A Debt Owed(18)

“The moment you ignored me. You listened to him instead of your heart. That was enough for me,” I growl.

Her parted lips close.

The doors close behind us, leaving a deafening silence in their wake.

“You know how violent my father is. You saw it with your own eyes,” she says, pain stinging her voice. “I had no choice but to ignore you.”

“You could’ve stood your ground. You know as well as I do this is your fault. All of this is your doing.”

“No, you’re lying to yourself. And you let yourself become a monster,” she hisses.

“Your father hated my guts, and you let him control you,” I retort.

“He tries to control everyone,” she says. “That doesn’t make this okay. Why do you want to ruin us so badly?”

“I will do everything I can to destroy the Davis name,” I growl. “Because of your father, my father is now dead.”

“What?” Her eyes widen. “Your father?” She shakes her head. “No, that’s not possible. My father wouldn’t murder—”

My blood boils. “Your father worked mine to death.”

“That wasn’t his—”

“Yes, it was!” Anger seeps through my veins, and I explode. “Your father wanted my father to succumb to the stress as payback for me trying to get close to you. Because of you … my father is dead.”



Easton

1 Year Ago



After the falling out I had at the restaurant with that pompous asshole Davis, I didn’t want to stand between my father and his biggest job ever. I wanted him to succeed, even if it was without me, so I stopped working for him and settled on getting my own shit sorted.

I opened my own high-end club for singles, and after gathering some investors, I managed to open a couple more over the years. I even paid all of them off within no time. I never expected my business would skyrocket this fast, but I guess people enjoy the unique cocktails we serve and the luxurious atmosphere at the locations.

The more clubs I open all around the world, the more the opportunity arises to spend and earn big money, which is what I wanted all along … To grow my business into an empire and outsmart that son of a bitch Davis. One day, I will be richer than he is, and then I’ll buy out all of his businesses and make him pay. I’ll ruin him until he has nothing left to spit on. And then we’ll see who has the last laugh.

But first, it’s time to see how my father’s doing. I haven’t seen him in a month, and he’s been quiet during our phone conversations lately, so I decided to drop by his house tonight.

The only thing he told me was that Davis put so much pressure on him to perform that he wasn’t even allowed to stay home sick. I hate that prick like nobody else, but my father never listened to him when I told him he needed to quit while he still could. Now, Davis holds his paycheck over his head … and he works like a goddamn hostage.

The thought makes my fists clench as I ring the doorbell a couple of times.

No one comes to the door. “Father?” I bang on the wood a couple of times but still no answer. “Father?” He’s always home at this hour. I don’t wanna go straight to my last resort, but it seems I have no choice.

My father gave me a spare key to his apartment a few months back in case I needed to drop by for something like supplies or to help him out sometimes. Guess now’s the time to use it.

I fish the key from my pocket and jam it into the keyhole, twisting it until the door unlocks. I open it wide and call out for my father again.

But as I step inside and take a look around, I freeze, and the key drops from my hand. He’s lying on the floor completely lifeless.

“Father!” I rush toward him and go down to my knees in front of his body, shaking him vigorously. I place my index finger against his neck and check for a pulse. Nothing.

Placing my hands on top of his chest, I immediately start compressions. After countless times, I blow air into his mouth while holding his nose. But nothing I do seems to get him to breathe again.

I don’t know how long I continue or how much time passes before I call an ambulance. Before they tell me that I did my best, but that there is no saving him. He died from a heart attack caused by too much stress. He’d been working so hard lately, and it’d been the death of him.

In the hospital waiting room, my hands feel cold and my heart empty, devoid of any emotion. All I can do is stare into oblivion as I realize my father’s been taken away from me.

Too soon.





Chapter 8





Easton

Present



“No …” She keeps shaking her head.

“You can believe whatever you want, Charlotte, but it’s the truth.”

“I don’t believe it,” she hisses. “You can’t blame that on me.”

“Doesn’t matter what you think or believe. You’re the reason your father worked mine to death. And now I will make you pay … and then your father.” A wicked grin spreads on my lips. “All that matters is that you’re here in my home now, and you will abide by my wishes like a good fucking girl.”

“Fuck. You,” she spits, and she runs toward the doors, banging on them hard. “Let me out! Let me out, please!”