The Tycoon’s Secret(7)

She hadn’t understood why, especially since he hated her. When he finally explained that she was paying for what he believed were her mother’s sins, she was horrified. She’d fought him, but in the end the battle hadn’t been worth it. He was a powerful, domineering man, and she didn’t have the strength or energy to fight. He’d broken her spirit long ago.

With Sandy now gone, though, so many possibilities loomed before her. Maybe he’d finally let her go and get her own place, actually start living her life.

She’d managed to stash money away through the years. It was enough to survive on her own long enough to get a job and start living. She had a college degree and did volunteer work, so it shouldn’t be that difficult finding work. She just had to get away from her dad, get away with his permission so he wouldn’t drag her back.

For two precious years she’d had freedom, a taste of what it would be like to be away from him. It wasn’t two full years, as she’d had to return home during breaks, but it was still more than she’d ever hoped for at that point in her life.

She’d gone to community college after high school, still having to stay home, but at least getting to leave during the day. Then, for two years she’d gone to the University and stayed on campus – a rule of the prestigious campus she’d attended.

Her first semester, she’d been too afraid and shy to meet anyone, but after that, she met her new roommate, who refused to allow her to hide away. She smiled fondly thinking of Brianne. She’d been like a mini-tornado, arriving in their room, full of energy and enthusiasm.

She’d refused to let Sierra stay in their dorm room alone, dragging her out to eat, party, and play until all hours of the night. They’d become best friends. It hadn’t taken long, as Brianne was one of those girls who refused to be told no.

After they graduated, Brianne had wanted to get a place together, saying her family was suffocating her and she needed her best friend as a roommate and buffer. Sierra had certainly known how she felt, though, she’d disagreed with Brianne. Sierra had found her family charming, full of life, and always kind.

Sierra had eagerly agreed to move in together, wanting to live with Brianne, to start a career and continue the life she’d started on the college campus. When she’d made the mistake of telling her father her plans, he’d cut her off of all money, blocked her from getting any jobs by informing potential employee’s he’d either make sure funding was pulled, or telling them she was highly inadequate. Finally, he’d threatened all kinds of retribution if she didn’t come home. She knew it was about power and control, but she also knew he was capable of following through on his threats.

Brianne had tried to stop her, saying she’d pay for the place until Sierra could get on her feet. In the end, Sierra had done what her father wanted. He was just too powerful to fight. She was afraid he’d carry through on his threats, like he’d done the time she’d run away. He’d been good to her for about a month after she came home, too preoccupied with business to even notice her much.

It didn’t last, though.

Soon, he was back to himself, hitting her when he felt like it, blaming her for her mother’s loose life, and her sister running around, and just for being not quite good enough to be his child.

She’d taken it – as she always had and always would. She didn’t know how to fight him.

Sierra snapped out of the past, knowing she was taking too much time to leave the room. She was late. Though her brief moment of rebellion had felt good, the thought of her father’s wrath was beginning to outweigh it. She picked up her purse and started moving toward the door of her hotel room. She was sad to leave her small paradise.

She reached the door when the phone rang.

Fear slithered slowly down her spine like a snake. Should she answer? If it was her dad and he found out she was still there, he was going to be furious. On the other hand, if she didn’t answer and then wasn’t home for the twenty minutes it would take her to drive there, he’d still be furious, knowing she’d ignored his call. She was damned if she did and damned if she didn’t. He always seemed to know, though she didn’t know how.

In her last effort to leave, she felt her feet moving in the wrong direction in a mad rush and she tentatively picked up the phone before it could go to voicemail.

“H…hello,” she said, her voice tripping over the words.

“Sierra? Is that you? What’s wrong?”

Sierra breathed a sigh of relief.

“How did you find me?” she teased, her body relaxing to almost jelly as she sat on the bed. She knew she’d be even later to see her father, but the sound of the familiar voice – one she missed so much, was a welcomed distraction and she couldn’t bring herself to take a rain check on the conversation. Bree was the one person she’d risk the wrath of her father for.