“Who are you?” I ask him again, standing in the entranceway.
He smiles at me and raises his hands, palms out. “My name is Silas,” he says. “I work for the Tillmans. I’m just here to talk.”
I frown at him, but relax slightly. If the Tillmans sent him, that means he’s probably not here to rob and kill me.
But he might be here for something much worse.
“Do you want something?” I ask him.
He smiles slightly. “Interesting. I break into your apartment and you ask if I want something.”
I shrug, playing it cool, and walk to the kitchen. “Might as well be polite. Whisky?”
He nods. “Okay then.”
I pour two glasses and hand him one. I sip mine and eye him. We stand on either side of the kitchen island.
“Well, you probably want to know why I’m here.”
I nod once. “I’d like that.”
“It’s late, so I’ll try and be brief. You seem reasonable, Mr. Waller.”
“Call me Gavin.”
“Okay, Gavin.” Silas puts his drink down on the counter and looks at me, a little smile on his face. “Truth is, Mr. Tillman is very angry about you seeing his daughter behind his back.”
I clench my jaw slightly. “Is she okay?”
Silas smiles a little wider. “She’s fine, as far as I know. Curious that you’d ask.”
“I know your employer can be… harsh.”
“Harsh. Good word.” Silas takes another sip of his whisky. “I’m here to give you a simple message, Gavin. It’s the kind of message that I’m often hired to give, and I really, really hate giving it more than once. Are you ready?”
“Get on with it,” I say, staring at him, anger rising in my throat like bile.
“Stay away from Sadie Tillman. It’s that simple. Stay away from her, and everything will be just fine.”
I stare at his smiling face and I can hear the threat there, implicit behind his words.
“And if I don’t, everything won’t,” I say.
Silas just shrugs and smiles, not responding.
“Do you always do Tillman’s dirty work?” I ask him.
“I’ve been in his employ for many years,” he admits. “Though I have other clients, of course.” He puts his drink down and steps away from the counter. “I’m going to leave now, Gavin.”
“Tell your boss that I’m not interested in his threats.”
Silas nods. “I suspected you’d say that. Guys like you aren’t easy to intimidate. You’re from the west side, right?”
I hesitate a second. “Right,” I say.
“I know lots of guys from there. I grew up there myself. I know you’re used to big thugs trying to push everyone around. But listen, Gavin, and listen closely. I don’t like giving this message more than once. This has been a pleasant interaction. Let’s not have an unpleasant one.” He smiles one last time before turning and walking out.
I watch him go and I don’t say a word. Adrenaline courses through my veins and anger clutches at my throat. I hear Silas disappear down the hallway, open my door, and shut it again. I clench my glass and end up tossing back the rest of the whisky in one smooth motion.
I’d be a liar if I tried to pretend like it doesn’t freak me the fuck out that Silas broke into my apartment so easily. He could have done anything to me. Fortunately, he just wanted to threaten me, but it could have been much worse. I wasn’t prepared for that, not at all.
But I’m going to be prepared. I believe him when he says that our next meeting will be much less pleasant, and I’m going to be ready for that.
Because I’m not backing off Sadie. Those Tillman fucks think they can control her and push me around, but I’m not the kind of man that can be fucked with. When I want something, I get it, and I want Sadie.
I want to be her Daddy. I want to dominate her, control her, make her feel things she’s never dreamed of.
Her family isn’t going to stand in my way.
8
Sadie
I expected to get screamed at. I expected my father and my brothers to be there, waiting for me, ready to tell me how I’m disappointing them. Well, maybe not Peter, but definitely Michael.
Instead, the apartment was quiet. Reginald told me good night and then left me there. Nobody yelled, nobody scolded, nothing.
So I went to bed, still thinking about Gavin.
The moment in the bathroom kept coming back to me. It was a potential turning point for me, but I was afraid. I was too scared to really turn away from my old life and embrace something new. If I had slept with him in there, I would be a totally new woman.
Still, making out with him in a stall and letting him touch me like that is something. I’ve never done something like that before, and never imagined I would, not before Gavin. He makes me want to live, to really live. He makes me want to be something more than whatever my family wants me to be.