Page 15 of A Little Moore Action
“Thanks for permission to do something I’ve already done, Stan.”
The would-be smile leaves his face, but his eyes continue to gleam.
I’m instantly alert. “What have you done, old man?”
“Me? I’ve done nothing. But you, with all your rash decisions, you could be responsible for your poor, dear sister becoming… well, destitute.”
I put my feet down and lean forward over the desk. No use pretending he doesn’t have my attention. It’s a well-known fact I’ve always favored my sister. I glance at the family portrait, now cracked, on the desk. We may be further apart in years than Thomas and myself, but as soon as she was born, I hovered over her, protecting her at an early age against the coldness of our father and the easily bowed backbone of our mother. “Explain.”
“I just got to thinking this morning, after all those phone calls from my colleagues.”
I hold back a snort. Colleagues would imply my father had actually worked alongside them. My father has never sullied his hands with work.
He continues, “You may have the majority of shares held hostage at the moment, but I have something even better.”
The smile returns to his face, and it’s downright frightening. I’m not sure if it’s the awkwardness of his facial muscles attempting something they’ve rarely done, or if the man is truly evil, but I swear to God, goosebumps dance along my arms at the sight of it.
“Don’t keep me in suspense, Daddy-o, what is it you think you have that’s better than our shares?”
“Money.”
“Really, Stan? Money? Is that even a threat? Everyone in this family has money, even Liz.”
“No, not Liz. Not her own, anyway. Every dime she spends she gets from me.”
I still for a second before feigning nonchalance. But it’s too late. The old man caught my reaction. His grotesque smile widens.
“So?” But I know. I know what he’s about to say. I’m not an idiot. I made sure as soon as I took over to look into the laws regarding the shares. And what can and can’t be done with them if Moore’s is sold at a loss. I saw the loophole he could exploit if he wanted to. And for some reason, even after a whole lifetime of him disappointing me, I’m still hoping he won’t stoop that low.
“Liz is only twenty-three. She can vote, as she did in your favor to take over the company, but she doesn’t control her money or her shares in the event of a sale before she’s twenty-five.” He pauses for effect. “I do.”
And that’s it. That’s the last shred of hope that my father isn’t a complete dillweed, up in smoke.
“So… if you fuck this up,boy, not only am I takingyourshares, as per our deal, I’m cutting your sister off as well.”
A sigh of disappointment escapes me. “You really are one horrendous excuse for a father, you know that?”
Something flashes in his eyes, and that shred of hope wants to forge itself back to life again. But then my father scoffs, and the hope is gone for good. “Legacy and business are what matter. Your problem—well, yours and Liz’s—is that you’re too caught up infeelings.”
I wonder, not for the first time, what the hell happened to this man to make him the way he is. But I shove the disquieting thoughts aside. “Well, as lovely as your threat is, it isn’t much of one. Remember, I can take care of Liz.”
“Can you?” He rocks back on his heels. A little too carefree for my liking. “If you let your dick get in the way, like you did with your pornographic app, you won’t be making any money at Moore’s.” He chuckles at my expression. “You didn’t think I knew you let your previousbusinessgo tits up because of a woman?” He waves his hand in the air. “It may have been porn, but at least it was profitable. And then you let your delicatefeelingsget in the way, walking away with not even a quarter of its worth.” He sneers. “Who cares who the bitch slept with?”
Honestly, this is a side of my father I’ve never seen. I hadn’t thought it possible to dislike the man more than I already did. “You are one cold bastard, Stan. But that isn’t anything new.” I walk around the desk, closer to the man I share blood with. “But Iwilltake care of Liz. Always. Even if you’re not man enough for the job.”
His eyes narrow. “You could. That would make Liz beholden to you. Asking for handouts from you, rather than being in charge of her own money. She’ll just love that.” His smirk has me clenching my teeth.
I shake my head, not sure why I’m so sad to have the fact that my father doesn’t know or care about his daughter confirmed so thoroughly. “Liz has never cared about money.”
Stan scoffs. “Please. She’s a self-proclaimedartist.” He rolls his eyes. “You think she doesn’t care about money? Wait until she doesn’t have any. Until she has to support herself.” His eyes narrow. “What do you think will happen when she finds out the cold, hard truth that being a hippie won’t pay the bills? She may be a free spirit, but she’s proud. She’d never let you support her.”
I try to take a calming breath, but it’s no use. As much as I want to refute what he’s saying, I can’t. If on the outside chance I don’t make Moore’s more profitable, and Stan goes through with yanking her shares, Liz won’t have a dime. And even though it would be my fault, Liz would never agree to let me help her financially.
Stan gloats before continuing. “She’ll have to give up her dreams and get a real job. And since all she knows how to do is swish paint on a canvas, it’ll be a shit job at minimum wage.” His lip curls. “And she’ll have you to thank for her lot in life.”
A weight settles in my stomach. I’ve never worried about money, and a lot of that has to do with the free education I got and my last name. I never fooled myself into thinking Stan paid my way through college out of the kindness of his heart. It was expected in our level of society. He needed to keep up with appearances. Besides the degree, I’m smart. I don’t need family money. Haven’t even used it except for college tuition. But Liz. She’s still in school. And if things go wrong and she doesn’t let me help her with the bills, she probably won’t be able to finish.
And even as I think this, I realize there are ways around it. Liz is smart, and her art is well thought of by her professors. She could get scholarship, take out a student loan. But the money wouldn’t be the worst part.
