Chapter 64: Future In Law

"Yes." Richard answered.

"Mr Sterling is expecting you. Please follow me."

Richard nodded and followed. His attention lasted approximately five seconds before dropping to the woman’s ass.

Good God.

The skirt fit her like it had been personally designed to destroy concentration. Richard’s eyes lingered.

That skirt was pure magic.

Damn.

The receptionist continued down the corridor. They reached a set of impressive double doors. She stopped and gestured toward them. "Here you go, Mr Whitmore." she smiled.

"Thank you very much, darling."

Richard gave the receptionist one of his most charming smiles before stepping through the doors into Victor Sterling’s office.

Victor barely looked up from whatever he was reading. "Why are you here?"

Richard stopped a few feet inside.

Well.

So much for hospitality.

He glanced around the enormous office anyway, taking in the view, the furniture and everything else that screamed money. If Victor Sterling wanted to behave like an ass, fine. "Is that any way to greet your future in-law?"

Victor slowly leaned back in his chair. "That is still to be seen." His mouth twisted slightly. "I hear the couple are quite happy."

Richard’s smile thinned.

Victor continued, clearly enjoying himself now. "You cannot blame me for your own failures. You assured me Naomi understood what was expected of her. Somehow, instead of marrying my son, she went to Las Vegas and married Dorian Heathcliffe."

"That was an accident."

"So you keep saying."

"And temporary."

"That remains to be seen too."

Richard walked farther into the office and dropped into one of the chairs opposite Victor’s desk without waiting to be invited. "Your son simply isn’t as charming as he thinks himself to be. If Callum were doing a better job, we wouldn’t still be dealing with this mess."

Victor looked back down at the papers on his desk. "Again... why are you here?"

Richard didn’t appreciate being dismissed like some employee who had walked in without an appointment.

One day, he told himself. One day he wouldn’t have to sit across from men like Victor Sterling and swallow insults because they had more money.

For now, however, he needed him.

"We have a problem."

Victor’s gaze returned to him. "I assure you, Richard, we do not have a problem." He placed his pen down carefully. "I have a problem, and I am looking right at it."

Richard gave him a hard look. "My problem is your problem."

"And is my problem your problem?"

Richard didn’t bother answering. They could spend the entire morning playing that game, and Victor would probably enjoy every second of it. "I need you to keep Dorian Heathcliffe distracted."

"Excuse me? I’m trying to understand why you came into my office and said something that stupid with such confidence."

Richard leaned forward. "I need his attention elsewhere."

"What makes you think I have the power to do that?"

"You know people. You have resources. You move in the same circles."

"That does not mean I control the man."

"I’m not asking you to control him."

"It certainly sounds like it." Victor folded his arms. "I have no business with Dorian Heathcliffe beyond his firm representing my family when necessary. He runs the criminal side. Our matters generally go through other people at Heathcliffe & Associates."

"I need his attention off my wife’s niece so she can concentrate on Callum. Looks like I have to give your boy a little hand."

"You want me to deliberately draw the attention of one of New York’s most aggressive criminal attorneys."

"He’s getting too involved. He’s beginning to interfere in things that don’t concern him," Richard said carefully. "I need Naomi focused on Callum. Not playing house with Heathcliffe. If Dorian remains occupied elsewhere, I can handle the rest."

"Let me guess, Dorian is beginning to look closely? You’re getting scared. Maybe I should leave him to get rid of you for me."

"And I told you, if anything happens to me, everything you have goes up in smoke. Don’t test me!" Richard snapped.

"Yes, you have made that quite clear."

Richard hated that tone. Victor spoke to him like he was a recurring headache.

"Now, how do you think I can help you where Dorian is concerned?"

"Surely, you can find a way to take his attention off Naomi and shift it to someone else?"

Victor exhaled slowly, trying very hard not to call him an idiot. "Why can’t you do that yourself? Plant someone in his office to seduce him or something. Surely you have access to women."

"you are in the best position to do what I need you to do. You are closer. You have more access."

"Unless it is a matter of life and death, I am not going poking at Dorian Heathcliffe. I am more afraid of the man than I am of whatever blackmail-worthy material you possess," Victor continued. "Dorian Heathcliffe can ruin me faster than I can zip my pants. My entire estate is handled by Heathcliffe and Associates. My family’s legal affairs, almost everything that matters has passed through that firm in one way or another."

"And more importantly, he is exactly the kind of man who starts asking questions when someone gives him a reason to. I would rather he take a closer look at you than take a closer look at me, you imbecile. Now take your threats elsewhere. When your Naomi is available, I will hold up my end of the deal and have Callum marry her."

"But until then, her marriage to Heathcliffe is your mess to manage."

Richard’s eyes narrowed. Every week Naomi spent with Dorian felt like another opportunity for something to go wrong. Another opportunity for Naomi to become difficult.

And she was already becoming difficult. The warning on Sunday had proved that.

"I’ll give you a piece of advice." Victor pointed the pen at him. "Stay away from Heathcliffe. You may think there is nothing to find. But if that man finds one hole, one loose thread in anything, he will pull at that thread until the entire roll comes loose. I have watched him do it in court. Give Dorian Heathcliffe one inconsistency and he will lose sleep trying to understand why it exists."

"So if you are hiding something, the stupidest thing you can do is make yourself interesting to him."