Total pages in book: 74
Estimated words: 74022 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 370(@200wpm)___ 296(@250wpm)___ 247(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 74022 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 370(@200wpm)___ 296(@250wpm)___ 247(@300wpm)
I thought about going to the club, and coming up with a plan, but my gut told me that would be a really bad idea. Enzo is unstable, and if anything, anything at all, went wrong...I could end Boston’s life. I won’t live with that. And I won’t have it. So, I know my only choice here, is to go this alone. Which is why I’m here, knees shaking, staring at the door like it’s going to launch off and bite me.
I take a deep breath, then another, and think about Boston and my unborn child. Then, I push the front doors open and walk inside. The receptionist looks up, and blinks. I’m sure she knows who I am. It’s no secret my father has a ‘daughter’ he doesn’t want anything to do with. The one who had it all, and gave it up. They think I’m insane. Most people do.
I don’t feel that way.
I’d rather work my entire life and have very little, but know it’s all mine, then to be his little puppet just because it would set me up forever.
No.
I’m his daughter, that should have meant enough and it didn’t.
It never has.
“Chantelle, I haven’t seen you in a long time,” the receptionist says, her smile wobbly.
I have no idea who she is, but her face does seem familiar. I tend not to think too much about my life before I went off on my own.
“Ah, yeah,” I say. “Is my father in?”
“He is. Do you want me to call him?”
I nod.
She picks up the phone, still staring at me, and dials. “Richard, yes...Chantelle is here to see you.”
She pauses for a moment.
“Yes, your daughter Chantelle.”
The urge to roll my eyes is incredibly strong.
“Well well, the princess returns. We always knew you’d eventually need something.”
I spin around and see my oldest brother, Kale, staring down at me. If I didn’t know he was such a giant asshole, I’d be taken aback by how striking he has grown in the last few years. He’s filled out, and his dark hair is long and curling around his shoulders. His eyes, the same color as mine, shine amongst his dark skin.
He’s huge and well built.
“It’s wonderful to see you too, Kale. Still ruining lives, I imagine?” I throw at him, crossing my arms.
I don’t want to be here.
He grins at me. “Something like that.”
“Your father will see you. You can go up.”
I nod and walk past Kale, who turns on his heel and follows me.
“I’m sure dad is going to be excited you’re finally here, no doubt to beg for something.”
I hate him.
Asshole.
Jerkbag.
“I’m sure he will be,” I throw over my shoulder.
“How have you been, Chantelle? Clearly life out in the big bad world is not treating you as well as you’d hoped.”
I grit my teeth together to keep from spinning around and throttling him.
When that’s what I really, really want to do.
I want to hurt him so damned bad.
I get in the lift, and of course he follows me in. I press the button for the top floor, and refuse to make eye contact.
“If you think you’re coming into his office with me, you’re sadly mistaken. I don’t need two assholes ruining my day.”
Kale laughs. “Well, that wouldn’t be any fun, now would it. I’ve waited my whole life for this moment.”
I turn around and glare at him. “For someone who was named after a rather disgusting, rather ugly, green vegetable, I wouldn’t be walking around acting like some sort of hero. In fact, if I were you, I’d be seriously considering a name change, perhaps to something more...masculine.”
He scrunches up his face, but doesn’t say anything.
Good.
Asshole.
I walk out the moment the lift opens, and go straight to the office door. When there, I knock twice.
“Come in.”
His voice hasn’t changed, and I shove the door open, slamming it before Kale can step through. Then I proceed to lock it, so he can’t come in. I don’t need an extra audience.
I turn and glance at my father, who is watching me from his desk. He looks exactly the same as he did years ago. The same dark hair, the same slate grey eyes, the same hard mouth. He’s always been a business man, and it has always come before family. The only reason my mother ever dealt with it, was because she got everything she could ever want for living a miserable and boring life without him in it.
Because work is his life.
And nothing else matters.
“Your son is an incredibly big asshole, and, by memory, I know exactly where he learned that trait.”
I cross my arms.
My father smirks.
“Well, I see your attitude hasn’t changed. Considering you’re here to ask me for something, Chantelle, I’d think you’d at the very least, try and speak like a normal human being.”
I clench my teeth.
“Hello, daddy dearest. How have you been the last few years you’ve failed to check on me, your only daughter?”