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Brody looked at me approvingly. “It appears you have yourself a strong-willed daughter. She’ll be perfect to help you negotiate deals with all the important heads in the underground. Cheers.” Brody raised his glass at me, and my father reluctantly raised his as well.
I proudly clinked glasses with my dad and his friend.
Quickly, I shot down my drink, and Brody nodded. Dad tapped me on the shoulder.
“We need to talk,” Dad said. I nodded, not wanting to leave Brody’s sight. Yet I had to, and I followed my dad outside of the room, while Brody waited on us.
“Hope you don’t mind,” Dad told Brody, who simply shrugged us off. In my twenty years of living with my father, I had not once seen dad excuse himself to another man. In fact, it was so uncharacteristic of him, that I questioned him once we got outside.
“Is everything ok?” I asked, as we stepped into the cool night air. It was snowing outside, and I could feel the chilly wind through my bones. I just wanted Brody to warm me up, but I had to brush the thought of him aside as my dad got onto me.
“Everything will be fine if you get your head straight,” he said, not so gently. “Sober up, you’re not some common whore.”
As much as his words made me angry, dad was right. I wasn’t some common whore. If Brody had me, I would be loyal to him, and only him. Too bad Dad was in the way of anything happening between us.
“You need to be clearheaded,” Dad was telling me, “If you’re going to have any kind of control over the conversation. I need you to go over everything with me before we go back inside.”
I collected my thoughts and took a deep breath. The new man of my dreams was inside, but I had to convince my dad that Brody and I should be alone in order to successfully gain the increase in budget he wanted from Brody. In order to do that though, I had to make sure it was my dad’s idea; otherwise, he would be suspicious of my intentions.
Confidently, I started going over every reason we needed to have more money.
My father beamed with pride as I perfectly recited each reason for needing the funds. “Atta girl, that’s what I’m talking about,” he was telling me. I had dad in the palm of my hands, but I needed to close the deal.
“Do you think he’ll take me for weak?” I asked.
“What do you mean?” my father asked.
“You’re so overprotective of me,” I started. “I mean, if you’re hovering over me while I’m making a deal, won’t he think it’s your words instead of mine?” Of course, I also had to assure dad that I didn’t want to be alone with Brody. “But” I hesitated. “If I’m alone with him, will I be safe? You’ve always said the family business is a dangerous one.”
Dad chuckled at that. “You’re a smart one,” he said. “Brody is harmless to you. He knows you’re my baby girl. He would never hurt his best friend’s daughter.”
But would he pleasure her?The thought of Brody and I going at it like a pair of wild rabbits was enough to keep me warm while Dad and I talked outside. I struggled to maintain my composure, but I was lucky that Dad had a soft spot for me.
We went inside to go and talk to Brody. Dad started to tell Brody, boisterously, “She’s a confident one, this one. I think she has better ideas than me.”
“Oh?” Brody asked.
“Sorry to keep you waiting,” Father said.
“Don’t apologize,” Brody replied. I looked at him wistfully, and Brody winked at me.
“Well then,” Brody said. “Let’s get down to business.”
We sat down, and I confidently went over every point I had rehearsed outside.
“Increasing surveillance on these key areas will ensure that your money comes back to you,” I was saying. “We can’t have you losing money, can we?” I winked back at Brody.
Dad and Brody started laughing.
“A regular crime lord this young lady is,” Dad said.
“She’s too pretty to be this bright,” Brody said. I hated the slight, and reminded myself that I would have him begging for my forgiveness later.Or just begging for me.
Properly and primly, like the model schoolgirl that I was taught to be, I assumed a scholarly posture. “Only the best education that money can buy.Money well spent.”
“She’s brilliant,” Brody said, then turned to my dad. “Are you sure she’s yours?”
Dad laughed raucously, and soon the two were pouring each other another glass. I watched as Brody barely sipped his drink.He’s staying sober on purpose.
