I throw my head back and laugh. "These things? What would those things be Dad?"
He grabs his beer, "You have your woman now, you know what it's like to want to protect them, to make sure that they're happy and safe."
I shake my head. It's time to get the hell out of this room before I lose my damn mind. Grabbing my bottle off the counter, I walk past them both.
"Hudson, will you fucking talk to me?" Dad shouts as I reach the door.
Turning around, I face him, "Why the hell should I?"
"I'm your father, the least you could do is talk to me. What the hell is your problem?"
"My problem?" I scoff, "Where the hell should I start?" I ask rhetorically and watch as the venom in my voice takes him by surprise. He knows that I'm pissed but up until now I've not unleashed on him. He was the boss and I was respectful. That shit has changed.
"You are not the boss anymore, you have no fucking respect for me." I give him a pointed look, he doesn't even deny it. He keeps his head held high and stares at me, waiting for me to continue. "I don't like backseat drivers. You willingly gave up the title so you could marry." I spit the word out as I glare at Tina.
Dad laughs, "You're angry because I left you in charge?"
I smile, people have said that my smile causes them to run a mile. Dad falters and Tina takes a step backward. "No, I'm not angry that you left me in charge. We all know that I'm better at being the boss than you ever were. I'm disappointed that you left the family behind. That you gave in to petulant demands and gave up everything that your father had worked so hard to build."
He doesn't say anything because he knows what I'm saying is true.
"It wasn't a petulant demand. It was a serious request. I didn't want that life and I certainly don't want my daughter in that life." Tina states.
"Tina. Enough." Dad tells her, finally, he's understanding.
"But Dad, I'm angry at the way you treated my mom. The way you'd use her for your own personal punching bag. You want to know why Ma is so fucking low? Because you made her so. She's been physically and mentally abused for God knows how long and as soon as you find someone newer you finally set her free. It was a long time coming and it's something you should have done a long ass time ago." Each and every word I say is in pure and utter anger, years of watching my mom suffer at his hands. It's stopped but fuck, Ma is a mess. I don't know if she'll ever recover.
"Your mom let herself go, she wasn't the same woman after the miscarriage."
"Whose fault was that?" I shake my head, "You fucked up with her dad, you broke her. Make sure you don't do the same to Tina."
"He's never laid a finger on me." Tina tells me and it takes everything I have not to say anything back to her. "He wouldn't, your father is a changed man."
I nod, this is going nowhere, I've business to attend to. "Good for you."
"Son, I know you'll do better than I ever have. My actions showed you what not to do. If it means anything, I am truly sorry for not being your dad. You needed me to be your dad and not your boss."
"No, I needed you to be a decent human being and you weren't. You've made a lot of mistakes Dad, it's time to rectify those mistakes." Not wanting to waste any more breath on this pointless conversation. Dad looks like he's not going to change, Tina's attached to my dad like a viper, making him believe her lies. It's shit, and I'm not getting into it anymore. I've said my piece and that's it.
Walking upstairs, I walk into my dad's office, he's told me that it's mine to use while I'm here. Jagger, Martin, and Barney are waiting for me, Jagger has a smile on his face, the fucker has a twinkle in his eye. Barney's jaw's clenched, whatever the fuck happened has pissed him off. Martin is sitting tall, his shoulders squared as he waits patiently for me.
"Barney, what's up?" I ask as I take a seat at the desk.
"Nothing Boss." He instantly replies. Whatever has pissed him off is personal and he's not talking.
I nod once, "Jagger?" I ask with a smirk, he's grinning like a loon.
"Just waiting to see if what I've put into motion works out, Boss." Again, it's personal, I have a feeling I know what he's done and I hope it works out for him.
"Okay, Martin?" I ask and his hand reaches into his pocket and he pulls out a sheet of paper. "What?" I ask, I'm on edge now, he's not said a word since I've walked into this office.
"Matt and Carmine did in fact put Ulric's body in a construction site in Barstow. They hid their tracks really well. It's taken me this long to make sure they did it." He tells me but that's not what's got him rigid. There's something more.
I nod, maybe they’re not as useless as I first believed. "And?"
He hands me the sheet of paper and I read it.
Mr Brady,