“If you touch one hair on Scarlett’s head…”
“Me?” She laughed. “God no. Whatever makes you think I’d toucha stranger’s hair? Gross. I’m not a peasant. I have people for that.”
I swallowed hard.
“So call my uncle back, yes?”
I didn’t respond.
“If you don’t, I think we both know what will happen.”
Yeah, I’d gotten the hint. But she and her minions would neverget close enough to Scarlett to make good on a veiled threat. James had thebest security money could buy. And I wouldn’t let it happen. “Get out of myoffice.”
“Oh.” She shook her shoulders. “I like when you get sternwith me. You know…I saw your dating profile. It was very endearing.”
“Out. Now.”
“You should just cancel that. You won’t be needing it. Ithink there’s a different future laid out for you already. Oh, and I almostforgot.” Poppy pulled out an envelope from her purse. “This is from Uncle Richard.”She placed the envelope on my desk, the fake nail on her pointer fingerpractically poking a hole through the paper. “Would you like to read this now? Youcan write a response and I can take it to him. I’ll wait.”
“I’m not going to ask you again to leave, Poppy.” I grabbedmy desk phone. “I’m calling security.”
“You’re no fun, Matthew. We’ll change that, I’m sure. See yousoon.” She blew me a kiss, turned on her heel, and walked out of my office,taking the ice-cold air with her.
I stared at the envelope with my name written across the front.There was no use reading it. Surely it would be the same as the countless textsMr. Pruitt had sent me over the years. Yet, I found myself ripping it openanyway.
I understand why you’re angry with me. But I’ve beenprotecting you for years now. And for years you have returned my kindness by ignoringme. This is a matter of life or death now, Matthew. Call me back immediately.
I crumpled the paper in my fist and threw it in the trash. Lifeor death? He didn’t value life. And protecting me? What the fuck was he talkingabout? He’d never protected me from anything. And he certainly didn’t careabout me. Or else he wouldn’t have sent Poppy here to flirt with me. Orthreaten me. Or whatever the fuck had just happened.
I picked up my phone. I’d had enough. It was one thing toharass me once a year. It was another thing to threaten one of my best friends’daughters. I’d had enough of this family of psychopaths. I pulled up hiscontact info, but my thumb paused above the call button.
Tanner thought I should just talk to him and get it overwith. I knew most people would give me the same advice. But I didn’t want totalk to Mr. Pruitt. That was what he wanted. And I didn’t want to do anythingthat Mr. Pruitt wanted me to do. He’d find some way to twist something I said andget me stuck doing something for his muddied name. And I wasn’t having any partof it. I set down the phone and walked over to the floor to ceiling windows,overlooking Manhattan. I didn’t want to talk to him. I didn’t want to step footback into his haunted apartment. I wanted nothing to do with him or his evil niece.
I took a deep breath as I watched the cars speeding downbelow. I needed to put a stop to him trying to insert himself into my life. Andthe answer was right at my fingertips.
It was my job to sort out financial messes. Which meant Iknew exactly what to look for if I needed to…oh, I don’t know…find proof thatsomeone was laundering money. And Mr. Pruitt was definitely laundering money. Hehad to be. He had a few legitimate businesses, but not enough to make him oneof the wealthiest men in New York.
I was just a kid when Brooklyn died. Back then, I couldn’t doanything about it. But I could now. And I didn’t care what I needed to dig up. RichardPruitt deserved to rot in prison for the rest of his life. I didn’t care whatthe cops and private investigators said. He was a murderer. And I’d find a wayto make him pay.
Chapter 12
Friday
I cringed as Jefferson kicked the extra point and actually fellover. It wasn’t even muddy. How was this kid capable of slipping on dirt? Thefootball flew in the air and for just a second I held my breath. But then theball fell like it had gotten struck down by lightning, landing short from theuprights. Super short. Like 15 feet away. Jefferson gave me thumbs up as he gotto his feet. I tried not to grimace and gave him what I hoped was anencouraging thumbs up in return.
Every piece of advice I gave him somehow made it worse. Buthonestly? I hadn’t been the best coach this week. I’d been late to practice. Mymind had been a little preoccupied trying to dig up dirt on Mr. Pruitt, only tofind…nothing.
And that wasn’t the only thing weighing on me. My stalker wasback in the stands tonight. And after my visit from Poppy on Monday, I wasworried she had been sent by her. Or maybe even Mr. Pruitt. Either way, I couldactually feel the hairs on the back of my neck rise whenever she looked at me. Whatthe hell was she doing here again? What did she want?
I turned around to see her in the stands, but she was gone. Ishook my head. I hadn’t been sleeping either. I’d tried the freaking chamomiletea and it didn’t work. Maybe I was imagining the whole thing.
But the worst part about this shitty week? Penny hadn’tspoken to me since leaving my place. My eyes traveled up the stands. She’dshown up tonight with James and everyone else though. Mason had his arm aroundBee. I’m pretty sure they were laughing about that awful kick. Rob had justpulled Daphne onto his lap and was tickling her side. And Penny was staring upat James with the biggest smile I’d seen on her face
