Total pages in book: 224
Estimated words: 215705 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1079(@200wpm)___ 863(@250wpm)___ 719(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 215705 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1079(@200wpm)___ 863(@250wpm)___ 719(@300wpm)
I’m already walking, rushing in the direction where Carrie departed into the living area. “Reid!” my father calls out, but I ignore him. I got Carrie away from him. I got her out of the range of his nastiness that would have buried me and her with me. Now I need to explain myself. Now I need to make this right.
I exit the kitchen to scan the crowd and catch a glimpse of her turning the corner toward the door. I cut through a group of people, and all but run after her. She’s in the hallway halfway to the elevator when I exit the apartment. “Carrie! Wait.”
She disappears around the corner leading to the elevator banks. I break into a run. I bring her into view as she waits for an elevator. “Go away, Reid,” she hisses the moment she sees me. “We’re done.”
“No,” I say, stalking toward her.
She points at me. “Do not even try to come near me,” she warns, her voice quaking with emotion.
I hold up my hands in surrender. “Okay. Just hear me out. Our parents hate each other, Carrie. I was going to talk to you about it after the party, after you saw that we are not a part of that war. That’s what tonight was. I wanted you to know that we, that I, am not your enemy. My father is another story. He is.”
“In other words, you did his bidding. You did what you told me you didn’t do. You went after our company to go after my father.”
“No,” I say, closing one of the at least five steps between us. “I didn’t lie to you, Carrie. That is not what happened and when I realized you didn’t know about our fathers, I knew you’d say just that when I told you.”
“You just told your father that I was a business deal.”
“That’s not what I said. I said we were making money together. I spoke his language, the only one that can get him past his hate. The only way I could pull him back in the middle of that party, one which was supposed to be special for Cat, and good for us, Carrie.”
“Do you know how that made me feel?” She shoves a hand through her hair. “And poor Cat. Tonight was supposed to be special for her and Reese.” The elevator opens and I’m beside her, shackling her arm, her in an instant. “Carrie—”
“I thought we were—I don’t know what I thought we were—it doesn’t matter. I don’t trust you, Reid. I can’t be with you.”
“I could just as easily have thought that you were setting me up because I’m my father’s son, Carrie, but you aren’t your father and I’m not my father. We’re us. I want you and us. I swear to you, I was going to tell you about their war tonight.”
“War? It’s a war and you didn’t think you needed to tell me?”
“I thought your father would have. When I figured out you didn’t know—”
“You hid it from me? Why? To get me to perform with Grayson Bennett, who didn’t trust you?”
“Glad to see I caught you both.”
At the sound of my father’s voice, I grimace and whirl around, quick to put Carrie at my back, where I can protect her from his direct onslaught of verbal abuse. “You need to step away, father. Now.”
The elevator behind me dings and damn it to hell, I know Carrie is about to leave, and I have to let her go. I still can’t risk him twisting his war into mine. “You need to explain yourself and her,” my father bites out.
I step toward him and I can hear Carrie step into the car. “You need to back out of this,” I say.
“I told you—”
“I’m sick of you telling me how to do anything,” I say as the elevator door shuts behind me, the idea that Carrie is gone igniting my anger. “Back away from this,” I repeat.
“I told you to ruin West and that means his offspring, too.”
“I never told you I’d ruin West. I made sure the debt was settled and it is. A debt that has nothing to do with Carrie.”
“It has everything to do with her. That man came at me, and us, after my stroke. He tried to sweep the stocks in four of my investments and two of yours. There’s no mercy here. You are my son. You will do this. You will ruin him and his daughter.”
“If you go after Carrie or her company, you will regret it. I am your son and you taught me far too well. I will make you hate life and regret the day you hurt Carrie and mom, for that matter. Mom’s biggest fear? That I would become just like you and I’ll make that fear come true in order to hurt you. Walk away now, and I don’t mean back to Cat’s apartment. You hurt her tonight.” I punch the elevator button and a car opens instantly. I hold the door. “Leave.”