55. Brogan
Ever since Layla had told me my father's role in her disappearance, the hate I had for the man grew exponentially, not that I hadn’t despised his existence my entire fucking life.
After years of his patronization, demonization, bullying, harassment, and straight up torture, I’d finally had enough and was going to do something about it.
Not even the post orgasmic haze after fucking Enslee senseless had been enough to keep me in this godforsaken penthouse. The need to get vengeance couldn’t wait, and it was why I stayed just long enough for her to fall asleep before I untangled myself from her warm body, then got out of bed.
As I headed into my closet, all I could think about were the last few months, especially the last couple of weeks.
It was one thing to kidnap me and throw me into a torture chamber, but it was another altogether to perpetuate a crime that wasn't even a crime, then frame me for it. What was worse was the psychological number he’d done to me by promising to free me if I succumbed to his will, all the while knowing no crime had ever been committed.
One would think a father would want to clear his son’s name if for no other reason than to preserve the dignity and integrity of their legacy.
No, my father had been prepared to destroy Sinclair Pharmaceuticals because I’d loved Declan.
While nothing had changed with my former lover since the day I’d been arrested, my father hadn’t known that.
My irredeemable sin, as he’d always called it, was enough to torment him, so I now was glad I hadn’t caved the day he’d come to Rikers Island and offered me a get out of jail free card.
For the briefest of moments, I’d at least considered it because everything between Declan and me was over, but my pride wouldn’t allow me to ever give Stanley Sinclair the satisfaction of seeing me bow down to him.
He wanted to rule my life, and he’d tried.
I’d never allow him that level of control over me.
I’d become CEO at Sinclair Pharmaceuticals a few years ago, but I’d never held enough power and control there to make a difference. If anything, I was nothing more than a figurehead at the helm. The one who bore all the responsibility, but none of the power. Tonight, that would all change.
It was a Thursday, so I knew he’d be with his poker buddies.
Those games usually lasted until around eleven p.m..
Right now, it was just after nine p.m.. If I planned to make my move, I needed to act quickly.
And what I planned was nothing I hadn’t already plotted out over the years.
I’d just been waiting on the right fuel, which Layla had given to me tonight.
Had she said something sooner, we both would’ve been done with one another before any of this had happened.
I believed in rolling with the punches, and mine tonight would be a fucking knockout.
It was even more brilliant of a plan than the one I’d first come up with.
Of course, additional information had now been provided which changed everything.
My father thought me to be less of a man because of my past relationship with Declan, but he’d soon be the one emasculated completely.
It gave me a hard-on just imagining it all playing out.
The first part of the plan would be found right here in this closet.
I reached behind the row of custom-fitted suits for the button which caused the wall behind it to open.
Once it did, I quickly opened the safe and grabbed the manila folder and knife that matched the one he’d planted in Layla’s condo.
The snake will be done in by his own venom. Poetic justice!
Once I retrieved those items, I concealed the secret wall and safe, then threw on some dark pants and a matching sweatshirt.
From there, I glanced over at Enslee, who was still asleep in the bed.
Her long dark mane was spread out across the pillows, and while she was not Declan, I still enjoyed the view of her swollen lips and tear-streaked cheeks as much as I used to enjoy his.
I left the penthouse and headed straight over to Sinclair Pharmaceuticals.
It was strange walking inside the building I’d been visiting since I was five.
There used to be such pride in the Sinclair name until I’d grown older and realized that generation after generation of my male ancestors just got worse.
For as bad as Stanley Sinclair was, one day I’d be considered a monster to my own heir, especially after I followed through with tonight’s plan.
There was no empathy for him to be found.
He deserved everything about to come to him, and more.
He deserved to be in the place that I’d just been released from, only he needed to spend the rest of his life there until he punched his one-way ticket to Hell.
Christmas music streamed through the speakers, and I heard the signature ‘pa rum pum pum pum’ drum sound from The Little Drummer Boy being sung by Pentatonix as I moved to the elevator.
I input the code to go up to my office, but it kept giving me an error message.
For a moment, I thought maybe he'd already changed them, but then remembered that he wouldn't have expected me out of prison so soon. At least not without his help. He’d deluded himself into believing that unless I’d caved to his demands, I’d remain in there.
He'd likely heard about my release from the attorney, but not in enough time to alter these codes.
I finally realized the problem was that my hands were shaking so much from a combination of adrenaline and anger.
A potent mix, but not when trying to focus on something so minuscule.
I forced myself to calm down, input the code once more, then stepped into the elevator when the doors opened.
Once in my office, I could smell the scent of my father’s cologne as it hung heavily in the air. He’d been using this office during my absence. Well, no more. After tonight, I could and would have him removed for trespassing. What I needed to accomplish that would be found behind lock and key.
I sat down at my desk, and this felt like home for me.
Despite my ire toward all things Sinclair, I actually took pride in my work here.
I deserved to be at the helm of this empire, and after tonight, no one would ever be able to threaten my position here.
I had a file cabinet right next to my desk, and after opening the top drawer, I reached underneath and retrieved the key I’d taped there for safekeeping.
Even my father had no idea about this hidden safe, nor would he ever.
I got up, then moved to the center framed piece of art on the wall and slowly removed it to reveal a small safe.
I used the key to open it, and it didn’t take long to retrieve both a syringe and a small bottle of clear liquid.
Thankfully, there’d never been cameras in this particular office, so I quickly filled the syringe, then capped it so none of it would spill, or worse, prick me.
After, I put everything back to normal then left the office.
As I did, I was reminded of the last time I’d been there.
It was the day I’d found out about Declan’s betrayal.
It was also the same day I’d been arrested.
I still couldn't believe my lover had done what he had to me. In all actuality, it wasn't even what he’d done that bothered me the most, but that he’d never told me about it all of those months.
He’d lied while watching me spiral. He might as well have held that bloody knife to my throat and watched me bleed slowly out.
I remembered the night I’d held that gun to my fucking head, and he’d begged me not to pull the trigger.
Did he enjoy seeing me suffer?
I was now starting to think he did, or maybe this was punishment for what’d happened all those years ago with him.
Who the fuck knows?
I’d thought I knew him, but the man I’d known would’ve moved Heaven and Earth for me, not scorched both and watched me burn to ashes.
He was Jekyll and Hyde, but I refused to focus on him.
My anger, while deserved, needed to be directed at the one most deserving of it right now. My father tonight would face my wrath.
I no longer even wanted to consider him my father.
I was completely disgusted by him, and if it wouldn't land me straight back into the fucking slammer, I'd slice his fucking throat. I still might. Stay This Way came through the speakers, and was the perfect song to describe us. In fact, I played it on repeat all the way to my father’s estate located just outside of town.
As expected, he wasn't home yet as evidenced by the multitude of lights on in the house.
I let myself in the gate, then stopped midway down the driveway and parked my car out of sight.
I glanced down at my watch, and it was now ten forty-five p.m..
It’d only be a matter of time before his card game ended and he brought his sorry ass home.
As I waited, I walked to his study and poured myself a glass of whiskey from the expensive collection lining the small bar in the corner of the space.
I slammed it back and resisted the urge to have another.
I needed to stay sober for what I had planned.
This would be my only opportunity to do this, and I needed to do it right.
I was due for that much. I just needed to remember not to lose my fucking cool.
It was easier said than done when my first instinct was violence.
I wanted to strangle the life out of him and steal what he’d tried to steal from me.
And it’d been for nothing more than trying to follow my own heart.
Granted, it’d backfired in my face, but that wasn't the point. I’d no longer let this man control any aspect of my life.
I would not fear him.
I would not respect him.
I would not bow down to him.