“Why would you do that? They’ve done nothing to you.”
“You have a lot of questions. They’re just collateral damage to get what I want. Now, follow my directions and you won’t have to worry about it, will you? From what I’ve seen, you haven’t thrived without me. You won’t miss some odd waitressing jobs, I assure you.”
He hung up on her before she could ask the million other questions she needed to ask. What did he want from her? Where was he taking her?
They’d been in hot water ever since Vinny got into a fight with the inspectors. They were sent by her stepfather, the first sign that he was ready to take this all the way. He wanted her to do his bidding and wouldn’t take no for an answer.
After high school, she’d left home. Life had been hell since her mother remarried, and even though she’d been promised financial support, she refused it all in favor of her freedom. She was happier in her shitty apartment and minimum-wage job at the diner than living like a prisoner. The last couple of years before she left, her stepfather had become more handsy. She’d tried to tell her mother, but her only response was that Annalise was luring him, acting inappropriately. None of it was true, but it still hurt that her mother would defend that man rather than believe her.
She felt alone, victimized, and desperate.
It got to the point that Annalise was scared of her own shadow. He’d be waiting for her around corners, trying to get her alone to press his body against hers and push the boundaries more and more. Her escape had been a long time coming, and she never looked back.
Now that pig was trying to weasel his way back into her life. For what?
Annalise couldn’t take any risks when it came to Gabe, Vinny, and Archie. She loved and cared about them too much for them to get hurt. No way would she let her dysfunctional family drama ruin everything they’d built together. They were hardworking cowboys she respected. They didn’t deserve Raymond’s wrath. She knew what it felt like to be on the receiving end.
The car pulled up to the front of the house exactly fifteen minutes later. Her cowboys would be out in the fields until dinner, so there was no way they knew what was going on at the house. Annalise always looked forward to preparing their meal. They were always so grateful and ate everything she served.
She stepped outside into the heat, the screen door slapping shut behind her. For a couple of minutes, she just stood here, indecision making her crazy. But she couldn’t back down now. Couldn’t be selfish. She got into the back of the car, only a driver inside.
“Where are you taking me?”
“Mr. Davenport’s office.”
She hated that name. As soon as she had enough money, she was changing her last name. It didn’t belong to her, not really, and she wanted no part of it.
There was no point in talking or asking the driver questions. She leaned back and watched the trees flash by her window. It was a long drive to the city, the landscape transforming until they were surrounded by skyscrapers. She hadn’t been back to the city for years and didn’t miss it at all.
They stopped at a garage door, then drove down the winding drive until they arrived at the underground elevators. The lighting was dim, the scent of gasoline strong. Someone else was there to escort her up to his office. It felt like a prisoner transfer, and in a way, it was.
She hadn’t said one word the entire trip, even now as she allowed them to usher her here and there, until Annalise finally stood in front of his office door.
“How was your trip?” Raymond asked upon opening the door.
“Why am I here?”
He only chuckled and waved a hand for her to enter. Every nerve in her body was a livewire. She didn’t know what to expect from him.
After closing the door behind her, he pointed to an empty chair in front of his desk. “I’m glad you came.”
“I didn’t have much choice,” she said.
“Well, I have a proposition for you, one you can’t refuse.” He flashed that evil smile. The man was a sociopath. “I want you to work for me. Here. I’ll arrange an apartment for you in the building. Very convenient, no?”
“No.”
“Annalise. Annalise. You never should have run off like you did.”
“You never treated me like a daughter. Every day in that house I lived in fear. I had no choice but to leave.”
“You’re not my daughter though, are you? A daughter wouldn’t give me a daily hard-on. And you were just begging for my attention, weren’t you?”
“No!” She bolted out of her seat and stood behind it. “What does my mother think of this proposition?”