Chapter 35 Hostile Negotiations
Hostile Negotiations
Luke
So far dinner has been quiet. My father sits at the head of the table and eats his food silently. My back is stiff and my side aches, but I can’t show any weakness. Not in front of him.
He clears his throat. “We need to discuss your relationship with Miss Davidson.”
I set my fork and knife down and sit back in my chair, waiting. This won’t be a discussion. He has a plan, but that means he wants something.
His hazel eyes narrow on me. “It surprised me when you brought her to dinner the first time as a friend.”
Again, I can’t show him any of my cards.
“She’s not the usual caliber of girls you go for. Sidney Brown is more in line with what I would expect you to nurture as a connection. Her parents’ business could align nicely with ours in the future.” Dad turns to look at the one server we have for dinner tonight.
The server rushes over and removes his plate and clears the area in front of him. She’s attractive. Young twenties. Brown hair. Brown eyes. Similar frame to Harper. My father doesn’t do anything without a purpose. She’s part of this discussion.
Dad folds his hands on the table and studies me. His lips curve into a smile. “Nothing to say? I’m surprised you even considered the Davidson girl as a possibility. But sometimes we want something pliable and easy.”
He obviously underestimates Harper. But I can’t give him anything.
My father smirks at my refusal to talk. “But if you have access, we can use that to our advantage.”
Staying calm when he talks about Harper as an object is hard. How much did he learn from my phone? Does he have someone tracking me? I need to be more careful. Jack can hack into my father’s files and secure my digital imprint better.
“How?” The word is dead flat as it passes my lips. He wants to use Harper to his advantage, but I still don’t see how. Besides using her to hurt me when I don’t fall in line.
Arching an eyebrow, he leans back. “Her father, Sean Davidson, used to work for me.”
I keep my face carefully blank, but it’s not surprising. Many people in town work or worked for my father. It just depends on if he was on the legal payroll or the under-the-table payroll.
“He left in a hurry.” Father waves his fingers at the server, and she brings over a decanter of scotch and a crystal lowball glass. She pours him a generous amount, and my father lifts his gaze to mine and smiles evilly. “One for my son, too.”
The woman lifts her brown eyes to mine and then goes over to fetch another glass. She sets it in front of me and pours the amber liquid into it. She returns the decanter to the bar and stands off to the side, waiting for her next order.
My father’s gaze has lingered on the gap in her white shirt showing the lace of her bra for most of dinner. I’m aware of what he pays attention to, and he’s paid her far too much attention.
I lift the glass and swirl it before taking a sip of the smoky sharp liquor.
“Sean Davidson took something of mine when he left. I want it back.” My father downs his glass and waves the server closer again.
She stops beside him with the decanter. As she pours, he slides his hand up the back of her thigh under her skirt. She barely flinches. His eyes darken.
“What if she doesn’t know where her father is?” I ask, because as far as I know, neither Harper nor her mother are in contact with him.
He chuckles, and the woman gasps as he plays with her under her skirt. “I doubt many know where he is, but that doesn’t mean we can’t find him or my missing items.”
He wants this, which means he’ll give me more leeway if I pursue it. I take a sip of scotch as the woman puts her hand on the back of my father’s chair. Her whole body trembles as he fucks her with his hand.
The other reason I know he wants something is because he doesn’t usually provide this type of entertainment or alcohol. The access I have to Harper’s home is what he’s after, but what can I get from him in return?
I set the glass carefully to the side and lean back, meeting his gaze.
“With the amount of work it’s going to take to get into Harvard, I’m not sure having a steady girlfriend is really workable.
” I rub the corner of my lip. “Especially with an internship to worry about.” I’ve avoided it for years.
I just have one last year to get through.
“Next summer and college breaks would be more ideal for an internship.”
His eyes narrow on me, and he takes his hand out of the server’s skirt. Lifting his cloth napkin, he cleans his fingers forcefully and waves her off to the side again.
“You get a little fuck buddy, which you’ve always had, so I don’t see how this interferes with your ability to do everything.” His eyes narrow. “Besides, the internship will look great on your college resume.”
“A fuck buddy doesn’t need as much attention as a girlfriend.” My gaze goes to the server, who stands with her cheeks flushed. “A fuck buddy just lets you use her for whatever pleasure you’re seeking.”
I bring my attention back to my father. “If you want me to sell this and figure out the inner workings of that girl’s mind, then I need time to work, to get her to trust me.”
I take a swig of scotch before smiling at him.
“If you just needed the house tossed, you could have done that by now. Something tells me this is a much more delicate operation.”
My father’s eyes pierce me, but I don’t let it bother me. I’m right, and right now, I’m the one with the power. He finally wants something I have.
He snaps his fingers at the server, and she rushes back over. He pushes back his chair. “On your knees.”
She drops and works on his belt and zipper. It’s another power move. He wants me to be uncomfortable, willing to say anything to leave the room, but I just meet his eyes because right now, he wants to fuck with my girl and that’s not happening.
He slouches and spreads his legs as the server draws his cock out. “You want to keep your little plaything to yourself, you do everything I tell you to, or she’ll be the next one on her knees at the dinner table.”
The server takes his cock into her mouth, and he pushes her head down until she chokes on it. She struggles to pull off for a few seconds before calming down and letting it happen. He’s always been good at breaking his toys.
Never Harper. Fear tramples over my heart, but I’m not the only one willing to protect Harper from my monster of a father. If it was just her, I’d take her far away, but I can’t let him fuck up her mother’s life either. I release the breath caught in my throat and shake my head.
“That wouldn’t be good for business.” I tap my index finger on the glass of scotch. “It’s one thing to fuck the servers you hire. It’d be another thing to fuck your son’s girlfriend. So let’s stop with the threats and get down to negotiations.”
I push the glass to the side and lean my elbows on the table. “What exactly are you looking for and would you please let that poor woman breathe? It’s a lot nicer when they actually suck on you instead of passing out from lack of oxygen.”
My father smirks and draws her head up. She gasps in a breath, practically wheezing as her mascara runs down her cheeks.
“Fine. You want to put off your internship until next summer?” He tips the woman’s face up to look at him. “Suck it and make it good.”
Fuck. I don’t want to see any more of this. “Yes, I’ll figure out where Sean Davidson hid your property, but you’re going to have to be a little more detailed in what I’m looking for.”