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I crossed an ankle over h-backed leather chair situated on the far wall of the office, focusing on readjusting the cuffs of e that blistered across my skin

Tension radiated through the hty-dollar bottle of water, all carved wood and original first editions and the pungent stench of arrogance and BS

I angled my head at the man who sat on his pompous throne on the opposite side of the desk

He wore a suit and a tie, as per usual, hair perfectly styled and parted to the side, though his sto to keep up with the pride that overtook his conscience

Karl Fitzgerald

Owner of Mylton Records

Prick extraordinaire

My piece-of-shit stepfather

Yeah, ns

“Royce,” he said, like he was giving me permission to speak

I cracked a grin “Father So nice to see you”

The words dripped with sarcasm and disdain

I couldn’t stand the sight of the bastard, which was an unfortunate circu he was my boss

But it was all part of the plan

You knohat they say—Keep your friends close and your eneht on his tail until the moment I overtook him and trampled him underfoot

He’d stolen everything froreedy fist

I couldn’t wait to return the favor

“I just wanted to be sure ere clear on the situation I wouldn’t want there to be any furthermistakes,” he jeered

“I think you made it plenty clear”

“Did I?” he shot back, angling his head “You failed the task the first time I won’t accept a repeat”

Incredulous laughter rumbled in my throat, and I turned rounds of his estate, the lawn e pool stretched over a cliff like it touched the tops of the skyscrapers in the city below

I tappedat the speed of light, agitation curling throughfire to my veins

Slowly, I swiveled my focus back to the man who overshadowed this family like a wraith A monster at the helm

“There was adifficulty” I refused to gift him with more information than that

He scoffed “A difficulty? Your job is to eradicate difficulties Your job is to seal the deal Get it penned in ink, in blood, or whatever the fuck it takes Taking no for an answer is not acceptable”

Bitterness tightened my chest in a fist Of course, he would think no wasn’t a sufficient answer Money the solution to every obstacle To every reservation and fear and question

To every crime

Cover it up with a little dough

I just wondered how deep it went The depravity The sickness he poured into the world

Slowly, I pushed to ression that linedat his desk and plantingwood “I am very aware of ood at it You have a problem with it? Feel free to cut me loose”