The Fearless King (The Kings #2)(36)

Her hands started to shake and her heart beat in double time. Rage blackened the edges of Journey’s vision. “I’m sorry, could you run that by me again?”

“Which part?”

“You think that my mother is to blame for how much I loathe my father? That he abandoned us?” That his leaving wasn’t the best thing that ever happened to me and my siblings? She could have laughed if she wasn’t so close to screaming. “That’s not even close to the truth. My father is a monster.”

Dr. Scott’s expression might have been sympathetic if it’d actually reached her eyes. “Ms. King, that statement alone, combined with your dating Frank Evans within twenty-four hours of your father coming back to town, speaks volumes. Your feelings for your father are getting in the way of your ability to function. Your decision-making skills are compromised—will continue to be compromised for as long as you avoid dealing with the issues your father’s presence represents to you.”

“Get out.”

She ignored that and consulted her notes. “Your father isn’t going anywhere, Journey. It would behoove you to mend the relationship between the two of you if you want to make a seamless transition.”

The threat couldn’t have been clearer if she’d spelled it out. “This session is over.” Journey spoke through numb lips. “I have to get to my next meeting.”

“We’ll have another appointment later this week to continue this conversation.” Dr. Scott rose as if completely unaware of the shit storm she’d stirred up. But, then, she’d done it on purpose. “Think about what I said, Journey. Kingdom Corp obviously matters a lot to you. I’d hate to see you self-sabotage and lose it.”

Journey held it together as the woman left. She held it together as she crossed her office and threw the lock on her door. She even held it together as she sent Bellamy a quick text pushing back their meeting.

Then she sank onto her couch and pulled her legs up to make herself as small a target as she could. She couldn’t close her eyes, couldn’t risk being shoved back into the past and those nightmare years between four and ten. The way she learned to walk soundlessly to avoid alerting Elliott to her presence and provoking an attack. The look that would come into his blue eyes that made her stomach drop out. The teasing in his voice as he’d stroke a hand over her hair…right before the pain came.

No. I am not a child anymore. I am stronger than this.

She’d known Elliott would try to get her declared unfit. She should have anticipated that he wouldn’t go about it in the most straightforward manner. If he wrote her off, he would incite Anderson to draw a line in the sand and, even with majority shares, that was one fight Elliott couldn’t be sure he’d win. Not without heavy losses. Better to push and prod and provoke Journey to lose her shit so spectacularly that even Anderson couldn’t argue that she should stay on in Kingdom Corp.

Her brother would make that call. She already knew he would. It didn’t matter if it was to protect her—he would support Elliott’s ousting her if he thought it would get her out of their father’s crosshairs.

Journey rested her forehead on her knees, trying to think. She couldn’t call Anderson. Now it was about more than protecting him. It was about keeping him from doing something unforgivable to protect her. He would remove her as COO until he could deal with Elliott, and that was something she couldn’t allow.

There’s a way out of this. There has to be.

If she played along and tried to “mend” the relationship with her father, he’d break her. They both knew he could do it, which had to be why the therapist took this route.

Breathe, damn it.

She bit her bottom lip hard, using the pain to steady the shaking ground she stood on. She hadn’t been expecting the pointed questions about Frank. Something about him set her father on edge, which was why he’d had his pet shrink attack that relationship. He’s threatened by Frank. But why? It wasn’t just because of Frank’s power within Houston. There were plenty of people that powerful, her cousin included, and Elliott hadn’t singled them out. No, it was Frank specifically.

Surely it couldn’t be as simple as the fact that Frank stood between him and Journey.

But what if it is? What if he’s trying to cut away every single tether I have?

Journey crossed her office on shaking legs to grab her phone. She dialed almost from memory, letting out a relieved exhale when Frank answered. “Where are you?”

*



“Are you ready?”

Eliza smoothed down the long dress she’d chosen specifically for this meeting. It covered her from neck to ankle—too hot for Houston, even in February, but she’d suffer it gladly considering how like armor it felt. “Of course.” She smiled at Anderson, which only earned her a severe look.

“Let’s go. I have to be back in the office in an hour.” He was always like that with her, as if the warmth he showed Journey used up what little bit of emotion he was capable of. All that remained for Eliza was disapproval so intense, she could feel it from three feet away.

It wasn’t the outfit. It wasn’t that she was in full makeup without a hair out of place. It wasn’t even that she modeled for a living instead of dancing to the tune Lydia King set.

No, Anderson just flat-out didn’t like her.