‘Sorry you feel that way. I thought…’
What? That the old despot might’ve changed, might’ve mellowed with time and illness? Not likely. If anything, his belligerence had worsened and she’d been crazy to come here, setting the past to rest while hoping for a miracle.
‘Thought what? I’d welcome you with open arms after all this time?’
He snorted, waved his good hand towards the door. ‘Just leave the way you came in.’
She’d cried rivers of wasted tears when she was a teenager for all this man had put her through and there was no way she’d stand here now and allow him to reduce her to tears again.
With a shake of her head, she turned away, ready to walk out and never look back.
‘That’s it, run away again. Though this time, you won’t have a penny of mine to cushion you when you fall.’
Icy foreboding trickled down her spine as she slowly swung back to face him.
‘What did you just say?’
His malevolent grin raised goose bumps on her skin. ‘You heard. That money from your mother? It was a crock. She never left you a cent. That was my money you squandered on your little trip, my money that made sure you didn’t end up in the gutter.’
She staggered, leaned against the doorway for support, her gut twisting with the painful truth.
‘So, daughter dearest, looks like you owe me after all.’
With his words ringing in her ears, she stumbled from the apartment, from the accommodation and made it to her car before she collapsed, slumping over the steering wheel.
She’d thought she’d escaped his stranglehold ten years earlier, had fought hard for her independence, had found safety and confidence in her career.
She’d been wrong.
Right then, she vowed to do whatever it took to pay off her debt.
You owe me…
With the hateful truth ringing in her ears, her head snapped up as she straightened, knowing what she had to do.
There was only one thing that would clear a debt of that magnitude and, right now, gaining her promotion was a necessity.
In choosing between owing her dad a huge amount of money and agreeing to Nick’s outlandish proposal, marrying Nick would be the lesser of two evils.
She’d come.
Nick squinted at Brittany between the spokes of his Harley, trying to read her expression and coming up empty.
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