Page 67 of Filthy Liar

"Consider it done." My mother agrees easily because she shares Valerie's love of that particular dish. "Now go handle her knob of a father so we don't have to worry about him any longer."

"I intend to." I end the call and tap one finger against the desk. The desire to phone him straight away is strong, but I need to be strategic. Since I need to be strategic, I decide to ring Elaine first since she has some experience with him.

"Fynn Hadaway. I was just getting ready to call you."

"Unsurprising. Was it to tell me my wife's father has discovered we’re married?" I know it's not a good thing this happened, but I can't help but feel smug about it. Fuck him. Fuck all his attempts to use her. Now he knows she belongs to me. And that his days of using her for his own gain are over.

"So you've heard." Elaine clicks her tongue. "And he wonders why he never gets anywhere. Only a fool shows his hand immediately."

Thank God I didn't call him the way I wanted to. Elaine would have been judging me just as harshly. "He called Valerie directly. My mother intervened, but it sounds as if he's of the opinion I've cost him financially."

"Good. That will make this easy to resolve." She pauses. "Provided you're not against compensating him for his trouble."

"I don't want to give him a bloody penny. The man is a piece of shit who tried to marry my wife off so he could climb a ladder he's too stupid to scale on his own merit." The thought of giving him anything makes my blood boil. Makes me consider asking Elaine if there’s someone else I can pay to ensure he’s no longer a problem.

But I didn’t lie to Valerie when I claimed to be a gentleman. I’m not the kind of man who orchestrates the end of a life.

But if he threatens my wife, I imagine I'll become one.

"I understand that, but maybe it will help if you look at it as payment to ensure your wife lives a long and happy life at your side."

I frown, scowling my displeasure. "I still don't like it."

"No, but I do assume you like your new wife, otherwise you wouldn't have married her, would you?"

Elaine is one of the few people who stood by me through all of this, and it seems that's because she knows me better than I thought. Well enough to know I didn't do any of the things Jessica accused me of, but also well enough to know I wouldn't have married Valerie unless I wanted to. Regardless of what she believed she could do for my reputation.

The deal she offered simply provided me an excuse. A way to rationalize a decision that would have otherwise seemed rushed. Ridiculous.

Possibly a little unhinged.

And yet I would have made it anyway.

“I love her.” The declaration is one I wouldn’t make to many people. Possibly not even the woman it involves.

Not because I doubt it’s validity, I don’t.

But I know others would.

“Good. Then it will be worth every penny to have this man out of your life.”

“Is that what will happen?” I’m not a fool. I know that once a person knows there’s money to be had, they rarely only attempt to exploit the well once. “Because I’m not convinced it is.”

“Let me worry about that.” Elaine seems unconcerned. “You just handle appeasing him. I’ll make sure it only happens once.”

I'm still sitting in silence long after our call has ended, forcing myself to think this through. To wait until I'm calm to call Valerie's father. The cooler my head is, the more of an upper hand I'll have, so after getting a cup of tea and one of the biscuits Sylvia was so excited about, I settle behind my desk, propping my phone into place before tapping the video call icon. I want to get my eyes on the man who treated my wife like property so I’ll recognize his face if he’s foolish enough to cross my path.

I’m leaned back in my seat, sipping my drink when it connects and we come face-to-face. I say nothing. If he wants something from me he’s going to have to ask for it. Plus the more a person speaks, the more ammunition they give, and I want to collect it all.

Showing he's just as foolish as Elaine believes, the older, hard and worn looking man on the screen opens his mouth without hesitation. "So it's true then? My daughter did find someone stupid enough to marry her."

I slowly set my cup down, meeting his gaze before I speak. "I'm sure the man you attempted to marry her off to would be thrilled to hear your opinion on that."

Valerie's father's eyes narrow on me. "You should watch what you say. I'm not the kind of man you should cross."

I study him, letting the seconds tick by before reaching for my cup again, humming a noncommittal sound as I take another sip and wait for him to continue.

I'm sure he will.

---