Sebring (Unfinished Heroes #5)(45)

At her announcement, I casually finished laying my napkin on my lap and shared, “Not surprisingly, since he’d like to be somewhere far away to enjoy the seven million? six hundred twenty-three thousand, two hundred forty two dollars he stole from us.”

Her brown eyes went wired and her mouth got tight.

Georgia and I shared Dad’s straight black hair and olive skin. She got his brown eyes. Mom’s eyes were blue. I had no idea where my eyes came from. I just always liked the fact that there was something of mine that was none of theirs.

“I just finished finding it all half an hour before I left for lunch,” I went on. “And at this point, as petty as it is, considering I’ve been sharing my concerns about David for years, I would very much like to say ‘I told you so.’”

“Please be careful, Liv. I’m suddenly not in a good mood.”

I wisely decided, considering her moods occasionally could be like our father’s, to be careful. Thus I looked away, seeing a waitress coming our way.

Georgia already had a martini.

I ordered sparkling water with lemon and lime and a glass of Prosecco.

“I would suggest that as soon as possible Gill and or Tommy are dispatched to bring him back. And it would be helpful when they did that they bring back as much of our money as they can,” I stated when the waitress moved away.

My sister’s still angry eyes narrowed on me.

“Tommy?”

I tipped my head to the side. “He does need more responsibility, doesn’t he? Seeing as he has a growing family he needs to take care of. It’s time he stopped stagnating and moved up the ranks.”

Anger and sisterly tenderness warred in her features as she started, “Liv—”

I turned my attention to my menu. “Let’s order. I have a good deal to do and I have plans this evening.”

She said nothing. The waitress came back with my drinks. We ordered.

Then she said something.

“It’s been years. And now you’re over Tommy that easily?” she asked, watching me closely.

“I’ll never be over that,” I answered then went on foolishly, bringing up a topic I knew all too well I shouldn’t bring up, “A heinous lesson that was learned when there was no need to teach it. But still, although never to be over the lesson that was Tommy, I’m over Tommy.”

“You guys stole two million dollars,” she said carefully.

Yes. I was foolish to bring it up.

I did not want to go over old ground.

But I was so used to doing it when the frequent occasion occurred that my sister tried to explain gently what had been demonstrated not-so-gently, out of habit, I couldn’t stop myself from asking, “How can one steal one’s own money?”

“Nothing is anyone’s, babe, you know that. If it’s Shade, it’s all the Shades’.”

I nodded. “Oh yes, I do remember that being mentioned while boiling oil was being poured on my back.”

She flinched.

I kept talking.

“Okay, it has to be said that we’re at a stalemate about this that we should call for eternity. I’m over Tommy. I’m really over discussing this. It’s clear you agree with Dad that I did wrong and deserved to be punished.”

She tried to interrupt. “Liv—”

But I persevered.

“I’ve made it clear that I felt as a human being I should be free to work and earn my own money and have the right to pursue happiness with whoever I choose without threat of imprisonment and torture. I’m afraid I have rather strong feelings about that ideology, no matter how brutally I was proven wrong. Thus, we won’t come to an agreement or even a compromise. So allow me to live my repression with some dignity.”

She leaned toward the table and lowered her voice as she said, “Like I’ve said a million times before, we keep discussing this because you need to be careful about shit like that, sis. I’m not happy David stole from us but I’m glad you found it. Dad’ll be seriously pissed about David but he’ll be pleased you seem more on board, sorting that out, calling the order to get Gill and Tommy involved, taking care of family. But, you keep going the way you’re going, saying the shit you say, behaving the way you do, not letting that shit go…” She let that hang and finished, “You have to know, Dad doesn’t trust your loyalty.”

I let my eyes widen in faux shock.

“Really?” I asked sarcastically. “You can’t be serious, Georgie. Gee…that must be why he still watches my house.”

“You learned the loyalty lesson once,” she hissed, but she said it like she wished she didn’t have to. “The way you carry on, Liv, he’s not sure it sunk in.”

“I did learn a lesson,” I agreed. “However, I will note that the lesson taught did not buy loyalty. It bought hatred. And in order to end this discussion once and for all, I’ll stop *footing around and say it out loud. I loathe that man. Since he never liked me much, I returned the favor. But after that, I hated him. The only reason I do what I do is not loyalty to him. It’s because it’s the only livelihood I have. Then there’s the small fact I have absolutely no other choice. And last, the only good part about it all, I do it because I love you.”

She sat back at my last, her face growing soft.