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“Actually he has. I can provide you with bank statements showing that the value of your father’s estate on his supposed death was upwards of three hundred million dollars. Two million is a mere fraction—”
“I think he’s been trying to seduce her,” Reginald says, and I feel sick.
“That’s not—!”
“That would make sense,” the woman says, nodding. “Did it seem like he was ever going to tell her about the two million that’s left?”
“No.”
“They’re not blood related so marriage isn’t out of the question. Once they’re married, the money trail is as good as dead. They stay together a few years, then he divorces her, and walks away with the cash. It’s a clever plan.”
“Stop!” I protest, gripping the sides of my head. “None of this makes any sense. Where are these bank statements? Three hundred million dollars? That’s…”
I draw a deep breath. My breasts are aching and I need to pump them. I’ve been thinking about Eli way too much and it’s making me moody.
I have to find out what’s going on. And there’s no way I trust either of these two to tell me the truth.
Turning before Reginald can stop me, I flee back inside the house, slamming the door behind me as I go. I know he can open it, but I need that physical barrier between me and my long lost, presumed-dead father.
“What are they talking about?” I ask as I grip the door frame in the kitchen doorway. “They’re talking about hundreds of millions, and trusts and lawyers stealing from me. I don’t understand any of it. Please, Eli. Please…” My head is swimming. “Please…”
I try to breathe but it’s impossible. My knees give way and I slide down.
And the last thing I know is strong hands gripping around my waist.
CHAPTER 10
Eli
“They’re gone,” I tell her as her breathing changes.
She’s been unconscious for fifty-two minutes and thirteen seconds. Long enough for me to start to panic and call the doc. Long enough for me to confront my not-so-dead little brother over what he said to her.
Long enough to make it clear if he ever tries to pull a stunt like that again, I’ll find out who he owed money to and let them know he’s alive after all.
He’s a fucking asshole.
Not evil, but Jesus fucking Christ he needs to grow him some ethics. And while he’s planting morals he ought to also sprinkle a few apologies in there because if he ever wants to speak to his daughter again he’ll need them.
“What happened?” Ruby asks. “What… Was it true? About the money?”
“Which part?” I ask, putting the back of my hand to her forehead, checking her temperature. The doc said so long as she stays hydrated and comfortable, she’ll be fine, but to call him back if anything changes.
I intend to be by her side to watch for changes twenty-four seven until she’s recovered.
“Did my father leave me three hundred million dollars?”
I snort a laugh. “No. The chances of Reginald Morton making three hundred million dollars and actually keeping it are zero to none. Sorry, baby.”
She shakes her head. “I’m glad.”
“Are you?”
“I don’t know what I’d do with that money.”
I nod, drawing a deep breath. “But it is true that I kept the money he did leave from you. If I hadn’t, he wouldn’t have been able to use that against us. That’s the truth. I did it because I wanted this life. With you.”
“You had it,” she says, gripping my hand in hers. “I wasn’t going anywhere.”
“But if you’d had all the designer clothes and the fancy cars, you would have. Or I thought you might. I couldn’t take that chance. So I made a choice for you, and maybe I shouldn’t have, but I did.”
Her eyes drift open and she spears me with those blue orbs. “Not much of an apology.”
I shrug. “It wasn’t supposed to be.”
“What did Reginald want though? Why try to convince me that I had so much?”
“Because he wanted what was left. His plan was to get you to sign over control to him, so he could investigate. And then he was going to use your money to set himself back up. Your father isn’t a bad man, Ruby, not really. He just doesn’t think about anyone but himself.”
“And the woman?”
I shrug. “No idea. She was pretending to be a lawyer. Perhaps she even is a lawyer. It doesn’t matter, they’re both gone. And I made it clear to Reginald that he isn’t welcome back here until he can learn to behave himself.”
She smiles and squeezes my hand. “For what it’s worth, this is a better life than I ever could have had with that money.”
“That’s what I thought, baby. But now you know that you have it…”
“What?”
I grin, lifting her hand and kissing her knuckles. “The tractor really needs a new tow hitch.”
