trust
fund.
But before he could settle into
his office and pull out study materials, his father’s secretary
knocked on his door. “Excuse me, Mr. Princeton, your father
would like to see you in his office.”
Clenching his jaw, Tyler nodded
and headed for the elevator. Gordontairs, he didn’t knock
before striding impatiently into his father’s office. “What
is it, Dad?”
The livid expression on his
father’s face didn’t bode well, but when had they ever
had a decent conversation? “You didn’t come home last
night.”
Tyler winced. “I’m a
grown man, Dad. I can come and go as I please.”
“ Not when you’re out
on my yacht, entertaining some trash from across the tracks. Not to
mention screwing the help.”
Feeling the twitch start in his
jaw muscle, Tyler lowered his voice to a dangerous level. “You
have no idea what you’re talking about.”
The older man slammed his hands
on his desk and stood, leaning forward menacingly. “I know
exactly what I’m talking about. You’re purposely
disrespecting me, and I won’t have it. You will not make a
mockery of me. You will act like you have the breeding with which you
were raised, and you will not gallivant off with some piece of ass
just to spite me.”
“ Really, Dad? Because I
remember eating Ramen and beans growing up, helping Mom clip coupons
so we could afford to eat, until you built this dynasty of yours. We
don’t come from better ‘breeding’ than anyone else.
Besides, you should be thrilled. Your stipulations state that I have
to be married within a year. When was the last time you saw me date
anyone? At least I’m making the effort now.”
“ My son will not marry some
little, money grubbing hussy and let the whore drain his bank
account!” the elder man roared.
“ I’m not listening to
this shit!” Tyler roared back. Fuming, he growled, “Your
superiority complex is getting old, Dad. Get off my back.” He
turned and started to leave.
“ I didn’t dismiss
you. Where do you think you’re going?”
“ To study for the damn bar
exam,” he called over his shoulder, slamming the door behind
him. Rather than heading back upstairs, he went outside and lit a
cigarette. He needed to calm down. His father had the worst way of
getting under his skin.
There had been a time when he’d
been proud of Tyler for his talent at hockey. Then, something had
changed, and he’d started dumping all over both Tyler and
Tyler’s mother. Lisa Princeton had escaped, filing for divorce
and moved across the country. When his father had forced Tyler to
quit the hockey team, then assured that he would go to law school,
Tyler fought long and hard to live with his mother, but his father
hadn’t let him and had forced the contract on his trust fund.
He was about to go back inside
and lick his wounds in his office when Valerie stepped out. He turned
away from her, not wanting her to see the emotions on his face. He
quickly put on a mask of stoicism and offered her a smile that he
knew didn’t reach his eyes. “What are you doing here?”
Valerie saw the look of pain on
Tyler’s face, no matter how hard he tried to hide it, and she
frowned at him, her brow creasing with concern. “What happened,
Tyler? Is everything okay?”
He laughed mirthlessly. “Just
the usual bullshit with my father.”
Valerie gulped, remembering the
horrible things she’d heard the elder Princeton say about his
son. “I’m sorry, Tyler. But whatever he said, it’s
your life and you need to live it your way. You know, some people
just don’t think about the impact that their words have…maybe
because they are far too busy worrying about their own feelings to
even think about someone else’s. I know what it’s like to
hear something negative over and over again until you start to
believe it. But Tyler, that doesn’t make it true.”
Tyler sighed and nodded. How
could she possibly understand so well? And how did she know he was
upset? Most people couldn’t