Page 56 of Can't Take My Eyes Off You

‘That’s right,’ I say. ‘I’m no longer a pushover and I know everything about this family – the good, the bad and the stuff that would ruin you. By unfortunate way of DNA, I’m an Adler, remember? And like a true Adler would, I’m not afraid to pull the plug on all your bullshit. If you want to go there, say the word. Leave me alone, take whatever money you need and forget about me. I don’t want to livethislife anymore. It’s nearly killed me twice, already.’

Dad walks through the room to the wall of windows overlooking the lake. He stares out the window for a few long, silent minutes where I literally listen to the seconds tick by as no one in the room seems to be breathing.

I’ve just made a big threat that could ruin all of us, and with my history of letting them down, I think they’re all three finally realizing I’ll follow through if I have to.

‘Have you ever seen the financial books for To Be Read?’ Dad finally speaks.

That’s a weird turn.

‘No,’ I tell him. ‘That’s Berkley’s store.’

‘That’s too bad.’ He walks to the bookshelf, pulls a cigar from a box, rolling it in his fingers as he heads to his smoking chair. ‘Cigar?’ he asks me, offering it my way.

I shake my head. ‘Fine, I’ll take the bait. Why’s that too bad?’

Dad smirks as if he knew I’d cave at the mention of Berkley. ‘Because Nicholas, our realtor, got wind that the owner’s daughters are considering putting it on the market. Frank’s health isn’t doing well. Besides the apartment you wasted tens of thousands of dollars on to renovate, the building’s old and in rough shape, but it’s in agreatlocation. We could fix it up and put anything there.’

‘What?’ I step towards him. Why didn’t Berkley call me about this? ‘No!’ I bark. ‘Donotfuck over Berkley to get to me. That store is her dream.’

‘I wish you’d do this the easy way but you never want to. This seems to be the only way youlisten,’ Dad says like it’s common knowledge. My silver bullet, and he’s got the metaphorical gun cocked and pressed to my forehead.

‘Why the fuck would I need to listen when I’m twenty-five? Screw you people. I’m out. Pretend I died,’ I say, now marching towards the door.

‘We’ve already put in an offer!’ Mom calls after me, stopping me in my tracks. I turn back. ‘To Be Read is about to be a distant memory.’ The way she waves her hand like it’s dust in the wind is ice-fucking-cold.

So much of Berkley’s and my history is in that store. Our future was supposed to be there too. I can’t possibly let her lose it to my parents, who are insistent they ruin her just to control me. I’ve never been this pissed. How fucking dare they treat me like a child. This ends now.

‘I will burn this world of yours to the fucking ground if it saves Berkley,’ I growl at them. ‘That isnota joke.’ I storm out of the room. MyGod, that felt like a Superman-defending-Lois thing to say. Berkley would have loved that. I wish she was here but I can’t focus on that. Instead, I pull my phone from my pocket on my way to my SUV, calling Lloyd.

‘Willy, how are ya?!’

‘Listen.’ I shut myself into my car, locking my doors just in case. ‘I need you to do something for me urgently – as inright now.’

‘Well, this isn’t making me nervous at all…’

I blow past his worry. ‘To Be Read, Berkley’s bookstore downtown, it’s owned by Frank Kensington. His daughters are considering selling and I know Berkley’s dream was to someday own it, but there’s no way she can compete with my parents so make sure I win.’ I speak fast, knowing my father is probably making a similar call right this second because I doubt they’ve made an offer yet. What they have right now is a threat to keep me in line. To shut me up.

‘OK…’ Lloyd drags out the word. ‘How high are you willing to go?’

‘Spend everything I have if you need to. I don’t care, just outbid my parents and keep my name out of it. I’ll get Berkley in there to put everything in her name when it’s over.’

‘Will do; I’ll give you a call when it’s done.’

I end the call. But my phone rings again, Cole’s name flashing on the screen. We’ve kept in touch because he’s more than just a producer of the show. We’ve become friends. I tap the speaker button.

‘Hey.’

‘You make it back?’

‘I did.’

‘Sounds like shit’s blowing at the Adler household. I just got calls from your brother and your mother,’ he says, irritation in his voice.

‘I’d say I’m surprised but…’

Cole is the head producer ofRoyalsnow. If he wants something to happen or not happen, he gets to make that call. He’s the great and powerful Oz that stands between my parents and the network, who’ve requested they no longer have a direct line of communication with them. A detail I’ve laughed over more than once. Apparently, they’re ‘aggressive’. Understatement of the year. Cole’s not enjoying his position since I walked off mid-scene, telling the whole room to fuck off and disappearing unexpectedly.

‘They’ve requested I lose all tapes of illegal shenanigans or anything that could further strain the family name,’ he says, clearly annoyed.

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