Page 58 of Nothing to Win

“THAT’S NOT THE CASE,” her father said a brandy or two in.

She should’ve warned Brogan not to engage.

“You anticipate the possibility,” Brogan said, in his own wingback chair near the fireplace.

They all had a chair though not all got the same amount of time with the proverbial talking stick.Her mother’s chair was next to her father’s.The look on her face suggested she was listening, yet the loose wine glass in her hand was over it.All the years she’d sat in silence, her mom must’ve picked up a few coping strategies.Wine was as good a crutch as any.

“You plan for failure?”her father asked Brogan.“You expect to fail?”

“I prepare myself for every eventuality, Conway.Some things are out of our hands.”

“Sears are not built that way,” her father said, smug.“We’re not built to fail.”

“Maybe,” Brogan said.“Or maybe I look at situations from more than one perspective.It’s not about what I want, it’s what I can achieve.Risk versus reward.That takes work beyond the basics.Why exert the effort if the end game doesn’t have significant payoff?You chase the small potatoes, that wastes time that could be better spent elsewhere.”

It was so stupid, but she was proud of him.The conversation wasn’t exactly confrontational, though there was some tension.That would always exist… Though not with her around.Brogan and her relatives would still see each other in the boardroom.Once the deal was done, she wouldn’t be around this tension anymore.

She finished her wine and put the glass down to slide to the edge of her seat.

“I’m going to bed,” she said.

“Bed?”her mother repeated and looked to her father.

“You’re staying?”

“Why wouldn’t we?”she asked.“The party is tomorrow night.You’ll have a lot to organize.”Which usually she’d help with.“And it’s the weekend.There’s no point going back to the city tonight only to come back out tomorrow.”She caught Brogan’s eye.“Do you want me to show you where my room is?”

“I know where your room is.”

How?God only knew.Interesting though, his security guy had known it too.

“Okay.Wake me when you come up.”

He tossed the last of his Scotch into his throat then stood up.“What you’re taking up there is more entertaining than anything down here.”

Wrapping an arm around her, he held her to his side.“We’ll see you at breakfast.”

“Oh no, no.No, no, no,” her father said.“In my house?”

“It’s my house too.”

She couldn’t push too hard or she’d be on the street in a few weeks.Maybe Roxie would let her move into Crimson Palace.What a life that would be.

“It’s inappropriate.”

“No,” Brogan said.“It’s inappropriate to single out your consenting daughter for doing what all adults do.I can screw her here or I can do it at home, makes no difference to my cock.”

And, boom, a mic drop that got her instantly wet.He’d said that.He’d really said it.

She didn’t hear any objections.Though that may be because the room hung in silent suspension.They couldn’t quite believe he’d said it either.That one would keep going for a while.Time to take advantage of the astonishment.

“Goodnight, everyone.”

With a nudge, Brogan walked them away from her dumbstruck family.He kept the pace as they ascended the stairs and traversed corridors.If navigating duty had been hers, they’d be sprinting.

As stated, Brogan knew just where to go and led them straight to her room.Inside, she spun out of his arm’s embrace to lock the door as he checked things out.Spine to the door, she clutched the handle, still trying to—did that really happen?

“I can’t believe you did that,” she said, exhilarated, adrenaline fueled blood rushing through her veins.“You’re incredible.”