Free Because of His Fortune (For His Pleasure, Book 25) by Kelly Favor Page A

recalled one
vacation where they’d gone on safari and Todd had been convinced that there
were man-eating lions tracking them on the savanna.   Liam laughed so hard that tears were
coming out of his eyes as Todd recounted how the sound of a lion’s roar in the
distance one night had made him shriek like a teen girl at a Justin Bieber
concert.
    “You were always a little crazy, Dad,”
Liam said.   He wiped the corners of
his eyes with tears.   “And
paranoid.”
    “Thankfully you seem to have inherited
your mother’s emotional disposition,” Todd said, sighing as he stopped laughing
and became more thoughtful.
    “I have a lot of you in me, too,” Liam
told him.   “Believe me, I’m aware of
it.”
    “Is that such a terrible thing?” Todd
asked him.
    “I never thought so,” Liam said, and he
gave his father a kind look.   “You’re not all bad.   Just a
little self-absorbed.”
    “It’s my curse and my gift,” Todd
said.   “It’s what makes me a great
attorney, but unfortunately, not such a great father.”
    “There’s still time,” Liam said softly.
    Grace grabbed Liam’s hand under the table
and squeezed.
    Things seemed to have defrosted quickly
between the two, and she was grateful to have been a part of it.
    By the time the check came, which Todd
had charged to his room, the mood was decidedly upbeat.   Liam was already making plans to see his
father later that night for dinner, and then also informing him of the time of
the funeral, which was planned for the next morning.
    Grace sighed deeply, relieved and
relatively reassured.
    “Just one other thing,” Todd said, as he
finished off his coffee.   He looked
down at the table and frowned.   “There’s some public relations stuff that I anticipate to be occurring
soon, and I wanted to make you aware of it before it all hits.”
    Liam cocked his head.   “That sounds ominous.”
    “It is,” Todd told him.   He pushed his cup away as if it
disgusted him now.   “It’s not good,
Liam.”
    “What is it?” Liam asked, his voice
taking on an edge.
    “Some accusations of improprieties,” Todd
said.   His eyes shifted back and
forth and his entire body seemed to coil in on itself.   Gone was the brash, mischievous good
natured man that Todd had initially presented to her.   In its place was a man who looked beaten
and chased and anxious, defensive.   “All lies, of course,” he added.
    “Who’s saying these lies and why?” Liam
asked him.
    “A few different women from my past.   One of them I hardly even know.   The other two were…mistakes.   I should’ve known better, but then I’ve
never been good in the romance department either—as you can attest.”
    Liam blanched.   “I don’t know what to say.   Is it serious?”
    “I’m not sure,” Todd said.   He finally met his son’s gaze.   “But you know the press and the
media.   When they smell blood, they
do everything they can to tear you apart.”
    “Did you do it?” Liam asked him.   “Any of it, whatever they’re accusing
you of doing?”
    Todd met his son’s penetrating gaze.   “No,” he said, shaking his head.   Then he said it again with more
emphasis.   “No.”   He seemed to consider further.   “I wasn’t perfect, and I admit to
that.   I’m not always a very nice
person, and I’ve made mistakes in my life.   But I’m innocent of the accusations against me.”
    Liam nodded, as if accepting his father’s
words at face value.   “Then you have
my support, of course.”
    “Thank you, Son.   That means a great deal to me.”   Todd wiped at his eyes again, barely
holding back tears.   He stood up.   “Can I get a hug?”
    “Yeah.”   Liam stood and moved around the table
and the men embraced, holding each other tightly, as if holding on for dear
life.  
    “I’m so proud of the man you’ve become,”
Grace heard Todd say into Liam’s ear.   “So proud.”

 
    ***

 
    They were just leaving Le Parker