Chapter 1
She stood next to the bed, staring down at the naked redhead beneath the expensive cotton sheets. She had woken to unknown women in her bed countless times before. The women would wake, try to make awkward conversation. They would fumble for their clothes, all while hoping to hear the blonde say that she wanted to see them again. The words never came.
Emma took a sip from the tumbler she held in her hand. The harsh amber liquid burned as it slipped passed her throat, warming her empty stomach as it hit. The girl on the bed rolled over, still peaceful in her dreams. The blonde smirked at the beauty of the stranger before her. She had done it again, not that she was surprised. She had never had trouble convincing beautiful women to come home with her. There were always beautiful women who were eager to please the wealthy.
She picked up the pack of cigarettes from the end table, pulling one out she tossed the pack back down. She lit it with the Zippo that lay next to it, pausing to run her fingers over the engraving. 'To thine own self-be true'. She snorted and rolled her eyes as she placed it back down turning to walk out on the balcony.
The suite was twenty-nine stories up with a grand view of central park. She walked over to the railing and peered over. The city was still very much awake as the sounds seemed to echo through the night air. Car engines, horns, sirens, people's voices and the faint thumping of music danced in her ears. Gusts of wind randomly swirled through the large French style balcony.
As she stared down, she wondered what it would be like to die. If she jumped or fell from this height it would surely be a quick and painless death, and no one would miss her. Her mother had been able to do it, leaving behind three kids. Emma wondered if she had even considered them before she jumped.
The blonde took a drag from the cigarette, letting the smoke fill her lungs. She sat the tumbler down on the small plant stand and climbed up onto the railing. The wind seemed to go right through the thin silk robe she wore causing a shiver to run up her neck. Her long sandy blonde hair whipped violently against her face. Her bare feet perched against the cold stone.
She wondered if her mother had been lonely. Emma was constantly surrounded by people, but she always felt alone. She felt an emptiness inside her. It was an indescribable emptiness that seemed to be eating her up only to leave a hollow shell in its wake. She just wanted to feel something again, she thought as she flicked the half-smoked butt out over the ledge.
She tried hard to remember what her mother looked like. What her voice sounded like. It seemed so long ago now. After that fateful night, her father had taken all of the woman's belongings out of the house. It was as if she never existed, and for a twelve-year-old girl, it couldn't have come at a worse time. A stupid engraved Zippo was all she managed to hide from the man.
She teetered slightly on the rail and held her arms out to balance better. If she were to jump, it would all go away. The pain would all disappear and she would be able to see her mother again.
A sudden gust of air blew past her causing her to fight to stay upwards. She jumped backward landing on the balcony floor. She smiled as she placed her hand on her chest where she could feel the pounding of her heart. Adrenaline made her feel something, even if minuscule.
The phone on the bedside table started ringing and she picked up her tumbler and walked inside.
"Yeah?" She answered as she put the cordless receiver to her ear.
"Em?" The voice seemed familiar. She remained silent waiting for the person to continue.
"It's August." Then he paused.
She hadn't spoken to her oldest brother in several years. The last time they spoke, he was telling her it was time to grow up, come home and apologize to their father. She, however, strongly disagreed. She had been less than polite when she told her brother where he and their father could go.
Had this been any other night than this one, she might have hung up, instead, she continued listening.
"It's about Will." His voice was soft causing the blonde to hold her breath as she waited for more.
There was another pause and then he took a deep breath, "He's dead, Em."
She closes her eyes as she walked back to the balcony stopping to lean against the door. The ledge was starting to look like a better choice after all. She threw the remaining contents of her glass into her mouth and swallowed, "How?"
"He was shot." Her brother sounded tired. "Dad wants to talk to you about taking over Will's nightclub. The funeral is later this afternoon."
She snorted into the phone, "And you're just now calling me?" She walked over to the railing peered down onto the street below. She had just spoken to Will the night before, or was it a few nights ago? She couldn't remember. Will was the only member of their so-called family she claimed.
"It's not like you are easy to track down Em." She could hear him swallow and she could only guess that he too had a drink in his hand.
"I'll think about." She said watching the ant-sized people move around twenty-nine stories down.
"Come on, Will would want you here." He said throwing a low blow.
She shook her head in disbelief, "I said I'll think about it." She didn't give her brother time to respond, she just pressed the end button on the receiver.
Her father knows damn well where she has been. Every time she swipes her credit card he knows exactly where she is. Of course, it wasn't him calling her, it was his little errand boy and head kiss ass.
Emma walked back into the room and placed the receiver down on the base. The redhead was awake staring up at her.
"Who was on the phone?" The girl shifted allowing the sheet to slide down revealing her breasts.
The blonde was far away in thought and barely noticed the girl's nudity. Her thoughts were on her brother. Will was their middle brother. He, like his little sister, loved the ladies and the party life. He was constantly pissing people off in one fashion or another. Even with all his flaws, he was the only one who accepted her and was proud they were siblings.
The girl climbed from beneath the sheets and crawled towards her on all four. She took the blonde's hand and tugged, "Come back to bed, it's lonely." The redhead's seductive smile would have worked on any other evening. Now the blonde's demeanor had changed.
Pulling her arm free of the other woman's grip she walked towards the closet, "I have to go."
She didn't see the confused expression crossed the redhead's face, "Go? Go where?"
"Houston." The blonde's voice muffled for a moment as she stepped inside the closet. She started pulling her clothes out and tossing them, hangers and all, onto the bed.
"Wait, Houston Texas?" The girl's question went ignored as Emma went towards the bathroom to collects some more things.
Normally, the morning after conversation didn't bother her too much. She had made a few women angry and several have cried, but it hadn't affected her carpool in the least bit. She felt no emotional attachment to any of them, but this was awkward even for her.
"Look" She realized that she had no clue what this woman's name was.
"Lacey." The woman answered with a glare.
Emma continued with her task of packing as she spoke, "Right, Lacey. Feel free to hang out here. The room's paid up for the weekend."
The woman let out an exasperated huff as she slid out of the bed. She stormed around the bed in search of her clothing.
The blonde leaned down picking up the woman's underwear from the floor and held them out. The redhead snatched them away pausing for a moment to look at Emma's face. When she didn't see what she wanted, she growled and started pulling on the items she had come across.
Emma picked up the phone dialing the concierge desk downstairs.
"Hey Tony, can you hail a cap for my guest, she'll be down shortly?" Her eyes followed the angry redhead as she zipped up her dress and grabbed up her handbag from a nearby chair.
"Of course Miss. Nolan." The man's voice was muffled when she heard him yell out her request to the doorman, she presumed. His hand moved away from the mouthpiece, "Will there be anything else I can do for you, Miss. Nolan?"
"As a matter of fact, there is. I need you to book me the first flight from New York to Houston, and arrange for me a car and a room if you don't mind." She was always as respectful as possible when it came to people like Tony. With the right price tag, they were willing to help you with anything you needed.
"Right away, ma'am. I will notify you as soon as everything is set," the man said before hanging up.
She hadn't noticed the redhead leave until she heard the slamming of the door. For a brief moment, she paused in thought. She had a reputation in this town. Emma had never lied to any of the women she met. They knew who she was and exactly what they were getting themselves into. As a matter of fact, the blonde couldn't remember the last time she made the first move. These girls seemed to flock to her.
It was always the same thing, night after night. She attracted two types of women. The first types are the ones who only wanted to have a good time. They enjoyed hanging with the sexy rich girl, getting drunk and having sex. The other types were the ones who thought they could change her.
She shoved the last of her clothing into her bag. Emma slipped on the dress slacks she had worn earlier that evening, dropping the silk robe onto the end of the bed. Her bra was a little harder to locate. During a passionate wrestling match for dominance, it had been lost.
She located the sheer black lace undergarment beneath the lounge. She slipped it over her arms fastening it with the hook in the front. She preferred these types of bras, they were easy to get off and put on in a hurry.
The phone rang, startling her. She walked over picking it up, "Yep."
"Miss. Nolan, your flight will be leaving in approximately two hours. The car is waiting downstairs. I am sending your ticket and hotel information to your cell. As soon as you wish, I will have someone come up and get your bags."
She reached for her shirt, "Thank you and you can send them up now."
"Yes, ma'am." He said before hanging the phone up.
She slipped the long sleeve button up shirt on and began fastening it. She was able to locate one shoe near the bar and the other was under the bed. Why she treated Armani calfskin loafers with such carelessness was beyond her.
Emma glanced around to ensure she hadn't forgotten anything. The cigarettes and the lighter were the only things she was missing. She reached over swiping them off the end table. The TSA would not allow her to take the zippo in her carry-on, so she tucked it into the large suitcase. If anything happened to the lighter, there would be hell to pay.
SQSQSQSQSQSQ
Regina paced the entryway to her front door losing the war in hiding her agitation from her son. Her high heels clicking mercilessly as she made an invisible trail back and forth. Her nine-year-old son sat on the end of the staircase next to his superhero backpack with his head hung low. The disappointment was evident in his big brown eyes, only making her angrier.
The doorbell rang causing her to sigh. She opened the door with a glare, "It's about time!" Regina's soon to be ex-husband's face was not the one that greeted her with an apologetic smile.
"I'm sorry Mrs. Locksley, but Mr. Locksley's meeting ran longer than expected, so he sent me instead. He has the funeral in an hour so I will keep young Henry until it is over." Simon, the twenty-six-year-old said. He was an intern at her husband's law firm.
She clenched her jaw but managed a tight-lipped smile. Looking back at her son, she noticed he had collected his bag and was standing next to her with the same sad eyes.
"May I take your bag, Mr. Locksley?" The young intern asked.
The dark-haired nine-years-old passed his bag in silence. The man took it firmly in his hand and jogged towards the dark sedan to place it in the trunk.
Regina knelt down in front of her son, "I'm sorry honey."
The boy shrugged his shoulders but remained silent.
She chewed on her bottom lip, "How about you and I do something fun next weekend. We can do whatever you want." She gave a weak smile.
He shrugged his shoulders again and that same look remained in his expression. It was heartbreaking. Her son was her first priority in her life, but it appeared to be different for her husband.
Simon jogged back over with a smile, "All right buddy, you ready?"
Her son nodded yes and started for the door.
"Try and have fun. I love you." She called after him.
"Yeah, sure." He mumbled.
She sighed in defeat. Regina hated making him go to his father's, but it was in the paperwork. As much as her husband wouldn't get an award for father of the year, he would fight her just for spite.
It was she who filed for the divorce and he was going to make sure he put her through hell all the way to the end. He didn't care how it affected their son.
She watched as her son climbed into the car and fastened his seatbelt. The intern closed the door and got into the driver's side. She waved as the car pulled away from the curb, but the boy didn't wave back.
When the car was out of sight she picked up her phone dialing her husband's cell. After what seemed like forever, he answered, "Regina, to what do I owe the pleasure?"
"I can't believe you, Robin. He has been waiting for you since noon, it is three-thirty." She all but yelled into the receiver.
"The meeting ran over Regina, I have no control over that." He said in a patronizing tone.
"You could have canceled the meeting so you could keep at least one promise to your son. You consistently break his heart and I am the one who has to keep picking up the pieces", she growled.
"That's his problem, Regina. You keep babying the boy. Life is full of disappointments and he needs to learn that this is how life is." With the sounds of papers being shuffled around, she knew he was only partly invested in their conversation.
"He's nine years old Robin, not twenty." She hissed.
"We will discuss this later. I have a client waiting and a funeral to get to." He said.
"Don't do th..." The phone clicked in her ear.
She growled throwing the receiver against the wall. Pieces of plastic ricocheted throughout the entryway. She closed her eyes and leaned against the wall letting her tears fall. She passed frustrated a long time ago, but there was nothing she could do about it.
Regina ran a hand through her medium length brunette hair as she opened her eyes. She wiped the tears with the palm of her hand and exhaled. She in no way regretted having her son, but she just wished she could have chosen a better mate.
She knelt down and began picking up the pieces to the broken cordless phone from the hardwood floor. She wondered what she ever saw in the man she married nearly ten years ago. She tried to think back on her life that seemed a lifetime ago now.
She met Robin Locksley ten years ago. He is a lawyer for a big firm in downtown Houston. He loves his work more than he loves most things in this world. When she first met him, she mistook his greed for money and power for drive and ambition. He was handsome with his sandy blonde hair and toned physic. She was the kind of person to think about her future first. Robin had a good career and seemed stable. He was the kind of man she was supposed to marry.
After they had dated for a few months, he convinced her he was the one for her. Being young and naive she gave her virginity away in a high-end hotel room on Galveston Island. She found out a few weeks later that she had been knocked up. Robin tried to do the honorable thing and married her shortly after. Ten years later and all she got were meetings with divorce attorneys and a heartbroken nine-year-old.
Regina Mills-Locksley grew up in Houston Texas. Her father was a well-respected doctor of thirty-five years. Her mother had passed when she was around twelve, but her father had been there every step of the way. She graduated valedictorian of her high school. She decided to follow in her father's footsteps. She becomes a doctor.
Her father had convinced her to apply to all of the top medical universities in the US. She got an acceptance letter from Harvard but refused to go. Instead, she chose Baylor. It was there in Houston which meant she didn't have to leave her dad. After she had graduated and finished her six-year residency, she went to work at her father's practice. After Henry was born, she only filled in a couple of times a week. She made sure to make time for her son and to fulfill her wifely duties.
The doorbell rang, pulling her from her thoughts. She sighed again. All she wanted was to go back to bed. This day had already started off on a bad note and her son was stuck with his asshole of a father for a full week.
She quickly wiped her eyes and opened the door. Her face must have displayed her mood because her best friend who stood on the other side pouted.
"Well, that's not really the welcome I was hoping for."
Regina smiled, "Sorry, just having a bad day. Please come in."
The tall blonde haired woman stepped over the threshold, "I take it Robin had something to do with it?"
The brunette gave the other woman a knowing look as she led her into the kitchen, "Story of my life." She gestured for the woman to sit at the table, "Can I get you some coffee or tea?"
"No, I'm fine, thank you. I actually came by to see if I could convince you to come out with me tonight." The friend said with a hopeful smile.
"Kathryn, I don't know." Regina started.
Her friend held her hand up to stop the brunette, "You always say no Regina. Come on, its one night. You don't have a husband or son to come home to. You have no reason to say no."
The brunette sat down in the chair across from her friend and chewed her bottom lip. She hadn't been out since before she dated her husband. Most of her time was divided between her son and helping her father. She wanted to say no, but the expectant look her friend was giving her was making her feel obligated.
"Where?" She asked not really thinking it mattered.
"That new club downtown." The smile remained on Kathryn's face.
Kathryn and Regina met in college more than thirteen years ago. She was a very attractive woman. Her long tanned legs caught every guy's eye. In school, Regina was the one studying all night. Kathryn was the one begging her to go to the late night frat parties, which she would decline. They were so different, yet they had managed to be the best of friends. Regina had been an only child, but to her, this was her sister.
"I don't know Kathryn. I haven't been to a club in…" She groaned trying to come up with a number.
Her friend raised an eyebrow, "Since before you met shithead. Come on, please. Think about it. It will be like old times. We can have a few drinks and dance our asses off and forget about all of the everyday bull for one evening."
The brunette chewed her bottom lip again as her friend waited. She sighed, "Fine, but only a few drinks, and then home."
"Yessss!" Her friend sang out. "It's about time I show you what you've been missing. And who knows, maybe we will find you some hot guy to take home."
"No guys, Kathryn. This is a girl's night out. I'm not looking for a love connection." She said standing up from her chair.
Her friend grinned, "Okay, okay, we'll see what happens."
Regina shook her head. This woman was going to be the death of her. She was already regretting her decision to go, but now she was committed. It was going to be an interesting night if nothing else.
SQSQSQSQSQSQ
There was a slight chill in the air, but the humidity was already evident for a March afternoon in Texas. The trees were scattered through the cemetery and sway in the breeze. They caused shadows to play out on the grass below.
Emma leaned her shoulder into the large old oak at the far corner of the graveyard. She listened to the Minister recite his memorized Bible lines. She could only hear some of it due to the distance she was from the grave site. She had no intentions of getting any closer.
She had spotted her brother August and father in the front row. An empty chair sat beside them and she knew it was for her. A sick feeling in the pit of her stomach taunted her as she looked at the back of her families head. So many feelings were coming back to her. They flooded her senses and all she wanted to do was run back to the airport and hop the first flight out. She could hear her father's voice telling her what a disappointment she had been to their family name.
She watched as her father and brother stood. First, her father and then her brother picked up a handful of dirt and tossed it onto the casket. She wondered for a moment if she should go and do the same but quickly changed her mind. Emma wanted to leave before the other two noticed she was there.
As she turned to leave her brother's voice called out, "Emma?"
She stopped letting out a heavy sigh. She should have left before the minister finished speaking. She spun around finding her brother, red-eyed from crying, watching her, "August."
She swallowed the lump in her throat. She hated this feeling of longing or just the fact that she missed her family. She couldn't bring herself to admit it.
Her brother stepped closer and pulled her in for a hug. She tensed but managed to pat his back awkwardly.
"I didn't think you would make it." His voice sounded tired.
She shrugged her shoulders, "I wasn't sure if I would either." It was only a slight lie. She was not going to tell him how she started packing immediately after hanging up from him.
Her father appeared beside her brother and she found it difficult to look him in the eyes. He had been a hard ass her entire life. She couldn't think of a single time he had been the ideal daddy to her or her brothers.
"Father." She looked down at the ground only taking quick glances up at the gray-haired man's face. She noted his tailored suit, impeccable as always. He had aged a lot since she had walked out ten years ago. He still stood like the giant she had always seen him as, "You look well."
Her father's eyes caught hers and for a moment she thought she saw tears, "I wish I could say the same about you."
He never beat around the bush. He spoke without a filter and most of the time it leaned more on the rude side.
She snorted out a laugh. He knew just how to make her feel warm and fuzzy on the inside, she thought with sarcasm, "Thanks."
His eyes widened slightly, "I apologize. That was not what I meant to say. You just look as though you haven't slept in a while. How have you been?"
"Hey, I'm still breathing. That's a plus, right?" Her comment dripped with sarcasm.
August smiled, "Yes that is a very good thing. What father meant to say was that he missed you, that we both missed you."
She hated the way her brother always tried to play mediator. The problem with his mediation skills was that they were a little one-sided. She found him sticking up for their father more often than not. She ran a hand through her hair. Emma wasn't in the mood to fight. She was tired and just wanted a drink.
"Will you have dinner with us?" The nervous tone in her father's voice caught her attention. She had never seen her father show weakness of any kind.
Emma looked from her brother's pleading eyes to her father's before she answered, "I wouldn't want to miss that." Her answer was a little harsher than she had planned for it to come out, but her father seemed pleased.
He smiled, as he looked around at the cars, "I going to guess that you took a cab."
She raised an eyebrow, "Yeah." She pointed to the green and white colored car parked several yards away. The driver leaned against the hood reading a Houston Chronicle.
"August," her father said as he nodded his head towards the cab.
August smiled as he trotted off in the same direction. She watched as her brother pulled out his wallet and paid the man. After the driver took the cash he climbed into the car and started pulling away.
"Wait," Emma said. "How am I supposed to get back to my hotel?"
Her father smiled, "You will ride back to the office with us. When we finish up we will go to dinner. After that, I will make sure that you have a car."
Emma didn't respond. The last thing she wanted was to be in debt to her father or worse, stuck without a getaway car. That was her father, he always thought that if he bought her or her siblings' things that they would bow down to him. That only worked with one of them. She wouldn't sell her soul to the devil.
August walked back up to them, "Shall we?"
Emma followed the two men to the limo and climbed in. She almost laughed out loud at her thoughts but was able to stifle it. When she was seventeen, her father lets her and her friends have the limo for their prom. They were so drunk from the mini bar by the time they were supposed to be at the resort that they could barely walk. Needless to say, they never made it. Instead, they had the driver take them to a hotel, where they threw one hell of a bash.
Emma's smile soon faded as she thought back. The hotel had belonged to her brother Will. Several guests complained about the wild party, and his staff called him. He had seemed upset with her when he first arrived. After he made sure all of her friends had made it home safe, he sat down next to her and poured them both drink. He told her how he was supposed to be the disappointment in their father's life, not her. His job was to make her look good and she was supposed to get the hell out of there and see the world.
She quickly turned to face the window as she nonchalantly wiped a stray tear. She wondered if she had disappointed her brother. She swallowed the lump in her throat and took a deep breath. The other two men seemed to be in their own worlds when she looked back at them. Her father glanced at her and gave a small smile while her brother typed away on his phone.
"I'm surprised you hadn't retired yet, father. August here seems to be a spitting image of you. I'm sure he's completely capable of running this company by now." She said staring at her brother. He looked identical to her father when they were younger. Even before texting on a phone was popular, her father would have a phone glued to his ear. Most of her life had been spent without her father. Sure, he was in the same room as them, but with that phone, he was a million miles away.
"August's day will come, but don't sell your old man short. I still have a lot of fight left in me. I don't plan on giving in anytime soon." He said, missing the look in his daughter's eyes. She cut them in his direction and then back to her brother who was still oblivious.
It couldn't be normal for someone to be in the company of their family and feel this uncomfortable. She literally felt as though the walls were closing in even if they were in a very spacious stretch limo.
Before she knew it, they were pulling up to the front of the high-rise that her father's company owned. Even though this building was exactly the same as it had been her entire life, it looked so different now. Perhaps it was because more construction had been done to neighboring buildings. A few more high-rises were added to the block, she wasn't sure.
As she stepped out of the car and looked up, her heart nearly stopped. It was the fifteenth floor of this very building where her mother jumped. Emma looked down at the granite stones that made up the front of the entryway. It had once been solid concrete, but her father's solution to rid the ever-present blood spot was to put in new stone.
She didn't say anything as she followed the two men into the building. Her father said something to the security guard at the desk. She was too far into her own thoughts to register the exact words. Her memories felt like they had been recorded on some eight-millimeter film. She remembered all of the times she walked into this building and passed that same guard desk. It had been ten years and she still didn't feel ready for this.
"We remodeled a few years ago. What do you think?" Her father held the door to the elevator.
She stepped in and forced a smile, "It looks great."
Anyone who knew the blonde would have known there was something amiss in her voice. Her father and brother were both strangers to her now, as she was to them.
She watched her father's face light up slightly to her response. Her brother's phone pinged in his hand and he looked up to their father, "Robin said Mr. Carver is waiting in your office."
Her father straightened his back. His features sobered and she could see the man she knew as a child. Her brother had a similar stance which made her roll her eyes to herself. Nothing was ever going to change with these people.
The two men were all business when the doors opened. Her father stopped briefly to look at her, "You can wait here if you don't mind. We shouldn't belong."
She nodded as the pair walk through double doors and disappear.
With a loud sigh, she plopped down into one of the chairs in the waiting area. The chairs were modern and sleek but were uncomfortable as hell. She wondered if the office decorator even tried these things out before they were put in. The art that hung on the walls were weird abstract pieces that made her more uncomfortable. Someone could experience a very bad acid trip in this room.
The room was silent except for the clicking of the keyboard the receptionist was typing away on. She wondered if her father had slept with this one too. He had slept with all of the other's and even though she didn't know this one, she knew she fit her father's type. She was blonde, pretty and had large assets.
A sigh came from her left causing her to turn her head. Emma hadn't noticed the little boy who sat only a few chairs away. She crossed her legs and lean her head back against the wall as she looked at him. His head was lowered and he stared down at the floor. There was an unmistakable sadness in his dark brown eyes.
She found herself feeling compelled to speak to him, but she didn't know why. She wasn't great with kids, nor had she really ever been around them. It wasn't like they were hanging out in the same places she did.
She licked her lips, "Hey kid? What are in for?"
He glanced up at her and then looked at the double doors, "I'm waiting on my dad."
She nodded her head, "So I guess your dad is Mr. Carver?"
The little brunette boy shook his head, "No. My dad is Mr. Locksley."
Her eyes widened in surprise, "No shit? Who in their right mind would have ever bred with" She stopped herself from continuing? Robin had been her father's lawyer for years. He was an arrogant male chauvinist asshole who went around kissing her father's ass.
"My mom did, but she regrets it." He said flatly.
Emma choked out a laugh. She was shocked at the boy's remark. He looked young, but he was definitely as sharp as a whip.
There was a long silence before she asked, "Why are you here waiting for your dad and not with your mom?"
The boy looked at her, "It's my dad's week. I usually only have to go with him every other weekend, but he gets me for this Spring Break."
The blonde leaned her head back against the wall, "Oh, so your parents are divorced?"
She saw him shake his head out of the corner of her eye, "No, not yet. They are in the middle of it."
Emma turned to the boy and could see the way the frown pulled on his features. She tilted her head to the side as she stared. He was a very handsome child and she found herself wishing he would smile.
"I'm sorry to hear that. It's got to be hard." She said turning back around.
"It's hard for my mom. I just want it to be over with. He doesn't like me anyways." The boy shifted in his seat.
The blonde furrowed her brow as she sat up in her seat putting her foot back on the ground, "I'm sure that's not true. It's just hard for parents during times like these."
The boy huffed out a fake laugh, "My dad didn't like me before the divorce."
Before Emma could respond, the double door opened. Robin appeared and hurried over to the boy, pausing briefly to speak to Emma, "Welcome home."
Emma smiles and nodded as she watched the man turned towards his son, "I will be a bit longer Henry. Stay put and don't cause any trouble."
The blonde raised an eyebrow as she watched the expression on the child's face. She could remember being little and hearing very similar words from her own father. She had felt the same way as the boy. She wished it had been a divorce that her parents had gotten, instead of her mother's funeral.
"Do you understand me, Henry? If I hear that you misbehaved in any way you will be sorry." The man said.
Her eyes moved to the boy. He looked so small in front of this man and there was fear that flashed in his eyes.
"I'll keep an eye on him." She offered with a smile. Emma found herself not wanting him around the kid.
"There is no need to do that Emma. My son is quite capable of taking care of himself." He looked down at his son and she could have choked him for what she saw in the lawyer's face. Disappointment. The same look she got countless times from her father.
She stood up, "I'm sure he is very capable, but I need an escort to the breakroom. It's been a while since I've been here and I'm sure Henry here knows exactly where it is."
Robin looked at her for a moment and then back at his son, "Fine, but you better not cause any trouble." He glared down at the boy.
The child nodded, "Yes sir."
With that, Robin turned and went back through the double doors. She clenched her teeth as she watched the door close behind him. She didn't want to judge the situation, but she didn't like what she had seen.
She turned towards the boy, "You ready?"
"You were serious?" He asked.
"Well hell yeah. I haven't had anything to eat since yesterday evening, I'm hungry." She started walking towards the break room.
She didn't miss the small smile that pulled at the boy's lips, "I thought you didn't remember where the breakroom was?"
She glanced over at him, "Okay, I lied about that, so sue me."
There was another moment of silence as they walked down the hallway.
"So Henry Locksley, huh?"
"Yes, ma'am," he answered.
She stopped outside the breakroom door and spun to look at him. "The first rule while hanging out with me, do not for any reason call me ma'am."
She found his smile infectious as her smile matched his. She had been right. Henry was a very handsome child. One thing was clear he did not get his looks from his father, so his mother must be one beautiful woman.
They walked into the breakroom. Emma's hand was already digging into her pocket for change.
"Don't bother. These machines only take credit cards." Henry said as he pulled a wallet out of his back pocket.
She watched as the boy pulled a credit card from one of the inside pockets of the brown leather trifold wallet. She was pretty sure he wasn't old enough to have a credit card, but then again it was something her father would have done.
"What would you like?" He asked sticking the card into the proper slot, "My treat."
She smiled again, "Okay, I'll take C12 and a soda."
She pulled a chair back and sat down at the round table as she watched the boy operate the machine with expert skill. Her mind went back to the way Robin threatened the boy. Her father was an ass, but he never threatened like that. There was a moment she almost felt his loathing for the child, but it was a very brief second so she couldn't be sure.
Henry sat the items she asked for in front of her and then pulled up a chair. He placed the exact same things down in front of himself and she found herself smiling again. She opened the wrapper of her candy bar and took a bite. She hadn't eaten candy in a very long time.
"Maybe I should introduce myself since you bought me food." She said after swallowing.
"I know who you are." He said taking a bite of his candy.
She raised an eyebrow as she opened her soda, "You do?"
"Yep. You're Emma Nolan, the youngest child and only daughter of the Nolan family." He said with his mouth full. He quickly realized his mistake and waited until he swallowed to continue. "My mom said you were a bit of a problem child. You left home nine and a half years ago and then no one heard from you again, or so I was told." He said taking another bite.
She had never thought of how others saw her. Well, she never cared before. She took a swig from the carbonated beverage. Why did she feel like she cared now?
"What else did your mom say about me?" She asked.
He swallowed a drink from his own soda and looked at her suspiciously, "Why do you want to know?"
She twisted the lid back on, "I'm just curious."
He shrugged, "My mom's not like that. She is just upset with my dad and sometimes feels that it is your dad's fault."
Emma leaned her elbows on the table and she scooted closer to the table. She found herself wanting to know more, "What is my dad's fault?"
"My dad does whatever Mr. Nolan wants. He is never home and never has time for me." The boy looked back at the breakroom door and then back at her. "He left in the middle of my birthday party, right when they were singing to me. Mom told my aunt Kathryn that dad ended their anniversary dinner. Mr. Nolan had called him to go deal with you about some fight you got into."
Emma leaned back in her chair. She knew exactly what fight he was talking about. There was a girl in her school who she had been seeing in secret. It was her first love in fact. One night, when she sneaked into the other girl's room, she didn't know that the roommate had heard everything. In turn, she told the entire school. Bullying had started and the other girl dumped her. Emma had endured name-calling and a few physical attacks. When she told her father about them, he told her it was her own fault for being a pervert. She let them call her names and never said a word. One day the other girl, who happened to be the Dean's daughter, shouted out profanities at her mother and she lost it. She beat the girl so badly that she was hospitalized. Her father said he washed his hand of her after that. She decided that day that she was leaving and never coming back.
"Are you okay?" The boy asked.
Emma felt the tear drop roll and she quickly reached up to wipe it away, "yeah, no I'm fine kid. I just had something in my eye."
She could tell by the look on his face that he didn't believe her, but he didn't comment on it.
Emma cleared her throat, "Your mom has every right to not like me and definitely every right to hate my dad." She laughed a little.
He smiled but tilted his head, "I don't think you're a bad person."
"You don't know me." She said wadding up her empty candy bar wrapper.
He shrugged, "Maybe not, but not just anyone would try and cheer up a kid they didn't know."
She snorted out a laugh. This kid was smart, but the truth was he didn't understand her reputation.
The door opened and August stuck his head in, ignoring the boy, "You ready Em?" He didn't wait for a response as his phone pinged and he let the door close as he went back down the hallway.
"Em?" Henry asked with his nose scrunched.
"I know, right. It's the name my close friends call me," She laughed. She could hear Robin's voice down the hall and by the fearful look in his eyes, so had the boy. She grabbed a napkin from the center of the table and a marker. She scribbled down her number.
"Hey, umm, so you're going to be with your dad all week huh?" She asked.
He sighed, "Yeah."
She slid the napkin across the table, "Well if you need someone to talk to you can give me a shout."
The boy's face lit up, "Really?"
She shrugged as she stood up from the chair, "Sure, why not?"
A grin was now plastered on his face as he carefully put the napkin in his pocket. Again she found herself smiling just from seeing his. She hadn't smiled full heartedly in so long, she had forgotten what it felt like.
"I told you my mom was wrong about you." He gave a cheeky grin as he started for the door.
"I wouldn't be so sure about that kid." She said with a wink.
SQSQSQSQSQSQ
The restaurant was fairly empty for a Friday evening. This made Emma breathe a sigh of relief. She was ready for this dinner to be over with and it had barely begun. There had yet to be any fighting, but there had been a tremendous amount of awkwardness.
"So what have you been doing?" Her father's voice asked from across the dimly lit table.
She picked up her glass of wine and took a sip before placing it back down, "You know the same old same old."
Her father took a drink of his wine as he eyed his daughter, "What exactly does that mean?"
She ran her hand through her hair, "You know what I've been up to. You can see every transaction I've made in the last ten years." Her voice was icy.
"I have every right to know what my children spend my money on." He stated as he took a bite from his plate.
"Mom's money, not yours. I haven't touched a dime of your money since I left home." She hissed. Her aggravation level was growing ever since she talked to Henry. Her father had not only ruined the life of his wife, his children, but even the lives of his employees.
August suddenly put his phone into his pocket and raised his hands up, "Okay, okay. Let's not fight. We are supposed to be getting along here." He said with a tense smile.
She picked up her fork and began picking through the food on her plate. She would rather be talking to Henry right now. He was a much better company.
"What father meant to ask was have you given much thought about staying to run the club," August asked looking from their father to her.
She rolled her eyes, but decided to play along, "I haven't really had much time to think about it, and it was a bit last minute."
She watched her father cut his eyes to her brother, but he remains silent.
August smiled over at her, "I'm sorry about that. However, there is a small piece of business to discuss in regards to Will's nightclub."
Her eye shot up to her oldest brother's, "As you know, Will left his club to you." He said holding out a document. "Father does own nearly half of the business."
Emma took it looking down. It was a will stating that the Club and all his shares went to his baby sister Emma Nolan. She read her name several times. Why would he leave her his club? She had shown no signs of responsibility or interest.
"What's the catch?" She asked looking up at her brother and then to her father.
"What do you mean?" August asked.
She looked directly at her father, "What's the catch?"
Her father wiped his mouth with his napkin and then placed it on his plate. "The club is yours, including its current employees under one condition."
Emma leaned back in her chair as she picked up her wine glass. Of course, there were stipulations.
"The drinking and partying stop," he said flatly.
She flexed her jaw as she looked down at the glass of wine in her hand, "What does that mean? All forms of drinking? And what specifically counts as partying?"
Her father took another sip of his wine, "Yes, no more alcohol nor drugs."
"I don't do drugs." She sneered.
Her father continued, "And all of the lady entertainment stops."
She furrowed her brows, "What the hell does that mean? Do not tell me I cannot date women father because that's where I walk out the door."
He placed his glass back down on the table. His eyes remained on his daughter as he snapped his finger towards his son. August pulled another piece of paper from a folder and passed it over to his sister.
She nearly snatched it as she read. It was a bank transaction sheet. Yellow highlighter marked several transactions made in the last couple of months. There were several for exotic dancers. She wanted to smile at the memory of that night but decided against it when she could still feel her father's glare. A large number of VIP rooms and tons of very expensive alcohol was bought, as well as an escort service charge. She started to argue, that the escorts were not for her, but she knew it didn't matter.
She set the paper down on the table and looked at her father's green eyes. They were the only trait she couldn't deny receiving from him, "Okay, no more strippers or escort girls. I got it."
"It all stops Emma. It all stops or there is no club and the money stops." Her father's voice had a chill, but where most people would shiver, she could feel the heat of her anger rising.
She put the wine glass back down on the table without taking another drink. She licked her lips as she looked around the room and then back to her father. "You want me to quit drinking and stop the extravagant spending, fine." She clenched her jaw again, "I will even slow down when it comes to the woman, but I will not now nor ever stop being a gay father. You need to learn to accept that or we cannot move forward in whatever in the hell it is you are trying to do here."
She watched her father's eyes glide around the room until they came back to her, "I do not like the lifestyle you choose. You have spent the last several years without a care in the world. I'm dumbfounded at how many poor girls that you have ruined. It is time you grow up. I do not understand this sick obsession of yours"
"Fuck you." She said as she stood up from her chair. "I should have never come back here."
She stormed across the restaurant and out the doors into the cool night air. She knew nothing had changed. She had somehow managed to convince herself that maybe, just maybe, things would be different. Had he accused her of ruining lives? It was as if he were saying she ruined whatever she touched or that she had corrupted those women.
"Emma, wait!" She turned to see her brother jogging up to her.
"Go to hell August. I can't keep reliving this. I didn't ask him for a single dime ten years ago and I am not about to start." Tears were now gathering in her eyes.
Without warning her brother grabbed her, pulling her tight against him, "I know sis, I know. I know it's hard to see, but he has changed some."
She tried to lean back to argue with him, but he wouldn't let her go, "Emma, please don't leave. Go to the club, and check it out. Some of Will's crew are there running it for now, but you can see how well he was doing. I'll talk to Father, but please don't leave until we talk. Don't do anything stupid, like getting shit faced and causing trouble."
He slowly released her and she wiped her face. She let out a breath of air as she fought the tears from coming, "One more day. That's all I have left to give August."
He smiled, "I'll see you later at the club."