Dauntless (The LockDown Series Book 2)
Page 28
‘You are going to marry me, Dustin, you are going to marry me or I will terminate this… thing and I will tell everyone, the press, the paparazzi, every news station I can contact, that you forced me in to having the abortion.’ A lump, the size of Great Britain, had formed in my throat that very second, clogging my airways and making the bile in the pit of my stomach rise.
How? How could a person be so heartless and despicable? I didn’t care if she lied and said I forced her to abort the child, but there was no way I would let her terminate this pregnancy and destroy the first life I had created. When the child was born, then I would take legal action and gain full custody of my baby.
The lights illuminating the skyline drowned me in tranquillity, I felt a thousand feet tall in my tower, watching down as small lights from the passing cars were barely visible. Nobody down below could see me, knowing I was watching them, but I could see them.
I’ve always craved a little control, demanded respect and admiration from those around me. Unless it was my mother, that woman had me under the thumb. I would do anything she asked or ordered. Mainly out of respect, sorry I mean fear.
You didn’t disrespect Carol Reynolds, not if you wanted to live. You disrespect my mother and my father will have you hanging from a tenth story window by your ankles, quicker than you can say sorry. His age didn’t stop him, nor did the bad back he had acquired from too much hard labour over his life-time.
Just thinking about my folks brought a smile to my face, even as my current circumstances dampened my usual happy mood. My staff liked me, or so I liked to think. I was a good boss, my employees had great benefits, a support network that was thorough and would apply any means necessary to make sure every single member was happy. I didn’t care if someone was the photocopy boy or the management of a retreat, they were offered the same level of care.
Lilian had ruined a place I found comforting. Entering my office yesterday and slapping me with the news of impending fatherhood had made me joyful, until she ruined it with her vile threat.
I was somewhat excited to visit my parents tomorrow, to give them a copy of the sonogram I had taken from Lilian. I could already picture the smile in my mother’s turquoise green eyes. My father would hug me, slapping my back as he laughed with happiness. My brother, Donovan, would be over the moon. With two children of his own, I knew how much my mother and father enjoyed doting on children. He would hand me a cigar, a cheap one, but with such pride that I would smoke the damn thing anyway.
I had offered all of my family financial assistance when I became wealthy, but all declined, stating it was my money and they were happy with their lives. My mother and father had no idea I paid their mortgage repayments every month and that the money they put towards the repayments was deterred to a savings account. I would present them with it on their fiftieth wedding anniversary. They deserved a break, deserved the around-the-world trip they had both always wanted.
Donovan, older than I by six years, worked as an electrician. His sixty grand a year job made him happy and content. His beautiful wife and two daughters were safe and healthy and that was all any of them could ask for.
I was happy as long as they were.
Savings accounts were set up for all my family, without their knowledge, but I would give them the money they deserved when the time was right. I would pay every last damn penny I had, to make sure their lives ran smooth and safe.
Clutching my now-empty glass, I sighed. I needed to get my head together and grasp whatever control I had left.
I walked away from the window, placing the crystal tumbler on the kitchen unit, before retreating to my room. I stripped out of my suit, brushed my teeth and climbed in to bed.
Switching the bedroom light off, I stared at the ceiling in the darkness.
At three in the morning I finally allowed sleep to consume me.
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