Lucas

Mia Griffin was not what I had expected. Bless her soul for trying to save the waste of space she called her father, but someone should have reminded her that the road to Hell is paved with good intentions. I didn't trust either of them not to attempt something stupid, and why would I make this situation messier than it had to be by allowing them that chance?

It had always amused me the way that people thought they could negotiate terms. It was rare that someone could offer me something that changed my mind, something that I wanted in exchange for what was owed, and Mia had nothing when she walked into my office. She was just as desperate as her old man and if she meant for it to come across as endearing, she missed the mark because all it had achieved was to irritate me further.

My screen lit up with a number I didn't recognise, catching my attention. "Lucas Foster," I answered, holding the phone between my ear and shoulder.

There was silence before a small voice replied, "It's Mia."

I placed down the pen in my hand and leaned back in my chair, smiling to myself. "Hello, princess."

"You have to promise me you won't hurt him," she said. "You have to promise that you'll leave him alone."

I rolled my eyes at the words. "If I get what I asked for I'll have no need to harm him."

There was another silence down the line, only the faint sound of her breathing came to my ears before she spoke again. "Okay. Whatever you want."

It wasn't a lie when I told her that I always got what I wanted. One way or another I'd convince people to come around to my way of thinking. My family name came with a reputation and with Dad no longer here it fell to me to maintain the honor.

"I'll come and get you now."

"Now?" The word was a squeak of surprise.

"No time like the present," I told her before hanging up. I didn't need to hear her try to unsuccessfully barter her way out of this one.

After I finished signing off on the paperwork I'd been interrupted from, I called Dante to tell him I'd be busy for the rest of the afternoon before I slipped into my black Maserati to collect my payment. Pulling up outside the Griffin household, the car looked completely out of place next to the dilapidated building, proving they had nothing of interest to offer me.

Knocking on the door, I waited for an answer. There was no need for force when Mia had agreed so willingly.

"Ready?" I asked when she pulled it open.

Mia turned away from me without a response and walked back into the house. As I stepped over the threshold to follow her, she threw a look over her shoulder and said, "I didn't invite you in."

To say I was surprised at the bite in her tone would be an understatement. I wonder where this feisty attitude was when she came to see me earlier. Not that it would have changed the outcome.

"Sweetheart, you're going to hurt my feelings if you keep talking to me like that," I told her, slapping a hand over my heart in mock pain.

Hector was standing in the living room when we walked in, eyes red-rimmed, though whether it was from crying or drinking I couldn't be sure. Mia walked straight over, hugging him tightly. She looked nothing like her father but the dark features she possesses must be inherited from her late mother.

"Mia, please," Hector choked, clinging to her.

"I have to do this, Dad," she said as she pulled back from the hug. "You kept me safe so let me return the favor."

I cleared my throat, uncomfortable with the display. "As touching as this is, I have business to attend to."

"You bastard," Hector spat, pointing at me angrily. "You cold-hearted bastard."

I'd been called worse in my lifetime, but I still didn't take kindly to Hector taking a swipe at my character. Anger blossomed in my chest and my hands balled into fists at my side. He was the only one to blame for the mess he found himself in. How did the man who had stolen from me have the nerve and stupidity to call me names?

"Don't you dare!" Mia said, pulling my attention to her. She stepped in front of her father with fire in her eyes. The meek woman who had stood in my office earlier today had disappeared and been replaced by one of steel.

"Get moving!" I ordered her, not willing to start a fight right now. This was meant to be a simple collection and instead, I was on the edge of playing stupid games with the both of them.

Mia turned away from me to speak to her father again. "I love you, Dad. I promise I'll be okay. I promise I'll be back."

She kissed him on the cheek before picking up the small duffle bag.

"You don't need to bring anything," I told her, but her grip tightened on the bag. "Suit yourself."

I led her from the house to the car, unlocking the doors. As I went to open the passenger side, Mia's hand shot out and grabbed the handle first.

"I can manage it myself," she told me coldly.

She slipped into the car gracefully and slammed the door with such force that I winced. It looked like we'd need to have a discussion about respecting property. Starting up the engine, I caught a glimpse of Hector in my mirror, holding onto the doorframe before I pulled away to head home

"You'd be better off without that waste of space," I commented. My own father had his faults, but he made sure that we were never in any trouble we couldn't handle.

Mia didn't respond. She didn't say a single word as I drove down the familiar roads that led us just out of town where I resided. Rounding the corner, I saw the gates to the property and as I stopped to allow them to open and grant us access, I cast a glance over to Mia.

"Welcome home, princess."

Her mouth dropped open as the gates parted and allowed me to drive up to the large white building I called home. Three floors and a vast expanse of grounds to the rear of the property had fallen into my hands along with the business after Dad died. Compared to most homes I guess you could say mine was a little more ostentatious, but compared to where Mia was living it may as well have been a palace.

I parked in the circular driveway and got out of the car. Dominic must have been working in the garage since the bike and Range Rover sat outside. Once again, by the time I got around Mia's side of the car, she'd let herself out, the look of shock still written across her features.

"Did you expect me to live in a hole?" I asked her over the sound of the fountain in the center of the drive. There was no need to live modestly when you had more than enough money to be comfortable.

"Let's get you settled." I placed a hand on her lower back to lead her towards the house, but she stepped away quickly as if my touch was fire. Irritation flared in my chest, but I shook it off and strode past her up the stone steps and into the house. The sound of her footsteps told me that Mia had enough sense to follow after me.

"I'll take you to your room," I told her, not slowing my pace. "You can get yourself sorted. I have a meeting I need to get to but I'll be back later tonight and we can have dinner together."

There was no response from her as I walked up the stairs. When I checked over my shoulder, Mia was still following behind me, though her attention seemed to be drawn to the artwork on the walls. Once we reached the top floor, I pushed open the door to one of the bedrooms.

"Make yourself at home, Mia," I told her.

She squeezed past me, careful to make no contact, and stepped into the bright, white room.

"I'll be back later," I said as I closed the door so she could get settled.

"Evening, Luc," Lydia, my housekeeper and the eldest member of my staff greeted me as I walked into the kitchen later that evening.

The meeting ran a little longer than I had intended and all I wanted now was a peaceful night. Organized crime had a high pay off but I dealt with plenty of idiots in the process. On more than one occasion my mood was soured by people who struggled to listen to simple instructions.

"Evening, Lyds," I returned, and kissed her cheek.

Lydia had been employed by my family for as long as I could remember. Years ago, she was the nanny for me and Stefan and when we had grown up Dad kept her as the housekeeper. With Dad no longer with us, Lydia kept her position. I needed to be surrounded by people I trusted, and Lydia had shown nothing but loyalty to me and my family.

"We have a guest staying for the foreseeable future," I informed her, straightening up. "Can you set another place at the table and get her from the bedroom next to Stefan's?"

Lydia gave me a look, her eyebrows arching. "Her, Luc?" she asked me curiously, focusing on that particular word. "Finally, being serious about someone."

"It's business, Lydia," I clarified shortly. "She's a payment for a debt I'm owed."

She fixed me with another look, less curious and more aggravated as she huffed a breath that fluttered the fringe of her greying pixie cut. Lydia knew better than to question the decisions I made, though, and left to do what I'd asked of her.

The dining room was more formal and only used for special occasions or if I entertained business, which didn't happen all that often. My father was more of a host than I was. I tried to keep business and personal as separate as possible but there were times when work inevitably came home with me. For that reason, I took my meals in the kitchen and sat at the heavy wooden table in the room.

Undoing the top button of my shirt, I leaned back in the deep-seated, high back chair and closed my eyes. When I took in a deep breath, the scent of whatever Lydia had sorted for dinner tonight made my mouth water. There were times when I wondered how I would survive without that woman. I'd voiced these concerns to her once when we began to settle back into a routine following Dad's funeral, but the conversation took a swift turn to me settling down with a woman, and I escaped as soon as I could.

Settling down was not on my agenda. At 25 I had several businesses that demanded my attention and left little time for much else, or at least that's what I'd have people believe. The truth was that to settle down I would be required to let someone get close to me, and I felt uncomfortable at the thought of that magnitude of vulnerability. Not all women fared well in my line of work and I'm not sure what would happen if I stuck a ring on one and introduced her to this life. Plus, I knew too well the consequences of what happened when life was cruel enough to put one in the firing line...

The sound of footsteps pulled me from my thoughts, and I opened my eyes to see Lydia had joined me again, standing in the doorway alone and looking nervous.

"Where is she?" I asked, sitting up and noting that she was alone.

"Luc," Lydia started softly. "She doesn't want to eat with you."

I narrowed my eyes and ran a hand over my trim beard. "What did she say?"

"That's not..."

"What," I spat the word out, cutting Lydia off from whatever excuse she was about to feed me. "Did she say, Lydia?"

She let out a breath and closed her eyes for a moment before answering me, "She said, and I quote, 'He can go and fuck himself'."

Lydia startled as I shot out of the chair. It scraped against the kitchen tiles, letting out an uncomfortable screech, and Lydia flattened herself against the doorframe as I took off past her and up the stairs. She followed behind me hastily, her skirt billowing out in her rush.

"Don't!" I said, turning to face her. "This is between me and her!"

She didn't argue with me as I turned back around and reached the top of the stairs before bursting into Mia's room. She didn't get the courtesy of a knock, considering how impolite she'd decided to be.

"Get out!" she said when her eyes landed on me. She was sitting on a velvet upholstered chair in the room, legs tucked beneath her, looking out of the broad window. Her dark eyes were red and puffy, and I assumed she'd been crying, but I found it difficult to be sympathetic towards her when she'd shown me disrespect.

I stormed over to her, invading her personal space by pressing my forehead against hers. Mia sank back against the chair, tipping onto the back legs, trying to get some space. My hands slammed down on the arms to stabilize the chair and trap her against me.

"You're going to disrespect me in my own house?" I asked her through gritted teeth. I'd had enough of dealing with difficult people today and I didn't expect to come home and continue to solve issues. "You! You chose to be here to save your pathetic father."

The fear in her seemed to be replaced by something else. The steely look from earlier in the afternoon returned to her eyes before she yelled back at me, "You gave me no choice!"

"You had a clear choice."

"Choose freedom and my Dad dies? What a decision," she said, the sarcasm dripping off each of the words.

"Come down to dinner," I ordered her, no longer indulging the conversation about Hector and the reckless decisions he'd made that had gotten us into this situation.

"Did you not get the message?" Mia asked, pushing her forehead against mine with a sudden flush of courage. "Go fuck yourself."

I saw red. Without another thought, I grabbed her wrist and pulled so that Mia was yanked up from the chair.

"Get off me!"

I started to pull her towards the door, but she resisted, digging her heels into the plush, cream carpet that lined the floor of the bedroom.

"I'm not having dinner with you," she yelled at me, pulling against my hold.

"Fine!" I let go of her wrist and she landed flat on her ass, wincing as she hit the ground. I stood over her and she drew her knees up to her chest. "Fine! You don't want to eat? Don't eat! I'm done trying to be nice to you."

Turning on my heel, I left the room and slammed the door shut behind me. My voice carried through the house as I shouted, "Lydia! Toss the dinner! Looks like no one has an appetite anymore."