Playing The Game - Book Four in The WSU Series

- Chapter Four -

Last Year

"You're fucking insane."

I despise coming home, it isn't even my home— never has been. "Don't raise your voice at me," my father stands, his gaze furious. "You do hear yourself, right? What you're asking me," I pause, "it's fucked up." I curse, my anger rising to the surface.

"You'll do this, for the family," my fathers' assistants pretend to carry on working like me and my father throw insults and daggers at each other. "For the family?" I scoff, un-fucking-believable. "This is for you!" My voice was disgusted, "not the family! And definitely, not for me."

"You'll do this because otherwise, you can say goodbye to college, your friends, and Pullman." He challenges me, and I know he means it. "I need to win this fucking election Lizzie." I shake my head in disbelief over the stupidity my father has, "I won't, Kian will never agree to it." I say, "you will, I already promised Thomas Bliss that you would, Kian is going through with it, as will you."

"He already knows?" I ask, how could he agree? He knows I wouldn't, why would he? "And from what I heard, he agreed. Jumped the gun pretty fast too, I guess he's still hung up on you," my father smiles at me knowing our past. "I won't do it," I challenge, I know I shouldn't, but I will, "I'd rather fucking die," I curse. "Don't be fucking ridiculous," he rolls his eyes before sitting back down. "I'm the one being ridiculous?" I laugh, "you're the ridiculous one."

"I need information, and this is the only way we can get it. It will also end this fucking feud we have with them." His glare was as deadly as his words, "I don't give two shits." My fathers gaze returns to his laptop in front of him, "The Bliss Family are fucked up, and when I become governor, I won't allow them to run their business in my city." I laugh at his confidence, "when?" I hold back the sarcasm, "I hope you fucking lose this election." My father quickly stands, banging his palms on the table. "You will show me some respect!"

"Respect is earned!" I yell, "I am your father!" He yells even louder, the loudest I've heard him shout in a long while. "Then act like one!" I plead, "don't make me do this," the words come out as a whisper, I have too much pride to bow down to him, yet I can't give up Pullman. It's the only place I feel safe, my families there.

"You will get close to Kian Bliss, you will learn everything you can about his family's business. One he will take over." I ball my hands into fists, my nails digging into my palms. "One I'll be a part of, one that I will be tied to." I say more to myself than him, "you can't do this to me, if they found out that we went behind their back— Kian Bliss won't hesitate to put a bullet in me."

"It's a risk I'm willing to take," my eyes lock with his, there's nothing behind them. He doesn't have a heart, he doesn't have morals— my fathers as fucked up as them, he just can't see it. "I'm your daughter!" I yell once again, "I'm aware," he sighs before returning back to his sit. "Can't you see how fucked up he is?" I ask his assistants, "ignore her," my father waves a dismissive hand. "Don't ignore me! I have a voice!" Where's my fucking mother when I need her?