Page 68 of Seeds of Malice

Ivy: How?

Me: You'll find out soon enough.

I put my phone back in my pocket and take off across the estate. It'll be a few hours until things are set in motion. So I go down to the docks and take one of the boats out.

I spend two hours riding around the lake. I'm halfway back to the dock when I get another text.

Ivy: I have to go to New York with my father for a week.

Panic hits me.

Me: No, you're not. I set that up so you and I can hang out and be together.

Ivy: He's insisting I go.

Me: You're eighteen. Tell him you're not going.

Ivy: It's not that simple.

Me: How is it not simple? You're an adult.

I scrub my hands over my face in frustration. How many times do I have to remind her?

Ivy: I don't have a relationship with my father like you have with yours. I don't get to make rules.

Me: Okay then. I'll figure this out too.

Ivy: How?

I don't reply to her. I rack my brain as I return to my cottage and get in my car. I rev the engine of my Porsche and take off through the estate.

I exit the gates and drive over to Clifton University. I park in the fire zone, stroll inside, bypass the newest secretary, and knock on the door of Professor William Dyer's office.

"Sir, you can't go in there," she says.

I look at her. "You're new, aren't you?"

The fifty-something-year-old redhead with orange lipstick and blue glasses nods. She gives me a disapproving look that reminds me of my father. Her voice has an air of false authority as she replies, "Yes, I am, and you can't just walk past me and knock on his door. He's in a meeting."

I cross my arms, grinning at her. It's an arrogant look. I know it is, but I can't help it.

"Sir, why are you looking at me like that?" she asks.

I smirk for a moment, then drop the mic on her. "Let me introduce myself to you. I'm Dax Carrington. I'm assuming you know who I am?"

Her mouth falls open and she quickly recovers. She swallows hard. "I'm sorry, sir."

"Yeah, that's what I thought. Don't let it happen again," I warn, then open the door and walk into the office.

Professor Dyer's there with a man I don't know. He looks up. "Dax. Everything okay?"

"I need to speak with you now," I assert and sit in the chair next to the stranger.

Professor Dyer clears his throat and turns to the man. "Sorry. We'll have to talk another time on this Max. Okay?"

Max nods, obviously aware of who I am, and starts to leave the room.

I call out, "Shut the door on your way out."

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