The Bad Boys Saw Me Naked

(29)

We pull into his driveway, and he parks under the same tree Alex did. I get out, and he drags me up the footpath. He knocks on the door, and we wait.

"Don't you have keys?" I question snidely. He snorts.

"Why would I have keys?" He snickers. "The Butler answers the door."

"What's his name?" I ask, not quite believing he doesn't have keys.

"I don't know." He waves it off. "He's the Butler."

The door opens before I can question him further, and a old man in a suit, with aging white hair answers the door. He smiles, and his age lines light up.

"Move." Evan says rudely, pushing him out of the way. I politely move around him, smiling.

"Hi." I say. "I'm Harper."

"Hello Miss, I'm Edward." He says slowly, leaning on his cane.

"Harper, hurry up!" Evan says from the foyer. I smile apologetically at Edward, before following Evan down the hall.

"His name is Edward." I pipe up, as he pushes me into the kitchen.

"Honey, it doesn't matter. We don't make friends with the help."

I twirl around, to see a man sitting at the table, pouring himself a glass of scotch. He wears an expensive suit, with a full head of shiny hair glistening with product, with several rings on his fingers.

"Sup Dad." Evan says, opening the fridge, drinking straight from the milk carton. "Where's Mum?"

"At the country club in town." He says, swirling the liquid in the glass. "She'll be back tomorrow." He looks at me, and smiles. "You must be Harper." He says. "I've been wanting to meet you."

"Yeah, well." I mutter. "This just got weird." I turn to Evan. "I have to go home."

"What's the rush?" Trent questions, motioning for me to sit down. "Considering your current living condition I thought you would have wanted to delay returning home."

"There's a reason I'm in that current living situation." I grit, as Evan pushed me into the seat next to him.

"Well." He says simply. "Your previous one really just didn't benefit me."

"Why am I here?" I ask wearily.

"I wanted to clear some things up with you." He says, his voice turning stern. "Sweetheart, I am a wealthy man. I make a lot of money. So, when I heard that my sons ex girlfriend was connected to not only my biggest clients, let alone one of my most difficult, I couldn't help but take advantage of it."

"The River boys." I say softly.

"A difficult group, I must say." He chuckles. "They think they are entitled to what we provide them. They are never grateful."

"Would you be grateful if they bargained with your loved ones life?" I ask bitterly.

"Well, that just comes with power." He smiles.

"What does that have to do with me anyway?" I ask. "How does making me stay away from them benefit you?"

"Well, most of it is for Evan, he can have some fun." Trent answers. "Though, hopefully the River Boys knowing that you are under our control, will make them think before trying to cause trouble. They need to understand that I am running a business. If I raise the prices, they pay them. If I want to mess with them for any particular reason, they bow down." He chuckles, joined by Evan.

"That's disgusting." I wrinkle my nose.

"You're a smart girl." He pats my hand on the table, before I move it away from him. "Understand, that this is just a way of life. So live with it. Or it's going to be worse for you." He drains his glass, smacking his lips.