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I stared at him as he ran a hand over his salt and pepper hair. “And that’s the emergency? Christ, Dad, you’ve got to be clearer when you say shit like that. I thought she’d gotten hurt.”
“Don’t act like it’s not a big deal. They say they have pictures of her with one of those strippers on her lap. A female stripper.”
“Dad, I don't have time for this.” I started to gesture at the door.
“Yes, you do, boy. I’m in the middle of a reelection campaign. You clearly don’t understand what this could mean.”
“What? That your daughter—who is an adult, by the way—was out having fun and one of her nasty friends decided to make a quick buck off a compromising photo?”
“It’s abrasive. You haven’t even seen it,” Daniel said.
“I don’t need to. If Sam wanted me to, she would’ve already reached out.” I snagged my cell phone from the edge of the desk and double checked. No missed calls or messages from Sam. Or Tanner for that matter. Just as I suspected, this seemed like another drama fest hosted by my father during his campaign paranoia. “I don’t know why you are freaking out. I’m sure 90% of the men running in the mayoral race have a similar photo. Probably with the same girl honestly.”
My father’s face was growing more red by the moment. “Shut your mouth. Just because you believe you are all high and mighty compared to us peons doesn't mean you can throw your sister to the wolves.”
My temper boiled higher. My teeth gritted together. “I will never throw my sister to the wolves. You know better than anybody what I would do for my family. What I gave up, making sure that the Macklens persevered.”
Dad’s face was purple now. “Sammy is on my council. She’s in the campaign office half the week. I can’t have my own staff on camera with strippers grinding on them.”
“Then fire her. She’s a grown-up with a CPA and a hell of a resume. She’ll manage just fine.” And she hated that job. I couldn’t believe he didn’t see that himself. Sam had been looking to get out for weeks.
My father sucked on his teeth, eyes nervous and agitated. “I need you to do something about it.”
“You can’t be serious,” I said. My jaw was grinding hard enough I heard my molars crack.
“I’m dead serious. The media loves you, you know that. Why don’t you take one of your ‘friends’ out tonight. Make a splash at the clubs, smile for some cameras. Anything to offset your sister’s little blip in composure.”
My body went whip tight, and even though I knew there was no one listening, my hands went to my phone, checking that only my father and I had heard his words. Habits, I was afraid, died hard. “That’s against the rules. You were the one who wanted me to change my ways.”
“Make an exception for tonight,” my father said. His enormous hands gripped the back of my guest chair, his bulk filling my vision. “Hell, you should take her out. She can’t possibly say no when she’s there to escort you around.”
“If you’re talking about my publicist, then no, she’s not a campaign prop. And neither am I. Not anymore.” I slammed my first against my desk, rattling those ugly ass plaques he’d insisted I keep displayed.
“Oh yeah? Fine. When Sammy is massacred in the media tomorrow, I’ll be sure to let her know that you are the one who threw her to the wolves.” His face was strange, almost predatory now. Oddly enough I felt pleasure at his distress. And in the way he leaned away as I slowly rose from my chair.
“You have to go. I have another meeting.”
“You’re a liar, Liam,” he growled.
I straightened my tie, deliberately avoiding his glare. “Oh stop being dramatic, Dad. It won’t photograph well.”
With a snarl and a flick of his wrist, he stalked away, leaving me standing in the office, chest heaving with the effort of holding in any more words. I heard the rushed, gutteral words my father threw at Rose on his way out. He wouldn’t be back. Not for anwhile at least. Immediately I whipped up my phone to call Sam.
I wasn’t going to fall on the proverbial sword for her over a sketchy strip club picture, but I wanted to be sure she was safe. Whatever mess Dad put to work over the photo would most likely be ten times more traumatizing in the long run. It rang to voicemail, so I left her a quick message telling her to come to the penthouse so we could talk.
The last meetings of my day flew by in a blur. By the time Rose came in to chat about the next day’s tasks, I was throwing my computer in the bag. A quick apology to her, and I was out of the building and into the back of a waiting car in a matter of minutes. The relief to be gone from Leden and my father was growing by the moment. Rolling my shoulders, I tried to focus on the fact that even after all this time, Leden had still slipped right back into his hands, like even the company itself still knew who was pulling the strings.
I hated the truth of it all. It soured some in my stomach even as I left Leden behind.
My phone buzzed loudly from my pocket. Sam’s face stared up at me. I swiped at the screen, eagerly answering.
“Hey, Sam.”
“Before you get going, I really don’t want to talk about it,” she said.
“Ah, so he’s already gotten to you.”
“In his usual ways, yes. I actually believe he wants to ground me. I’m twenty-six. I’m not sure that’s a real thing anymore.”
