My father waited for me to answer, letting me hang awkwardly at the entrance. Fuck him.
No.
I had to convince him this was real.
Deep breath, Cole.“I’m here to—” My heart pounded so hard, it skipped, and I wished I’d had a drink before coming this morning. “I’m here to learn more about how Carter Industries works,” I said, somehow not mangling the words as they poured out. “I should have before, and I haven’t.”
“Cole,” he breathed, his face lighting up with pleasure. It didn’t matter that he was a horrible man who abused my mother, who’d blackmailed Eva, who’d tortured me my entire life—I wanted his approval so fucking bad, and I was afraid I always would.
His expression warmed, and it annoyed me how much I liked that I’d done that to him. “There’s a seat for you,” he said, gesturing to his left, and, not far from where I stood, I found a name tent with my name on it. “There’s always been a seat for you.”
I closed my eyes for a moment to gather my equilibrium then took a seat between the two men in suits who were doing a piss-poor job of hiding their surprise.
He raised me for this, I reminded myself. He raised me on politics, he raised me on psychological games, he raised me to be a tough motherfucker who ate his enemies for breakfast.
The meeting passed in a blur. I understood most of it—I was my father’s son, after all. I was careful to vote with my father on all issues, watching his face carefully for clues as to what he wanted.
After, when we adjourned, instead of staying for small talk, I headed for the door.
“Cole!” My father called my name from across the room. “Stay for a moment.”
Shit.
I shook my head and smiled my most charming smile, hoping he didn’t see how fake it was. “I have practice.”
His eyebrows flew up.Time to play the game, Cole.
“I can’t abandon the team now, not after everything that’s happened,” I said, meeting his eyes, knowing the board was hanging on every interaction. Our fight over my future was as important to them and the future of the company as it was to me, and I was no doubt upsetting a thousand apple carts of ambitious succession plans by showing up today. “But I know where my future is.”
As I walked out the door, I hated the warmth in my chest at my father’s obvious pleasure with my presence. I hated that, even as I was plotting to take his power away from him, a tiny part in the depths of my soul bloomed under his approval.
Tristan
I’m proud of you.
Me
Fuck you, you condescending asshole.
Tristan
That’s the idea.
Me
Christ, is this how Eva felt?
Tristan
*imp emoji*
Me
*middle finger emoji*
I couldn’t tearmy eyes away from Eva as she stood beside Coach, my cock hardening every time she tilted her face up to him, chattering too quietly for me to hear. The urge to mark her, to leave bruises on her thighs and bite marks on her throat so everyone would know she was claimed, burned through me like acid. She thought she could say no to me? Fucking laughable. She was mine, whether she admitted it or not.
Despite the professionalism of their relationship, possessive rage clawed up my throat. Watching her tilt her head up to speak with him made me want to drag her away, bend her over my knee, and remind her exactly who she belonged to.