Page 41 of The Grand Ruin: Lance & Scarlet-Part One

“We had an agreement,” she defends.

“And now we’ll make a new one,” Charlie tells her.

“No… no, we agreed.” She looks at me, panicked, a tear sliding down her cheek.

“The girls need this, Mum. You need it. A job will be good for you.”

“Don’t you dare tell me what’s good for me,” she spits, deep-rooted anger lacing her voice.

My nostrils flare. I push my hands into the pockets of my slacks and lift my chin. “I’ll pay the mortgage and all the bills, but you’ll pay for everything else. I’ll give you six weeks to find a job. We’ll help you look.”

“What? I haven’t worked since I had you, Lance. I can’t—I can’t do that. Please, Lance.” She walks to me and places her warm hand on my face, smoothing her thumb over my cheekbone. “Please, son. Don’t do this.”

My heart thrashes, her gentle touch throwing me off. It would be so easy to wrap my arms around her and tell her I can do it;I can make you happy. I can do what Dad would’ve wanted me to do and take care of you.

I pull back from her reach, masking my contorted face with a hard frown. “I’m sorry, but I’ve made up my mind.”

I watch as her lips bunch together, her eyes livid—no light in them. And then she slaps me.

“You’re an embarrassment to this family. Your father would be appalled if he could see how you’re behaving.”

“Leave my office immediately before I call the police, Mrs Sullivan.”

I hold my hand up to Charlie. “It’s fine, Aldridge—”

“I’m leaving,” my mother interjects. “We’ll discuss this later. When you’ve calmed down and can see some sense.”

My mother makes a brisk walk to the doors where Charlie is standing with her coat held out. “I’ll have the new terms of agreement sent to your home to be looked over.” She swipes the coat from his hands and quickly slips from the room.

I make my way to the sofa and sit down on the arm, running my hand through my hair for the hundredth time this morning.

“You’re a saint, Sullivan, my friend. I don’t know how you’ve just kept your mouth shut.”

A bitter laugh slips past my lips as I look up. “It’s been a long time coming.”

“Agreed.” He sighs. “Stick to your guns on this. They’re rinsing you and don’t give a shit about how it affects you.”

I nod, knowing it’s true. It just leaves a really bad fucking taste in my mouth.

“It was the right thing to do,” he reiterates.

I stand, the need to bury myself in work fast becoming tunnel vision. I collect my jacket from the back of the visitor chair and stroll toward the door. “I won’t make it out tonight. I’ve got some things to sort.”

“Don’t be a killjoy, it’s Scar’s birthday. You should be there with us. It’s been a long time since she’s been into the city.”

A year. It’s been a whole-ass year since I saw the little spitfire.

“I’m certain I won’t be missed.”

He watches me from his desk. “The two of you seemed to enjoy each other’s company the last time you ran into one another.”

“It was the first time, and she proceeded to call me a pompous, egotistical fool among a string of other insults. Trust me, there’s no love lost.”

“You’ll get your ass there, Sullivan. Those girls are another level when they get together, and Elliot will be… Elliot. Add Scarlet into the mix, and it’s going to be a night.Andwe can celebrate the—” He lifts the sheet of paper from his desk and whistles. “Three-quarters of a million you’ll save over the next year.”

How did they blow through seven hundred and fifty grand in the last year? I give them enough for the bills and to keep the house. They have cars and their individual allowance, which is more than a fair amount. After seeing their bank accounts—which isn’t something I ever believed I’d need to check—it makes my blood boil to think I fed into their bullshit pleas month after month.

“I’ll see what I can do,” I tell him, needing to get out of the office. “Thank you, Charles. I appreciate your time today.”

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