Page 113 of Tempt Our Fate

“Ten million going once…”

Jason’s beady eyes focus on me. He kicks his chair, almost hitting one of his associates as he barrels over to me. “You’ll regret this, Hunter,” he hisses, jabbing his finger into my chest.

I don’t react. It isn’t in my nature to show any kind of reaction. He doesn’t deserve another second of my time.

“Going twice…”

“This isn’t the end of this,” Jason snaps. I don’t bother to hide my laugh. He’s already told everyone in Manhattan the sale had gone through. He’d promised his friends to rent out the spaces to their businesses. He’ll return to Manhattan embarrassed, having to admit that he didn’t have the funds to close the deal.

“Sold!” the auctioneer yells.

Jason doesn’t move. I let out a long, annoyed sigh. Men like him will just never understand when to cut their losses. They’ll forever embarrass themselves further instead of walking out with at least a little composure intact.

I take a step closer to him, letting my shoulder bump against his. I angle my head down due to the sheer height difference between us. “I’m going to say this once, so listen fucking closely.” My voice is lethal. I don’t bother to hide the disdain I feel toward this pathetic excuse of a man. “You will leave this town on the first flight back, and you will never return. You lost. It’s embarrassing. If I hear you even mutter the word Sutten, I’ll have no problem telling every single person I know how shallow your pockets actually are.”

The entire room breaks out into cheers.

Jason’s eyes go wide. Last night, I had my people deep dive into his finances. It all made sense why he was trying to buy these properties for cheap. He’s about to go bankrupt, and this was his last hope to try and get some cash flow. He attempts to walk away, but I grab him by the bicep, keeping him in place.

“I wasn’t finished,” I grit out.

He doesn’t say anything, but he doesn’t need to. I keep going, wanting to make my point vastly clear. “Say one bad thing about Pippa or anyone else in this town again and I’ll buy your companies right out from underneath you just because I can. Don’t talk aboutmygirl, and don’t talk about this town. Understood?”

My fingers loosen around his arm. He doesn’t linger for another second. He rushes out of the doors, his two associates following closely after him.

There’s no way Jason will return to Sutten Mountain. But if he does try, I’m fully prepared to take him down for everything he’s done. I won’t be generous twice. I don’t want to deal with him now because my biggest goal is making Pippa happy. But if he reappears, I’ll end him.

My eyes find Pippa again, but she’s too busy hugging her dad, her face tucked into his chest, to find me watching her. If she’d just look at me again, maybe she’d give some sort of indication of how she felt about me being here. Will she be mad I purchased the properties? I only did it so she’d never have to fear someone taking it from her again.

I did it because I’m madly in love with her, and I’d do anything she ever asked of me.

A hand claps my shoulder. Dean steps in front of me, a cocky smile on his lips. “Ten million? I thought we decided on five.”

“I wanted to end it. There was no way he’d ever be able to compete with that number.”

Dean whistles, shaking his head with humor. “You’re something else. I was worried for a moment there that I’d be the one shelling out the money for the properties.”

“You know I wouldn’t have let you. Pippa won’t be paying anyone for her space. It’s hers.”

“And everyone else?”

“It’s theirs.”

He stares at me, silently assessing what I said. He must know at this point I’m a man of my word. After a few seconds, he reaches his hand out. I shake it, grabbing his forearm.

“I look forward to seeing you around, Hunter.”

“Thanks for helping.” He nods, walking away to join a group of locals chatting in a circle.

With his body gone, I’m able to see Pippa walking to me, her arm looped through her father’s.

They stop in front of me, and I worry for a second that they might be able to hear my racing heartbeat. I’m so anxious. She’s so close I could reach out and touch her. Would she let me? I don’t try. It can’t be a good sign she brought her dad with her. If she wasn’t still upset, she’d come here alone and give me the time to tell her how I’ve fallen in love with this small town because I’ve fallen in love withher.

“Camden,” Pippa begins. My heart skips a beat at hearing my name come from her lips.

“Hi,” I croak.Hi? There’s a million and one things I want to say to her, and the only thing that comes from my mouth is fuckinghi.

I wince, looking over to her dad to see if he’s privy to how anxious I am right now.

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