17

Allison

"I don't know," Papa murmurs at last, shaking his head. "It's a good offer. I just don't know."

"Paul's going to kill you. I have no real reason to. That should be all the logic you need to make the right choice."

"It isn't that simple." Papa sounds miserable. "I'm already entangled with Paul."

"Then detangle yourself. I won't make this offer again."

Papa nods, looking miserable. "I understand." Then he glances at me. "Allison, darling, you can see how dangerous things are for me right now, but if you were to go back to Paul and apologize—"

Gregory cuts him off. "If you speak to my wife like that one more time, I will kill you." He makes his threat as if he's ordering steak at a restaurant. There's only hard truth in his voice. "She is not going anywhere."

"Yes, very well." He takes a deep breath and slowly blows it out. "I'll have to think."

"In the meantime, send Paul a message for me. I'm open to working out a negotiated settlement to our current predicament, assuming he's