I shouldn’t be airing my personal business to my father, but he already knew.
“You must know the right people in the right places. And it helps to be the lien holder.”
I’d only been recently made aware that the previous owner of my apartment had owed my father some unknown sum of money somehow related to the property. Had Father pushed me in the direction of that apartment?
“That doesn’t explain how you had them all cleared.” I flipped through the paperwork and if it was legitimate, and I had no reason to doubt it was, everything appeared to be in order.
“I go above and beyond for the various departments in the city. I served Hal Mercer to the city attorney on a silver platter on the condition that every property we owned would have the records cleared and tossed from any case they bring forth against him or his company.”
“And they did it?”
“I have very generously subsidized the department when the budget falls short. They can’t very well say no to me.”
He’d made certain of it.
“There won’t be a long legal battle.” For every deed my father did, there was always a price. And my relief was temporary.
“And you get to keep your apartment.”
I wasn’t sure I could stay there. Not without Lexie and Eric. They were everywhere even when they weren’t there, taunting me with the what might have been.
“Why?” It was a stupid question to ask. I’d gotten to keep what I’d worked for. Wasn’t that enough?
“As a reward. You’re dedicated to the company and rarely stray.”
I gaped at him. A reward? Who was this man? And rarely stray? What the actual hell? Was I just a dog to him?
“I expect you to stay in line. Don’t forget, what I give, I can take away.”
He wasn’t God, though no one could tell him otherwise.
“You made a wise choice sending those two misfits away. They don’t belong in our world.”
“Never speak of them that way again,” I growled. “In fact, never speak of them at all. We are the ones not worthy of them.”
I shoved off the sofa, done with him. Coming here had been a mistake. I’d known it was before I’d done it and pursued the mission anyway.
“Don’t forget your folder,” he called.
Bastard. I didn’t want it. He’d saved me and destroyed what I’d loved all in one fell swoop. If I were as bold as Teague, I’d shoot him the bird.
“Lincoln, you owe me for getting the girl out of jail.”
I halted when I was almost to the door and didn’t immediately turn around. It was impossible to prepare for whatever he had to say.
Slowly I turned. “You didn’t. She was injured and they didn’t pursue the case.”
“And who do you think made certain of that? Who do you think got Donnie Logan to drop the charges?”
My stomach dropped. I thought it was Daniel.
“What do you want?”
He tapped his lip with his index finger. “I have something your sister must do. And you’ll see to it she does. I’d hate for that dog food hobby of your little friends to go out of business.”
And there was the final confirmation. Lexie and Eric needed to stay as far away from me as possible. Because it was even more clear that only one of their enemies had been locked up in jail. The other still preyed, waiting to destroy them in other ways.
Chapter Forty
Lincoln
“You missed. Again.”
I glared at Daniel as he scooped up the basketball I just shot . . . nowhere in the vicinity of the hoop.
“Forgive me if I don’t have time to practice to reach NBA status.” I jostled in front of him, determined to steal the ball back.
He dribbled to one side, then the other, like a taunt. “You don’t have your head in the game.”
He charged by. I managed to get a hand on the ball and knock it away.
He held up both hands. “Let’s take a break.” He wiped the sweat from his brow with his shirt.
I grabbed a bottle of water from the small refrigerator and tossed it to him. He caught it and chugged half the contents in one swallow.
“Are you sure Donnie and Marlene Logan are locked up for good?” I’d been reassured multiple times, but it still bothered me. What if something happened? What if the system failed Lexie and Eric again?
Daniel sank onto the bleachers. “I’m sure.”
I dropped down beside him and leaned back. The exercise was good. A temporary distraction. But he was right. My head was only focused in one place.
“I’ve made certain of it.” He took a long pull of his water bottle. “Donnie Logan isn’t so tough when confronted by men of his own size.”
I looked at him. “What do you mean?”
My father had gotten the charges dropped. He’d had Lexie released from jail. Daniel was capable. I’d hoped his contacts had acted first. When would I learn that no one was more powerful than Father?
He smirked. “I might’ve had some friends detain the Logans before handing them over to the authorities the other night.”
“But I thought you said Officer Wilson detained them immediately?” That had given me some peace of mind while we’d continued our search for Eric. I might have let the Logans escape, but it was into the waiting hands of the police . . . or perhaps someone Daniel knew who was more schooled in teaching lessons.
He shrugged unapologetically. “He was on the way. I asked him to take the scenic route.” He crumpled his water bottle and tossed it in the recycle bin. “I felt it best you know as little of that as possible.”
I stared at him, my mind refusing to grasp what he was telling me.
“Donnie was quite willing to drop all charges very quickly. Mrs. Logan wasn’t so bold without her weapon either.”
I pointed at Daniel. “So you convinced him to do that?”
He furrowed his brow. “I told you I would.”
I closed my eyes and exhaled long and slow. Why was my thinking so convoluted when it came to my father? He danced between the border of truth and lies. My friend had always supported me. Yet I still had a hard time coming to grips with the idea that Father had lied.
“And Lexie’s release from jail? Did you . . .”
“It was a slap. And once the proper authorities became aware of the actual situation, they were more than happy to let Lexie go.” He made an annoyed face. “As much as I hate to admit it, Zegas was helpful with the judge in that aspect.”
I sagged into the hard wood of the bleachers. Daniel had helped them. Not my father.
“I owe you.” I looked down. “I don’t know how I can ever repay you—”
“Don’t make the same mistake I did.”
I jerked my head toward him.
He wiped his face with his shirt again. “My desire to protect the people I love nearly cost me them.” He held his pinky and thumb less than a millimeter apart. “I was this close to losing Vivian.”
Our situations weren’t the same. He hadn’t put Vivian in danger. Not the way I had Lexie and Eric.
“The circumstances have no parallels.” I guzzled the rest of my water.