with her. He could accept being attracted to her, since it came with the territory of who and what he was. A reaction to any beautiful woman was automatic. Only problem was that he had no desire to be attracted to this one.
“Okay, I won’t leave tonight, but I will be leaving in the morning. That will give me a chance to explain things to your mother.”
“Good luck with that.” Mercury knew his mother. There was no way Eden would let Sloan go anywhere after she explained things.
“Regardless, I will leave first thing tomorrow for the airport.”
He raised a brow. “The airport? To go where and how will you pay for a ticket?”
“I have a college friend living in Florida named Lisa. I contacted her and she said she’ll be able to loan me a thousand dollars. I’ll use it to hide out somewhere in another state where nobody knows me.”
“Another friend you can trust?” he asked sarcastically.
She lifted her chin. “You obviously didn’t hear what my mother said about my eviction today.”
No, he hadn’t heard that part. “What about it?”
“My father was behind that, as well.”
An incredulous expression settled on Mercury’s face. “You’ve got to be kidding me.”
“Sadly, I’m not.” She then told him what her mother had said.
“But how could he remove funds from someone’s bank account?” Mercury asked.
“Dad is on the board of a number of national banks. Unfortunately, one of those includes Priscilla’s bank. He didn’t have the funds removed—instead he probably worked with the banker to have them appear as if they weren’t there to accomplish what he needed to have done.”
As far as Mercury was concerned, her father was worse than ruthless. He was a tyrant.
“So, as you can see, my father will stop at nothing to get what he wants. He doesn’t care who he hurts or maligns in the process. I refuse to let your family become involved.”
A frown settled on his face. “That’s not your decision to make.”
“What do you mean it’s not my decision to make?”
“The Steeles can take care of ourselves.”
“But you don’t know my father.”
“Wrong. Your father doesn’t know us.”
She shook her head. “Look, Mercury, no matter what you say, I am leaving town tomorrow.”
“Aren’t you afraid he will cause this Lisa retribution, as well?”
She shook her head. “No. Lisa’s father is a US senator and her mother is a high-profile judge. My father isn’t crazy enough to mess with their daughter.” Then after she’d thought for a moment, she said, “But what Dad is doing is blocking my ability to open a bank account online.”
Mercury rubbed his hand down his face in frustration. The main reason he had come here was to meet with his mom and quell any foolish notions she might have about any type of relationship developing between him and Sloan, because it wouldn’t be happening. But now, after overhearing that phone conversation, protecting Sloan from her tyrannical father had become more of a priority to him.
“Obviously your father is tracking you with your phone. You need to get rid of it.”
She nodded, agreeing. “I’ll ditch it. One of the first things I will do when I get the money from Lisa is buy one of those burner phones.” Then she asked him, “Do you have a way to receive funds through your phone?”
He had a feeling why she was asking. “Yes.”
“Do you have a problem with Lisa sending the money to your bank account since I can’t open one of my own?”
“Yes, I have a problem with it.”
First of all, he didn’t like the thought that she was willing to be on the run like some hunted animal. And second, he refused to believe her father had a way to block her from opening an account at every damn bank in the country.
“Why?”
He crossed his arms over his chest. Earlier today he would have pegged her as a spoiled, rich woman, used to getting whatever she wanted.