studied Will’s reactions and expressions. Eli couldn’t read him this time. Will sat rigid and seemed to be trying to disconnect.
“My father has no holdings,” he answered in a monotone. “Everything he owned went to Katrina and it’s all gone.” Did he detect sadness in Will’s voice? Is this sadness for the loss of his father or the loss of his property? he wondered.
“There is one thing that still has Ronald Drake’s name attached to it,” Eli said snidely.
The awareness struck Will like a slap in the face. He couldn’t possibly mean that he would try to take his home. He’d left his father’s name on the title out of sentimental reasons and now it seemed it would be the means by which Mr. Hunter would exact his revenge on Katrina. This can’t be happening. Eli saw the change in Will’s demeanor as he immediately jumped to defend what was rightfully his.
“Are you threatening to take my home? You have no right to…. You can’t be serious?” He felt the panic rising. Again he tried to stand, and again Eli held him to his seat. Will flashed him a scowl that would have crippled lesser men, but he did not react.
“You are here as collateral,” he explained. “Katrina has until the end of the month, the thirty-first, to decide her course of action. Either she pays the money, marries Martin, or hires a lawyer. As of the thirty-first, I enforce the contract. Your being here simply buys her time and hopefully secures my interests.”
“What you are saying is, regardless of whether I stay or not, it has no bearing on you taking my home if Katrina breaches the contract. So what is the point of me staying?” he said with the edge of panic still evident in his voice. “I can tell you now, without having to wait ’til the thirty-first, that Katrina is never coming back, and you certainly will never see a dime of that $500,000.”
“If you stay until the thirty-first and Katrina returns as agreed, I may feel magnanimous enough to let you both go.” Eli didn’t smile.
“Katrina isn’t coming back.” Katrina rarely cleaned up a mess once she made it. She was a runner. Katrina would never darken this doorstep again.
“If Katrina never returns, then the collateral is forfeit.”
“Yes? What does that mean?” Will asked dryly.
“It means that I get to keep you and your home at Whitefish Point.” He laughed at the look of shock and alarm on Will’s face. Will believed Eli was joking, but a part of him cringed at the thought of being his sister’s collateral. Katrina had taken everything and now she’d managed to take Will’s home and freedom as well.
“This won’t do at all,” Will said sharply. “Why would you want to keep me here? You obviously despise Katrina, and I’m sure your judgment of me isn’t far from the same. Why would you want me around? Is it simply because I don’t want to be here? Anyway, you can’t keep me, holding me against my will is against the law.”
Elijah regarded Will for a long time before answering. “I want someone to take responsibility. Regardless of your current relationship, you are her brother and therefore you will be the one to take responsibility.” His words were clear and accusatory. “Now, come,” he stated abruptly. “I will see to your comfort. I promise you will be well cared-for during your stay.”
Before Will could speak, Eli had taken him by the upper arm and was now leading him out of the study. It was a gesture that seemed rather controlling, but Will knew better than to resist. He wasn’t going to be reasoned with, so Will would just have to find a way out. Somehow he would have to get away from here. All Elijah was holding over Will were his home and land. Is it really important enough to forfeit my home over? He would stay, for now, but at the slightest sign of anything derogatory or off-color directed toward him, he would leave. His home was important, but so was his self-respect.
“Where are you
“My father has no holdings,” he answered in a monotone. “Everything he owned went to Katrina and it’s all gone.” Did he detect sadness in Will’s voice? Is this sadness for the loss of his father or the loss of his property? he wondered.
“There is one thing that still has Ronald Drake’s name attached to it,” Eli said snidely.
The awareness struck Will like a slap in the face. He couldn’t possibly mean that he would try to take his home. He’d left his father’s name on the title out of sentimental reasons and now it seemed it would be the means by which Mr. Hunter would exact his revenge on Katrina. This can’t be happening. Eli saw the change in Will’s demeanor as he immediately jumped to defend what was rightfully his.
“Are you threatening to take my home? You have no right to…. You can’t be serious?” He felt the panic rising. Again he tried to stand, and again Eli held him to his seat. Will flashed him a scowl that would have crippled lesser men, but he did not react.
“You are here as collateral,” he explained. “Katrina has until the end of the month, the thirty-first, to decide her course of action. Either she pays the money, marries Martin, or hires a lawyer. As of the thirty-first, I enforce the contract. Your being here simply buys her time and hopefully secures my interests.”
“What you are saying is, regardless of whether I stay or not, it has no bearing on you taking my home if Katrina breaches the contract. So what is the point of me staying?” he said with the edge of panic still evident in his voice. “I can tell you now, without having to wait ’til the thirty-first, that Katrina is never coming back, and you certainly will never see a dime of that $500,000.”
“If you stay until the thirty-first and Katrina returns as agreed, I may feel magnanimous enough to let you both go.” Eli didn’t smile.
“Katrina isn’t coming back.” Katrina rarely cleaned up a mess once she made it. She was a runner. Katrina would never darken this doorstep again.
“If Katrina never returns, then the collateral is forfeit.”
“Yes? What does that mean?” Will asked dryly.
“It means that I get to keep you and your home at Whitefish Point.” He laughed at the look of shock and alarm on Will’s face. Will believed Eli was joking, but a part of him cringed at the thought of being his sister’s collateral. Katrina had taken everything and now she’d managed to take Will’s home and freedom as well.
“This won’t do at all,” Will said sharply. “Why would you want to keep me here? You obviously despise Katrina, and I’m sure your judgment of me isn’t far from the same. Why would you want me around? Is it simply because I don’t want to be here? Anyway, you can’t keep me, holding me against my will is against the law.”
Elijah regarded Will for a long time before answering. “I want someone to take responsibility. Regardless of your current relationship, you are her brother and therefore you will be the one to take responsibility.” His words were clear and accusatory. “Now, come,” he stated abruptly. “I will see to your comfort. I promise you will be well cared-for during your stay.”
Before Will could speak, Eli had taken him by the upper arm and was now leading him out of the study. It was a gesture that seemed rather controlling, but Will knew better than to resist. He wasn’t going to be reasoned with, so Will would just have to find a way out. Somehow he would have to get away from here. All Elijah was holding over Will were his home and land. Is it really important enough to forfeit my home over? He would stay, for now, but at the slightest sign of anything derogatory or off-color directed toward him, he would leave. His home was important, but so was his self-respect.
“Where are you
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