AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Luna,” he says, looking me over. “You look…lovely.”
He doesn’t embrace me, instead he walks behind his desk and takes a seat in the chair behind.
I stand there like a fool as he ushers me into the seat opposite him.
My heart rate spikes, and my palms start to sweat.
He certainly still knows how to make me feel nervous.
“Hey, Dad,” I say, forcing a smile. “How have you been?”
He glances across at me and I swallow hard. “I’ve been fine, Luna. How is my prodigal daughter? You’re finally back from whatever it was you were off doing for two years.”
I nod. “Yes, I was finding myself. Getting my shit together, so to speak. After what Brian did to me…”
“I see. And I’m glad that my money helped with that. I’m assuming now you’re back for good?”
“Yes. I’ve been working for?—”
“The NOLA Rebels?” He frowns. “Luna, I do not approve of you working for thugs when you had a perfectly good opportunity to come and work for me. How do you think it will look if word gets out that my only child is involved in a motorcycle gang?”
“They’re not a gang,” I say, steeling my back.They’re more of a family to me than you’ve ever been.“They’re great to work for, actually. I’ve been running the office and I’ve not a promotion at…”
He waves a hand at me like he doesn’t care. “Luna, when is it you’re going to just stick to one thing and one thing only? How many jobs have you had in the last ten years?”
I feel my confidence wavering. “I don’t see why that’s relevant. I like to change things up. If something isn’t working then why should I stay in a job I hate?”
“You don’t give things a chance,” he goes on, disappointment laced in his tone. “Just think of where you could be now if you’d have taken the opportunity to work for me years ago.”
I shake my head. “Working for an asshole like Brian, do you mean? No thanks, count me out.”
“Brian has come a long way,” he goes on. “Which is why I wanted to talk to you tonight.”
I frown. “About Brian?”What the hell is he up to now?
“About your life, Luna. I’ve let you have your freedom, your fun, and now it’s time to repay me the favor of that freedom. We always knew this day was coming.”
I stare at him and try not to let the tears show in my eyes.
I will do anything to not have to go work for him.
“I’ve got a little money saved,” I chime. “I’ve always had the intention of paying you back.”
“Forget about the money,” he says, his voice level as he turns to stand and goes to pour himself a whiskey from the decanter on the sideboard. “Consider it an advance from your inheritance.”
“My…inheritance?” I stammer. “I didn’t think…”
“You never once asked me about it.”
“Because I never want to come off greedy.”Especially since you gave Mom fuck all to help raise me while you squandered your fortune and we had to struggle.“I was raised differently.”
He shoots me a look, but I play innocent. He barely had a hand in my upbringing and we both know it. My mom taught me about ethics and values. All my dad taught me was how to brace for disappointment.
“You’re not a shark, Luna, you never have been. To make it in this world you have to be ruthless. You have to stay one step ahead of everyone else.”Is he going to get to the point?“It’s how Shields Insurance grew from what it was back then to the multi-million-dollar business it is today. I persevered. I pushed through. I did things that nobody else was willing to do. That’s how you get ahead. That’s how you succeed in this world.”
Does he think I’m a total idiot? And why does he act like I’m such a disappointment to him?
What did I do that was so wrong?
