Total pages in book: 86
Estimated words: 80919 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 405(@200wpm)___ 324(@250wpm)___ 270(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 80919 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 405(@200wpm)___ 324(@250wpm)___ 270(@300wpm)
“Did you see her leave?” I demanded the second he picked up.
“Yes, a little over an hour ago. I pinged you when she left. She got in a rideshare and went back to the Astrid manor.”
I slammed down the phone and got dressed. I had no idea why she’d left—if someone got to her, if something happened. Had she heard my father? Had something happened at her parents’ house? Had she just realized I didn’t deserve a second chance? Or worse, had she seen who I really was last night and decided she couldn’t be with me?
The more I was at this awful house, the more I hated it, with the antiquated details of its old-world décor and the figures above the arch that seemed to mock me as I marched up to the front door. I banged on the door with the side of my closed fist until someone finally opened it.
I expected a maid, or maybe even Mr. or Mrs. Astrid. What I got was a very annoyed Harrison Astrid, still in a three-piece suit straight from the office despite it being early afternoon on a Saturday. He stepped up to me, forcing me to back away and down a few steps, making him several inches taller. He always did like to hover over people. It was as if he knew the best ways to increase the intimidation and power he held with minimal effort.
“What do you think you are doing?” He towered over me, and I knew it was an intimidation tactic that I would normally not let go unanswered, but I had more important things to worry about.
He had to terrify criminals and people who got in his way. He had to present as a stern-faced, meticulously put-together lawyer who could rain down hellfire while he stared into their soul. I wasn’t a criminal. Well, at least not that he knew of. I had no soul for him to stare into, and I had no intentions of backing away from his sister.
“Where is she?” I demanded.
“She isn’t here,” he said. “You know, I thought better of you, Luc. I knew you were a ruthless businessman. It’s not a secret that your family interprets the law as they see fit, loving to bend it in all kinds of directions but never quite seeming to break it. I knew you were going after my sister to fuck with Dubois.”
“What is your point?” I didn’t have time for this.
“I let it stand because, frankly, I dislike that oily little weasel a fair bit more than I dislike you. But I didn’t think you would be so vindictive when it came to your personal life.”
“I don’t have time for this, Harrison. Where is Amelia? She is mine. She belongs with me.”
“No, she doesn’t. You had your chance to do right by her. You squandered it.”
“Harrison, I swear to God, if you don’t give her back to me, I’ll—”
“You’ll what? What will you do, Luc? Tell the world I’m a bastard? The product of my mother having an affair?” He leaned in, forcing me to take another step back.
“You knew?”
“Of course I knew. I have known for years. I found out in high school when we tested our blood types.”
He was so calm, so direct, he may as well have been saying the sky was blue. Though right now, clouds seemed to gather above us. “Had I known this was what you used to entrap my family, I would have let you know weeks ago. I intend on making the information public so no one else can use it against me.”
“You can’t. It will destroy—”
“It will destroy nothing but your hold on my family, and maybe my mother’s reputation, but so be it.” He shrugged.
“What?”
“My father didn’t put me in office, the people of New York County did, and let me tell you a little secret. The people of Manhattan are not all over-privileged elitists that look down on others because of an accident of birth. It will do nothing to me or my career, except maybe make me a little more relatable to the average voter.”
“Look, Harrison, this is fascinating, but it changes nothing.”
“Aren’t you listening? It changes everything. You have no claim to my sister.”
“Please, just let me talk to her.”
A lump formed in my throat, and I could see the future I had envisioned with her and our children slip through my fingers. “I need to at least talk to her. Things may have started the way you said, but they’ve changed.”
“I’m not letting you near her again.” Harrison took a step back so he was under the awning as the skies opened up and rain poured from the heavens. “Besides, she left. You don’t get to know where she is, but she did leave something for you.”
He reached into his breast pocket, pulled out my phone, and handed it to me before turning toward the door.