—but now he's gone off and involved Eric Gale in something.
A shiver snakes through me. Eric Gale is the epitome of unyielding. He will hold Randolph and me to whatever promise was made. I have to speak with Eric, but first, I have to make sure my father cannot make decisions that can damage the company any more than he already has.
I've cut Dad off from almost every chain of command inside the company, so he can't make any decisions without approval from me. There are a few more actions I have to take to make this stick. His credit cards need limits. That's going to piss him off, but he's out of control. Luckily, I have a power of attorney he signed for some reason about a few months ago. I'd told him I wouldn't use it, but he insisted we have it on file.
I swing by home, ready to have a talk with Dad when I see a group of people standing on the front porch. Shit, what has Dad gotten himself into now?
“Hello,” I call out as I rise from my little sports car. I hope this doesn’t take long. There’s too much to do today. I feel like sand is sifting faster through the hourglass I’m trapped in. If I don’t fix the problems Dad created, it will all blow up in our faces.
The man closest turns, and my throat goes dry. It's Eric Gale. Panic flashes. Shit. I thought I had time to take care of the Eric Gale thing. His wife, a young woman who must be his daughter, and two men who look like goons stand beside him. This is bad. Why would Mr. Gale be here, today of all days, and with his family?
