Daddy's Rich Enemy

Should have just let Dane take you home, I think to myself. As tempting as that thought is, I know I should just forget him. He’s a gorgeous billionaire and I’m a naïve little nobody. Why the heck would he want anything to do with me?

By the time the train reaches the end of the line, I’m a mess. My head is killing me and I want nothing more than to go home to a long hot bath and a giant bowl of fettuccine alfredo. It’s dark when I emerge onto the platform.

After dialing for an Uber, I wait impatiently. Thoughts of Dane are filling my head and I can’t seem to make them stop. I’ve never seen such a gorgeous man. Those blue eyes, those cheekbones…and that killer smile. God, he even has beautiful teeth! I can still feel his hot kisses trailing down my neck.

When I get home, I kick my shoes off in the foyer. I’m just about to head upstairs and call the kitchen for a snack when I hear the sound of my father’s voice. Suddenly, the horrible pre-Dane part of my day comes rushing back with a horrific intensity that makes me nauseous. Oh, my god. I completely bombed my Lockdown interview. And now my dad is going to kill me.

“Allie,” my father calls from the dining room. “We’ve been waiting for you!”

For once, he doesn’t sound irate. That’s good, I tell myself as I step inside. That has to be a good sign – maybe he’s in a really good mood, and he won’t even care that I didn’t get the internship. In the dining room, Mom and Dad are sitting at one end of the table. A heavenly smell hangs in the air and I sniff eagerly. There’s a large platter of seafood paella and a basket of fresh focaccia that makes my mouth water.

“Sit down, Allie,” my father says. He smiles at me and I blink back. It’s been so long since he’s smiled that he looks like a completely different man.

“Hi, Daddy,” I say nervously. “Hi, Mom.”

Mom smiles with a hopeful expression. “Well, it has to be a good sign that they kept you all day!”

But then Dad ruins it all. He lets out a loud burp and I realize that he’s drunk. His face is red and there’s an empty bottle of wine sitting on the table between him and my mother.

“Um, yes it went okay,” I fib nervously. “Can I have a plate?”

“Yvonne!” Mom yells. “Allie’s home!”

“Mom, I can get it myself,” I say quickly as I leap to my feet. “It’s really okay!”

“Nonsense, sit down,” my mother says sternly. “This is why we have help.”

When Yvonne emerges from the kitchen with a plate in her hands, I throw her a grateful smile. She doesn’t smile back as she sets the plate down in front of me. I look down and frown. My plate is loaded with steamed vegetables and a piece of baked fish that looks soggy and unappetizing. Reluctantly, I sit back down at the table.

“I’ll just have some paella, thanks,” I say, looking up at Yvonne. She doesn’t reply, but there’s a guilty look on her face.

“No, she won’t,” my mother says to Yvonne. “That’s enough, Yvonne. Please leave us.” My heart sinks as Yvonne walks back into the kitchen and shuts the door behind her.

“Allie, I want to hear all about your day,” my father says. He clears his throat and for a moment, I forget all about food.

“Um, it was very long,” I say honestly.

“Yes, well,” my father says before clearing his throat. “Come on. Give your mother and me the good news.”

“I’m sorry, Dad,” I say quickly. The words tumble from my mouth before I can think about what I’m saying. “But I didn’t get it. I tried really hard, but the interview was so tough, and—”

“Shut up, Allie,” my father snaps. “How could you be so stupid? You know how important this was!”

Tears sting my eyes and I swallow hard. “Dad, I really am sorry, I swear!”

My father sighs heavily. “You were gone all day,” he says angrily. “When Nick came home around noon, I assumed that you’d gotten the internship and that they’d put you to work right away!”

“I’m sorry,” I squeak softly. “Dad, I really did try. I promise I did.”

“Well, you’re going to be really sorry when I figure out an appropriate punishment,” my father replies sternly. “I have no idea how I’m going to get the information that I need now!”

“James, it will be fine,” Mom says. She sounds bored and annoyed at the same time. As I watch her put a comforting hand on my father’s shoulder, my heart sinks.

“No, it won’t,” Dad snaps. “I need access to Lockdown, and if your daughter hadn’t been so dumb, she would have realized that!”

His word hit me hard in the gut and I bite my lip as I turn to face my father.

“You…you wanted me to get the internship so that I could bring you information? Why can’t you just work there yourself?” Saying the words aloud makes me feel ludicrous and for a second I expect my father to laugh and tell me how silly I’m being.