Page 110 of Can't Win 'Em All
“You mean because you think you have a deal with Chet Haskins to buy The Chiffon and turn it into an amphitheater?”
Genuine shock reverberated across his features. “How…?” He trailed off. I could practically hear the gears in his mind working.
“How did we figure it out?” I challenged. “You can thank me for that. You’ve dropped enough anvils over the past few months that we knew you were up to something. You kept bringing up the amphitheater, and we don’t currently have room for it. It’s not as if we have open property stretching in every direction. There was only one place the amphitheater could go.”
Dad’s eyes narrowed. “Who have you told?” His tone was so chilly it gave me pause. For the first time, there was a genuine air of menace around him, and I was afraid of my own father. He might not be the strongest man in the world, but in this moment, it was clear he wanted to hurt me.
“I think you should go.” I stood to put more distance between us. “This conversation is over.”
“This conversation is nowhere near over,” he snapped. He was on his feet. “Who have you told?”
This was a mistake, I realized. I should’ve let him run off at the mouth and act smug … at least until Rex returned. He was bringing food. He wouldn’t be long. Then we were going to eat it in bed and do the things we’d both been longing to do for months. We were going to enjoy the moment and plan for our future at the same time.
Dad was currently the only obstacle in our way, and he was almost done. Why hadn’t I just kept my mouth shut? That was my fatal flaw.
“Go,” I ordered, reaching for my phone on the table.
Dad anticipated what I was going to do and knocked the phone away. He was still a good seven feet from me. I couldn’t move very fast, however, and I was in no condition for a physical fight.
He wouldn’t take it that far. That’s what I told myself anyway. For the first time in my life, I wasn’t certain of that conviction.
“What do you want?” I snapped, fear rippling through my voice. “What’s the plan here?”
“The plan is to take back what’s mine.” Dad stomped his foot. “I will not lose everything. It’s not happening.”
“You already have.” The fight went out of me as I regarded him with something that could only be described as pity. “You lost your wife. You lost your children. You never really had your mistress, but in all your complaining, I’ve never once heard you express regret about losing your child with Claire. All you care about is the status you think she gives you and the bragging rights running the casino most certainly affords you.”
I had never been more frustrated with anybody in my entire life. “You are a terrible human being. Why can’t you realize that?”
Dad took a step toward me, his fingers flexing. My heart caught in my throat. Then I heard it. The distinct sound of the keycard being used on the other side of the door. I let out the breath I hadn’t even realized I’d been holding when Rex appeared in the doorway.
He looked at me, relief palpable, then he glared at my father. “I knew,” he said to my unasked question. “I didn’t even stop for food. Somehow I knew he was here.”
“He was just leaving,” I said pointedly.
Rex nodded. “I think that’s a good idea.” He was significantly larger than Dad and a small thrill of anticipation ran through me when I watched him square his shoulders. He was in the mood to do some damage. “You can leave now, Ryder,” he said pointedly.
“You’re not the boss of me,” Dad fired back. “You’re not the boss of anybody. I’m the boss of you.”
“Let’s test that theory.” Rex took a menacing step toward Dad, making sure to cut off any path Dad might want to utilize to get to me. “What was the plan here?” he demanded when Dad backed away from him. “What were you going to do? Were you going to hurt Ruby?”
Dad balked in the face of Rex’s obvious rage. “Don’t be ridiculous. She’s my daughter. I would never threaten my own daughter.” Even as he said it, he didn’t look convinced because he glanced down at his hands and realized they were fists. “I’m not the monster you think I am,” he said after a beat. “I just … I just worked so hard for it all.”
“Actually, you didn’t.” I shook my head. “It was all given to you and somehow you convinced yourself it was earned. It wasn’t, though, and you’re not getting it back.”
“I am.” Dad’s voice wavered. “I have a plan.”
“The plan is gone,” Rex countered. “Chet Haskins signed a contract—not an hour ago—with a notary and his lawyer present. We’ve acquired The Chiffon. He’s not getting a piece of the amphitheater. It’s done.”
Dad’s mouth fell open. “There’s no way. I … there’s just no way.”
“He’s wondering about the dirt that Chet had on him,” I said to Rex. “He’s freaking out.”
Dad’s response was automatic. “He didn’t have any dirt on me.”
“Then Cora, the other security personnel, the lawyer, and the accountant are going to be really disappointed,” Rex said dispassionately. “They’re eating and watching the thumb drive Chet provided them with even as we speak.”
Dad’s face drained of color. “She’s trying to ruin me.”
