Page 55 of The Contractor & the Entrepreneur

“I am your father!”

“You’ve never been a father to me. You’ve been a jailer and a puppeteer.”

“You are my daughter and will do what I say.”

“No.” She held his gaze. The dark ugliness in his eyes made her spine prickle with apprehension. What would he do?

“Sloan.” His voice became placating. “You’re exactly like your mother. You know you need me. Everything will be fine. You just sign these papers and I’ll take care of you.”

“I don’t need you and I’m not signing.” She held his gaze.

“Youwillobey me.” He puffed himself up. His voice was as terrifying as his eyes.

“I will not.” Sloan said the words evenly and without a tremble in her voice or in her hands. She’d never been so proud of herself.

Thank you, she prayed.

Silence filled the room for a few moments. Her dad stared her down, his dark eyes more intense than she’d ever seen them.

She sat tall. Could she do this? Never bend to him again? Even if he killed her?

“Then we’ll kill this Kathy,” Uncle Ron said, interrupting the standoff.

“And kill all of her family?” Sloan acted un-phased but her hands were clammy. They couldn’t hurt Kathy. She shouldn’t have brought her friend into this. “This land never gets to you two, no matter whose blood you stain yourself with.”

She might get shot. Right now. But she felt as brave as Rhett always told her she was. She was doing it. Standing up to her dad. On her own.

“She’s right,” her dad muttered. “You can’t kill her.” He focused on Sloan. “How are we going to get you to sign these papers?”

She stared at him, holding his gaze and thanking her Father above. “You’ve lost your mind. Nothing you can do to me would make me sign them, and as soon as Uncle Ron isn’t waving a gun around, I’ll report you to Sheriff Pollard and Sheriff Coleville.” She wasn’t sure why she’d thrown Rhett’s brother in there.

Ron’s eyes narrowed and he moved in closer. “I’m going to shoot her in the leg. See if she’s as brave when she’s bleeding and in pain.”

Cold sweat pricked at her neck. He looked crazy enough to do it.

“No, you’re not.” Her dad stood and stepped in front of her. That was surprising. Had her bravery made him respect her in a twisted way?

He turned his back on Sloan and said to Ron, “What you are going to do is walk down two doors to Rhett Coleville’s house. You rig a quick explosion with the natural gas line and the cowboy dies.” He swung back to face Sloan. “Unless you want to sign the property over to us.”

Sloan couldn’t even comprehend the words. Horror made bile rise in her throat, choking her. Not Rhett. “You wouldn’t … You couldn’t.”

It wasn’t possible. Her father was a controlling, unfeeling jerk, but he wasn’t a murderer. What if her family background was even worse than she’d imagined? Rhett’s Mama had hugged her and prayed for her to find Rhett. Her dad had threatened to kill Rhett. Hers and Rhett’s families and lives were polar opposites.

Rhett had protected her from her cousins and the mud, and what had she done? She had only brought horror and pain into his life. She’d let herself fall for his sweet words, blue eyes, protectiveness, fun teasing, and incredible kisses. And now she would get him killed.

“Your choice, Sloan. Sign over the property, which we are paying you for, taking a headache off your hands really, or your cowboy boyfriend explodes.” Her dad arched an eyebrow and waited.

“You can’t. No. Please.” Sloan didn’t care about the property in the face of Rhett’s life, but she couldn’t get the words out. Her throat was raw and her heart raced out of control. All her bravery disappeared. She grabbed at her dad’s arm with sweaty palms. “Don’t!”

“Go,” her dad urged Uncle Ron.

Ron gave a grim smile, shoved the gun into his waistband, and strode to the door, flinging it open.

Help me, she begged her Father above, the only Father who had ever loved her.Save Rhett!

She had no bravery, no inspiration. She was weak and in her dad’s power. Just like she’d always been. He’d always find some way to win. She would be weak and submissive. Just like her mother.

“I’ll sign the papers!” she screamed as loud as she could, grateful the words had come. “Please don’t hurt him!”

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