A Thief for the CEO

Chapter 9: Promise

Riley's POV

“I don't know if this is a good idea."

Cleo takes my hand. Her eyes remain fixed on me. For a moment, silence reigns inside the vehicle, unable to break the tense atmosphere created by anticipation.

We are back home. After signing the contract, Theo let me go. He has made it clear, however, that I must leave my father's house for the sake of the mission.

“What about Jinx?" I asked him before leaving.

Theo had the papers sorted out in front of him. He had put them away carefully after signing them himself.

“The crook? He won't mess with you anymore," he said as if it was a matter of fact.

“Did you pay the debt?" I asked.

Theo had nodded.

“I sent my men to do it as soon as they came for your sister. I wasn't going to let him put them in danger for another second."

His words had shocked me. Theo didn't know whether or not I was going to sign the contract, but he had, all in all, sent his men to pay for my debt.

In the middle of his statement, his eyes had met mine. For a second I thought I saw a different gleam in them. Determination.

Theo was a man of hasty action, I understood. He didn't wait for permission to act, but instead, he acted and then mediated the price to be paid.

“Thank you," he had whispered.

In any case, his intense green eyes had remained etched in my retina. I still have them in my mind even now, even though we had said goodbye for almost an hour now.

But I know I must return soon. Theo was very clear about the specifics of the plan. We're staying with him, and there's no arguing with that. I'm not thrilled with the idea, but I have to do things his way. Now, both Hannah and I are in his hands.

Sighing, I look at my sister and my best friend. They wait for me, for me to make a decision. I smile at both of them and remind myself that this is something I have to do.

“Do you remember what we talked about?" I ask Hannah, and she nods.

Before I came here, I talked to my sister. I explained to her that my father had crossed a fine line and that it wasn't good for us to stay close. He was too dangerous.

I didn't, of course, tell her the truth. That I thought my father had bet her. But that didn't need to be said either. I know Hannah trusts me above all else. She'll go wherever I go.

“I'll go first to make sure everything's okay at home and I'll come for you right away," I promise my sister.

She waits in the car, along with Cleo and Hugo. Theo has instructed him to wait for us to pick up our things before taking us home.

With firm steps, I walk and enter the house. The room is just as I left it yesterday. My father is sitting at the table, his elbows resting on the wood and his face buried in his hands.

As soon as I enter the room, he raises his face and smiles.

“Riley," he says.

He comes running towards me and hugs me. His breath smells of alcohol. His hair is disheveled and his eyes are red from the liquor.

“I'm glad you're back, honey."

He combs my hair back and I turn my face away so he doesn't touch me.

“Jinx told me everything. That you solved yesterday's little inconvenience. I'm very proud of you, daughter."

A grimace leaves my lips. Our meeting is just as it has always been. After each of his gambling episodes my father sits and waits for me to solve everything. When I do, he gets happy, and in the midst of his relief he promises he won't act the way he did again.

When I fail to meet his expectations the first time, he becomes violent. His temper changes. He threatens me and says that I am the only one who can solve this, or else we will all go to hell.

I slowly take a step away from him. My father runs his fingers through his hair and smiles in relief.

“We've had quite a scare, haven't we? But I promise it won't happen again. I'll go to the Alcoholics Anonymous meetings today and..."

“Don't bother," I say, going past him and going straight to my room. “I've come to get my things and Hannah's things. We're out of here."

“What are you saying?" he asks laughing and follows my steps. “You can't leave. This is your home and I am your father."

There's something stern, demanding in his voice. Like an iron that begins to heat up.

“I told you last night, this is the last time I get you out of the trouble you get into because of gambling. You crossed the line yesterday," I clarify and turn around to confront him. “You bet the only thing I don't intend to lose."

My father looks at me. His frown is torn between laughter and anger.

“Don't tell me you believed Jinx," he tries to keep his tone firm, but his voice is shaking and he has a twitch in his eye. I know when he's lying. “I didn't bet Hannah... He simply misinterpreted things."

“You brought a sleazy gang into the house when your youngest daughter was in her room and gambled with my savings. You think that's not bad enough," I remind him, feeling anger boil inside of me.

I have to control myself, but my voice is one word away from becoming a scream. My hands are clenched tightly into fists.

“Good. It was a little unfair of you to hide that money, don't you think?" he asks. “I was going to give it back. I just borrowed it."

“You stole from me!" I yell at him, fed up with the whole thing. “And what's worse, you bet your own daughter!"

“I didn't bet her!" he finally loses his temper and hits the wall hard. His fist pierces the wall and leaves a mark. “I just wanted your money back. I told Jinx to take whatever he wanted in return."

“And you didn't think he might want one of your daughters?" I ask.

“Who would want a little girl for p*****t?" he shouts.

“I don't know," I say laughing in an acid and sarcastic way. “Maybe a madman who deals drugs and pimps people. The kind of madman you invite home to play cards," I shout at him.

He takes a step towards me in a threatening manner. I stand my ground where I am, but I see his shadow loom over me.

“You will not take Hannah," he says through gritted teeth. “She is my daughter. Neither one of you is leaving here."

“I won't let you put her in danger any longer," I declare.

“You're not going anywhere," he affirms. “You know well what I'll do if you take one step out of this house." He takes one more step towards me and I see all the promises, all the threats painted in his eyes.

But before he can lay a finger on me, a third voice intervenes.

“Sir, step away from the young lady."

The voice comes from the door. We both turn and see the tall, muscular man. Hugo has apparently decided not to wait in the car any longer.

“Who are you and what are you doing here?" my father shouts and advances towards him. “You have no right to be in my house!"

But Hugo is not intimidated. He doesn't even move.

“Mr. Gray, I recommend that you move away from the girl."

Hugo takes a step, not intimidated by my father. Seeing them facing each other, the difference in height becomes obvious.

Hugo pulls his phone out of his jacket and hands it to my father. I can't see his face, but I notice the way his shoulders slump at whatever Hugo has shown him.

“As you understand, we have enough evidence to charge you with several crimes. If you don't want this to become a legal situation, I recommend that you let your daughter gather her things and leave here."

My father swallows, raises his head and looks at Hugo, not knowing what to think of him.

“Who the hell do you think you are to threaten me like that?" he says.

But Hugo just smiles, in a way as dangerous as his boss.

“I'm someone you don't want to mess with, sir. I assure you," he looks up at me. “Get your things, Riley. We'll leave as soon as you have everything."

Without waiting to see what my father has to say, I run to my room. My pulse is racing and my hands are shaking. I kneel down beside the bed and start grabbing everything I can.

A few pieces of clothing for me and Hannah, the few items of importance we own, and the most valuable thing of all. A photo album full of memories of our mother.

As soon as I have everything I walk straight to Hugo. My father tries to stop me, but when he sees Hugo, he pulls away.

“You can't take them. They're all I have left," he pleads.

His tone sounds pitiful, full of pain. To those who don't know my father, it might sound like the sincere plea of a father who fears losing his daughters, but I know the truth.

The only thing he fears is losing the assurance that someone will bail him out as soon as he gets in trouble again.

I can't take it back now. Holding back tears, I look at him.

“Hannah is in that car. She doesn't know any of this, and you're not going to tell her. You're going to hug her, tell her you love her and say goodbye to her," I order.

He looks at me for a moment, incredulous. His expression changes from one moment to the next and anger takes over his face. I know the only reason he's holding back is because Hugo is here.

“I can't believe you would abandon your father," he throws at me.

“I can't believe that after all you've done to us, you think you still have the right to call yourself that."

Finally he shuts his mouth. He looks at me with hatred, but walks towards the car. As he passes me, he whispers.

“You'll regret it," he promises.

His footsteps lead him to the car, as Hannah gets out so she can hug him.

I look at the two of them, knowing that this may be the last time I see them together.

And inside, I silently pray that his promise won't come true, and this won't be another thing I have to regret.