almost as if he believes what he’s saying.
“Daddy, two things. I’m not missing and I’m not a child.”
“ I see .” He pauses for a few seconds before he adds, “ If you are so grown up, why are you calling your father? ”
“You know why. You pay Tanner to protect me. He acted on instinct. I want you to forgive him and give us our privacy. We are adults. We have free will. I’m happy, doesn’t that count for something? Why can’t you just be happy for me like any normal parent would?”
He raises his voice. It is a normal reaction that I actually welcome. “ I do care about you and I do want you to be happy. Here’s the thing, I could not live with myself knowing you’re at risk because of me, because of my activities. The world is an unforgiving place, every creature in it must adapt to survive. Tanner sleeps. My enemies don’t .”
Okay, so I didn’t think it would be easy. “Daddy, you have all the money you could ever want. Maybe it’s time to quit your activities if they put us all at such risk.”
He does not answer at first. I can hear him breathing. I listen to the silence of his thoughts on the other end of the line.
“Daddy?”
“ It does not work like that. It’s not a position that offers a retirement. ”
“Your job sucks,” I say.
“ Trista, come in now and we can work this out. Tanner can be reassigned. No harm will come to him. ”
“Did you just threaten my boyfriend?” I say, immediately regretting it.
“ Your boyfriend? Has that animal laid his hands on you? ”
“I don’t like that voice,” I say, raising my own. “I’ve heard you get angry like that on the phone before. It always scares me.”
“ I want you in here before noon tomorrow. Do you hear me, Trista? I’ve already lost enough respect and enough sleep over this. ”
“This call was pointless,” I say. “If your goons come near us, I’m calling the police. Seriously, Daddy. Enough’s enough.”
I’ve seen him on these calls before. His eyes must be bugging out of his head, his fury must be on the verge of erupting. “ And what will you tell them exactly? That your father is worried about you? The men you call goons have no record and are registered security personnel. Their guns are licensed.”
While my father fights his fury, I fight tears. “Don’t you understand? You are killing me. I can’t breathe. I’ve never been able to live for myself. Please, just let me go. You said it yourself a hundred times. Tanner is the best man.”
He laughs suddenly, shocking me as much as a gunshot. “ You just gave me an idea. Maybe I should be the one calling the police .”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“ That no-good son of a bitch, Tanner Hayes, kidnapped you, forced you to go with him after he attacked me. There are witnesses, many witnesses. ”
I can’t help but roll my eyes at his empty threat. “You have got to be kidding me. I will deny every word and you know it.”
“ No, you won’t, Trista. Not if you want him to make it out of the mess he created alive . I know some cops with itchy trigger fingers .”
My blood freezes but I manage to maintain my composure. “I could be recording this conversation, Daddy. Making threats on a phone call is not very smart, nor fatherly.”
“ Listen to me and listen closely. What happens to that traitor is in your hands, Trista. All I want is my little girl back .”
“Your little girl is gone,” I say, my voice trembling a little. “She grew into a woman years ago. Try adoption.”
“ Suit yourself. You and you alone have made this decision. I hope you can live with it. ”
“I hate you so much right now.” Something has finally broken in me, forcing me to say things I’d never imagine saying.
“ You don’t know his past,” he responds, his tone changed back to concern. “ When I said he was the best man, I was referencing his specific skills only. Living a quiet life was not one of them. A walk
“Daddy, two things. I’m not missing and I’m not a child.”
“ I see .” He pauses for a few seconds before he adds, “ If you are so grown up, why are you calling your father? ”
“You know why. You pay Tanner to protect me. He acted on instinct. I want you to forgive him and give us our privacy. We are adults. We have free will. I’m happy, doesn’t that count for something? Why can’t you just be happy for me like any normal parent would?”
He raises his voice. It is a normal reaction that I actually welcome. “ I do care about you and I do want you to be happy. Here’s the thing, I could not live with myself knowing you’re at risk because of me, because of my activities. The world is an unforgiving place, every creature in it must adapt to survive. Tanner sleeps. My enemies don’t .”
Okay, so I didn’t think it would be easy. “Daddy, you have all the money you could ever want. Maybe it’s time to quit your activities if they put us all at such risk.”
He does not answer at first. I can hear him breathing. I listen to the silence of his thoughts on the other end of the line.
“Daddy?”
“ It does not work like that. It’s not a position that offers a retirement. ”
“Your job sucks,” I say.
“ Trista, come in now and we can work this out. Tanner can be reassigned. No harm will come to him. ”
“Did you just threaten my boyfriend?” I say, immediately regretting it.
“ Your boyfriend? Has that animal laid his hands on you? ”
“I don’t like that voice,” I say, raising my own. “I’ve heard you get angry like that on the phone before. It always scares me.”
“ I want you in here before noon tomorrow. Do you hear me, Trista? I’ve already lost enough respect and enough sleep over this. ”
“This call was pointless,” I say. “If your goons come near us, I’m calling the police. Seriously, Daddy. Enough’s enough.”
I’ve seen him on these calls before. His eyes must be bugging out of his head, his fury must be on the verge of erupting. “ And what will you tell them exactly? That your father is worried about you? The men you call goons have no record and are registered security personnel. Their guns are licensed.”
While my father fights his fury, I fight tears. “Don’t you understand? You are killing me. I can’t breathe. I’ve never been able to live for myself. Please, just let me go. You said it yourself a hundred times. Tanner is the best man.”
He laughs suddenly, shocking me as much as a gunshot. “ You just gave me an idea. Maybe I should be the one calling the police .”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“ That no-good son of a bitch, Tanner Hayes, kidnapped you, forced you to go with him after he attacked me. There are witnesses, many witnesses. ”
I can’t help but roll my eyes at his empty threat. “You have got to be kidding me. I will deny every word and you know it.”
“ No, you won’t, Trista. Not if you want him to make it out of the mess he created alive . I know some cops with itchy trigger fingers .”
My blood freezes but I manage to maintain my composure. “I could be recording this conversation, Daddy. Making threats on a phone call is not very smart, nor fatherly.”
“ Listen to me and listen closely. What happens to that traitor is in your hands, Trista. All I want is my little girl back .”
“Your little girl is gone,” I say, my voice trembling a little. “She grew into a woman years ago. Try adoption.”
“ Suit yourself. You and you alone have made this decision. I hope you can live with it. ”
“I hate you so much right now.” Something has finally broken in me, forcing me to say things I’d never imagine saying.
“ You don’t know his past,” he responds, his tone changed back to concern. “ When I said he was the best man, I was referencing his specific skills only. Living a quiet life was not one of them. A walk
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