Total pages in book: 224
Estimated words: 215705 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1079(@200wpm)___ 863(@250wpm)___ 719(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 215705 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1079(@200wpm)___ 863(@250wpm)___ 719(@300wpm)
We reach Gabe’s building and the minute we’re in the lobby, we’re confronted by the last person I want to see right now: Reid’s father. “What are you doing here?”
“There’s trouble in the air for my son,” he says. “And for you. Let’s go upstairs and talk about how to save him.”
“What trouble?”
“I’ll discuss that with my son, but you are a problem. You’re his weakness and you’re already being used against him. I don’t like it.” He turns and starts walking toward the elevator.
“I’m riding up with you,” Savage says. “I’ll stay in the hallway once we’re upstairs but you’re not going anywhere alone with that man.”
No, I think, I don’t want to be alone with Reid’s father, but if he can help Reid, I’ll get on that elevator with him.
Chapter ninety-eight
Reid
Idon’t even try to process reasons why my father would be standing at Gabe’s door with Carrie beside him. I grab her, pull her inside the door and shut it again. “How the hell are you with my fucking father?”
“I guessed that you would be here and when I arrived he was standing in the lobby waiting on me. I have no idea if it was a coincidence or he somehow knew I was coming. I don’t think so, though. I didn’t even know I was coming until I made the last-minute decision to come after you.”
“Who knew?”
“Just Walker Security. I called them. I wasn’t going out alone. Savage is in the hallway, too. He didn’t want me to ride up with your father alone.”
“I didn’t want you with him at all and if you were home, he wouldn’t be.”
Her cheeks burn red. “I’m not a kept woman,” she snaps. “I don’t hide while you solve problems. If that’s what you want, a yes girl who you can shut out when you don’t want me to tell you you’re making stupid decisions, then you’re engaged to the wrong person.”
Gabe laughs from the other room and I ignore the little prick. “I’m engaged to the right woman who put herself in the wrong place.”
“No comment on the part where you wanted me at arm’s length and I couldn’t talk you out of something you’d regret tomorrow?”
Damn woman knows me a little too well for my own good right now, but I’m too pissed to appreciate how good that probably is for me. “I have plenty to say to you, Carrie. Just not here and not now.” I don’t give her time to reply. “Gabe!” I call out, and I’ve barely said his name before my brother is by our sides. I release Carrie and turn to face him. “What the hell is dad doing here?”
“I have no idea,” Gabe says. “He’s not even on the security list.”
“He walked to the elevator without being stopped,” Carrie counters, folding her arms in front of her, her anger at me, not my father, damn near palpable. Well, I’m fucking angry, too. I don’t want her around my father. I don’t want her exposed to another encounter with Elijah. “He’s clearly still got access,” Carrie adds.
“Or the guards thought he was with you,” Gabe says. “You have access.”
The doorbell rings. My jaw clenches. “Damn it, I do not want to deal with him right now.”
“He knows about Elijah,” Carrie says. “He said something is in the air and he’s not letting you go down. I think you have to listen to him.”
I scrub my neck and glance at Gabe, who gives a hard shake of his head. “It could be a ploy to get back into the company,” I say. “He could be working with Elijah.”
“Either way,” Gabe says. “We need to know why he’s here.”
He’s right. I don’t like it, but he is. I look at Carrie. “I’m stepping outside. He’s not coming in.” I reach for the door and she grabs my arm.
I turn to face her and the tension between us crackles hot and sure. “He really could be working with Elijah,” she says. “My father called. He could tell I’m upset and I told him we had an enemy we were dealing with. He immediately knew it was Elijah. He said Elijah tried to get him to partner with him to take you down and take back the company, but he didn’t want the company, as we all now know. If he tried with my father, he might try with yours.”
“Agreed.” I pull her to me again. “I don’t want you near him. I left you behind for a reason. To protect you.”
“Funny thing,” she says. “I feel safer by your side than alone in a big apartment.”
“If you were there you wouldn’t have just been with him because I guarantee you, if he said something to you, I won’t like when I find out about it.” Her eyes flicker and she cuts her gaze. “Of course he did.” I set her away from me. “I’m putting some space between him and you because if he goes at you, I might just punch him tonight.”