Page 421 of Cheaters: A Dark Romance Anthology

“Well, your old man has gotten himself in some more trouble. That loan you helped me out with was just one of many. While you were gone, a couple more came knocking. I thought that if it was so easy for you to get the money, maybe you could do it again.”

“Easy?! Do you think it was easy?! The past week has destroyed me! And you want me just to bail you out again?”

“Let’s not get all emotional about it, Katarina,” he says, getting up to grab another beer.

“Emotional? No.” I shake my head back and forth. “Fuck you. I’m done. Solve your own problems.”

I stand up to walk out, and he calls, “You can’t be serious. I’m your father!”

“Yeah, and a shitty one,” I mumble. “I’m getting out of this town, and I’m starting over. Don’t bother calling me because I will have a new phone number as of tonight. I hope you’re happy with your drinking and your gambling—they’ve always taken priority over me, so I hope you and your vices have a great life.”

With that, I walk out, slamming the door behind me. How many times can I have my heart broken in a single week?

Did I really expect my father to thank me and take me into his arms, telling me how happy he was that I am his daughter? Has he done that in the past twenty years?

I’m so dumb. I should have never helped that asshole in the first place. If I hadn’t, I wouldn’t have gone to Vegas and met Dominic, and I wouldn’t be such a mess right now.

I drive home, ready to get online and start looking for a new job in a new city.

No. Fuck that.

I am packing up my car tonight and just taking off. I will stop somewhere when it feels right. Dominic was right. If I don’t get out now, I never will, which terrifies me.

When I get back to my apartment, I about have a heart attack because a strange man is waiting outside my door.

Who the fuck?

As I step closer, I see that the large man is none other than John, Dominic’s head of security.

“John?” I call from down the hall.

“Hello, Miss Simms.”

When I reach him, I say, “Not to be rude, but why are you here?”

“I have something for you.” He holds up a briefcase.

I invite him inside, not wanting to have this conversation in the hallway where my neighbors can hear. Maybe I should be scared that he will hurt me or rape me or something. But I’m not. Hell, at this point, I just don’t give a damn.

He looks around at my tiny place when we are inside and says, “Cute.”

“Yeah, it’s a real charmer,” I scoff. Walking over to my fridge, I grab two beers and hand one to John.

“I shouldn’t,” he says.

“Oh, live a little, John. I won’t tell the boss.”

He cracks open the top and takes a drink. “Thank you, Miss Simms.”

“Katarina, please. Call me Katarina. Now, why don’t you tell me why you’re here?”

“Mr. Delgado wanted me to bring this over.”

He hands me the shiny black briefcase. I look it up and down before asking, “Is there a bomb inside?”

“Do you think I’d still be sitting here if there was?”

Wow, Mr. Serious has a bit of a sense of humor.

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