Page 71 of Love is Angry

Dad pulls out his phone and dials. A few seconds later, the phone in my pocket starts ringing. I pull it out and answer, never breaking eye contact with him. “Roxson property management, this is Rhue. How can I help you today?” The echo grates on my ear, but I don’t show any discomfort.

He stabs the end call button with a furious finger, glaring at me and baring his teeth. “You don’t even have a property manager?”

“I manage my own investments,” I tell him. “I like to know who’s renting from me.”

He shakes his head at me. “You need help,” he says. “You don’t know what you’re doing. Laura makes a better landlord than you. You should at least consider selling to her.”

“And she’d buy it with a private mortgage provided by you, right? Fuck that. I don’t need your help. More importantly, Laura doesn’t need you to fuck up her life. You’re trying to get her involved in my properties to get her off your campaign, right? Can’t stand to have an untouchable woman in the office? Laura’s too polite to tell you to back the fuck off, but you know I lack the finesse. Leave the girl be.”

“Is that what this is about? Your sister? You’re being a deliberate dick because of your sister?” Dad demands. “What’s with you? You haven’t been yourself lately.”

“I haven’t been myself in a long time. I’m surprised you just noticed,” I shoot back. “Leave Laura out of your shenanigans. She will do what you ask just to please you, and when she discovers she’s just a pawn in your nefarious schemes you’ll lose her. Haven’t you lost enough?”

The question hits him in the chest. He stares at me, his brows lowering heavily over his dark, stormy eyes. “It’s about your mother, then. It’s always been about your mother.”

“It’s more about your foul character and the lies you’ve been feeding us.”

The longer I look at him, the more I’m inclined to take decisive action. What would Dad do if an anonymous someone threatened his future, his wellbeing? With the rape allegations going public, his career would be ruined, not to mention his electoral race. Every single one of his plans would go up in smoke.

Naming and shaming abusers has gotten so many of the big guns fired and even arrested. Would he face that like a man, or would he destroy everything he touches in a desperate attempt to save himself? That question leads to another—one I don’t want to dwell on, but one that I can’t ignore.

What if mom had threatened Dad with the knowledge of Madison’s rape? What would he have done?

Laura thinks he might have killed her. But Madison thought mom just broke under the strain of yet another accusation.

I shake my head. Mom’s death was ruled a suicide. I try to stop my thoughts there. But it’s not so easy. My mind is spinning a million miles an hour. Yes, her death was ruled a suicide, but is anything ever so clear cut? If Dad did something, I would never forgive myself for turning a blind eye. If he didn’t, though, what repercussions will I face for digging into that empty rabbit hole?

“You never came back to talk that weekend when I caught you and your sister with the skank,” Dad says. “In the meantime, Laura’s been making it up to me by working extra hard to prove she’s worth my time and respect. That was always the rule in this family, remember? That you being my blood wasn’t enough to make you worthy of my attention. Laura has learned. You?You’re still throwing your shitty jock asshole tantrums. Grow the fuck up.”

I can’t help but chuckle dryly. “You’re a year too late with that bullshit line. I might’ve bought it even a month ago. Now? I’m just not impressed anymore.”

He gets up slowly, his broad frame dominating the entire room. I used to be intimidated as a kid. But the taller I grew, the more I worked out, the bigger and older I became, the less I was frightened by Julian Echeveria.

I once looked up to him. I worshipped this bastard. Now I’m disgusted by my very relation to him. There are few things worse than defiling a woman, and he did it over and over again. His disregard for consent sickens me.

“Yeah,” I say with a shrug. “Still not impressed. I’m not some female employee you can push around. I’m confused, though—am I supposed to be flattered by the attempt? Because that’s weird.”

“What the hell are you talking about?”

Oh, now I’m pissed. I slam my hands on the table and stand, leaning forward to shout in his face. “I’m talking about you throwing your weight around whenever you feel like it and whipping your dick out whenever there’s a pretty girl in the room!”

Shaking his head, he scoffs. “Jealousy. That’s what it is. You’re pathetic, Rhue. You’re still pouting about your little honey bunny baby crush fucking your daddy instead of you? Get the fuck over it.”

“If she’d wanted to fuck you, I’d already be over it.”

He blanches. I dismiss him with a cutting glance, then I turn around and head for the door.

“Where the fuck do you think you’re going?” he barks before I’m able to get one foot over the threshold.

“Good question,” I say sarcastically. “I’m a grown ass man with money in my pocket and a headful of deep dark secrets. Where would you go?”

He begins to move around the table, his eyes locked on me in a murderous glare. “Are you threatening me, boy?”

“What if I am?”

He shakes his head slowly. “That’s a very bad idea. You like living?”

“It’s okay most days,” I tell him breezily. “But now that you’ve answered my question, I’ll go ahead and answer yours. I wouldn’t bother threatening you, Julian. If I wanted to ruin you, I’d just get it done.”

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