Runaways by Beth Szymkowski

19. YOU PEOPLE HAVE SAFES, DON’T YOU?
    Kaylee was home early from school and had been enjoying the quiet of the house when she heard familiar voices in the living room. Mason was talking with her father? It was more than unusual; it was unbelievable. Her father had basically declared war on Mason, yet here he was. She crept close and stood silently in the hallway.
    Mason sat across from her father, the tastefully modern coffee table between them. Mason’s leather jacket contrasting with the socialite’s Oxford shirt and cashmere sweater. Mason hadn’t been sure what to expect when Abernathy called and invited him to the house. For a brief moment, he thought he might actually be trying to get to know him. Mason smiled. Kaylee’s innocence had been rubbing off on him. But then the prick spoke. “You need to break up with my daughter.” Mason immediately stood up and turned toward the door.
    “Sit,” Abernathy commanded.
    “Screw you. I’m not a dog.”
    Kaylee smiled. She knew Mason would stand up to him.
    “Sit. You’ll want to hear my offer.” To Kaylee’s dismay, Masonsat. He wasn’t supposed to entertain anything resembling an offer about breaking up with her.
    “So there’s an offer?” Mason was suspicious.
    Abernathy pulled a pile of cash out from a shelf under the table and put it between them. He kept his eyes on Mason as he slid the money toward him. “You are going to break up with Kaylee.”
    Mason picked up the cash and carefully counted it—one hundred fifty-dollar bills in all. “Five thousand dollars?”
    Kaylee cringed. This was no small gesture. That was big money to anyone, let alone someone like Mason. She felt her body tightening, waiting for his response. He had to reject it. He had to. He loved her.
    “You think I’ll break up with your daughter for five thousand dollars?” Kaylee felt herself relax. Mason was about to get going and tell her father what he could do with his money. But instead, he shook his head. “This isn’t enough.” She heard him drop the money on the table. Kaylee fought the urge to scream out.
    “What?” Abernathy had expected the punk to protest before taking the payment just to save face, but he did not expect him to bargain.
    “Double it and we’ll talk.”
    “My offer is on the table.”
    “You want me to consider it, stop insulting me. Go get your checkbook or go to your safe. You people have safes, don’t you? And get more money.” He pushed the cash back toward him. “You probably spend this much eating out in a month. I want real bones.”
    Kaylee couldn’t listen anymore. She thought of the times she had defended Mason, had defended his honor and decency to people. She’d been wrong about everything. With that thought, she slipped away toward the back door of the house, already dialing her phone. In between sobs, she told Trevor she was going to the park where they used to play as kids. She knew he’d drop what he was doing to be with her.
    In the living room, Abernathy considered Mason before quietly rising to do as he asked. Once alone, Mason looked around. Everything was beautifully decorated. It was modern, but somewhat warm. A wall of glass looked out on the pool. A party house. Mason wondered why Kaylee never had any. When Abernathy returned, the cash pile was twice as big.
    He handed it to Mason, his voice authoritative. “Of course you won’t mention this when you break up with her.”
    “Don’t worry. She’ll only hate one of us.”
    This seemed to be the final insult. Abernathy nearly spat his words. “You’re just a blip in her life. A momentary diversionthat she might mention some day when she talks about boys she dated in high school. I’m her father.”
    Mason grinned at the irony. “Right. Her image of a good man.” His blood was boiling. He never felt more sorry for Kaylee, to have this asshole raise her. She’d been given every advantage in life, except a decent father. What a role model. Mason mentally