AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“That’s the family law specialist?” I thought that was who everyone had said would need to be involved, but I had been kind of out of it when the conversation had taken place. In fact, I felt like I’d been in a daze since the courtroom and wasn’t sure I was thinking straight even now.
When Bruno came in, we exchanged pleasantries and shook hands, and then he sat beside me in the second chair while Drew steepled his fingers in front of him with elbows on the desk. “This is a sticky situation, Bruno, but I think you can help us with it.”
“I think so, too.” Bruno was a little chunky with a full beard and mustache, making him seem friendly. “I’m a family law specialist, as Drew has told you, but I’ve never dealt with a conservatory situation. I do know what I’m talking about, though. I’ve done my research, and I also have consultants to assist.”
“You have to be better than my last lawyer. Fucking, useless Powell.” I rolled my eyes at the thought of the corrupt bastard. “I sent you the papers.”
“Yes,” Bruno shifted his chair. “He didn’t do anything but take your money. And maybe your father’s but I can’t see how we can prove that. At least right now. I’d love to destroy him though.” The jolly expression from earlier shifted into something bordering sinister, making me happy he was on my side. Then he smiled, and Mr. Friendly was back. “That’s for later. First, let’s chat about your case. We already filed an appeal, and it’s sitting with the court. We want to get the judge removed, though. And I think we can get that.”
“Why? How?” They were right, only I didn’t know how that could happen. Getting a judge removed had to be difficult.
“A conservatorship is meant to protect people who can’t manage their affairs for physical or mental reasons. That’s not what happened here. You are perfectly capable. There are no indications otherwise. None. For this to be allowed to happen is absurd. Therefore, the judge must have lost his mind, not knowing what he was doing, or took a payment of some sort from your father. We’re still digging, but something has to be there, and we’ll find it.”
I nodded right along with him, every word making me want to hit my father upside the head with a frying pan. “Agreed. On all of that. Except finding it. I’m sure my father was thorough and careful.”
“Right.” Drew flattened his hands on the desk. “Maybe so, but I have a great investigator working on that, and Bruno is working on that paperwork. But, either way, we need to work on preparing for court in the meantime.”
“Fine. What does that entail?” We’d already talked briefly about going along with my father’s insanity while we figured this out. And I could only think that was still the case.
Drew glanced at Bruno, then sighed. “You won’t like this, but it’s necessary. We can’t let your dad know what we’re doing. You need to keep him from guessing. Make him think you’re giving in. Giving up.”
“I’m not.” It was difficult to control the surge of anger at the thought of giving in. “I’ve always been a fighter.”
“You’re not actually giving up, Royce.” Bruno’s eyes filled with concern.
I huffed. He didn’t know me. Neither of them did. “I’m not saying that. I’m saying that he’s not going to buy it. I suddenly start toeing the line after fighting him for years.” I shook my head. “Doesn’t ring true. It will make him more suspicious, not less.” I had been fighting him since I was sixteen, maybe a little earlier. Fighting over everything from what food I ate, what I wore, the posters I hung on my walls, to the people I hung out with. Of course, he did not approve of my friends, especially Jax, my best friend.
Bruno added, “Everyone has their breaking point. You need to pretend you’ve hit that.”
While Drew said, “Can you make him believe it? Give in slowly, by measures?”
“Do we have time for measures?” I asked.
“Not if I can help it, but maybe medium-sized measures?” Drew’s eyebrows raised, and he shrugged, raising one hand in the air as he requested what he had to know was nearly impossible. But they were right, and I needed to keep my father off their trail, keep him guessing.
“Yeah. I can. It starts with pretending this session didn’t go well and that you guys don’t think we’ll win. I’m sure he knows I’m here despite my precautions.” I pointed back and forth between them. “And I can’t do this forever. I hope we have a plan B.”
Drew stood. “I’m hoping we won’t need one.”
I stood as well and stuck my hand out to shake. Drew immediately came around the desk instead and hugged me. “Thanks, Drew.”
“Don’t thank me yet. And yes, we’re working on plan B, C, and D, but I like A the best.”
I shook hands with Bruno and headed out. Plan agreed on. Though I hated it.
The first step was taking an Uber over to the place my father had rented for me. It was an apartment-sized pill and more than difficult to swallow. I stomped up the stairs, giving off every angry vibe I had, imagining eyes watching me. The emotion wasn’t difficult. All I had to do was think about how fucked up my father was. And how that tiny kernel beneath the surface of my heart said I still loved him and how painful keeping that inside me was. I imagined every step I took was stomping on that little nugget. Well, it wasn’t hard to picture.
I’d thought about what to do on the way there and jumped into putting the plan in place immediately. I fired up my laptop, enrolled in a pre-LSAT class and sent it to Father. Not that I intended to follow through, but I had to do something that he would buy. I included an email telling him how incompetent lawyers were and that he may like me going down that path, but ultimately, I was doing it to destroy him.
That he would believe. Giving in on my terms.
But it was so fucking lonely and miserable on this plan. The apartment was empty. There was nothing here for me. I would be damned if I was going to decorate and move in. I left all my shit in the boxes.
And I had nothing else to do. I couldn’t work with Jax. Couldn’t go to the pet play center.
Couldn’t call Quinn.
The new phone was on the counter. I turned it on.
