Page 8 of Fool Me Once

“Yeah. I do. He died in myarms, and he told me to never be afraid. He’d always be there for me.”

Chapter Three

Leah moved downstairs, butshe wasn’t impressed with her outfit. In fact, she was a little pissed. It felttoo low-cut and in all honesty a little tight. This had to be the mostrevealing dress he’d made her wear. It was also bright red, like he wished tomake a statement.

It was frustrating, butshe refused to give him the satisfaction of refusing or complaining. So far, itdidn’t matter what outfit he chose, she’d worn it without a single complaint.She wasn’t about to ruin her track record. Besides, what was wrong with showinga little flesh? She certainly didn’t mind.

Between the dancing andthe outfit, she wasn’t looking forward to this dinner.

Stepping downstairs, shecame to a halt as a man she’d been promised she would never have to look atcame storming through the front door.

Danny looked a littleworse for wear. Even from her position partway up the stairs, he appeared topossess red, bloodshot eyes and looked a little crazy as well. At first, hedidn’t see her. One of the guards had followed him into the main house and wasattempting to reason with him by grabbing his arm.

“Get the fuck off me. Doyou have any idea who you’re dealing with?” Danny all but growled.

“Clearly someone whodoesn’t know his manners,” she said, finally drawing his attention toward her.

His gaze moved toward her.His first reaction was to recoil, then she saw the sneer on his lips, and secondslater, his eyes moved down. Clearly, he was trying to make her feeluncomfortable.

“You’re not supposed to behere,” Leah said.

“Why? Because you’refucking my father and have him eating out of the palm of your hand?” he asked.

She was pretty sure shedetected a hint of jealousy, but she also couldn’t help the laugh that fellfrom her lips.

“No, and besides, thereason I am here and you’re not, is entirely your fault.” She tutted. “Someoneshould have taken his lessons of being told no seriously.”

She was pretty sure iflooks could kill, he’d have struck her down. There was no way she was going toshow fear to this asshole. He meant nothing to her, and she refused to beafraid of him. The lessons Ben taught her were ingrained into her very being.

“What are you doing here?”Cain asked, suddenly appearing out of his office, dressed rather handsomely.

She couldn’t help butadmire how good he looked in a tuxedo. There was no way Cain could look evenmore tempting, and yet in a tux, he outshone so many men. Tonight was going tobe hard.

They’d been to formalevents before, and she’d merely been there as a distraction on his arm. A fewmonths ago, she had no choice but to sit back and allow him to dance with whomeverasked for a dance.

Now that she thought aboutit, Cain never asked any of the other women to dance, and yet he was highpriority on everyone’s list.

“Seriously. I am your sonand you’re going to treat me that way while allowing this slut to have her way?”

“May I remind you that ifyou had listened to my warning, you wouldn’t be in this position. Besides, Ithought the problem you had with Miss Masters was the fact she is not a slut.”

She watched Danny go evenmore red-faced.

“I told you, you are notwelcome here, and you seem insistent on disregarding my advice. Need I remindyou what it would be like if I completely froze you out?”

Leah watched Danny.

There was something abouthim that gave her cause for concern. The man was a ticking time bomb, and shehad a horrible feeling if they were notcarefulhe wasgoing to explode.

Would he even dare to risktaking on his father? She had no doubt Cain would win. The man was a menace.She’d seen him fight and deliver a killing blow more than once. It would takesomeone very fucking evil to take on Cain.

“I need more money,” Dannysaid.

The redness of his faceshowed his humiliation.

“Good, earn it, likeeveryone else. I told you, when you attempted to attack Leah, you were going tolearn a few hard lessons. These are the hard lessons. Everyone has to earntheir own way. There are jobs you are required to do. Do me a favor and dothem, or you are going to risk being penniless.” He nodded toward the guardbehind Danny. “Remove him from my property. Do it now, and the next time heenters this home without advance warning, I will consider you personallyresponsible.”

There was a brief pause ofsilence.

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