Page 32 of Mile High Baby

"You wanted to see me?"

My father let out a long sigh and stood, coming around his desk. His hand gestured toward the couch, indicating I should sit. He sat next to me, taking my hand.

"I need to go out of town for a few days. I’ll be leaving tonight."

My brows drew together, and I looked over at Alex to get some idea of what that meant. I turned my attention back to my father. "Are you going into hiding?"

"He should," Alex grumbled.

My father interrupted him. "No. I need to go for business. The Los Angeles office needs me to deal with a few issues."

"Is that safe?" This time when I looked at Alex, I was hoping that he would intervene and tell my father that he needed to stay put until George Pitney was dealt with. From Alex's expression, I figured he had tried, but my father was being obstinate.

I squeezed my father's hand. "If you're going to deal with Pitney, you have to focus. This isn't something you can compartmentalize."

"I know that, Tori. But I have a business to run. We've got thousands of employees who are dependent on my keeping the company running. I’ll be safe. I've arranged for extra security while I travel and while I'm in Los Angeles."

"You'll be safer if you stay here. Victoria would be safer if you stayed here as well."

"What does that mean?" I asked Alex.

"The best way to get to your father is through you. But George isn't an idiot. He knows that as long as you two are together, he can't get to you without bringing suspicion on himself."

I swallowed the fear that rose from my gut.

"He's going to look suspicious either way," my father snapped.

"I'm not sure if you've noticed, Henry, but several people have gone missing when they’ve taken on Pitney. And while suspicion is on him, they haven't been able to prove anything. New York is a big, dangerous city, and there could be all sorts of reasons Tori might go missing."

"That's why I need you to stay put while I'm gone," my father said to me. His eyes held mine with an intensity I'd never seen before. I wanted to ask him to stay for me. Not just for my safety, but for his as well. But I knew my father. He had a duty to the company and to me, and he was doing his best to live up to both.

"You've been doing a great job abiding by the security measures, Tori, and I know it's a huge inconvenience, but while I'm gone, I need you to stay in the house. Anything you need, Knightly or Mrs. Tillis can get for you. Or Alex can arrange to have it delivered."

I didn't like the idea of staying cooped up in the house. That was part of the reason I went to see Samantha today.

I nodded because I didn't want to add extra stress to my father's concerns.

"You know you're not the center of the universe, Henry."

Both our heads whipped around to look at Alex. The scowl was etched deep in his face.

My father bristled. "I never said I was."

"You didn't say it, but you act like it. You're not the only man who can bring George Pitney down."

"But I'm the only one who seems willing to do it," my father charged back.

"Right, at the risk of your daughter's life. Seriously, Henry, it's almost like it's more important for you to put Pitney away than to protect your daughter."

Ah... I wasn’t sure what to do as my father and Alex’s argument escalated.

"I'm doing this to protect my daughter and all the other daughters. Plus, you know, at this point, no matter what I do, Victoria is going to be a target. I have to end him."

"Then hire a fucking hitman."

My brows shot up to my hairline, and I looked at Alex, wondering if that was the sort of thing he and Saint Security did.

Then I looked at my father, wondering if that was the sort of thing that he would do. Would he hire someone to kill George Pitney? I didn't like George and he scared me to death, but hire someone to murder him?