Page 73 of Rake

“I have to admit, Finn, I’m impressed,” he says. “I knew you were charming Miss Saunders, but to position yourself to be the liaison and get her out of the union game all together? I didn’t expect that kind of clever ruthlessness from you.”

God. He would think that.

He smiles proudly at me, and that familiar warmth bubbles in my chest. It feels good to bask in his praise.

But it comes at too high a price.

I have a choice here.

Do I take my father’s praise and become like him, or do I be brave, like Sasha?

“I wasn’t running a game,” I say. “I don’t know why she did that.”

He laughs. “Oh, come on, Finn. You romanced it right out of her.”

I don’t want him thinking of me and Sasha that way. Maybe that’s how it started, but I care about her and don’t want anyone to think I’m using her.

“You set me up, Dad.” I say, quietly. “You set Hamish and P.J. on Benjamin Saunders using my name. And if I hadn’t found out, Benjamin would be dead. I’d be the one the cops came after.” I don’t mention that Sasha would hate me too, because it seems like such a stupid thing to say.

“Nonsense,” my father says. “It happened exactly how I intended. You save the day and emerge heroic. Of course I didn’t intend the Saunders boy to die. Just wanted to scare them both, and it worked, didn’t it?”

The lies this man tells himself. The scary part is that I think he’s convinced himself it’s all true. Not because I was shot, but because Siobhan had lost faith in him.

The love of a good woman is an incredible motivator, I suppose.

“I’m going to do what I think is right for us but also for our staff,” I say. “And that includes offering Jamilah King her job back. She probably won’t want it, but as a good faith gesture I want to make the overture.”

He’s taken aback for a moment. “That’s probably a wise move.” I’m not sure if he actually agrees, but it’s irrelevant.

“I’m not going to be your tool. I won’t waste my time spiting you anymore, but I’m not going to roll over and give you what you want if I don’t agree with you. Maybe I didn’t handle the incident with the Mathers’ daughter maturely, but I was seventeen and what you wanted from me was despicable.”

I should’ve told him this years ago. My input is more valuable than he’s ever given me credit for.

He sighs. “Finn, all I’ve ever wanted is for you to live up to your potential.”

More bullshit. But I don’t expect anything else from him.

“I’m going to start doing that,” I say. He won’t like it, because it’ll mean calling him on his poor decisions, but right now it looks like a truce. I’ll stay the course and do my best for the staff to honor Sasha’s work. When it comes time to pull the rug out from under my father, I won’t let them be collateral damage. I’ve learned too much from Sasha to let other people be hurt in the service of my revenge.

I’m still getting that revenge, though. In time.

“Good,” my father says. “I’m glad to hear that. And maybe if you put aside your womanizing ways you can finally find a nice girl to settle down with. Senator Kensington’s daughter Jessica is single.”

But I’ve got my eye on someone else.

I smile at my father and it goes without saying. He sighs and waves me out of his office.

I join my siblings in the sitting room.

“I thought Patrick would be the first one to get shot,” Callan says.

“You’re normally so good with figuring out those odds.” I adjust my sling, and Bridget moves to get up.

“Birdie, honey, sit down,” Catriona says. “He’s fine. You’re lucky it’s winter so you don’t have to forfeit at rugby.” She shoots me a wolfish smile.

“So lucky,” I say.

“What happened with the chick?” Patrick asks. “You get with her or what?”

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