placing the desk in between us. I knew it looked cowardly, but I needed to put some space between us. I folded my arms across my chest. “Exactly…my parents’ debt…not mine.”
I was such in shock at seeing him, I didn’t notice the folder in his hand until he flung it on top of my desk. “Your father’s gambling debt to be specific.”
I didn’t reach for the folder. “That still isn’t my debt.”
I had so many questions, the first being how in the hell did he become the holder to all my father’s debts. How was that even possible? For ten years I tried to erase this man from my memories and the entire time he was exchanging money and shaking hands with my father? Damien hated me. Why would he have anything to do with my family if he didn’t have to?
Luckily for me, Damien wasn’t one to dick around, and he was more than happy to crumble my world around me. “You’re right. It’s not your debt and you are technically not obligated to pay it. However, if you don’t want to see either of your parents in jail, you will.”
I guess I could add passing out to having a heart attack, because if I didn’t sit down, I was pretty sure I might faint. “Jail?”
He sat down on the chair across from my desk as I sat down in my chair. He jutted his chin towards the folder he put on my desk. “Everything I need to put both your parents in jail for a long time is in that folder there. Copies, of course, but still.”
My gaze didn’t waver, and I didn’t open the folder. “Why don’t you explain it to me, Damien?”
His lip curled just a bit, but he complied. “About five years ago I bought out Smithtown Textiles. I’m sure I don’t have to tell you that your father is one of the office administrators there. However, I’m not sure if you know that he was promoted to the accounting department about three years ago, where he immediately began embezzling from the company.”
No! Oh, God, no!
“It was suspected a little over a year ago and a full investigation was launched.” He crossed his left ankle over his right knee and grabbed his leg as he rested his arm over his body. “The amounts started out fairly small and unnoticeable, but this past year they’ve increased incredibly.”
My hands trembled as I opened to folder. There were account statements, canceled checks, pictures of my father entering and exiting gambling facilities. As I continued to flip through the papers, I found loans against their house, promissory notes and even a picture of my father in a strip club all over a naked redhead.
Oh, God, I was going to throw up; throw up in front of Damien Greystone.
“Shall I continue?” he taunted.
I looked back up at him. “By all means, please do.” I was happy my voice sounded steady.
“I’ll save you the trouble of looking for it, but the total amount equals to a little over four-hundred grand, Halloween,”
I couldn’t help the ferociousness that left my lips. “Don’t call me that.” The gorgeous sonofabitch just arched a brow and lifted the corner of his mouth in a smirk.
Point one for him.
“I’ll cut right to the chase then, Fiona.” Damien set his left foot back on the floor and, leaning over, he placed his elbows on his knees and clasped his hands before him. “If the debt is not settled, your parents are going to prison for a long time. Your father for embezzlement and your mother for being an accomplice and using those monies to finance her lifestyle.”
I jumped out of my seat so quickly my chair nearly fell over. “Lifestyle! What lifestyle? You’re talking like she’s walking around town draped in diamonds and furs!”
He leaned back in the chair, but kept his eyes on me. “I don’t care if she’s walking around in a used, secondhand jacket. That jacket was purchased with money that didn’t rightfully belong to her and, since she’s never worked, it can’t be argued that she bought anything with her own money.”
I was shaking with rage and helpless frustration. “You are such a bastard.”
“I never claimed to be otherwise, baby.”
I wasn’t violent by any means, but the fury coursing through my body had me wanting to murder this man with my bare hands. “You have everything they own already signed over to you…I ca…can sign over my house as well. That should cover most