Page 113 of All Bets Are Off

“What were you using the money for?” I asked in a low voice.

“What?” Surprise registered on Dad’s features. “What are you talking about? She made that up.” He grabbed his reading glasses from the desk, something he only wore when he wanted a distraction, and started tapping on his computer. “I have a photo of the Dawber girl if you want a look. She’s not beautiful, but she’s not ugly. We can get her in touch with your mother’s doctor and get a few tweaks in before we release any photos ofthe two of you together. You need time to disassociate yourself from Olivia anyway.”

“Yeah, that’s not happening.”

Dad looked up. “You don’t want her to have surgery? She’s got a bit of a pig thing going here with her nose.” He pulled up his own nose to demonstrate. “You’re much more attractive than she is. We need to spruce her up a bit before we can add her to the family.”

He paused a beat. “Of course, any kids you have—hopefully you’ll get the boy on the first try so you won’t have to keep sleeping with her—might inherit that nose, so we’ll have to be on the lookout for that.”

I took a moment to look back on my childhood. I’d always thought I’d respected my father. That was just a given. It wasn’t the truth, though. I’d been afraid of him. Underneath his posh exterior lived an oily interior. He was not who he pretended to be. Others had figured that out before me—Olivia had pegged him right away—but I was just now seeing the real Ryder Stone.

“You’re a piece of shit,” I said without realizing what I was going to say.

“There’s no need to get worked up,” Dad complained. “Geez. Take a chill pill, Zachary. I’m sorry if you got in too deep with the Carter girl to escape without a broken heart. It’s better this way though. You’re better off without her.”

“No, I’m not, and I’m not losing her.” There was no give to my tone. This was it. The final showdown with my father. “I’m not ever losing her. She’s my forever.”

Dad looked over the rim of his glasses, as if he was looking down his nose at me. “Your forever just took off. I’m pretty sure she’s done with you.” Why did he look so happy about that?

“She’s not done with me,” I countered, briefly looking back at the door when I heard it open, my heart soaring as I wished forOlivia to return. To my surprise, I found my mother joining the fray.

“What’s going on?” she asked, glancing between us.

“Nothing you need to concern yourself about,” Dad said darkly. His dislike for my mother was evident. I’d missed that, too. It wasn’t simply neglect. He wasn’t just a terrible husband. He was a man who hated his wife, and for no reason other than he was a jerk. “Zachary and I were just talking about his future. You don’t need to be involved.”

That was enough to have me making up my mind. “Sit down, Mom.” I ushered her in and shut the door behind her. “You should be involved in this conversation. You’re part of this family after all.”

Mom looked at me, then at my father.

“You’re not involved in this, Cora,” Dad countered. “Why don’t you do what you do best and give your credit card a workout? Or, maybe you should go to that spa you like. I can see some actual movement in your forehead. It might be time for a touch up.”

I slammed my fist against the door. Not through it or anything. The doors were solid, not hollow. I would’ve broken my hand if I tried to punch through it, and I was done breaking things for this man, including my own heart. I hit it with the fleshy side, causing my father’s eyebrows to migrate up his forehead.

“Do you need a drink to calm yourself?” Dad asked. “I can’t believe you’re acting this way … and over a woman who is nothing in the grand scheme of things.”

Mom made a weird growling noise under her breath. “Is this about Olivia?” she asked. Her attention was on me. “I saw her when I was getting off the elevator. She was leaving … and crying.”

I pressed my hands to the door to stop myself from running out. I didn’t want Olivia—my Olivia—crying. Instead, I pulled my phone out of my pocket and texted Rex. He would be there for his sister. I needed him to do something for me before that, though. I typed out the message as quickly as possible, collecting my wits the whole time, then pocketed my phone.

“There’s going to be a change with Stone Group,” I said to my mother, who had yet to sit in the chair I’d indicated. “Sit,” I prodded in a soft voice. “This is going to be a long conversation.”

Uncertain, Mom sat. “Just tell me what’s going on. I’m a little worried here. I don’t think I’ve ever seen you like this.”

“That’s because I’m finally seeing my father clearly for the first time,” I replied. “Guess what, Mom? I don’t like what I see.”

She opened her mouth, then shut it. I could practically hear the gears of her mind working as she looked around.

Before I could continue, the office door opened again. This time it was Ruby, Opal, and Pearl spilling into the office.

“That was quick,” I said, frowning. “I just texted Rex to get you guys up here.”

“Well, he contacted us about an hour ago,” Ruby replied. “He said that you would need us, although he was vague on the specifics.” She darted a look toward Dad, who was starting to get more and more flustered. He was a man who liked his space, who liked to be in charge. I was taking all of his options out of his hands.

“Everybody should get comfortable,” I said as closed the door yet again. I was starting to hate the thing. It was the first obstacle standing in my way to get back to Olivia. I had to finish this out first. “We have some things to discuss.”

“No, we don’t,” Dad shot back. “Zachary and I were having a conversation between the two of us—he’ll be ending his marriage to that girl and entering into a smarter union in the upcoming months—and it has nothing to do with any of you.”

I gripped my hands into fists at my sides. “Stop saying that,” I growled.

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