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I gripped the edge of the bar, feeling the effects of the tequila swimming in my head. “He threatened her. He threatened Jess.”
Ryan and Frank both froze and exchanged a glance.
“Who threatened Jess?” Frank balled his hand into a fist that made the tattoos on his forearm dance.
“Carla’s father, Mr. Crawford. He threatened her future in the entertainment industry. Said he’d make sure she never got a job or worked anywhere in this town if I didn’t do what he wanted.” My shoulders unknotted a fraction, relaxing as I confessed this to my brothers.
Ryan gave me a confused look. “And what he wanted was for you to marry his daughter?”
“Yeah.”
I knew it didn’t make any sense, wasn’t at all logical. I had no idea how I’d gotten in the middle of it, but I’d panicked, straight up nearly lost my shit when Mr. Crawford not only said he knew about Jess, but then threatened her future. I would have agreed to almost anything he asked if it meant he wouldn’t hurt my girl.
“But why that? Why the hell would Mr. Crawford want you to marry his daughter that badly? What’s in it for him?”
I shrugged. Their guess was as good as mine. “I can only assume it’s because that’s what Carla wants. She’s been after me since State. She’s always told me that we’d end up together one way or another.”
“And let me guess.” Ryan rolled his eyes. “Whatever Daddy’s little angel wants, Daddy’s little angel gets?”
“She is his only child,” Frank muttered, and held up his phone. “Just doing some quick recon. She’s an only child. Her mom was killed in a car accident when she was eight. Apparently Carla was in the car. She’s very popular on social media. Traveled all over the world, and lives the life of a socialite. It looks like she wants for nothing, and in an interview back a couple of years ago, her dad mentioned that she was his only weakness. ‘If Carla isn’t happy, I’m not happy. I will always do anything in my power to keep a smile on her face, no matter what it takes, no matter the cost.’”
“She’s a grade-A pain in the ass is what she is,” I said with a snarl. “She’s the most spoiled-rotten, vapid person I’ve ever known.”
“Then you can’t do this, Nick. My God, you can’t tie yourself to that,” Ryan said, shaking his head.
“I told you. I don’t have a choice.” I pulled at my hair, feeling no better.
“Does Dad know?” Frank asked.
“He knows. He’s the one who keeps pushing me to go through with it.”
Frank’s fist met the top of the bar, and I almost jumped out of my seat. I’d
rarely seen him this angry.
“None of this makes any sense, Nick. None of it.”
Ryan nodded his head in agreement. “Yeah. This is insane. This is like a damn movie you watch, not something that happens in real life.”
Looking away from both of their glares, I stared at the lights of the bar, letting my focus go in and out. “Look, I don’t have any of the answers. And I don’t know why Dad is so hell-bent on making this union happen either, except that he really wants that partnership. He always has.”
“So this is all about money?” Frank’s mouth twisted in disgust.
“Dad has enough money.” Ryan’s expression still looked more confused than anything else.
I groaned, wishing I knew exactly what the hell it really was about for our old man so I could fill them in. “Maybe it’s about power? Control? I don’t know, you guys. Greed is an ugly thing. And success changes people.”
Frank glanced at Ryan, his disgust only deepening. “It hasn’t changed us.”
“It’s changed me a little,” Ryan offered with a shrug before signaling to us that he’d be right back. The bar had all but cleared out by this point, except for the two stragglers who’d finished off their beer and were ready to pay their tab.
Frank and I waited in silence for Ryan to return before we started talking again. Blinding sunlight filtered through the open door for a second as the customers left.
“What do you mean, it’s changed you a little?” Frank asked the moment Ryan was within speaking distance.
“I just meant that I like the success we’ve had with the bar. And I want more of it. Not at any cost, and I don’t want to hurt anyone, but it’s definitely made me more motivated.”
Frank nodded in quiet agreement. “I totally get that. I want more too. I’m really proud of what we’ve built.”
