She narrows her eyes at me, but I ignore her as I shove the last of my things in my bag.
“Riley, it’s okay to talk about it if you want.”
“There’s nothing to talk about.” I flick my ponytail over my shoulder.
“Your daddied, Riley.”
“I know, but it wasn’t like he was a huge presence in my life anyway.” Even when he was around, my father was distant and cold. If anything, I feel more relief than grief that he’s gone, but I don’t admit that out loud. What sort of person is happy that her father was murdered? “Besides, my uncle has moved right in, trying to fill that father-shaped hole in my life. Of course, it’s a bit too late for someone to parent me now. I’m twenty-three years old, for Christ's sake.”
Lucy grins. “Well, this time next year, we can finally get an apartment together, and you can start enjoying your life. We’ll be in our girl boss era.”
I try to force a smile, but sometimes I can’t help but worry that my dream of being an independent city girl who works at a Fortune 500 company and lives in a skyrise apartment is only that. A dream.
Like many of my other dreams.
In my family line of business, I don’t get to dream of happily ever afters, picket fences, and a loving husband. Those are mere childhood fantasies, or lives meant for the average Jane.
Unless I can leave my family home, the possibility of falling in love and having my own family is not in the cards for me.
And as much as I dream of being able to live my life, be the master of my own destiny and all that, the truth is I know my shackles, as pretty as they might be, are iron-tight.
My brother, Oscar, is determined to keep me on a tight leash, and I have a horrible feeling that a college diploma isn’t going to change that.
“Are you sure you don’t want to come out? It might help you take your mind off things.”
“I’m sure, but you should go and have fun.”
“Oh, I will.” Lucy grins.
“I expect to hear all the details tomorrow.”
The black irongates groan open as I approach them. The armed guards standing on either side look my way, but I don’t acknowledge them.
Instead, I press my foot on the gas and kick up a cloud of dust behind me as I head up the drive toward the house.
I might have grown up in this house, but it never once felt like a home.
The pristine hedges and polished marble steps are nothing but status symbols, a way to show the world that the Walsh family is not to be messed with. The top of the food chain.
If it wasn’t so depressing, I would find the entire effort laughable.
All this opulence, this display of greatness, of grandeur, and something as small as a bullet took down the man who considered himself untouchable—my father.
I guess money and power can’t buy everything, after all.
After getting out of the car, I sling my bag over my shoulder and head up the marble steps.
Before unlocking the front door, I take a deep breath.
As soon as I push this door open, Oscar is more than likely to appear and demand to know where I’ve been, even though I told him several times that I was heading into the city to study at Lucy’s place.
After mentally preparing for what awaits me as soon as I enter, I open the door.
The familiar scent of expensive polish and cigars hits me, and I try not to gag.
I frown, looking around.
Oscar is nowhere in sight.