Page 78 of Flirting With Forever
“You have nothing without me. No inheritance. No degree. You think you can build a new life? I can take it away from you just as easily. You’re a Harrington, and I will make sure you uphold our name,” he said, implying the threat but giving no details as to how he’d go about it.
“I see. You’re right. I don’t have a degree. And obviously I’m out of the will,” she quipped, widening her eyes for emphasis. “But I won’t be your puppet, Daddy.”
“So you don’t care what happens to that boyfriend of yours? His family? You think they’ll be so welcoming to you when they have nothing left?”
A cold shiver ran down her spine, but she reminded herself that she’d expected this. Her father could ruin Gage and his family with a few well-placed phone calls. That was how powerful he was.
But… “I do care. Which is why I’m here. You’ve left me no choice,” she countered. “So, here’s my counter proposal. In the next few minutes, we are going to come to an understanding— You are going to leave me be and allow me to live my life free of you and all that you do.”
Her father’s deep laugh rumbled out and echoed off the marble and glass around them. He leaned back and continued to smile at her.
She felt her face warm at his mocking, but she held his gaze, determination raging within her.
“Sloane, sweetheart. We both know who is in charge here.”
“Oh, I agree.” She dipped into her bag and pulled out the small USB drive, placing it gently on the table and scooting it slowly toward her father. “A gift—for you.”
She held his gaze and noted the way the amusement died in his eyes, turning them hard and cold once more.
“What is that?”
She forced a smile at his fake tolerance but congratulated herself silently on the wariness she read in his features. Still, she had to dig deep for the bravado she wanted but didn’t have. “You raised me, Daddy. I am my father’s daughter, and you taught me well.”
“Stop talking in circles and explain yourself.”
“Sloane…” Noah’s soft murmur held a note of caution and fear.
She didn’t look at her brother but kept her gaze fixed entirely on Grant Harrington. “Did you really think I would leave without proof? That is my freedom from you and everyone you associate with. That,” she said, emphasizing the word by flicking the drive the rest of the way across the coffee table, “is one of many fail-safes I have in place that will not only reveal your business dealings and associates to the authorities, but it will also notify your clients—notably certain clients—of your sticky activities within their accounts and the many, many millions of dollars you’ve stolen from them.”
Her father paled, and seconds later, a surge of red crept up his neck.
She fought to keep the tremble racking her body out of her voice. “Needless to say, I have been holding onto this information because I didn’t want to use it. You are my family, such as it is. But you will not threaten me or someone I care for again. That stops here. Right now.”
Her gaze shifted to Noah, because despite everything he had done in the past, she was closest to him in age, and the memories of them playing together before her father had separated them by work and training and schooling were hard to forget. “Needless to say, discovering you planned to sell me off as a security measure to cover your misappropriation of funds left me no choice but to confront you. Still, you got yourself into the mess you’re in. You can get yourself out of it.”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” he growled.
Her father’s barely veiled fury sent shivers of fear through her, but she canted her head to one side, her heart pounding in her chest so fast that she felt a bit dizzy. “On that drive, you’ll find copies of financial records, hidden account numbers for the offshore accounts you use, the businesses used to launder money, and enough information to bury all of you. Though I suppose you could possibly manage to cut a deal with the authorities, I seriously doubt you’d make it into protective custody once certain clientele discovers the extent of your theft.”
Without looking away from him, Sloane stretched out a hand and plucked her father’s favorite drink from the table beside her. She then leaned forward and placed it between them. “For you, Daddy.”
He swiped it up without a word and downed it in two large swallows, grimacing at the burn as he visibly tried to steady himself.
“You can’t do this to us, Sloane. How do I explain this little rebellion of yours?”
Her father shook his head, the facade of power shaken and visibly rocked by the news. He looked like a man now. Just a man and a frightened one at that.
“How can you do this to me after everything I’ve done for you?”
She canted her head to the other side as she stared at him. “How could you expect me to turn a blind eye to my morals and ethics, much less marry a mobster?”
“They want a connection, Sloane.” Her father ran a shaky hand through his hair.
“So give them one. You have two single sons. Or better yet—marry someone yourself. Surely one of your associates has a mob princess they’re willing to insert as a spy to keep you in line? Given your activities, it would certainly be a smart move on their part to do so.”
“Not it,” Noah said quickly, like when we were kids. “Count me out.”
Her father glanced around as though making sure no one was close enough to overhear them before glaring at Noah with such venom she felt the intensity and nearly laughed at Noah’s still not going to be me expression, even though he wasn’t looking at her.
