Royal Prick(19)

I lifted my fist in a fit of rage, slamming it onto the top of his desk; pain radiating from my fingertips to my wrist, but I didn’t care. If shock made a sound it would be the deep breaths filtering in through my father’s mouth. I watched with an intense stare as papers scattered and the other shit on his desk rattled some of the shit clattering to the floor.

I leaned into him, my elbows resting on the edge of the desk, my eyes filled with hollowed-out pain, and my voice menacing as I spoke.

“Do I even care? What kind of fucking question is that? That’s something you should be asking yourself, wouldn’t you think?” I growled out the words. This fucker had balls questioning me on shit that he should be questioning himself about.

“Clearly one that you never thought out, because your mother had to send you to come and live with me, and the shit that lies in the past needs to stay there. You should be worried about you and not me. Worried about a future that is just within reach. You’re going to put yourself in a world of hurt if you keep down this road.” I couldn’t help the anger that exploded from deep inside of me. It was like a timer on a ticking time bomb, the time slipping to zero and the bomb exploding. I beat my fist against the wooden desk once more, the pain of the blow just adding fuel to the ever-growing fire inside of me. The pain didn’t faze me as much as what this asshole had to say.

“I wouldn’t have to have been sent here if you were an actual father! And for the love of God stop trying to pretend you give a shit about me when we both know you don’t.” My voice rattled with anger, the harshness of my words making me wonder when I dove off the deep end into the black waters below.

I didn’t care if anyone heard me. I hoped they did. I hoped they heard all about the piece of shit known as my father, and I hoped that when they saw me they questioned every good thing he ever did. I wasn’t good, and I was nothing to show off. I was lost and damaged. A piece of debris floating out in open water.

“Sit down, Royal.” Why the fuck didn’t he seem the least bit fazed that I was ready to knock his old ass out?

“Your temper is the same as mine. Fire burns in your veins where blood should. I know the pain you’re feeling, and I understand how unhappy you are with me.” My teeth gnashed together. He looked at me like he had me figured out, like he knew what I had been through the in last seventeen years.

“I am nothing like you! Nothing. We might share DNA, and you might legally be my father, but saying you’re someone’s father and acting like one are two very different things.”

I was within a second of lurching across this table and making him eat his words. The tension that filled my muscles begged me for some type of release. I needed to release the aggression, to suppress the anger. I had no other option. If I didn’t, people would get hurt. People I cared about.

“I didn’t have you come in here to fight with you or to try and compare us, so my apologies. I simply wanted to let you know of the plan your mother and I have come up with. We feel it will benefit everyone involved especially you. I know it was a struggle for you and your mom growing up, and I’d like to fix that now.” HA, what a fucking joke. I almost laughed. I’m almost fully fucking grown and now he suddenly wants to fucking man up and help with finances? To pretend like he cares because I was shoved on him, because my mom forced him to finally take some responsibility for the night where he fucked her and just left.

“I will provide you with a car, whatever make and model you want, a college education if you would like one, and an endless supply of money so long as you keep yourself out of trouble.” What the fuck? He couldn’t actually be real about all this bullshit that was filling the room. Let’s hear the strings that are attached because I know he’s not just going to give me all this shit for nothing. There’s always a fucking price to pay, and I’ve been the one paying for the last seventeen years.

“Go ahead. I know there’s more. You haven’t done shit for me and Mom in seventeen years, so I know damn well you aren’t you going to give me all this shit for nothing. What are the strings attached to this fancy offer? Say something that will set me off. I’ve been contemplating laying your ass out my entire life.”

Mark didn’t seem to care about what I had to say. It was as if he actually expected me to act the way that I was, as if it was just a reaction that would never change.

”Hate me all you want but the offer will always stand; no matter what you think or how you feel about me. There are no strings attached because the things that I want you to do are things that you should be doing anyway…” He raised an eyebrow up at me, getting ready to ramble off his list of bullshit.