Page 31 of Toxic Things I Love About You

Parks shifted. I wasn’t wrong, but maybe I wasn’t right in my sketchy uncle’s mind.

“Oh, my dear girl. You need me. You need me far more than I need you. I don’t need to be upstanding to destroy what’s left of your family and its legacy.”

Two could play his little game, and I matched his sneer.

“Let’s get one thing straight, Uncle. I am no girl. I also really hate threats and so does the man who gave me this ring. Don’t think that you are untouchable, regardless of these connections. But something tells me that you aren’t exactly the one in charge of the Lords, or are you?”

He held up his hands in surrender.

“Now, now, Emilee. What makes you think I have anything to do with this group?”

Now it was my turn to look dumbstruck.

“Now, now, Vincent. What exactly would make me think you don’t?”

He sighed, and the mask came off.

“You are smart, aren’t you? Or was it Parks here that gave you all these wonderful ideas? Well, no matter. I’d hoped to come to you with a deal. You’ve already denied me what should have been mine. Now, let’s get something straight. I happen to know about a very angry investor that hasn’t been bought out and hasn’t been, let’s say, disposed of. He seems rather motivated to give me his seat.”

Parks cleared his throat, but I kept talking.

“This is all very interesting, but I’m bored. What’s your point? One investor isn’t going to destroy everything the family has built. Besides, I have several other legitimate companies that offer the protections needed for everything else. So tell me, Uncle, why do I care?”

There was quiet in our small room. The club and its exclusivity were becoming a regular occurrence in my life. I was now realizing it had a lot to do with all of the shady shit that happened around here, and no one seemed to find out. No one even questioned my presence or an ex-convict in a suit. Strange that this was my world. Strange that my world had boiled down to my father’s enemies being mine. Slight miscalculation.

“You care, my dear, because from what I hear, you like your newfound freedom. I’d still love to know what happened to your father, but I’m sure Parks would tell me if he were on my payroll.”

I grabbed the edges of the chair and held it to my ass as I hopped around to turn to Parks.

“Gee, Parks, is that all this is? Who pays you the most? All this time I should have been paying you?”

Parks just chuckled, and I stood up.

“Alright, well, Uncle, I think I hear a body calling me. So although this was fun, I think I’m good. Let’s not do this again? Go choke on a dick or something. Come on, Parks, let’s go.”

My phone rang, and I answered it, knowing it was Halle or Roman at this point in my life. My business dealings went through Parks and that probably needed to change soon enough.

“Hello?”

My uncle sat there somewhat gobsmacked. Or that was what I guessed was the only way to describe the odd set of his mouth and how wide his eyes were.

“Emilee, where the fuck are you?”

I gave a little finger wave and walked away with Parks next to me. I waited until we were at the elevator.

“Oh, Romy-poo, I just had drinks with my uncle. Turns out he thinks I need him.”

Someone screamed in the background, and I heard a distinct thud that I would have bet was a hit to human skin.

“You fucking do until we get to the bottom of the Lords. Tell Parks to check his fucking texts.”

“Well, that wasn’t very nice. I just played nice, so shut it Roman, or I won’t let you play with my girly bits later.”

“What the fuck, Emilee, no one needs to hear that conversation,” Parks said, pulling out his phone.

“Parks, check your texts from Roman. He’s being moody.”

Someone groaned in the background.

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