AllFreeNovel
Share Us
He sighed. “Lincoln, when will you finally understand that no one will undermine me? Especially not Hal Mercer.”
“You wanted to see me lose everything.” Because he couldn’t stand that I had more than he did.
“You foolish, foolish boy.” He leaned forward. “If you fail, I appear as a failure, so no, I do not want to see you lose everything.”
Because it would make him look bad.Silly me.
He pulled out a folder several inches thick and tossed it on the desk. “Your clear titles.”
I stared at them as if they were snakes. “How? I’ve had the best real estate attorney in the city working on them and he’s been unable to clear the one for my apartment.”
I shouldn’t be airing my personal business to my father, but he already knew.
“You must know the right people in the right places. And it helps to be the lien holder.”
I’d only been recently made aware that the previous owner of my apartment had owed my father some unknown sum of money somehow related to the property. Had Father pushed me in the direction of that apartment?
“That doesn’t explain how you had them all cleared.” I flipped through the paperwork and if it was legitimate, and I had no reason to doubt it was, everything appeared to be in order.
“I go above and beyond for the various departments in the city. I served Hal Mercer to the city attorney on a silver platter on the condition that every property we owned would have the records cleared and tossed from any case they bring forth against him or his company.”
“And they did it?”
“I have very generously subsidized the department when the budget falls short. They can’t very well say no to me.”
He’d made certain of it.
“There won’t be a long legal battle.” For every deed my father did, there was always a price. And my relief was temporary.
“And you get to keep your apartment.”
I wasn’t sure I could stay there. Not without Lexie and Eric. They were everywhere even when they weren’t there, taunting me with the what might have been.
“Why?” It was a stupid question to ask. I’d gotten to keep what I’d worked for. Wasn’t that enough?
“As a reward. You’re dedicated to the company and rarely stray.”
I gaped at him. A reward? Who was this man? And rarely stray? What the actual hell? Was I just a dog to him?
“I expect you to stay in line. Don’t forget, what I give, I can take away.”
He wasn’t God, though no one could tell him otherwise.
“You made a wise choice sending those two misfits away. They don’t belong in our world.”
“Neverspeak of them that way again,” I growled. “In fact, never speak of them at all.Weare the ones not worthy ofthem.”
I shoved off the sofa, done with him. Coming here had been a mistake. I’d known it was before I’d done it and pursued the mission anyway.
“Don’t forget your folder,” he called.
Bastard. I didn’t want it. He’d saved me and destroyed what I’d loved all in one fell swoop. If I were as bold as Teague, I’d shoot him the bird.
“Lincoln, you owe me for getting the girl out of jail.”
I halted when I was almost to the door and didn’t immediately turn around. It was impossible to prepare for whatever he had to say.
Slowly I turned. “You didn’t. She was injured and they didn’t pursue the case.”
