Page 78 of Dominate
“Gareth, hey! Are you done with training?” Sloan asks.
I’ve been thinking about her all day because she had a meeting with Margaret’s lawyer this afternoon. We got in a pretty big row earlier this week when I wanted her to take my lawyer with her and she refused. I hate that she went alone. I don’t trust Callum. Not by a long shot.
“Yes, I’m just cooling down,” I reply, forcing my teeth to stop chattering. “Did it go okay?”
“It went better than okay,” she replies, her voice high and excited.
I frown curiously as I walk through the hallway from the physical therapy room to the changing room. Most of my teammates have buggered off already, but Hobo and a couple others are still lingering. I reach my cubby and head nod to Hobo, who’s sitting a few chairs away, typing on his mobile.
“Where are you? It sounds like you’re driving,” I ask as I drop down on the chair in front of my dressing area.
“I am,” she confirms. “I’m on my way out to the Lake District to pick up Rex. Freya is picking Sophia up from school, so I’m going to bring him home and surprise her!”
A pleased smile spreads across my face. “Rex, the dog, right? That’s brilliant! Sophia will be thrilled.”
“I know,” she replies. “He’s apparently been staying at the groundskeeper’s house, but I think he belongs at home with us.”
“I agree,” I reply with an easy smile. “So, is that all? I mean, surely there is more.”
“Oh, there’s more.” Sloan takes a deep breath that sounds nervous.
“Well, I hope you’re not going to try to bring a horse back to your place as well because, I have to warn you, I don’t think your car has a hitch on the back for a trailer.”
Sloan giggles a bit too much and the anticipation for what she’s about to say is potent. “Actually, the horses can stay at the lake because it currently belongs to Sophia and, well, me by proxy. Margaret named me the executor of Sophia’s inheritance.”
“Bloody hell,” I reply, my face falling. “Sophia got the entire property? That’s quite a shock. I mean, I assumed Sophia would get something, but I’m surprised that Callum isn’t in charge of it after how close you said he was to his mother.”
“Well, I’m not sure Margaret was as close to Callum at the end because she left me money, too.”
“You?”
“Yes, a lot of money. More money than I’ve ever seen in my entire life.”
I run my hand through my hair in confusion. “Why did she leave it to you?”
“Her letter says something about the prenup I signed when Cal and I got married being unfair. But I think a lot of it is because she was upset with how Callum handled joint custody after we got divorced. It’s all so weird. I could hardly feel my face when I was signing the papers.”
“Right. I imagine this is a lot to digest.” I slump back on the chair and puzzle over how this all turned out.
“But, the biggest thing of all is that I’m free!” She giggles happily into the phone, her voice rising in pitch with excitement. “I don’t need Freya’s rent for the guest house anymore. I don’t have to live near Rossmill Lane, or worry about Callum coming after me with lawyers, or work as a stylist even. With this kind of money, the sky is the limit! Hell, I can move back to Chicago if I’d like because I have the means to do so now. If Callum tries to fight me on something, I can really fight back! I feel untouchable, you know?”
“I see,” I reply, my voice tight in my throat as my jaw aches from how hard I have it clenched.
“What’s wrong? I thought you’d be happy for me!” she peals. “I am finally out from under the thumb of the Coleridge’s control. I depend on no one!”
A dark, ominous feeling presses down upon me. Hobo must sense it because he shifts over to the seat beside me with a concerned look on his face.
“Gareth, say something,” Sloan adds, her tone pleading.
I swallow down the knot in my throat and say, “I’m happy you’re happy.”
“Why do you sound weird?”
I clear my throat and look around the nearly empty room, my mobile cracking in my hand as my grip tightens. “I’m fine. There are just a lot of people in here, so I’ll talk to you more later, okay?”
“Okaaay,” Sloan replies slowly, her tone confused.
I hang up and chuck my mobile across the room. It crashes against the far wall and thumps to the floor.
