“By the way, was that Adrian Prescott’s daughter I saw at your door earlier?” He narrowed his eyes at me.
“That’s none of your business, Mr. Weber.” I opened the door and slid out of the car, turning back to face him once my feet were on the ground. “And if you want me to keep working for you, it needs to stay that way.”
Anabelle
Present day
I was alone in the darkness, denied any form of affection—not that I deserved any. I started wondering what was going on in the outside world—away from the cabin. Was Steve alive? Did Brody and Rourke kill him after they knocked me out? What about my driver? I hoped they didn’t lose their lives because I was a heartless bitch that betrayed the only two men who ever truly cared about me. I wanted to believe that my father cared, but did he really? Maybe he cared in his own way, but not the way that mattered. He forced me to tear my heart out of my chest and stomp on it, just so he could have his freedom.
But it was more than that. Rourke said my father knew about our relationship before I told him. Was the entire thing a setup from the beginning? It couldn’t be… My father wouldn’t do that to me. Would he? Did I really know the man who raised me? He preached family—but that went both ways. If I was expected to put it above everything else, then he was supposed to do the same.
One year ago
“Anabelle, can you come in here for a minute?” My father leaned out of his study and motioned for me to enter.
Oh lord, what does he want now?
“What’s up?” I walked in with my politest, most innocent smile—one that didn’t reflect the fact I was trying to sneak out of the house and head to the South Side.
“Close the door. We need to talk.” He took a seat behind his desk.
“Okay.” I nodded and pulled the door closed.
This sounds serious.
“Sit down.” He motioned to the chair in front of his desk.
“Yes sir.” I walked over and sat down, feeling like a kid in trouble—the way I often did when he said we needed to talk.
“I’ve never really discussed business with you, but that’s going to change tonight—because I have a problem.” He exhaled sharply. “I just found out that John has been stealing money from me.”
“What?” I blinked in surprise. “John’s one of your closest friends.”
“No, he’s a business partner.” He shook his head back and forth. “I don’t mix business and friendship.”
“But—you spend so much time together.” I tilted my head in confusion. “I assumed you were friends.”
“There’s a lot you don’t know about m
e.” He reached up and started loosening his tie. “But you’re not a kid anymore—you’re a woman now. It’s time that I started including you—and probably time for me to find you a husband that will give you the support you’ll need to manage things once I’m gone.”
“Gone?” I raised my eyebrows. “What do you mean? You’re okay right?”
“Physically, yes.” He nodded. “But the business I’m in—it requires me to make certain choices—and when someone stabs me in the back, I have to take action. If I don’t, then it’ll make me look weak and weakness is what makes kingdoms crumble—I’m sure you understand that.”
“I do.” I nodded in agreement, thinking back to some of the lessons my tutors had taught me. “But, this business about a husband. I don’t want to get married…”
Certainly not to someone I don’t know—I doubt he’d appreciate my extra-curricular activities with Brody and Rourke.
“Prescott’s don’t get to choose who they marry.” He shrugged. “I learned to love your mother, God rest her soul, but she wasn’t the one I was in love with when I was your age.”
“We can talk about that later.” I waved him off and shook my head. “What are you going to do about John?”
Definitely, need to change the subject or else I’ll get angry—I don’t plan on marrying some guy I don’t love.
“That’s a bit of a conundrum.” He reached for the bottle of whiskey that was always on his desk and poured a glass. “I don’t know who I can trust, because anyone that I’ve done business with has also done business with John. He’s been stealing money from me for a long time—I just trusted him too much to see what was right in front of my eyes.”
“That definitely makes it complicated.” I sighed, trying to come up with some sort of solution, but I really couldn’t think of one.