Page 90 of Forbidden Grumpy Boss

Dad barely shifts. He adjusts his sunglasses, nodding as if he’s just remembered he actually called me here for something. “Leah, if you really need a reason to be here . . .” His voice trails off, and then he smiles in a way that I know means he’s setting me up.

“Jesus Christ, Dad! Can you get to the point already? Fuck.”

Dad smiles wistfully. “Remember when you were a kid and the wordfuckused to make you cry?”

“No, Dad. I wasn’t crying because of a word. I was crying because whenever you used that word—or Mom did, which happened rarely, it was because you guys were fighting. I was always crying because you were always fighting.”

“Hmmm.” He frowns like I just told him he’s a douchebag.

“What’s the proposal?” I ask, shuffling because I can’t wait to leave.

“What do you think?”

I’m already rolling my eyes. “Oh, please, Dad. If this is about Silas or whatever, I—”

He cuts me off with a look. “You’ve got two choices,” he says coolly.

That catches me off guard. I frown, trying to read the hint of mischief in his eyes. He almost looks happy, like he knows something I don’t.

“Two choices? Seriously?”

Lizzie has the nerve to smirk. She steps back, clearly sensing she’s about to become an audience member in whatever twisted little drama my father’s about to unleash. Dad straightens in hischair, making a big show of stretching his arms and settling back like he’s about to deliver the most important speech of his life.

“Yeah.”

When he doesn’t continue, I prompt him. “Any day now, Dad.”

“First choice,” he starts, rubbing his shadowed chin. “You leave Silas right now. No calls, no texts, nothing. You cut him out like he’s never existed.”

What?

A bitter laugh escapes me before I can stop it. “Wow. That’s a stretch, even for you.”

Dad raises an eyebrow. “I’m not finished.”

“Oh, I know you’re not.”

He pauses, letting the silence hang like the humid summer air. “If you leave him and agree to come work at the family studio, I’ll personally see to it that Caleb gets into Livingston High. He’ll have every chance to succeed with all the necessary resources.”

The mention of Silas’s son throws me off. I hadn’t expected Caleb to be the collateral in my father’s schemes. I grit my teeth, trying to keep my voice steady. “What are you talking about? And if I don’t?”

“Then I’ll make sure Caleb’s path isn’t as smooth as Silas has been hoping for.” He says it so nonchalantly that it almost sounds reasonable.

“What can you do about—”

“I paid off Principal Morgan’s mortgage, and she was almost willing to have Caleb suspended. Now, imagine what would happen if I go round the school board and start fixing their individual problems.” His eyes crinkle around the sides. “I think they’ll be very eager to do my bidding, wouldn’t they?”

“Are you talking about a bribe, Dad? Are you really talking about sabotaging a kid’s future as a negotiation tactic?”

“Call it what you want, Leah. Bribe or whatever. I really don’t care.”

“You wouldn’t.”

“Try me.” He leans back, crossing one leg over the other. There’s no hesitation, no flicker of doubt—just cold, hard determination in his eyes.

Lizzie chimes in, half under her breath, but loud enough for me to hear. “Leah, look—”

“Stay thefuckout of this,” I snap, throwing her a glare. She shrugs, unapologetic, her fingers resuming their job on my father’s chest. “You’re a bastard!” I can’t keep the rage out of my voice.

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