Page 20 of I Am Salvation

He smirks. “It’s common knowledge that the Steels didn’t come into their fortune by sheer luck or sheer business acumen.”

I curl my hands into fists. “Say what you want about me, Rod, but do not attack my family. You don’t know them.”

“Don’t know them? Everyone knows they own the entire Western Slope.”

“They own their property. And they own interest in a lot of outside ventures. That doesn’t mean their gains were made through nefarious means.”

He shakes his head and lets out a low chuckle.

And I really want to punch him this time. Right on that weak jawline.

“Everybody knows about your grandfather, Diana. About his so-called death, twice over. How he got what he wanted through physical force.”

I never knew my grandfather. He died before I was born. But from what I understand, Rod is correct. Bradford Steel faked his death not once but twice. He had his reasons—and I’m sure they made sense to him.

From what I understand, he did everything to protect his mentally ill wife—my grandmother.

And yes, he did it at a cost to his children. Including my father.

Especially my father.

But our business is above board now. My father and uncles have made sure that’s the case.

“You don’t know what you’re talking about,” I say. “How dare you defame my family?”

“And how dare you go behind my back and write to one of my clients?”

I hold up a hand. “First of all, the client isn’t yours. The client is the firm’s.”

“Potato po-tah-to,” he says.

“And second, if you’ll notice—again—the email was not sent.”

“But you wrote it on office time.”

“I was here until seven p.m. last night. You owe me some time.”

I regret those words immediately. I know what’s expected of entry-level architects here. Fifty to sixty hours a week at least. Staying on my first day until seven p.m. means nothing to him.

He narrows his eyes. “So you stayed until the early evening. Do you think that impresses me?”

“You were gone by the time I left.”

He shakes his head, chuckling again. “I’m afraid I don’t answer to you, Diana. You answer to me.”

He’s right, of course. And again I’d like to pummel him. If my father and brothers were here, he’d already be a puddle on the ground.

“The email wasn’t sent, Rod. And you had no business snooping on my computer.”

“I have every business. I periodically look through the files of my employees.”

“Do they know that?”

He shrugs nonchalantly. “Some do. Some don’t.”

“Maybe they’d like to know. Does Marcus know?”

“I suggest you leave Marcus out of this.” His gaze darkens. “He would suffer greatly if he lost this job.”

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