Read Online Just Like a Man by Elizabeth Bevarly - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Elizabeth Bevarly
Tags: Fiction, General, Romance, Large Type Books, Fathers and sons, Rich people, Single Fathers, Women School Principals
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about what had happened between Adrian and his wife? "Yeah, well, I guess there's no accounting for taste, is there?" he said.
"Mm," Adrian replied. "But then, if you'll recall, Tatiana tasted—"
"Button it," Michael said before he could finish. "You won't get a rise out of me. Not this time. Not anymore. What's done is done, and frankly, all things considered, I'm glad it worked out the way it did." He could tell by Adrian's expression that he didn't believe him. But hell, Michael didn't care. "Alex and I have a good life here," he continued. "And everything that's in the past? That's where I left it."
"Until now," Adrian said.
Michael remained silent.
"And now OPUS has you dancing to their tune again, don't they?"
It was useless to deny it. Adrian knew how OPUS worked. He knew the rules. He knew the ropes. He knew the ties that bind. Nevertheless, Michael still said nothing.
"You're wasting your time," Adrian told him. "You, OPUS, all of you. I know you're watching me, but there's no reason to. I'm a law-abiding citizen now. A scion of the local business community. A hometown boy made good."
Somehow Michael refrained from rolling his eyes. "You're a pain in the ass, Adrian, that's what you are. It's what you've always been. Nothing more."
"Then why are you here?"
"Because of a number of developments that add up to trouble," Michael said. "You in Indianapolis. A presidential debate in Indianapolis. Not a good combination, I'm thinking."
Adrian smiled again, that vaguely predatory smile. "What on earth would I have to do with a presidential debate?" he asked.
"That's what I'd like to know," Michael told him. "Just a shot in the dark here, but it probably has something to do with the fact that you've always wanted to rule the world."
Adrian laughed out loud at that, a full, uninhibited laugh that probably carried all the way to Bitsy and Cornelius's back forty. "Oh, I love how you say that. 'Rule the world.' It makes me sound like a comic book villain."
"Well, you were always pretty cartoonish," Michael said. "In any event, it didn't take long for OPUS to put two and two together."
"No, it didn't," Adrian agreed. "I'm just not sure you got the right answer when you did."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"Just that, as always, OPUS can't see the trees for the forest."
"And what's
that
supposed to mean?"
Adrian continued to smile. "Figuring out what it all means was
your
job, Michael. Assimilate, evaluate, articulate. Remember?"
Of course Michael remembered. He remembered his three-word job classification too well.
"And after you do all those things," Adrian added, "you can penetrate it where the sun don't shine."
"Ah, go fornicate yourself, Adrian," Michael retorted blandly.
"I don't want to take away
all
your fun by telling you everything right off the bat," Adrian said, ignoring his comment. "But you're a smart boy, Michael. You always were. You'll figure it out. Eventually. One can only hope it won't be too late when you finally do."
And before Michael had a chance to say another word, Adrian had turned away to fade into the darkness.
The very place that had spawned him to begin with.
----
Chapter 3
There was nothing worse, in Michael's opinion, than Monday mornings. Unless maybe it was cold, rainy Monday mornings.
Cold, rainy Monday mornings when he overslept, then had to rely on lousy drive-thru coffee, because he was in a big hurry. Cold, rainy Monday mornings when he overslept, and then had to rely on lousy drive-thru coffee because he was in a big hurry to commit a felony.
Yeah, it was gonna be one of those days. As he sipped his lousy drive-thru coffee, it occurred to Michael that this was the kind of day that reminded him why he had left his previous job behind. Yet here he was, back in the saddle again. Or, to be more specific, in the driver's seat of a generic white utility van, dressed in generic navy blue coveralls. Of course, there was no
back
or
again
in this situation, since
"Mm," Adrian replied. "But then, if you'll recall, Tatiana tasted—"
"Button it," Michael said before he could finish. "You won't get a rise out of me. Not this time. Not anymore. What's done is done, and frankly, all things considered, I'm glad it worked out the way it did." He could tell by Adrian's expression that he didn't believe him. But hell, Michael didn't care. "Alex and I have a good life here," he continued. "And everything that's in the past? That's where I left it."
"Until now," Adrian said.
Michael remained silent.
"And now OPUS has you dancing to their tune again, don't they?"
It was useless to deny it. Adrian knew how OPUS worked. He knew the rules. He knew the ropes. He knew the ties that bind. Nevertheless, Michael still said nothing.
"You're wasting your time," Adrian told him. "You, OPUS, all of you. I know you're watching me, but there's no reason to. I'm a law-abiding citizen now. A scion of the local business community. A hometown boy made good."
Somehow Michael refrained from rolling his eyes. "You're a pain in the ass, Adrian, that's what you are. It's what you've always been. Nothing more."
"Then why are you here?"
"Because of a number of developments that add up to trouble," Michael said. "You in Indianapolis. A presidential debate in Indianapolis. Not a good combination, I'm thinking."
Adrian smiled again, that vaguely predatory smile. "What on earth would I have to do with a presidential debate?" he asked.
"That's what I'd like to know," Michael told him. "Just a shot in the dark here, but it probably has something to do with the fact that you've always wanted to rule the world."
Adrian laughed out loud at that, a full, uninhibited laugh that probably carried all the way to Bitsy and Cornelius's back forty. "Oh, I love how you say that. 'Rule the world.' It makes me sound like a comic book villain."
"Well, you were always pretty cartoonish," Michael said. "In any event, it didn't take long for OPUS to put two and two together."
"No, it didn't," Adrian agreed. "I'm just not sure you got the right answer when you did."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"Just that, as always, OPUS can't see the trees for the forest."
"And what's
that
supposed to mean?"
Adrian continued to smile. "Figuring out what it all means was
your
job, Michael. Assimilate, evaluate, articulate. Remember?"
Of course Michael remembered. He remembered his three-word job classification too well.
"And after you do all those things," Adrian added, "you can penetrate it where the sun don't shine."
"Ah, go fornicate yourself, Adrian," Michael retorted blandly.
"I don't want to take away
all
your fun by telling you everything right off the bat," Adrian said, ignoring his comment. "But you're a smart boy, Michael. You always were. You'll figure it out. Eventually. One can only hope it won't be too late when you finally do."
And before Michael had a chance to say another word, Adrian had turned away to fade into the darkness.
The very place that had spawned him to begin with.
----
Chapter 3
There was nothing worse, in Michael's opinion, than Monday mornings. Unless maybe it was cold, rainy Monday mornings.
Cold, rainy Monday mornings when he overslept, then had to rely on lousy drive-thru coffee, because he was in a big hurry. Cold, rainy Monday mornings when he overslept, and then had to rely on lousy drive-thru coffee because he was in a big hurry to commit a felony.
Yeah, it was gonna be one of those days. As he sipped his lousy drive-thru coffee, it occurred to Michael that this was the kind of day that reminded him why he had left his previous job behind. Yet here he was, back in the saddle again. Or, to be more specific, in the driver's seat of a generic white utility van, dressed in generic navy blue coveralls. Of course, there was no
back
or
again
in this situation, since
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