Related Party Transaction
Finn
The suit is new and tailored to fit, but not really my style.
It’s better than facing Colin Lawson in boxers.
Though part of me wants to do just that.
Act like I don’t care about my father at all.
I sit on the couch beside Sara and we wait to be summoned.
Eventually, Mason Alberts, my father’s right-hand man, opens the door.
“He’s ready for you.” Mason steps to the side of the door and waits for me to rise. “Bring your woman.”
I hold my hand down to Sara who at least is wearing leggings and a shirt, unlike Natasha who’s in a nightgown and robe. Hopefully, that helps Sara feel more comfortable in this uncomfortable situation.
Dragging in a deep breath, I follow after Mason with my arm around Sara. It doesn’t matter what my father wants. I can’t give in to him. He isn’t interested in me having a future outside of his organization, and I can’t drag Sara into that life.
While I don’t need to be led through the house, Mason still directs us.
My father’s office will be in the same location.
It’s his private office and a way to show his power over us.
When we get to the wooden doors, that old anxiety of never wanting to be what my father desired me to be rises in my chest, but when I breathe in Sara’s sweet scent, I release it.
Part of me is grateful Sara isn’t truly pregnant or this would be a clusterfuck. Especially if my father knows she’s not just with me. He at least knows Dante was in bed with us. That wouldn’t have slipped anyone’s attention. Though she was dressed.
There would be paternity tests and weddings and all types of traditional things that don’t suit me or Sara. Though eventually there will need to be a wedding. That’s just who Sara is. At that point, we’ll figure out how to make this work.
Mason knocks on my father’s door and waits before opening it for us. He doesn’t cross the threshold. I squeeze Sara to reassure her, but I don’t know what we’re walking into. How much does he know? What does he want from us?
“Finnigan!” My father’s voice is boisterous as he rises like this is a surprise to him.
I flinch. Hate that fucking name. It’s not even my legal name. The story goes that Dad wanted Finnigan and Mom agreed to Finn. “Dad.”
He comes around the desk and grabs my arm, tugging me into a hug. We’re the same height now. Same green eyes. Same dark hair except his has streaks of gray in it. He holds me at arm’s length and looks me over.
For an old guy, he’s still in shape. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen him and even longer since I’ve been in conversation with him.
“It’s been ages.” His grin never drops as his gaze goes to Sara. His eyes sparkle. “And you must be the Morris girl.”
He holds his hand out to her and she takes it.
“Sara Morris, sir.” She’s trained in etiquette. Unfortunately, my father is not.
He pulls her in to hug her. “You’ve made me a very happy man, Sara. You can call me Colin or Dad, if you like.”
Sara’s wide eyes meet mine over my father’s shoulder. I just shrug. If she was expecting the creepy charm of Peter Sokolov, she’s disappointed. There’s really no way to describe my father to someone who hasn’t met him.
He comes off as happy-go-lucky until you cross him. This person he’s pretending to be is not the man I grew up with. I know better than to trust his actions. This is just one of his masks to hide the monster he is.
He releases Sara and guides her to the sitting area, not to his desk. If he wanted to make me feel less than, he would have chosen his desk. “Come, sit. We should talk, get to know each other.”
I want to roll my eyes, but I don’t as I take over moving Sara and pull her to the couch with me.
My father settles in the chair across from us. His hands loose and his demeanor relaxed. His smile is easygoing. This whole thing smells like a trap.
“I hear you ran into a little trouble with my competitor.” My dad gives her a smile like it was nothing.
Sara looks at me, but doesn’t say anything.
“Peter Sokolov took her, but we’ve got it covered.” I wrap my arm around her shoulders and draw her into me.
My father shakes his head, but he’s still smiling even though he’s not happy about it. “My inside man got made. That’s how you handled it. Do you know how long he was embedded in that group?”
I take a breath. “Frank was very helpful.”
“When do we get to plan the wedding?”
Sara’s mouth opens and closes and her frantic green eyes meet mine. She’s probably wondering how long I’ll let this go on. The problem is, I’m not sure. After all, her being pregnant protected her then and it’s likely to do the same now.
Natasha being pregnant makes her a pawn in my father’s schemes. While I might be upset with Tom, I’m not about to let my father loose on his new wife.
“We’re not planning on getting married any time soon.” I smile to ease the blow.
My father shakes his head, leaning forward with his hands between his knees. He looks up at me like I’m playing with him. “You always made things difficult, Finnigan.”
“We’re just finding our footing as a couple.” I shrug like it’s no big deal.
My father laughs, but there’s a coldness to it. His eyes pin me in place, narrowing on me, before he turns to Sara with a much nicer look.
“I’ve known your parents for years.” Dad rests against the back of the chair. “I had them looked into before I’d let my only son play at Tom’s house. You’ve always been a part of his life. I can’t see why you would wait to get married. It’s not like you just met.”
Sara draws in a breath. Her gaze goes to mine before she looks my father in the eyes. “Weddings are a lot. While we’ve been friends forever, it doesn’t mean we really know each other like true partners need to for marriage.”
Ah, very diplomatic. I’m curious what my father will say about it.
He chuckles and puts his hands palms up on his legs, watching her with an intensity only I would notice. “You’re a very smart girl, Sara. I’m sure you realize the world you’re stepping into.”
I clench Sara’s hand to reassure her.
“I have a lot of friends and even more enemies. While they believe Finn won’t be the heir to my empire, the minute they realize you have something important to me, it’ll make you a target. The easiest way to eliminate that threat is to make you family.”
She clears her throat. “And if I weren’t pregnant?”
His eyes narrow like she’s threatening his kingdom. Maybe he’s worried she’s talking about terminating the pregnancy.
“It’s been stressful and it’s still very early on,” I rush out. “Things happen and some pregnancies don’t make it full term.”
His face softens again and he smiles. “You’re a strong woman. But if something unfortunate happened, then you would still benefit from being his wife.”
He focuses in on me but his words are for Sara. “Rumors won’t get out that could hurt your reputation.”
“This isn’t fifty years ago.” I laugh, hoping he’s talking about Sara and me and not all the guys too. “Just because she’s having my baby doesn’t mean she needs to be married off.”
My father smirks and leans back. “You’re right. This isn’t years ago. Her being pregnant isn’t the rumor I was speaking of.”
My heart stops at that calculating look in his eyes. “You wouldn’t.”
“I would.” My father stands and walks over to the scotch on a side table and pours two glasses.
Sara turns to me with questioning eyes.
Fuck. He’s willing to do everything to make sure his heir is born into his family. Meaning he wants to force the issue of me and Sara getting married by any means necessary. Even if it means crushing the woman I love to get it done.
He doesn’t need to know about Natasha, but I need to come clean about Sara.
“Sara’s not pregnant.”
My father stiffens, but caps the scotch.
Sara squeezes my hand. I’m glad she’s here for me, but I’m also afraid that I just blew her up for no reason.
“The reason I lied was to give her protection from Peter Sokolov. I love her and didn’t want him to do anything to her. It was strategic.” I drag in a breath.
“That’s smart.” The words and the tone of pride sound foreign from my father. He turns with two glasses of scotch and returns to us. He hands one to me and I take it, holding the glass on my knee.
My father sits and takes a sip of his scotch. His gaze darts between me and Sara, and then down to our still-joined hands. He releases a breath and closes his eyes, leaning his head against the back of the chair.
I’m not sure what to do here, so I just wait.
My dad opens his eyes and sits forward like he’s come to a decision. I tense again, not really wanting to hear what he’ll say. All my life, my father tried to control me. Now that I have Sara, he knows my weakness and has something to hold over me to make me compliant.
His knowing gaze flicks between me and Sara and then he chuckles.
“I was wondering how far you would let me drive this.” He finishes the contents of his glass and sets it on the end table. “As stubborn as you always were, I figured I’d at least get you to the wedding day before you broke.”
My eyes narrow on him. What the fuck?
“I looked into your medical history.” He smiles at Sara. “I always liked you. You know how to present yourself at functions. Grace embodied. I didn’t know if Finn would ever pull his head out of his ass to do something about it. Your father was a good man.”
“Thank you, sir.” Sara’s voice is a little choked.
His smile softens in a way I’ve never seen from him before. “You remind me of Finnigan’s mother. She was amazing and beautiful and kind. My rise to the top came at a price that was too heavy to pay. But I swore I’d never let Finn pay that cost.”
He rarely mentioned my mother when I was growing up. All I remember is she was there and then gone, and all the sunlight and joy left our house. But Sara gave it back to me.
“You’ve stumbled into some bad shit.” His eyes meet mine with a raw seriousness. “Peter Sokolov is doomed. The Feds have enough, with what I’ve provided, to put him away for a very long time. Though his prison will likely be the equivalent of an extended golf vacation.”
My father returns to his happy go lucky mood, but I’m reeling. What will this cost me?
I want to grab Sara and run and hide, but I know there isn’t anywhere I can hide from my father that he won’t find me. I’m just grateful he gave me that illusion for this long. The illusion that I was finally out.
“You’re a very lucky woman, Sara.”
She startles next to me. “I am.”
“Those men love you and will do anything for you.” My dad smirks. “I have a man who’s going to need a few days rest after your friend took him down. I’m glad I told them not to injure any of you.”
I still don’t know what to say to him. This means something, but I can’t quite figure out what.
“You should go back to the house your friend Drew bought last night. No one will look for you there.” My dad stands and walks around his desk before lowering like a king returning to his throne and all the responsibility that comes with it.
“You need a safe space while Peter’s guys are rounded up and hung out to dry.
It will take some time, but you should be safe in the city.
I’ll have a few more of my men watch over you to make sure no one bothers you. ”
I haven’t moved. There’s always a cost. He’s taken the threat of Peter off the table, but there’s still his henchmen to worry about. But my father is assuring us that they’ll be taken out soon.
I can’t help but ask, “Why?”
My father leans forward on his desk and clasps his hands together on the leather writing surface. “I promised your mother I’d look after you. I didn’t do a great job of raising you, hoping you’d step into these shoes because you’re my blood.”
Something I never wanted to do.
“But the truth is, you don’t have the drive for it.
You do have ambition, but you could never do what’s needed to run my empire.
” He smiles, flashing his white teeth. “You don’t have the stomach for it.
You weren’t made for this and that’s fine.
But I want to be part of your life. I want to know my grandchildren when they are finally born. ”
He turns his attention to Sara and she returns his soft smile.
“I just want to be part of your life again, Finn. I want to be invited to your wedding when you have one.” His sincere eyes meet mine.
“I want to prove to you that we can be a family without you taking over the business. I’m not getting any younger and I don’t want to die with regrets.
Do you think we can find a way to be a family again? ”
I glance at Sara and she has tears in her eyes. It all sounds too good to be true, but fuck, it’s everything I wanted to hear all these years. I down the scotch and set the empty glass on the coffee table.
I meet his eyes and nod, ready to put the past behind me. “We can figure something out.”