Page 20 of Tempt you…not!
Not even his children. Especially not his son.
I have no doubt that he’ll make good on his promise because anything less than following through would wound his pride.
If I don’t agree to this interview, I might as well be homeless.
People already know we’ve been intimate, so it’s not like I’d be saying anything they don’t know. Plus, I could make Alysanne look good.
Disgust churns in my gut at the thought of betraying Alysanne. I haven’t stopped thinking about her since I left her hotel room, playing various scenes in my head of how we could be together. How we could make it work.
But Alysanne and I can never be. Not with our parents being who they are. Not if we want to keep our places within our respective companies.
And if I don’t do this interview, I’m out of a job, and Father will make sure no one will hire me.
“Tomorrow. Your place. 2 p.m. Business casual. Be there.” Father looks at me stoically, daring me to challenge him.
What choice do I have?
“Alright.”
Without saying goodbye, I leave my father’s office, pulling out my phone and bringing up Slate Bastion’s text box.
Chadwick:Meet me in an hour at the ImPressed on the corner by the dock.
Slate:You changed your mind?
Chadwick:Be there.
Alysanne
“Take a seat,”Father says, and I’m forced into a chair next to my brother’s.
Father doesn’t look weak, but that doesn’t mean one wrong word won’t send him into a cardiac situation he might not recover from, so I have to hold my tongue.
“I’m sorry about the presentation,” I say quietly.
“Fuck Major Hutton,” he growls. “He’s always been sleazy.”
Father has always hated putting any direct blame on me for things, acting as though I can’t foresee the consequences of my actions because I’m female.
He never even blamed me for the spring break video.
Looking at his dour face, I already know what he’s going to ask of me, so I jump the gun.
“I’m leaving Bastion Communications,” I say, handing over my formal resignation.
Slate’s head snaps in my direction. “Sis, nobody wants you to—”
“Shove it,” I snap. “And don’t think for a second that I don’t know what you did.”
I shouldn’t have said that, not with Father here, but I can’t stop my rage from boiling over.
My brother’s eyes go to his watch. “Ah, it’s 1:57. Just in time.”
He turns on Father’s television, toggling to YouTube. “The Chadwick Archibald interview will be on in a minute.”
“Oh, screw this!” I jump from my chair, mad as hell and no longer thinking of my father’s weak heart. “I’m trying to tender my resignation, which is what you wanted—”
“Alysanne.” Father’s whisper quiets the room. A weird smile plays on his lips. One I haven’t seen before. “You will sit your ass down, and you will look at that screen.”
