Page 107 of Tag

I finally called my dad back yesterday and he said he needed to see me. That in itself is never a good thing.

I feel dread in my stomach when I think about how much he’s going to ask of me, and how I can politely let him down. I owe him the money back and I’ve been saving as much as I can, but I’ve got nowhere near fifty grand. When Gary took basically all my cash, I had no choice but to live frugally.

Here I was thinking my dear old dad was being a nice guy, when in reality, it was Tag who I’m paying rent to? What a fucking joke. I make a mental note to have it out with my mom because she would’ve known. She and Tag are as thick as thieves.

I don’t like the idea of him taking care of me like that. I’ve always prided myself in fending for myself, even if my dad probably thinks I’m a mooch because I took money from him. If only he knew the truth.

I wear a nice dress and do my hair and makeup. Dad prefers it if I don’t look like something that just rolled out of bed, and for some reason I always try to look as best as I possibly can.

A part of me wants to rebel and wear my torn jeans, battered converse sneakers and my Guns N’ Roses t-shirt, but for some reason, I still seek his approval.

I swallow hard as the car pulls up to his exclusive three-story townhouse. Kind of him to send a car, even though I know it’s because he’ll get to determine when I leave. I can’t just make my escape whenever I’ve had enough. Being at his mercy isn’t something that I enjoy, but I’ll hear what he has to say.

I know that he’s going to try to convince me to come work for him, and I’m dreading that part.

I’m helping Rock interview this week, and I can finally start moving things over to Jas’s office to start my new job. Things are looking up.

Then there’s Tag and the new car he left in my driveway.

I shake my head as I recall walking into my messy kitchen from the night before and seeing a set of keys with a large pink fluffy keyring on the tag and note, saying:I took your skirt.

I stared at the note and then the keys and ran outside.

He left a G-Wagon in my driveway.

I texted him immediately.

WTF?

You good?

You left a car in my drive

It’s on loan… Figured you needed a ride

And that was it.

I blinked a couple of times before sliding into the driver's seat to poke around. The damn thing is brand new.

I shake my head at the way Tag goes about things.

I know that he bought that car for me. He’ll just say that it’s for me to use because he knows I’m stubborn. The car is amazing. Beautiful. But it also reminds me what a failure I am that I can’t even afford my own car.

Here I am living in a beautiful part of the city in an amazing townhouse, and I was thinking all along that my dad was the one who helped out. More to the point, he didn’t correct me when I thanked him for helping out.

What the hell is wrong with him?

My hands are clammy when I finally step out from the car, and I wrap my shawl around my shoulders.

I told Payden I was coming, and she was concerned. She knows how much my dad upsets me, and after what happened in his office all those years ago, nothing good can come from meeting with him. But I have to face the music.

When his housekeeper answers the door, she shows me into my father’s study. I stupidly thought that maybe we’d be having dinner together. How lame.

I check out the selection of books on his shelf, many of which are first editions. The fire is lit, and his office is exactly what you’d expect from a man who has made millions of dollars, yet talk of my inheritance is a dirty word. After what he did to my mom, I don’t need his charity anyway.

Of course, like in his usual fashion, he keeps me waiting for a long time.

I start to wonder if I’m even going to be graced with his presence when he finally arrives.

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