Page 88 of Babies for the Christmas Grump
Lang’s here somewhere. And I’m going to find that asshole.
Luckily, he’s loud, obnoxious, and not hard to find. He’s in the center of the room, talking to a well-dressed woman with a smirk playing on the corner of his lips.
My hands curl into fists. I don’t know how I’m going to control myself. There’s no sign of guilt in his eyes, just a veneer of charm and confidence. He looks untouchable, which only makes it so much worse.
I walk straight toward him, my feet steady, my jaw clenched. Every step closer makes my blood burn hotter.
He’s been slipping through the cracks for too long. Evie trusted him, and he betrayed that trust. Now, I’m going to make sure he pays for it.
When I get within arm’s reach, I don’t hesitate. I stop in front of him, cutting him off mid-sentence.
He looks at me, a little surprised, but it’s quickly replaced with a smile.
“Vincent Lang,” I start, iciness dripping off my tongue. “Good to finally meet you.”
His eyebrows furrow. He’s trying to place my face, but his smile never falters. He shifts his attention back to the woman beside him, trying to keep her engaged.
He’s still the charming, suave bastard, pretending everything’s just another social encounter.
“Do I know you?” he asks, clearly uninterested, as if I’m just some random acquaintance he doesn’t care to remember.
I don’t give him the satisfaction of playing it cool. I extend my hand, acting my ass off. He needs to think this is a typical greeting.
A moment of small talk, nothing more.
“Ryder Hale,” I say. The name feels heavier on my tongue tonight than it ever has before. “CFO of The Garland Rose.”
Lang glances at my outstretched hand, his eyes narrowing ever so slightly. It’s almost imperceptible, but I see it. He hesitates for a fraction of a second before reaching out, clasping my hand with a firm shake.
His grip is cold, calculated. No warmth. He’s measuring me, figuring out what game I’m playing. But I’ve got news for him: I’m done pretending.
“I’m sure you’ve been waiting to meet me. Isn’t that right, Vincent?”
He chuckles throatily, but he does his best to keep up the act. “Mmm, yes. I suppose so.”
“You’re good at pretending,” I say, my voice laced with disgust. “Pretending to be Evie’s friend, pretending to be above board. But we both know better now, don’t we?”
His smile falters, but he recovers quickly, flashing a false-looking grin.
“I’m afraid I don’t know what you mean,” he says, still calm, still trying to deflect. But the tension between us is palpable now. “You’ve got the wrong idea, Mr. Hale.”
“No, I don’t think I do,” I reply, my eyes locking onto his, no trace of civility left. “You’ve been siphoning money from the Garland Rose for years. Embezzling. Setting up fake companies. You’ve made a fortune off Evie’s back. All to force her to sell. Is that what you’re trying to do tothiswoman, too? Is that why you’re charming her?”
I can feel the temperature drop in the room as the words hit the air. The woman beside him freezes, sensing the shift in the conversation. Her smile is gone now. She looks between us, her face growing pale.
Lang’s jaw tightens, the façade cracking. His fingers curl into the fabric of his suit, a subtle sign of his discomfort.
“That’s quite the accusation,” he says, his voice slipping into something darker. “You should be careful. This isn’t a game you want to play.”
I take a step closer, leaning in just enough to make him feel it, to make him know I’m not backing down.
“I’m done playing games, Lang. This isn’t about some corporate takeover. This is about what you did to Evie. You think you can manipulate everyone around you for profit? Not anymore.”
The words hang between us. For a moment, I wonder if this is the end of it, if he’ll try to talk his way out of it—or worse, if he’ll try to intimidate me.
But Lang just laughs. It’s low, almost menacing, and I see the mask slip completely now. The charming, pleasant man is gone.
“You’re out of your league, Hale,” Lang spits out, dropping any pretense of civility. “You don’t know what you’re dealingwith. That hotel is a joke. It was a sinking ship before I ever got involved.”
