Dare Me Not | 18+ ✔

3. Game On (Parker)

Once my dad's new secretary walks out of the office room, I sigh and lean back in my chair, racking my brain to find a way to convince him that I don't need to work under Hunt's supervision. Or that I don't need to work for this company at all.

I know my father wants me to take over the CEO throne one day --- he's obsessed with the idea, and it's going to take decades for me to be ready for that role. Or never. The problem is, if he asked me what I wanted for my future, I wouldn't be able to answer that either because I still want to see choices out there; the choices that have been taken away from me since I was born. But I know for sure that his business isn't my passion.

"Don't let me work with him, Dad," I say, half begging but I can hear the distasteful tone in my voice.

My dad sits on his desk, crossing his arms over his chest. "What's going on, sweetheart? Why do you hate him?"

I open my mouth and close it again. Have I been that obvious in showing my dislike toward that man? "I don't hate him."

"But you don't like him, either. What is the problem?" Dad asks. "Did he say something that upset you?"

I roll my eyes. "We barely talked."

"So, why don't you want to work with him? He's our COO and acts as CEO when I'm not around. He knows every single thing you need to learn about our business. And he's the sharpest guy I've known, especially in detecting potential problems. Don't get me started with how organized he is with planning." My dad puts his hand over his jaw, resting his chin on his palm while his eyes study me. "I seriously think that you can learn a lot from him."

"Why can't I learn from you?" I ask. "You're sharper than he is, aren't you?"

"Hmm." He squints his eyes, seemingly busy with his thoughts. Then he shakes his head. "What you need now is him, not me."

"Why would I need him more than I need you?"

"Because" — he props up, pivots on his heels, and walks back to his chair — "he was right about letting you out of your comfort zone. I can see that this will do you good."

My eye twitches. "Of course everything he said is right."

"And look at us now," he says, throwing himself back to his managerial chair. "You keep nagging me in the past fifteen minutes over the same damn thing, just because you want to have it your way. This gotta stop here, Parker."

"I'm not nagging you," I reply, my irritation slowly turning into a blaze of anger. Why is it so hard to make him listen to his own daughter? Alexander Hunt is not a family, and his opinion shouldn't change the established dynamic between me and my dad. "I'm just trying to make you see it from where I stand."

"So, let me ask you once again. Why don't you like him?"

Because he's a pompous ass who thinks that he has everything figured out, as if his life is fucking perfect. "I don't know. Maybe because he thinks so little of me."

My dad raises an eyebrow. "I thought you two barely talked. How did you draw that conclusion?"

"Well, it's more how he acted whenever I was around. The way he looked at me and smirked when I talked; everything screamed his opinion that I was just a dumb kid to him."

"Hmm, okay..." My dad taps his pens rhythmically against his table mindlessly; I can tell he doesn't buy my reasoning. Of course, to him, that man is never wrong. I swear if he isn't interested in pussies and boobs, he would marry Alexander Hunt in a heartbeat. That's how much he adores him.

"You don't believe me, do you?" I say.

"I never said I didn't, sweetie. But then it's time to prove him wrong, no? Show him that you aren't just a dumb kid," he says.