“I know.” I frown at him and let out a slow sigh. All my anger seems to dissipate as he stares back at me. I see him for what he is, a petty old man obsessed with keeping his son in line.
“So what do you want? If you’re not here to make me mayor, I’m not interested in what you have to say.”
“You can’t really think that was going to happen.” I lean back in my chair. “Here’s the deal. The Lofthouse family doesn’t do politics.”
“So they keep saying.” He glances at Lora. “But I don’t think that’s true.”
“It’s true,” she says.
“They don’t do politics,” I continue. “But they do plenty of other things. You realize what they are, don’t you?”
“A bunch of rich assholes,” he says. “So what?”
“They’re a machine, Dad. They have money and connections and power. They don’t care if you hate them because you don’t matter. You can fuck with them all you want and they don’t retaliate, because why crush the ant that keeps running into your foot? It’s a worthless waste of energy.”
He glares at me. “They really did a number on you, huh, boy?”
“But the thing is,” I say, “if you keep coming at me and Lora, there will be problems.”
“Oh, interesting.” He smirks and mirrors my posture, leaning back in his chair. “So you’re here to threaten me.”
“That’s right,” I say. “Although I’m not seeing this as a threat. I’m telling you that if you try to make life hard for us, the Lofthouse family is going to crush you. I’m warning you, Dad. Lora’s siblings all have a piece of this business, and they all want to see it succeed. Any one of them could crush you like an ant, and fucking with her is fucking with all of them.”
He stares at me for a long moment before slowly shaking his head. “I get it,” he says. “You’re gone. You’re on their side. Seduced you with money, and now you think you’re better than me.”
“Dad, I didn’t want to leave. You’re the one that pushed me into it. I wanted to work with you, wanted to make something with you, but you couldn’t get over this silly one-sided feud you have with the Lofthouse family.”
“Fine,” he says, spreading his hands. “You win. You can walk away.”
“Dad,” I say, shaking my head. “I already did. Don’t you get that? I’m here to warn you now. Stop messing with us or the Lofthouse family will retaliate.”
“How?” He sneers at me. “They can’t hurt me. I have money too.”
“Not like they do. They’ll buy up land all over this town, build a bunch of dealerships, sell cars at cost, and drive you out of business. They’ll lose millions just to see you go bankrupt, and it won’t even touch their bottom line.”
“He’s telling the truth,” Lora says, shrugging. “I could probably do it on my own with just my trust.”
He glances at her, frowns, and then shakes his head. “Bluffing.”
“Dad, they’re not. They casually got together over a million dollars in just a few days. It was nothing to any of them.”
He takes a breath. I can see the anger rising again. “You’re making a mistake.”
“I’m sorry, Dad,” I say, really feeling it. “I didn’t want to get to this. But I’m warning you. Come after us one more time, and they will crush you. I don’t want to see it happen, but they will.” I stand up.
“This isn’t over,” he says.
“I really hope it is.” I shake my head, turn away, and walk to the door. Lora takes my hand and we walk out together.
I don’t look at anyone as we leave. They don’t even try to say a word. I’m done with this place, with these people. I’ve been betrayed, and now I’m moving on.
“I’m sorry you had to do that,” she says to me outside the dealership.
When we reach the truck, I pull her against me and hug her tight.
“I hated that,” I say. “But it had to be done. He needs to get it.”
“Do you think he heard?”
“I doubt it. But I hope so.” I hold her for another long moment. “I love you, Lora.”
“I love you too.” She smiles at me. “That’s the first time we’ve said that.”
“Really?” I grin at her. “I’ve been thinking it for a while now. I guess I just thought I’ve been saying it out loud.”
She kisses me and I hold her tighter, kissing her back.
We’re both giving something up in our own ways. We’re both shedding skin, turning into something new, turning into something better.
It’s because of her. She brings this out of me, makes me want to be a better man. Makes me want to possess her, take her, make her all mine.
I’ll do anything for her. Give up anything. Take anything.
She’s mine, my love. We’ll build something perfect together, and I’ll never let it go.