With a smirk, Derek typed out his response. Then, after opening his email, he pulled up the message he’d written this morning and hit send.
Four minutes later, his phone rang. Without bothering to look to see who it was, Derek answered the call with a smile.
“Derek West, blackmailer extraordinaire. To whom do I have the pleasure of speaking?”
“Who the fuck do you think you are?” Caleb’s hushed, angry voice hit Derek’s ear.
Derek’s lips curved up even more. “Oh, I’m a lot of things to a lot of people, Caleb. Most currently, I’m the man with the power to destroy your life.”
“You listen to me, you sonofabitch. You have no idea who you’re dealing with. I know people. I can—”
Derek chuckled. “Don’t really think you’re in the position to shovel out useless threats, counselor. You have your instructions. Sign the papers and get one of those judges you know so well to finalize it. The man who delivered them will go with you. Once it’s done, you’ll simply give him the papers and walk away. He’ll take care of the rest. Think you can handle that?”
There was a long, drawn-out pause before Caleb let out a frustrated breath. “Doesn’t really look like I have much of a choice, does it?”
He grinned. “Glad you see things my way, Porter.”
“Fuck you, West.”
Over the nice-guy routine, Derek’s voice became deadly. “Just sign the papers, asshole. Make it official and get them back to me. You have two hours to get it done. Oh, and Porter? You’re being watched, so don’t even think about doin’ somethin’ stupid. You deviate in the slightest, and dear old dad will be the first to receive those files. He’ll know he’s been right about you all along. After that, the world will know it, too.”
He could hear Porter swallowing through the phone, his voice jittery as he said, “Y-you could be bluffing.”
Derek nodded, even though the other man couldn’t see him. “Could be. Or I could have more eyes on you than Kim Kardashian’s ass at a photo shoot. You willin’ to take that risk?”
Caleb’s silence was all the answer Derek needed.
With one final warning, he told the coward, “You fuck this up, and you’re finished. And if you’re ever stupid enough to come after Charlie again, I swear to God, there won’t be a rock on the face of the goddamn planet big enough for you to hide under.”
With that, Derek ended the call.
“I take it that was Caleb?”
He turned to see Charlie stepping out onto the patio. “Yeah. That was him.”
Charlie’s shoulders raised and her chest bloomed out as she inhaled deeply. “H-how did it go?”
“Good as I expected. He tried acting tough for about two seconds, but he knows he’s screwed.”
She stepped toward him, her teeth sucking in her plump, bottom lip. “I hope you’re right.”
He smiled with confidence. “I am. In the meantime”—he turned and grabbed the plate full of burgers—“these puppies are ready. What do ya say we go inside, get ’em all fixed up, and then come back out here to eat?”
Her mouth turned up. “Sounds good.”
Two hours later, Charlie had told him she was going down to the beach to clear her thoughts. Knowing her nerves were shot from waiting to hear the news, Derek stayed put and gave her the space she needed.
From his lounge chair, he watched her slowly stroll along the water’s edge. She’d only made it a few yards down the shoreline when Derek’s phone rang again.
His greeting to Shane was short and to the point. “Tell me it’s done.”
“It is. And I gotta tell ya. Abusive prick aside, that man’s not stable.”
He found Shane’s strong, New York accent amusing. “Tell me about it. You headed to the airport?”
“Checking in my luggage now. According to the airline, I should be landing in Dallas about four hours from now.”
“Hill will be waiting for you. Give him the papers, and he’ll give you the rest of your payment, along with a ride to your hotel. Reservations have already been made, and the room’s been paid for.”
