“He’s not good for you, and you know it.”
Regret and anger swirled in my gut. She had said the same thing about Maya when she’d come back into Cameron’s life. Vanessa hadn’t been a suitable match for Darren in my mother’s eyes, either. No one would be good enough for her children, but somehow I knew the fight for my future would be a harder one.
“I’m sorry he’s not the right brand of white collar for you, Mother. But I care about him, and I’m seeing him. I don’t know if it’s going to go anywhere long-term, but you can’t freak out on me every time I date a guy.”
“Your father is concerned. Having invested in Donovan’s shoddy fund is damaging enough, but having his daughter tied to this debacle is a slap in the face. Don’t you see that? This isn’t about you, Olivia. Stop being so selfish.”
I swallowed over a wave of tears. “Can we talk about this later?”
Past her rigid frame, I saw guests entering the restaurant through the front door.
“Tell me you’re not going to see him anymore.” Her voice was strained and threateningly quiet.
The crumbling foundation of who I was seemed to crack, breaking wide open. I couldn’t be who she wanted me to be. Not anymore.
“I’m sorry, Mom. I can’t do that.”
WILL
“Thanks for coming by.” Bill’s eyes were slightly glossy as he ushered me inside.
My father was a fifty-year-old bachelor, and nothing about his luxury high-rise apartment felt like home. Everything inside was modern and cold. Black and whites and grays. The decor was sparse and high contrast. Olivia would probably hate it.
“What’s going on? You said it was urgent.”
“Frank Bridge is on his way here.”
Inside I cursed, but I didn’t let on in any other way that I was concerned. If I’d been struggling to keep my cool with her brothers, I didn’t know what the hell I was going to do with her father in front of me. But how would he know that I was with Olivia?
“What does that have to do with me?”
He walked to the wet bar and refilled his glass halfway with an expensive scotch, the kind he saved for the best days and the worst days.
“Rumors are going around that you might be taking over the fund. I’m guessing whatever he wants to say to me he wants to say to you too.”
I frowned. “He’s an investor?”
Bill nodded and sucked back a gulp. “His son was fucking around with Reilly’s assistant, Vanessa. Socked him in the nose, so Frank invested to make the problem go away. I’m pretty sure the girl could have filed harassment charges against Reilly anyway. Idiot had a hard-on for her that just wouldn’t go away, but who knows how far that would have gone? Now that we’re in a whole different world of shit, I’m sure Frank’s rethinking his decision.”
“Is that why you’re drinking at ten a.m.?”
“No. I just got a call from my lawyer.” He set the glass down and his shoulders hunched. “I’m being indicted. We all are.”
“Fuck,” I said through gritted teeth. No matter how I despised his actions, I couldn’t celebrate the news.
We’d expected this, but somehow the reality that he was going to face legal action devastated me more than I could have imagined.
“Who’s being charged?”
“Reilly, Dermott, me, and a handful of others who took the kickbacks. The charges against Reilly and Dermott are more serious. Regardless, Reilly Donovan Capital is going to crumble as soon as this hits the press. We’ll be finished.”
He filled his glass a little more, moved to the couch, and dropped down. He stared out to the terrace. “Life can change in an instant. Things start moving too fast and you forget to think everything through. People get cocky, greedy. Before you know it, you’re knee-deep in shit, praying you did at least one thing right that’ll save you from sinking all the way down.” He drew his hand down his face and sighed. “I’m sorry, Will. For all of this. You don’t deserve it.”
I stood before him. My father. My flesh and blood. I battled between my anger and my compassion. I was his only lifeline.
I had to decide, now or never.
“Dad.”
He made a small sound of acknowledgement but didn’t look up.
“Dad, look at me.”
He lifted his gaze.
“What’s the most important thing in your life?”
He blinked, his eyes sadder than I’d ever seen them. “You, Will. After things fell apart with your mother, all I had was you. Nothing’s changed.”
“Swear to me that the fund is clean.”
He nodded, his jaw tight. “I checked everything myself. I took the kickbacks, Will. I don’t deny it. But Reilly was making a career out of it. I knew what he was doing, and I warned him to slow it down. He was getting too greedy. Then he brought the nonprofit on as an accredited investor, and I got worried. I made Adriana check every exchange, every source. It’s clean.”