Josh, the new guy sent to protect me, stands by the entrance, shifting his weight from foot to foot. His discomfort is palpable as he watches me fall apart. Poor bastard walked into a hurricane without an umbrella.
Dad’s cruel words echo in my mind, each one a fresh cut. “He stays, and you lose everything.”
I curl my fingers into fists, nails biting into my palms. I’ve never chased money—hell, I left the family company to prove that very point. But Dad’s right. Without his backing, my carefully built world will crumble.
It was easy to pretend I built everything with my own two hands, but he was there every step of the way. Hegave me the startup money. The house. If he takes it all away, I’ll be left with nothing but dust and regrets.
My eyes roam the room, every surface a reminder of Ryder. The couch where he kissed me. The kitchen counter where his hands explored my body. The hallway where he pressed me against the wall, his breath hot on my neck.
Ryder. Gone.
I squeeze my eyes shut, but the image of him walking away, shoulders slumped in defeat, burns into my mind.“I won’t be the reason you lose everything,”he said, like a self-sacrificing hero in a bad rom-com.
I need to fix this.Now.
Dad has to understand. I love him.
I swipe at my tears, smearing mascara across my cheeks. “Josh,” I call out, my voice hoarse. “We’re leaving.”
He mutters something into the earpiece tucked into his ear. “Uh, okay. Where to?”
“The estate. I need to talk to my father.”
“No problem,” he says, entering the car and starting the engine.
The drive is a blur of streetlights and shadowy buildings. I stare out the window, not seeing anything. My phone buzzes. The girls, no doubt, demanding details.
With a sigh, I type out a quick message.
Dad caught me and Ryder. Naked. In the jacuzzi. It didn’t end well.
Jill
OMG. Like, mid-action caught?
Yep. Ryder was... Let’s just say he was diving for pearls.
Bailey
Holy shit. I’m dying. Did your dad need CPR?
Jill
But was it good? Before Daddy Dearest ruined it?
Didn’t get to finish. Dad’s timing is impeccable, as always.
Bailey
Nooooo. The ultimate cock block.
Riley
Girls, focus! Cora, what happened after? Did you all have an awkward family meeting in bathrobes?
I roll my eyes, a fleeting moment of normalcy in this surreal nightmare.
Dad went nuclear. Threatened to cut me off if I didn’t ditch Ryder.
