Page 101 of Sold to Her Enemy

“Mckenna, my whole life, I’ve been groomed to take over the business, told everything that my father did is my legacy to continue. When we found out that there was tampering with the mafia, what did you want me to do?”

“Talk to my father? Investigate?” She crosses her arms over her chest, and her nostrils flare.

I take a step closer to her. “I know you don’t want to hear this, but we did. For a year. I had accountants trace where the money was going, and your father was seen talking to a suspected mob member. I had to pull the plug while I could still salvage it.”

“In all of this, there are a lot of supposed to’s. But the Feds found no evidence of conspiring with the mafia. No evidence that my father talked to the people you said he did.”

That’s true because our video wasn’t of the best quality. It showed Davis in his hat and overcoat, but the man’s track record with money was damning against him.

“They didn’t find evidence of criminal activity, that’s true. But he is wanted for questioning. What we did find was enough not to trust him.”

“But he wasn’t formally detained,” Mckenna’s eyes flash with an anger that I want to soothe. “And you threw out decades of a working relationship.”

“I know this has been hard on you.”

Beth comes in with another staff member, their hands full.

“Sorry to interrupt!” Her cheery voice falls flat against the solid ice in the room.

“Thank you,” I smile at her. “Can I have a whiskey neat?”

“Of course! I am sorry I forgot to take your drink order.”

I trample down my annoyance, trying not to be bothered.

“Make it two,” Mckenna says.

“Coming right up!” Beth and the staff hurry away.

“Come eat, hellion.”

“Yes, Sir,” Mckenna stomps to the table, sitting across from me.

We stare at each other, ignoring the food in front of us. A staff member sets our drinks before us and closes the doors behind them.

“Remember when Ava wanted to quit competitive riding?” Mckenna throws back her drink in one swallow.

I grimace because all of my sister’s tantrums seem to be lodged in my brain. “Ava wanted to quit lots of times.”

“The time she threw a fit in the lobby of MM Industries?”

“The staff had gone, but our parents were there.” I can’t remember the occasion, but I know my father was annoyed that Ava wasn’t on time.

“Yeah. Your parents were taking us out for dinner. That’s when they won the award for Best Innovation but didn’t announce it to the press yet.”

“Yes, I had forgotten that. My mother always insisted on celebrating achievements privately before going public with the noise. That was quite a scene Ava had made. My mother was relieved the staff had gone home.”

My mind plays the memory like a movie in slow motion. Ava is standing in the lobby with her hands on her hips. She’s wearing a yellow dress. My father rushes to her as she screams at them. My mother, frustration written all over her face, as my father holds up a palm, placating her.

Mckenna’s mother rushes forward to try to help soothe the situation. My mom turns to Davis with an exasperated expression that she only has for my sister.

And I was off to the side, staring at Mckenna behind the receptionist’s desk, trying to stay out of the way.

“The reason she gave them was that horses were too dirty, and she was tired of getting her nails dirty. It was taking her too much time to clean them before practicing.”

“My mother tried to offer a compromise of having someone groom the horse for her.”

“That’s ridiculous. Horses need touch and connection. You build a bond by taking care of them.”

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