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Mac smiled. “You’re still lying.”
“I’m not.” As she said it again, her voice began to strengthen with conviction. “It’ll give me a platform, too, to talk about my dad’s gambling addiction, to explain why I had to make so much money, so quickly. Going public with my story might help other people in similar situations feel less ashamed of their families, and urge them to get support for their loved ones. It won’t be easy, yeah, but I’ll do it.”
Mac’s eyes began to darken once more. Apparently this time, her tone was convincing. He opened his mouth, perhaps to curse Kiki to the ends of the earth. I wasn’t about to let him talk to her like that, not my girl.
I cut him off before he could get a word in edgewise.
“Kiki, please. You don’t have to do that. You don’t have to expose yourself to public vitriol just because of Mac. It might put you in real danger.”
“Danger of what? People knowing I sold myself? They can call me a whore, or whatever else the public thinks is an insult. I did what I had to for my family, and there’s nothing to be ashamed in that.”
Mac twitched at the mouth, then let out a bitter laugh. “Oh, Kiki. Who the hell is going to believe a cocktail waitress? We can dismantle your story in an opposing publication within minutes. You’d just end up looking like a crazy bitch.”
Just then, an idea flitted across my mind. Kiki didn’t have to do this alone.
“I’ll support her claims,” I countered. “And you know I carry weight.”
Mac doubled over now, laughing maniacally and wiping tears from his eyes.
“You? You’d support her? Oh, Tate, if you think Dazzlers is blackballed now, you should see what happens when I get mad.”
He righted himself and I saw that his face was bright red. He could laugh all he wanted, but Mac’s real fury at being challenged was written all over his visage.
This ended now.
CHAPTER 30
Kiki
I LOOKED TO Tate, anxious to see what he’d do next. Mac was right — unless a man supported my claim, I was just one woman up against a casino conglomerate. It seemed other women weren’t likely to come out and back me up, given that they probably wouldn’t want their own sales publicized. Tate was my only chance.
Tate took a deep breath, then said, “I don’t care if you blacklist me, Mac, because I’m shutting down Dazzlers.”
“What?!” Mac and I cried at the same time.
We both tried to speak again, but Mac cut me off. “I’m calling your bluff, Tate.”
“It’s true. You don’t have to believe me. That’s your prerogative. But I’m done with this bullshit thing we call showbiz.”
Tate turned to me — as much as he could in the guards’ grasp, anyway — and continued.
“Kiki, since I’ve met you, you’ve shown me that it’s possible to be good. I’ve grown up surrounded by the worst sorts of people, all damaged and conniving. Meeting you made me realize that I don’t have to be like that, that there’s another way to exist. I believe in that future, the one where I’m not saddled with my father’s legacy, where I can carve my own path. I can’t own Dazzlers and be my own person. So I’m letting it go.”
Tears dropped down my cheeks.
“You learned all that just from me?” I murmured. “But I’m nobody.”
“Don’t say that. You’re the most wonderful person I’ve ever met.”
I glanced from Tate to Mac, who was absolutely speechless. I know gamblers, and I know the expression of a man who has played all his cards.
“We’re walking out of here,” Tate declared. “Together. Mac, let me go. I have to take Kiki home.”
Mac, looking stunned beyond speech, nodded subtly to his guards, who dropped Tate’s arms.
Tate ran to me, falling to his knees and laying his face onto my lap. My hands cradled his head as he hugged me close.
“I love you, Kiki,” he said. “I should’ve told you the moment we met. I love you. Let’s make a new life together, okay?”
“Okay,” I agreed. “Now untie me and let’s get out of here.”
Tate scrambled up and moved around to the back of my chair, loosening the binds. I kept my eyes on Mac’s astonished face. He clearly wasn’t accustomed to losing, so besting him in a game of wits was even more rewarding. In no time, Tate had slipped me free of the constraints and helped me out of the chair, my legs still on pins and needles from the tightened ropes.
“I’m so sorry,” he whispered into my ear as his hands worked me free. “I’ll never hurt you again, so long as I live.”
“You’ve made up for it by totally rescuing my ass,” I joked, standing up as the last ropes slipped to the floor.
