Chapter 7: GIDEON

Her father answered the door on the second knock. He looked about the same as his picture, which I'd had my security snap while they were doing a background check on him. I liked knowing who I'm dealing with, and since he was not only the law in this town but the father of the young woman, I meant to claim I needed to know as much as I possibly could.

It's a good thing I had, but a picture was one thing, seeing the man in the flesh quite another. I called on all the etiquette-training mom had tried to drill into me as a youth not to do what I so badly wanted. I had to think of my little Blossom.

"Yes, can I help you?" Clifton Sanders was a forty-five-year-old fit, attractive male who took good care of himself. All of that was obvious at my first cursory glance. He didn't look like the friendliest of people, though, if the look on his face was any indication. Before the day was over, I was sure to put a frown on his already scowling face; I was afraid.

"Mr. Sanders, the name's Gideon Thorpe. I'm here about a personal matter. Would you mind if we took this inside?" He studied me from head to toe, taking in the expensive cut of my suit, the limo behind me, and the two men standing guard at my side.

I'd chosen the limo today for just this purpose. I wanted to make a statement, that of power and utter control. It wasn't every day I flexed my muscles, but in this case, there wasn't anything I wouldn't do to get my way. "I suppose come on in."

He led us to his living room and took a seat on the couch while pointing me to one of the two armchairs across from him. I ignored him and remained standing, first tenet of the top dog. Always hold the position of power. There was a huge portrait of who I assumed was Ashley's deceased mother over the fireplace mantle.

That, more than anything in my reports, told me about the man. It also helped me to understand a little better why he was raising his daughter the way he was. I felt the first niggling of anger hit my gut but held it at bay. It was never a good thing to jump the gun.

Things could appear one way on paper and be entirely different in reality. This was a delicate situation, so I thought it best to proceed with caution, feel him out, so to speak. One wrong move on his part, though, and I'll show him just who the fuck he was dealing with. I came here with the words of the report fresh in my mind but yet willing to give him the benefit of the doubt. So far, I wasn't too impressed with what I'd seen.

"Before we begin, let me just say that I have with me any documents you might need to verify anything I might say to you." I saw the confusion cross his face.

"You said this was personal?"

"Yes, I'll get to that. I think you should know I've had you investigated before coming here today. Both your personal and professional life and though you may not know me, I am an honest, upstanding man of my word."

"I've heard of you; who in these parts haven't?" He leaned forward with a look of what the hell is this about on his face, but I wasn't ready to give him anything quite yet.

"Good, I have a reputation in the business world that's quite separate from who I am as a man. I like to keep my personal life just that, personal."

"Well, what is it that you think I can do for you, Mr. Thorpe?"

"Gideon, please, and it's quite simple. I want your daughter. No, let me reiterate, I mean to have your daughter." Never beat around the bush; it's just a waste of fucking time.

His anger was instantaneous and expected.

"Get the hell out of my house." He got to his feet in anger, but that little show of aggression didn't phase me; I stood my ground and stared him down. "No."

"What?" He stumbled back as if I'd hit him. I could imagine a man in his position accustomed to giving orders and having them followed without question would have a hard time with the word. I wonder how often he'd let her say the word? The fuck.

"I came here in good faith when I really didn't need to, as a courtesy, out of...respect, I guess you can say. But we both know that there was no need. Ashley is of age after all..."

"But she's still under my care."

"For now, yes, and if you handle this the right way, she just might remain there for a little while longer. But if you force my hand, I'm afraid I will take her away from you completely."

"What the hell are you talking about?"

"It's quite simple, I want your daughter, I want to take care of her, and who knows, maybe this thing could last forever; as it stands, I don't see my future without her in it. I can make her very happy in life. Or you can leave her to the wiles of some young buck who might use and discard her..."

"My daughter does not date." He was turning red with anger, and it gave me pause. There was something more going on here than just a man concerned with the welfare of his young daughter and more than the initial report had intimated though what we'd found was fucked up enough.

What that something was, I'll have to wait until the more in-depth report I'd ordered was in front of me. All I cared about right now was paving the way for her and my relationship.

"How long do you think that will last, hmm? Do you think to keep her under lock and key for the rest of her life? Is that what your dear wife would've wanted for her only daughter?"

"You know nothing of my wife."

"Bit of a free spirit our Dana, wasn't she? Tell me, does your daughter know that you blame her for her mother's death?"

He turned white as a sheet and looked around the room as if seeking an escape.

"You can't; you don't..."

"What, I can't know that? But I do, like I said, I had you investigated, not just what you show the world, but what you do in secret. And yes, I know about your secret rendezvous and what's said and done there." I smirked at him.

"You know what I see; I see a beautiful, vibrant Blossom that's being smothered to death by you because you can't get over the death of the woman you loved. But how much could you have really loved her if you seek to destroy her daughter's spirit? A daughter that by all accounts she loved dearly."

"I don't want to talk about this anymore." He paced away like a cornered rat.

"You don't have to; just listen."