Page 77 of Strictly Business

There must be some other explanation. Finn might hide something like this from me, but my best friend certainly wouldn’t. I glance over my shoulder at the older group and see Oliver smirking at his son. Part of me can’t help but believe what he’s said — it’s exactly something he would do. Dangle the money he promised his son in front of him like a worm on a hook. Another part of me hopes I’m wrong.

“Sasha,” Finn continues, “without your expertise, we would’ve never been able to pull off these amazing events. Please give her a hand because she has worked tirelessly to make sure this gala went off without a hitch.” Everyone does as Finn commands, except me. Don’t get me wrong, I love Sasha and she’s done an amazing job, but right now, all I can think about is the information bomb dropped.

“So, what now — you just handed it over to him?” Gary continues their hushed conversation.

“I unfroze his accounts,” Oliver says. “Left him with a little in one to get by while he was working with Davina, but now he has access to it all — including the money my father left him a year ago.”

That would explain the sudden influx of grand expenses.

“I’m surprised he has any of it left,” Gladys huffs.

“I don’t expect this will last too long. Finnley doesn’t know what it takes to run and foster a business, especially one like this. He’ll grow tired of it like he does everything else, and he’ll leave a mess for Davina to clean up.”

“Have a little faith, dear,” Hayley tsks.

“That boy has never stayed interested in one thing for very long, he’ll drop this eventually, just like he’ll drop his newest fling when he grows tired of her.”

“Oh, I don’t know, she might be the one who makes it.”

“That’s what you said about Amanda. Look how that turned out, he left her high and dry when she needed him most.”

“You have no idea what you’re talking about,” I finally say earning confused glances from all four of them. Shit, I should’ve kept my mouth shut, but I couldn’t take it anymore. As his girlfriend, I’m supposed to stand up for him…right? “You have no idea what your son has accomplished nor what his plans are for the future of this company.”

“And who might you be?”

They don’t recognize me. I’m not sure whether to be offended or relieved. I shouldn’t be surprised, we’ve only met a handful of times.

“My girlfriend, Michaela Davis,” Finn’s words are met with warmth on my back — the spotlight. I glance over my shoulder to meet Finn’s beaming eyes on stage. His smile widens, and but his gaze moves behind me to his parents and his smile falls before forcing it to return. A hint of suspicion remains in his gaze even when he turns back to the crowd. “She’s a little shy,” he chuckles along with the rest of the room before continuing with his speech.

“Am I supposed to know who you are?” Oliver looks me up and down and I can’t lie it’s somewhat intimidating, I refuse to cower though.

Hayley leans in to whisper, “The Davis girl, she’s the assistant Davina hired to help Finnley, dear.”

“Assistant?” he scoffs. “I should’ve known he’d be sleeping with the help.” Oliver snickers earning a chuckle from Gary and Gladys. I’m surprised Hayley doesn’t join in, instead offering a small smile to the group.

Tears prick the corner of my eyes, but I swallow them back. These people will not see me cry. I won’t give them the satisfaction. Instead, I take a deep breath and stare Oliver Sheffield dead in the eyes to say, “Your son has done an incredible thing by starting this company. You may not see it, but everyone else does. Regardless of why he started, he’s doing remarkable things here. I just hope you pull your head out of your ass before it’s too late.”

Hayley’s face falls, but she recovers before her husband notices. Her eyes wander toward the front of the room. The longing look of a mother who misses her child, even though it’s her fault he is so distant.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Oliver scoffs.

“If you have ask, then it’s already too late.”

A hand grazes my hip squeezing gently before he presses a kiss to the crown of my head. “Mom, Dad…you know Michaela,” his voice steady, staring down his father.

“Wonderful speech, sweetheart,” Hayley beams.

“I wasn’t sure you heard any of it seeing as you’ve all been busy bothering my girlfriend.” Finn stares each of them down before turning to me. “You ready to get out of here?”

Yes, but no.

The warmth in his eyes spreads across my skin like fire, but it only makes me anxious instead of the comfort it usually brings. I finger the locket around my neck before offering him a slight nod. I don’t trust my voice not to give away the anxiety mounting in my system. Finn takes the champagne glass from my hand and threads our fingers together, his thumb tracing small circles on the palm of my hand, before bidding his mother goodnight.

“Finnley,” Oliver says. Finn looks back over his shoulder, his hand gripping mine a little tighter. “Try not to mess this up, we wouldn’t want to get back in the same situation, would we?”

Finn narrows his gaze but swallows the words just behind his lips and ushers me towards the door.

Chapter Forty

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