He hasn’t come to visit.
So what the hell is he doing here?
“Get in the car,” Oliver repeats to me. He’s moved so that he’s between us, pressing me against the door of the car without direct view to my father.
“I always liked you, Oliver,” my father says. “Always thought you were smart. But this…this isn’t looking so smart.”
Oliver’s as tense as an overstretched trampoline. “Frankly, Tobias, this is none of your business.”
“You’re with my daughter, so you’ve made it my business.”
Oliver snorts. “Sonowyou want to claim her? Get lost.”
My father growls softly. “She doesn’t have to fuck everything up for us here like she usually does.”
I flinch.
I don’twantto, but I do.
“Watch your mouth,” Oliver growls.
“And now she can’t even face me while she does it,” the man who threw me away continues.
“She doesn’t owe you a thing. What are you doing here?”
“Negotiating for your future.”
“My future’s fine.”
“But it could be better.”
“Not interested.” Oliver turns away from him and puts a hand to my lower back. “Let’s get in on the other side. I’ll drive. You sit in back.”
The car’s face-first in the spot along the edge of the parking lot. We’ll need to back out, and if my father wants something—no doubt he’ll stand behind the car and make us run him over to get out.
I look up at Oliver.
He peers down at me, and my breath leaves me.
This man—this man is prepared to protect me at all costs.
Me.
Fuckup Daphne.
He’s looking at me as if he’s my personal bodyguard and he wants me to know that he has me.
“Find out what he wants so he’ll leave,” I murmur.
“First smart thing she’s said in her entire life,” my father says.
Oliver rounds on him. “Shut. Your fucking. Mouth.”
Two security agents close in beside my father, but he waves them away. “I’ve got this. He’s harmless.”
I grip Oliver’s hand and slide halfway out from behind him. “What do you want?” I ask.
He answers Oliver instead of looking at me. “My first choice was Margot to get this deal done, but if you need one of my daughters to go with the merger, then as far as I’m concerned, she’ll do.”
