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When my mother was alive, he was better about stopping whatever he was working on when we came into his space. After, he slowly became worse about making us wait.
Now, I wondered if he’d work for an hour before acknowledging me further.
It was a power play.
He hoped I’d get impatient, that I’d be the one to break the stalemate.
Too bad.
I’d sit here until I didn’t want to any longer, then I’d leave. The truth was I never wanted to be here in the first place. He knew it as well as I did. Now that I’d gone all in with what I had to do, I’d do my best to win.
Although, I wasn’t sure there would be any winners. If my father left Pepper, Miss Adeline, and the dogs alone for good, that would be the ultimate prize.
He closed the ledger in front of him and removed his glasses, which he set on top of the leather book. He scrutinized me to the point I grew uncomfortable.
There were no words between us. Just the thick silence full of years of anger, hostility, and pain. The emotions seemed desperate to spill over. But we’d never been two to talk things out.
What was there to say?
He was finally getting what he’d wanted all along. I’d expected him to gloat.
He didn’t.
“I raised you better than to let an old woman do your bidding.”
I lifted a brow, unable to stop my reaction. Old woman? I didn’t know any—Miss Adeline. What could she possibly have come to see my father about?Whywould she see him?
I wanted to ask all those questions and more. Instead, I crossed my legs, resting my ankle on my thigh and didn’t say a word. I hoped I portrayed the image of casual indifference despite being anything but.
“I admire a woman like that. It was a fool’s mission.” He shrugged. “But I was tempted to show some mercy on her.”
I straightened. “What did you do?”
“Do you think you can outsmart me? Have you not learned I play the long game?” He ignored my question, pretty much like he always had except when he needed something.
“And you’re going to do what I want so she really was in no position to negotiate. Neither are you.” His gaze was steel. I was just another adversary to him.
Not his blood.
Not his son.
“I’ve agreed to nothing,” I said tightly.
“You’re here. You wouldn’t be unless you were ready to surrender.” He tapped the top of the ledger. “I knew you’d come to me. I felt this culmination would be best done at home.”
I narrowed my eyes. He’d left the office to lure me to this haunted house.What is he up to?
“Besides, you’re aware of the consequences if you don’t do as I wish.” He waved his hand in the air. “All of this could’ve been avoided if you’d simply done as I asked years ago. You’ve displeased me.”
I’vedispleased him?
I couldn’t begin to describe how I felt in regard to what he’d done to me, and Beau and Lincoln. Abandoned. Maybe not physically, but in every other way that counted he had.
“And to think all it took was a chat with a plain dog lover.” He chuckled. I saw red. But my silence should protect her. “You’ll start now. In the mailroom.”
Was this supposed to scare me? I wasn’t afraid of hard work for little pay. And if I was in the mailroom, I’d be far away from him, so that was fine by me.
I leaned back in the chair and rested my hands around my knee. “Before I agree to anything, I have some terms of my own.”
