Page 12 of Whirlwind

I wavered in my boots, a hand clutching the edge of the bar. Dad’s steely eyes riveted on me.Ah shit.A flaming spear gashed through my chest, pinning me to the floor. He rose, pushing Sissy aside, and she landed in the lap of another man.

My pulse skidded. That other man was Ladd. Ladd who worked with me and Dad, Ladd who I’d been seeing until I’d broken up with him this morning. He and Dad partied together?

Everything blurred in slow motion and fast forward at once. I blinked. Dad smoothed down his jacket, tracking across the club toward the bar. Toward me. My pulse ticked up.Thank fuck for those martinis.I took in a breath, straightening my spine. I couldn’t wait to hear this. Could not wait.

Bring it the fuck on, Marshall.

“What are you doing here?” Dad’s voice was harsh, low. It should have made me nervous, jittery as it always would, but now it only irritated me. Fed me.

“Me? What amIdoing here?” If only I’d worn big fluffy fake eyelashes like Sissy, I would have batted them at him. “I interrupted you and Sissy, didn’t I? My bad.”

He grabbed my bicep and pulled me up off the stool, away from the bar, the throng of people parting for us automatically. Good to see Dad’s stature in Meager even rolled out the red carpet at the local strip joint. Richest man, former mayor, biggest landowner.That’s right, clear the way, people!

“Whoa!” My feet stumbled to keep up with him.

He pulled me into a shadowy corner. His eyes flashed at me in the dark, the angles of his jaw sharp. “What are you doing here? Who are you here with?”

“I’m way over twenty-one in case you forgot. And I’m here on my own, thank you very much. What are you doing here, other than getting off?”

His eyes blazed. “I am entertaining guests.”

“Ah! Is that what we’re calling it? Aren’t you the host with the most, though? Ladd, too? I saw Ladd.”

“Ladd does his part.”

“Does he?” I raised my chin. “I’ve worked for you for years and I’ve never gotten to do my part here at the Tingle. Gee, why’s that? ‘Cause I don’t have a dick? Damn, suddenly, I feel so left out.”

“Are your morals insulted, Violet?”

“My morals aren’t as delicate as you assume. What’s up with your moral compass? You’re the married man in this equation, Daddy. Oops, maybe I shouldn’t use that term in here?”

The lines of his face tightened even more and he let out a growly noise. He was done. “Go home, and tomorrow you’re patching things up with Ladd.”

“Ah, you’ve heard?”

“He mentioned it. He wasn’t happy.”

“Well, I’ve been quite unhappy for a long while now.”

While working together on this project, Ladd and I had gotten flirty and indulged in our mutual attraction, settling into a routine. Dad liked us together, Ladd’s very wealthy mother, our prime investor, loved us together.

But I didn’t like us together. Not anymore. The attraction had worn off for me. Anyhow, I wasn’t one for relationships. Never had been. I was always good at cutting off and cutting out, and this had been way overdue.

“Dad, I don’t want to be with Ladd.”

“You’re young. You don’t know what you want.”

“Did you really just say that to me?”

“I did, and it’s true. Since you graduated from college, what have you been doing? Waitressing at a coffee shop—”

“Barista and manager, if you please, at Mom’s business. Which, I might add, requires communication, problem-solving, and organizational skills. I enjoy working at the Grand. I’ve always worked there.”

“And then you’re a substitute bartender at the local dive.”

“Pete’s is no dive, not anymore. I fill in whenever they need me. It’s fun.”

“Ah, fun. Yes. Then every chance you get you’re chasing bands and musicians—”

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