Total pages in book: 166
Estimated words: 160356 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 802(@200wpm)___ 641(@250wpm)___ 535(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 160356 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 802(@200wpm)___ 641(@250wpm)___ 535(@300wpm)
“Anthony!” Thomas appears in my kitchen, throwing me once again. “What the fucking hell are you doing?”
“She’s fucked it all up!”
“Thomas, I have no idea what you idiot son is talking about.”
“Get out!” Thomas bellows to Anthony, pointing to the door. “Or I’ll call the damn police on you myself.”
With wide eyes, I watch as Thomas’s face reddens, his patience lost. I’ve never seen him like this.
Anthony snarls and backs off, flinging an arm out, sending an empty bottle of wine and the glass crashing across my kitchen before he stalks out. “Fuck you,” he mutters as he goes, and I have no idea whether it’s aimed at me or his dad.
I look at Thomas for some answers, flinching when I hear my front door slam. “What the hell is going on, Thomas?”
“I’m so sorry, Camryn.”
“For that?” I ask, pointing past him, where Anthony just departed. “Don’t be. I’ve dealt with bigger fears than your son’s temper.” I get my hand back under the tap. “Tell me what’s going on.”
“The deal went south,” he murmurs, sounding exhausted.
“I’m sorry to hear that.” I couldn’t give two fucks about that.
“It went south because Dec Ellis intercepted the buyers.”
I still where I stand, staring at the blank wall behind the sink. “Intercepted? I’m guessing by that you mean he enlightened the other buyers of the information his forensic accountant found so they pulled the plug.”
“You guessed correctly.”
Ruthless. “Thomas, you’re a smart man.” I flip off the tap and face him. “You must have known you’d be found out if you manipulated asset values and accounts.”
“It wasn’t me,” he breathes.
“Anthony.”
He nods. “You should know, he met with Phillip West the night you were attacked.”
“What?”
“Anthony wanted you out of the way while we saw the deal through. I love my son, Camryn, but he’s greedy and unscrupulous, and he needs to answer for his actions.”
I wrap the towel around my burning hand. Thomas looks utterly exhausted. “I appreciate you being honest with me.”
Another nod, this time reluctant. “I want out, Camryn. I’ve sold to Dec Ellis.”
I laugh under my breath. So Dec won. He busted those balls.
“I’ll stay on for a year on a consultancy basis, but then I’m exiting. I want you to stay with me.”
Am I hearing him right? He wants me to work for Dec Ellis? “I can’t do that, Thomas.” I drop the towel on the counter and dip, starting to collect the broken glass. “I’m sorry.” I truly am, but only for Thomas. Why didn’t Dec tell me about this yesterday? I stall that silent question. A ridiculous question. He’s got more important things on his mind, and it isn’t me. “If you don’t mind, I have somewhere I need to be.” I rise.
“Oh, right. Of course. Have a lovely Christmas, Camryn.” Thomas comes at me, and his arms open up. Is he moving in for a hug?
“I don’t think so, Thomas,” I say, backing up, dropping the few pieces of glass I’ve collected into the sink.
“Come on, no hard feelings.” He gives me grabbing hands as I lean back, ignoring my reluctance, and pulls me in for a squishy hug. “I appreciated everything you did, even if my son and wife made it impossible for you.”
I succumb to his strength and let him hug it out. “How is Barbara?” I ask, wondering where she sits amid this mess. Were my instincts correct?
“I don’t know.”
I lean back, breaking free of his arms. “She left you?”
His head tilts. “You knew?”
“I suspected.”
“And you didn’t say?”
I laugh under my breath. “No, Thomas, I didn’t say. They hated me enough, without me getting involved in family affairs.”
He huffs out a laugh. “That’s fair, I suppose.”
Fair? Nothing about any of this is fair. “I’m sorry,” I say, feeling bad for the guy. “I hope you work it out.”
“Funny,” he says, seeming to drift into thought. “I don’t.” He holds me by the tops of my arms. “If you need that reference, just shout.”
“Thanks,” I murmur, a little thrown. “Merry Christmas, Thomas.”
He laughs under his breath and leaves, closing the door behind him, and I lean against the counter, looking at the mess of glass across the kitchen. Somehow, I muster the energy to clean it up, trying not to let the bombshell of Dec’s hostile takeover of TF Shipping take up too much thinking space. I haven’t the capacity and, frankly, the loss of my job feels like such a minor blip in my life right now. Because I’ve lost Dec. I’ve lost Albi.
I’ve lost hope.
I look down at my hand as I flex it, wincing at my red skin. I have no first aid supplies. Nothing to cover it. “Fuck,” I whisper, reaching for my head and rubbing my sore scalp.
I can’t stay here. I grab my keys and head out, hearing Mr. Percival calling me as I go, but I can’t face him.