Page 50 of Rebels and Roses

“That still doesn’t answer the question about whether Cooper wants me back.”

“Cooper doesn’t know what the hell he wants,” Joel scoffed. “You’re a resourceful young woman. Persuade him that he wants you. Use sex, if you need to. Get him in bed. How hard could it be? You did it once already. Just make sure to keep him happy. You two had fun together once. You could again.”

“Do you care if Cooper is happy?” Fiona laughed. “You didn’t care before.”

Joel didn’t like it when people questioned him. He knew what the fuck he was doing and why. He didn’t have the patience for those who couldn’t see his end goal. Too many only thought and planned for the short term. Joel was playing the long game. This was about more than getting Cooper back in line. This was about a legacy.

“This is a one-time offer,” Joel replied, ignoring Fiona’s queries. “Null and void at midnight tonight. That’s it. I’ll find someone else that can deliver, and probably for a cheaper price.”

“You think you’re doing me a favor,” Fiona said, her tone heated as she jumped to her feet. “You’re acting so fucking smug. Just because we had a deal a long time ago, doesn’t mean I’m going to do it again.”

“I thought we did good business back then. You made good money, and you got a husband out of the deal. It isn’t my fault that you fumbled the ball later.”

In Joel’s opinion, Fiona wasn’t all that special. She was a cheap tramp who slept around and liked to spend huge sums of money - preferably other people’s. He’d met plenty of others that were the same. If anything, she was as generic as they came. Perhaps he needed to remind her of that.

“How old are you now, Fiona? Thirty-two? Thirty-four? Your beauty won’t last forever. With all your partying, forty will hit you hard. You’ll find that men won’t be as enamored of you asthey once were. Getting a rich guy to buy you diamonds and champagne is going to be tough when all of your competition is in their twenties. The women your age wisely settle down with a wealthy husband and ignore his affairs.”

He’d hit her where it hurt. Fiona’s face was screwed up with rage, but there was also a recognition that he was right. She could go on the way she was. She had a trust fund, after all. As long as she lived within its confines, she could play all she wanted to. Her problem was that she couldn’t seem to live in the manner that she wanted without someone else footing the more extravagant bills.

Her parents might live another forty years, and that was a long time to only get to live rich but not obscenely wealthy. Andrew was a smart man, and he’d made sure that the money for his kids would last. He wasn’t going to allow them to blow it all before they were fifty. Sadly, neither Fiona nor the late Tom had ever had a productive day in their lives. At least, Joel could point at his children as being gainfully employed.

Except for Cooper. That’s why he had to be Joel’s first priority. That boy was blowing off his whole life chasing some sort of dream of being a hobo. Eventually, he’d need money…for something. He’d need his father to help him.

“Are you in or out?” Joel levered to his feet as he drained his whiskey glass, slapping it on the coffee table. He had no more patience or time for Fiona. His dinner guests would have arrived by now. She either wanted this opportunity or she didn’t. “Time to make up your mind, young lady. What will it be?”

He could see that she didn’t want to say yes. She was trying to find a way - any way - to dig in her heels and tell him to go fuck himself. She was mentally calculating her debt and trust fund balance, desperately trying to make two and two equal something much more than four. She was rehearsing in her head the pitch to her parents for more money, wondering how shecould be successful. She was going way back into her memories for rich men that she’d partied with, thinking that one of them might be an easier way to get the cash infusion she needed.

“I’ll want to read the contract before I sign.”

“Of course,” he replied, walking around his desk and sliding the middle drawer open. “Take your time. It’s all in order. Just like the last one. It’s a straightforward business, Fiona. Nothing more.”

She accepted the contract from him, her gaze perusing the contents.

“Do you always get what you want, Joel?”

“I make a point of it. And call me…. Dad.”

He’d placed a bet on Fiona Kemp.

She’d better deliver, or she’d be in big trouble. Failure was not one of her options.

Cooper didn’t wantto be here. This entire dinner party idea was a nightmare waiting to happen, but sadly, no one had asked his opinion. Jane had made a good point when she’d asked him why he would even attend at all. He hadn’t been inside his childhood home in years.

But dammit, he couldn’t let Fiona go to dinner with his dad and aunt alone or even with Erica, too. There was no doubt that Joel was up to something. Cooper didn’t know what it was, but he was damn sure he was going to find out. His father didn’t do anything socially without a reason.

Joel Winslow didn’t have friends in the usual sense. He had people that he could leverage for something he wanted. Sometimes, he’d “befriend” a person not knowing if they would be beneficial to his business or career, but he had a feeling thatthey might be useful in the future. Joel didn’t waste his time eating and drinking because he was hungry or thirsty. At least not when it came to doing it with other human beings. Every action or reaction had a purpose whether immediate or down the line.

Cooper couldn’t imagine living his life in such a cold and calculating manner, but to his dad, it was simply another day. Joel had to “win” at all costs. Whatever he was up to tonight with this dinner was for something he wanted.

He wants me. Back in the family fold.

Joel was destined to be disappointed. Cooper didn’t have any intention of playing happy family with Joel and Kim. Did his father believe that Fiona, of all people, could somehow convince him? It couldn’t be that. Joel wasn’t that dumb. It had to be something else, something even more sinister and selfish.

“Cooper?”

He’d zoned out as they’d pulled up to the front of his childhood home. He’d insisted on picking up Jane, although she’d said she could get there on her own. Fiona and Erica were both staying at the inn, and they had taken a cab. It wouldn’t have been out of the way, but they’d said it was no trouble. They’d agreed that it would be nice if he drove them home afterwards since then it would be dark.

“Sorry, I guess I was somewhere else.”

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