Page 2 of Platinum Love: A BWWM Romance

“Hey Daddy, how was your day?” My heart rate spikes at seeing his handsome face twisted in disappointment. I paste a smile on my face aiming for my best sweet-as-pie grin to cancel out the scowl on his.

My parents joke that I’m their perfect creation. I have my mother’s alluring eyes and pouty lips. But I’m my father’s twin, from my brown skin to my taller than average height. I have his slightly wide nose and his smile. A smile I use like a Black AmEx to gain access to anywhere and anything. However, proves defective tonight.

“Hunter we need to talk, now. Meet me in my office.”

This is bad. I don’t mind pissing people off, but not Daddy. He holds the keys to this mansion, and quite honestly I care what he thinks even though he has a tendency to overreact.

“Can we talk later? The girls and I have reservations,” I offer hoping to give him time to cool off, to rethink whatever is scattering around that head of his.

He lets out a heavy sigh. “Five minutes Hunt.” Then he stalks off.

I grab my phone. What have I done to bring this on? I search my mind coming up empty-handed. Let me lay my clothes out and then go see what he wants.

I grab a pair of stilettos and toss them on the floor. I open a drawer finding earrings, a necklace, and I push around my rings looking for my favorite chunky ring for my middle finger. I lay them out on top of the island. That should cut down the time I need to get ready. I can’t be late.

I leave my room walking through the house towards Daddy’s office. Our house is quiet, as the staff moves around invisible. The only sound I hear is my shuffling slides. I lightly tap on his door.

“Have a seat.” Daddy rubs the back of his neck, turning in his chair. He’s in his high back leather chair behind a desk large enough to seat at least six people. He leans forward resting his hands on top. The pose would seem harmless if I didn’t see steam rising from his ears.

“What is it, Daddy? You’re scaring me.”

“Hunter, I’m at my wits end with you.” He runs a hand over his face, letting out a deep sigh. My father is the soft one of my parents. He doesn’t raise his voice. He’s reasonable. He’s level headed. All I have to do is smile and apologize, and he’ll hide my dead bodies from the world, even my mother.

“Whatever it is, I’m sorry Daddy.” Blink. Blink. I add a good batting of my lashes for good measure.

“Baby, I don’t believe you.”

“What?” I hold my breath until my lungs burn, screaming for relief.

“Things have got to change around here.” His hands steeple in front of him, and my heart drops. He lifts a sheet of paper tossing it in my direction. I pick it up from the desk, and immediately I hear the sounds of crashing metal against metal in my head, like a thousand car pileup.

“You approved the trip.” Sort of. I can’t whisper the truth that I had to top my last trip. The pressure of every event being compared to the last is real.

“Hunter Josephine Preston, where do you get off spending six figures on a vacation?”

Oh shit, this is serious. When Black parents use your first, middle, and last name, shit is about to hit the fan.

“Where are you going, to the moon first class?”

“No, I thought I’d take a little celebratory vacation with my friends.” I scan the sheet of paper. The private jet, the yacht, the private resort, and the red ink circled around the grand total. I feel sweat gathering under my armpits. “I got a good deal.”

I say the words as I put the receipt back on his desk. But they’re a lie too. I didn’t ask for the numbers. I said what I wanted and gave Daddy’s credit card number.

“Hunter I bust my ass to give you this life. And you don’t get it.” His finger thrusts in my direction.

“I’ll cancel it, Daddy. I just—”

“You just what Hunt? You have no respect for money. How do I know? Because you spend it like you earn it. Like it grows on trees. Like I don’t get up every morning, get dressed, and carry my ass to the office and work.”

I see that little vein in the middle of his forehead, and I pray the floor opens and takes me whole. But there is no love for me today. It’s like the men in my life had a secret meeting, and I’m getting a two-for-one deal.

All jokes aside, I can’t deny the power behind his words as they vibrate off the walls. This wasn’t my intent yet I hear the pain in his tone, and it’s shooting daggers through my heart better than cupid ever has. I glance down at my hands feeling two inches tall. I can’t stand to see the disappointment in his eyes.

“Do you know that it takes most people years to earn this kind of money?” I glance up, and he’s shaking the receipt around again. I canvas my mind for a logical reason. And I don’t have one, except I did it because I could. Daddy always says yes. Except today.

I can’t watch.

“Junior…”

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