Page 71 of Daddy's Game

“As I said, I wish it didn’t have to be me who told you this. I’m so sorry, Grace. Please call me if you need anything, okay?”

I nodded, numb with shock creeping toward hurt anger. Brock was on the board of the very company trying to take my center away from me?

I thought I could trust him…god, I’m such an idiot! He probably never loved me.

The photo grew blurry through a curtain of tears.

He never loved me at all.

28

BROCK

Istepped out of the limo, my phone held up to my ear. I wasn’t using my wireless earpiece because I didn’t want people on the street to think I was shouting at them.

“I know that you’re dodging me, Mikkelson. You and Thompson both. I strongly suspect I know the reason why, too. Did you really think you could go behind my back and pull this kind of bullshit? I’m the CFO. You broke company regulations, not to mention breached the terms of my contract.”

I paused outside of the center while passers by gave me a very wide berth.

“You’re not supposed to spend one thin dime of company funds without my tacit approval. And yet, I found not only a seven hundred thousand dollar slush fund vaguely titled ‘New York Real Estate,’ but also a lot of sketchy expense reports. Or did you think that an all expense paid trip to Las Vegas for SIX of the Aldermen involved in this zoning board matter was going to go unnoticed? That’s not just a breach of contract. That’s straight up illegal. If you know what’s good for you, you’ll get back to me. Pronto.”

I ended the call and thrust my phone into my pocket.

I’ll show them. They shouldn’t have done this. They should have known better than to go behind my back and try to pull this stunt. They forgot the one key rule of doing business.

Never. EVER. Fuck. With. Brock. Richards.

I tried to calm myself down. I was at the center to see Grace after all. And I did not come alone.

I reached into my pocket and felt the black velvet box secure where I had left it. I was carrying around a piece of jewelry worth more than most of the cars on the city streets.

It’s time. Time for Grace and I to take this to the next level. Brock Richards has been a solo act for decades. It’s time for a change.

I headed up the steps and pushed my way inside the door. The receptionist started when she saw me.

“Oh, Mr. Richards. Um, I’m not sure you should be here right now.”

I scowled at her.

“As far as I know, Grace still runs this center. So she will be the arbiter of who can, and cannot, pay a visit.”

I resisted the impulse to say something shitty likeI paid for the parking lot and the repairs. I'll come in if I damn well please.

That was the old Brock. The new Brock was still in charge, just in a more grown up kind of way.

“Um…okay. Should I call her?”

“Yes, why don’t you do that?”

She picked up the phone and pushed a single button. After giving me a fearful glance, the receptionist put her hand over her mouth and turned away from me. I strained my ears, but I couldn’t hear what she said softly to Grace over the phone. I did hear my name, though.

She put the phone down, and turned to me with a sheepish grin.

“Ah, she’s on her way down.”

I stuck my hand in my pocket to feel the ring, just to assure myself it was still there. I wasn’t sure what was going on with Grace.

Whatever it is, we can handle it. Grace is The One. The one I’m going to marry. The One I’m going to spend the rest of my life with.

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