Harry.
I watch Flora walk from the room, shutting the door to the kitchen with a click, the sound of her heels in the hallway ebbing completely as I'm left in silence opposite my dad.
"You didn't have to ask her to leave, she's not after compensation" I say quietly. Trying to work out what he's thinking, instead he stares out at the pitch black garden through the floor to ceiling glass doors.
"How do you know that?" He asks.
"She's got more important things going on" I say quickly. He nods once, draining his wine glass.
"What will you do about Eddie?" I ask, circling back round to the point.
"I knew it wasn't a riding accident" He says. I look at him to elaborate.
"When he came in all bashed up a few weeks back, he said he'd fallen off while he was riding, he promised your mother, I wasn't going to say anything, he's a big boy" He says.
"He fucking deserved it" I say, through gritted teeth.
"I've no doubt he did" My dad says.
"He raped my employee.. your employee!" I say exasperatedly.
"Harry, he won't go any further, he won't do what he told Flora he would, he was just trying to get what he wanted and he did" He says.
"He needs controlling" I say.
"I'll speak to him" He says.
"He needs locking up" I say under my breath.
"He won't bother Flora anymore. Hire her back if you want to, he won't be a problem" My dad says, refilling his glass. His expression serene, not a grey hair out of place.
"Do you mean that?" I say. He nods. I breathe a sigh of relief looking at his calm expression, although if the world was mid apocalypse and he was trapped in a burning building he'd still be this calm.
"I don't understand how you're so sure he won't know where to look if he wanted to carry out his threat" I say.
"The details aren't important, I just know" He says, his expression changing slightly. I decide not to argue.
"Fine, but if he comes near her again I will kill him" I say, taking a deep breath. He looks at me, as if he's about to say something but he gives it a miss.
"I'll go and get Flora" I say quietly. He gives me a nod.
I leave the kitchen, taking the few steps down the hall to reach my lounge. Flora is sat cross legged, hunched over, intently looking at her phone.
"Who are you texting?" I ask, she looks up.
"Just Luke" She says, uncrossing her legs and locking her phone.
"Ah, Luke. How is he?" I ask, smirking slightly.
"Be nice Harry, you need to learn to like him" She says. I roll my eyes, I guess he was the only one who told the truth.
"We'll see about that" I say, gesturing to her to come back into the kitchen, letting her walk ahead of me.
"Thank you Flora, I appreciate your co-operation" My dad literally treats every situation like a business meeting, I don't know how my mother ever married him. Pretty sure he taught me to ride a bike with a 5 year investment plan and spreadsheet. Flora nods nervously taking a seat, Dad wastes no time in changing the subject to the business, throughout dessert I sneak a look at Flora who is completely silent, maybe thinking about something else, probably because I'm not sure she cares about gross profits.
"We'll need to get a new contract drawn up but if you're happy to come back Flora, I'm sure you'd be a very valued member of the company, Harry has told me you were the best he's had" He says, Flora visibly snaps out of her daydream.
"I um.. as long as there's no consequences for Harry, with erm Edward" She says awkwardly, put on the spot. I know she wasn't planning on coming back.
"Definitely not" My father dismisses it.
"Do we have a deal then? The salary will be better than what you had for sure, and if you ever get fed up of Harry and want a promotion just ask me" He says, cracking a smile. Obviously, at my expense.
********************************************************************************************
Sorry I didn't update yesterday but I'm literally just being lazy and hungover today so I might update again tonight. I have to have a jab today too :-( I need sympathy. Hope you liked it, don't forget to comment I love reading them!
- Ro xxx