Antitype by M. D. Waters Read Free Book Online Page A

her through it, but the law is the law. She’s lucky Marco is willing to pay—”
    â€œYou really are a bastard.”
    Dad jumps to his feet. “You can’t begin to understand what it’s like to be a father. You—”
    I take the nearest statue and slam it down, erection first, on his preposterously large desk. Large chunks of stone shatter and fly off the sides and plop on the floor. The wood splinters at the impact site.
    â€œYou aren’t a father,” I yell. “A father would make sure his girls are taken care of, and I’m not talking about marriage. You have no idea how much money I pay to make sure they have everything they need when they need it. Toiletries. Uniforms. Shoes. Socks. Undergarments. Did you know Hannah didn’t get her first bra until she was fifteen? And I bought it for her. I have two guards on payroll to make sure they aren’t abused. I shouldn’t have to do things like that, Dad.
You
should.”
    His face turns a fiery shade of crimson, and a visible shiver moves his otherwise frozen state. “How dare you. You’re not too old for me to—”
    â€œTo what?” I throw up my arms. “Disown me? Take away my trust fund? Kick me out of the company?” I laugh. “That threat died in April the second I turned twenty-five. I’m in full control of my trust, and I own shares you can’t take without buying me out first. As for disowning me? Do it. See if I care anymore.”
    I storm from the room before he can argue. There’s only one person who will hear me out and understand my plight. I have to talk to Nathan Updike.
    On my way to the teleporter, I cross paths with Gabe, who still lives at home. His hair hangs loose over his forehead and is practically in his eyes. He has an apple clamped between his teeth and a tablet computer in one hand and is juggling an open textbook on engine propulsion in the other.
    â€œWhat the hell are you doing?” I ask.
    Gabe flips the book shut and takes the apple from his mouth. “Studying.”
    That single word in conjunction with the book he carries has the power to blow me over. Since when did Gabe take a serious interest in the engineering area of our business? And by the looks of it, he’s halfway through the text. Maybe I’ve been wrong about him. Maybe he’ll be just the man to take over the business. Maybe I don’t have to worry so much about leaving him to handle things in my place. Maybe . . . I have more options than I once believed.
    â€œWhere’ve you been?” he asks, scanning my T-shirt and jeans. “Clearly not the office.”
    Maybe not.
He’s becoming more and more like Dad every day. “It’s visiting day.” I don’t have the heart, nor do I have the strength, to get into what’s going on with Hannah. Not with people who can’t help me anyway. I’ll just save my breath until I find Nate.
    Gabe bends back with a groan. “Fuck. Me. Damn it. I meant to go with you today, too. Why didn’t you remind me?”
    â€œBecause I’m not your personal assistant, or your parent.”
    â€œDid you tell Hannah about Marco?”
    â€œNo, and you won’t, either. Listen, I have to go.” I nod at the heavy tome he balances. “Keep that up and I just might change my opinion about you.” I grin as I head for the teleporter.
    â€œAs if you want to,” he calls after me. “You know you love me.”
    â€œYeah, yeah.”
    Â â€¢Â â€¢Â â€¢Â 
    Nate meets me at Nagshead Park outside downtown Richmond. It’s one of my favorite places to go when I need to clear my head. A public teleporter opens to the park’s center, where a pond sparkles under a footbridge. At least three acres of green hillocks surround the pond and walking trails.
    I lean on the railing over the water, listening to the
clomp
of boots heading toward me. I stare at my