Total pages in book: 107
Estimated words: 102970 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 515(@200wpm)___ 412(@250wpm)___ 343(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 102970 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 515(@200wpm)___ 412(@250wpm)___ 343(@300wpm)
Figure the rest out? What kind of attorney says that? The moment I leave this office, I’m going to hire my own.
George comes back and sits down at the desk. I look at him, and he sighs heavily. “This is not the situation I wanted, Emilee.”
“Then hand it over to me,” I challenge him.
He smiles softly. “That is not what your father wanted.”
I look away. “The house? Give me the house.” It’s paid for. I know this because my father built the house for my mother. He was so proud of it, and she cherished it. He could hand it over to me, and I could borrow against it. That will be enough for me to cover my mother’s medical expenses on my own. I don’t want to owe this man a single dollar.
“It’s in the company’s name,” he repeats. “I am the company.”
I feel tears sting my eyes. Is that even possible? “So are you gonna kick us out?” I ask, and my throat tightens at the words. Make me pay rent? My mom spends a lot of time at the hospital. She’s seeking treatment even though we all know it won’t do her any good. She’s going to die. The clock has started ticking. And as much as I hate losing her, I need to accept it and spend what little time she has left with her.
I look back at him, and my brows pull together. Why does he have this shit-eating grin on his face?
I’ve been away from Las Vegas two years now. I haven’t come home enough. I know that now. So much was happening that I didn’t even know of. I wish I could go back and spend more time with them, but it’s too late. He’s gone. She’s fading. And I’m going to be left here with this sorry piece of shit.
He leans forward, placing his forearms on the desk. “Do you want to stay?” My heart beats faster at his words before his eyes drop to my chest. “In the house, that is?”
I look down at my hands fisted in my lap as the tears blur my vision. I knew it.
He’s always been a fucking perv. My father chose him as a business partner because they were best friends, but that doesn’t make him a good human being. There’s a reason snakes hide in the grass.
“What do you want?” I ask even though I already know. I can’t move my mom to Chicago when all of her doctors are here. I won’t do that to her. She would want to stay here in her house to live out what remaining time she has left. Plus, my apartment is on the third floor. She would never be able to get up and down the floors easily. Even if she did take the elevator.
“It’s simple really.” He gets up, and I stiffen, keeping my head down.
My body begins to shake. I hear him behind me, but I don’t turn around. Seconds later, he comes back to sit at the desk in my father’s seat and pours a glass of scotch. He slides it to me and pours another one for himself. But I’m surprised when he slides that one to me as well. “You want your mother taken care of. And I want you.”
He watches the tear run down my cheek and smiles. I stand. “No,” I say and turn to walk toward the door. I’ll find a way …
“She needs healthcare.” My hand pauses on the doorknob. “You can’t cover her under yours because you no longer have one after quitting your job. You could try to get her, her own policy now, but I doubt anyone would touch her. They don’t like to dish out money for terminally ill patients. Do you make millions of dollars a year, Emilee? Do you make enough to pay for her treatment out of pocket?”
I close my eyes, and my shoulders fall. We both know I can’t.
“She’s got maybe four months left.” He adds. “Even if the treatment doesn’t work, don’t you want her to be comfortable?”
I spin around, and my eyes glare at him. “You’re a sorry bastard.”
He gives me a smirk. “Your father put you in this position. Not me, honey.”
“You’re taking advantage of it,” I snap. But I don’t believe him. My father would not do this to me. To my mother. He loved us. He would have taken care of us. No matter what.
He shrugs. “Take it or leave it, Emilee.” Then he dismisses me, turning to the computer.
Storming over to my father’s desk, I smack my hands down on it. He looks up at me. “I won’t …”
“Careful, Emilee. Think long and hard before you answer. I’m the man of the house now.”
I scoff. “You may have a dick and balls, but you’re not a fucking man.”