Page 60 of The Contractor & the Entrepreneur

You aren’t alone.

Your dad isn’t controlling you.

He stands no chance against us.

You’ve got me.

You’ve got your Savior.

Could all of that be true? She’d never trusted or loved a man like she did Rhett. She wanted everything he said to be true, but she had to make the leap of faith and trust in Jesus, trust in herself, and trust in Rhett. Push her father’s control far from her mind and not bow to him ever again.

Her tears wet her pillow. Would they ever dry up?

Could she put her fear behind her and be truly brave? What if her father found a way to hurt Rhett? Even from prison, she knew he could.

She buried her head in her pillow. She didn’t know what to do.

Her phone rang and her heart leapt. Rhett? Through bleary eyes she made her way to the table and fished her phone out.

Kathy.

Her heart clenched. Kathy could never have done what her father said but still there was the niggling doubts. Her father wanted her to doubt herself, her best friend, Rhett, and the Savior. Her father only wanted her to need him.

She slid the phone on. “Kathy?” she croaked out.

“What’s wrong?” Kathy demanded.

“Everything.” She started crying again and hated how weak she was.

“I’m here. It’s okay. Let’s pray together.” Kathy started praying. Sloan didn’t even register most of the words but calm and peace filled her.

When they said amen, she murmured, “Thank you.”

“Now talk. Please.”

“Kathy … my dad claimed you were his informant all these years.”

“What?” Kathy exploded. “How dare that lily-livered snake claim that. You didn’t believe him?”

“I didn’t.” Sloan straightened to her full height and clung to the phone. The answer had been instinctive and she realized it was true. She hadn’t believed him about Kathy. Could everything else be lies? “I didn’t,” she repeated, feeling stronger than she had in hours.

“Thank heaven above. I love you, Sloan. You’re my sister.”

“I love you too.”

“Now tell me the entire story. You saw your dad?”

Sloan started talking.

As Kathy yelled, moaned, groaned, and listened to her, she felt even more strengthened. Her dad was a lying manipulator. She knew that. She had to muddle out the truth and where her strength was. If she could … could she run for Rhett?

Chapter

Twenty-Four

The next morning dawned rainy.The gray downpour matched Rhett’s mood. He lifted weights early and didn’t even attempt his two-hundred-yard runs.

Was Sloan gone? What would he do without her? She was his missing piece but if he wasn’t hers he couldn’t force her to give him a chance.

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