Page 71 of Deal With The Devil

Olive slides over beside me, grabbing my hand and squeezing. I look up and into her intent gaze.

"Talia, you can provide more for your baby than you ever had in your own childhood if you choose to have Dare’s child instead of just being a parent on your own. You know I only want the best for you. And that carries over to your baby, whom I will love and am very excited to meet. You two are my only concern."

I pull her into a tight hug, my eyes misting over. "I know. You’re just looking out for me. I’m really glad that I have you as my best friend, Olivia."

We sit and chat for a while longer as we watch Gina’s lesson progress. Then Olivia says she needs to head back to town to attend a meeting at work for her entire lab, and she can’t be late to that.

I hug her goodbye at the curb outside the bookstore; she gives me a small wave and tells me that everything will be okay before she departs.

As I turn around and walk toward the bookstore, I see something out of place in the front window. At first, I think that it is an optical illusion of some sort. Aunt Minnie has gone overboard more than a few times when it comes to this front window.

But as I step closer, I spot Aunt Minnie on her hands and knees, picking up pieces of jagged glass from the floor. The display window has been completely smashed in on one side, leaving a gaping hole where someone grabbed every book that they could get their hands on.

My heart jumps into my throat. I rush inside, now that I can see the damage clearly. Not only has the front window been smashed, but the whole shop is in disarray, with reading chairs overturned, books and bookshelves on the floor, and all the piles of books kicked or pushed onto the floor.

"Aunt Minnie!" I shout. My hands fly up to my mouth. "Oh, my God! Are you okay?"

Rushing over to where she is still kneeling, I carefully help her to her feet. She has a broom and a dustpan in her hands, and she looks at me with a tearful expression. Her gray hair is wild and wiry, and her long, dark purple caftan is rumpled.

"I’m afraid they got away with everything in the cash register," she says. She wipes at her eyes. "Two men, wearing ski masks. They…"

"Wait, wait…" I say, shaking my head. "You saw them? Are you okay? What the hell happened?"

Minnie looks at me and then sets the broom and dustpan against the wall.

She rubs her hands over her face while shaking her head. "I don’t know. They were big guys. And they said that they wanted the money that I owe for the store. I’m confused, because I don’t think that my friend who loaned me the money has even called in my debts yet. I was under the impression that I had another month or two to come up with some of the money. But these guys knew about what I owed. When I couldn’t give them anything, they started tearing the whole store apart and smashing the front window. They said that if I don’t have anything for them when they come back in a week, they are going to break my bones."

Aunt Minnie looks at me, her face full of fear but trying to hold back her cascade of tears.

Her story fills me with so many emotions. The roar of blood pumping in my ears is so loud I can’t hear her any longer. This is my absolute nightmare.

"Oh, Aunt Minnie!" Beckoning to her, I gather her in my arms and give her a tight hug. She begins to sob in my arms, apologizing profusely for having gotten herself into this mess. I let her cry for a couple of minutes, running my hand over her back and gently rocking her.

"It will be okay. Trust me, it’ll all be okay."

"How can it be? She cries. Oh, Talia. I’ve really gotten myself into something that is too big for me to handle. What do I even do? Do I go to the police?"

I swallow, thinking of the money that Dare had offered me as part of his proposal. It’s still insulting and unromantic. But now that it could save Minnie’s life?

I’m starting to think that I should accept it and pay off her creditors. If I could save Minnie, her bookstore, and her home and give the leftover money to Hope House, that would be money well spent, as far as I’m concerned.

I rock Minnie back and forth, looking out the window toward the horizon.

I am done going over my options. I know what I need to do.

ChapterNineteen

DARE

Igrit my teeth and glare at my twin, my legs spread wide, and my fingers itching to do him harm. He leans against one corner of Remy’s desk, glowering at me. Remy watches both of us from his broad desk, rocking back in his chair. My uncle Felix and my father are like a set of stone gargoyles, each perched in their corners of the office and watching our fight passively.

Burn slaps a hand down on the desk, drawing my attention.

"It’s obvious I’ve already won. I think that because I am so much closer to being married and having a grandchild, I should be rewarded by being named the next CEO after Remy."

I roll my eyes and look at Remy, pleading my case. "He doesn’t even have either of the qualifications that are necessary to win the race. He’s having a hard time making Daisy move the wedding date up. That’s why he is pulling this stunt."

Burn stands up, shooting me a glare, and then waving around the room. "I think we all agree on the facts. Simply put, Dare is getting nowhere with his desperate search to find a bride. He isn’t going to win. So, I think that it is only fair to go ahead and name me the successor now."

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