Ruthless King (Dark Syndicate 6)
“Of course, he does.”
“I won’t be too long. I’ll just go somewhere a little quieter.”
“Don’t worry about me. Go talk to your dad.”
I stand, and as the phone buzzes, my heart beats in tandem with it, overwhelming me with every second that passes.
Why the fuck is Red calling me?
We spoke earlier. I gave him the update. He shouldn’t need to speak to me again until next week.
I walk into the passageway and answer the phone.
“Hello,” I say.
“About fucking time.”
“What do you want?”
“You know what I want, and I’m sure you can do a little more than you’re doing if you can be out eating with the big man himself.”
Air freezes in my lungs, frozen like the rest of my body.
“You can see me?”
“Sweetheart, that is the least of your worries.”
Panic surges through me, and I look around to see if I can catch sight of him. I find myself moving when I can’t.
“Stop looking for me. I’m not where you can see me.”
“Why are you following me?”
Feeling like I’m going to combust from the heat and the rage, I make my way outside and stand in the mouth of the alleyway where there is absolutely no one.
I can rip into him here and unleash.
“Sweet Lucia—”
“Don’t call me that. You have no right to do this to me. I’m doing my best.”
“I need you to do a little better than that!” he shouts. “You’re already fucking the man. Now you’re eating with him. Alejandro doesn’t do fucking dates. If you’re dating, fucking get closer to him. Ask about the company. Ask better questions. Take it up a fucking notch, or I’ll beat up your old man so bad he’ll have to piss backwards.”
Oh my God…no.
“Please don’t. Please don’t hurt him.”
“You know what to do.”
When the line cuts, something inside me snaps, too. I feel so drained I can barely stand.
I rest my hand on the cobbled wall next to me, realizing I can no longer hold back the tears. They roll down my cheeks and pour from my soul like a river of agony.
I can’t do this.
I can’t do it.
Something is going to happen. I know it. Things are going to come to a point where there will be nothing I can do, and I’ll lose my father. They will kill him. They will. I cry harder.