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They grab him by either arm and shove him out the door.
I must admit how satisfying it is to watch Ernest Adams, my second nemesis in life, stumble down the front steps of our home and almost smack into the cement pavement below. It’s a moment I savor and promise myself I’ll never forget.
Ernest might claim it’s not over, but it already is. My plan worked flawlessly. Ernest made himself look like a fool on his own, with only subtle prompts that moved him in the direction I needed.
Should he ever be foolish enough to return, I’ll kill him. For real this time.
* * *
“Did it go like you planned?”
I’m in my office sipping a drink and sorting through business contracts on my laptop. The rest of our large house is silent—Dominic’s been put to bed and half of the staff is gone for the night.
Our dinner party was a success. Several of my guys and Delphine’s guests requested we do it again sometime. Highly unlikely considering my goal was accomplished, though I wouldn’t be surprised if Delphine would like to.
She hovers in the doorway already wearing her sheer nightgown that both hangs loosely on her body but also still hints at her feminine curves underneath.
I look up half in surprise. Normally she likes to relax and enjoy a good book in bed around this hour. “Plan for what, Phi?”
“Tonight’s dinner party,” she says, padding into the room one barefoot at a time. “I know what you were doing.”
Of course, she did—Delphine’s too sharp to fool. She must’ve been able to tell what was going on.
That’s beside the fact that I was being uncharacteristically nice to her father.
No use lying or denying it.
“It did,” I admit. “I needed to play his game for a night. Intentionally get him to react in an unsavory way so you could see his true nature. He’s done it to me many times before. What do you think that moment in the birthing room was about? You know what he said in the parking lot when I followed him? Hedaredme to react, Phi.”
She wanders deeper into the room until she’s up close, sitting perched on the edge of my desk in front of me. Her beautiful bare face is neutral, her tight curls wild and free making her look even sexier.
“I know,” she sighs. “I know he does that. When I’m not around, Iknowhe taunts you.”
“I’m not the only one with a violent temper, and I wanted you to see his. Fair is fair.”
She nods slowly. “It’s true. He’s brought it on himself. The manipulations never stop with him.”
“But I want you to know, what I was doing tonight was not to manipulate you, Phi,” I say, taking her hands in mine. “It was manipulation of Ernest, but only because I had to play dirty. I had to get you to see things he wouldn’t ever show you.”
“The Blue Star thing… is it true?”
“See for yourself. I found this in his apartment. I had my men do extensive research and Ernest is involved. He had our home surveillance rigged so he could monitor us. I’m having that shit removed first thing tomorrow.”
She quickly reviews the sheets of paper I’ve handed her. Her brows draw closer and closer the more she reads until she’s making a hoarse sound of disgust from her throat and tossing the papers aside.
“He’s never changed,” she mutters. “He’s still so… so obsessed. He’s been watching us! No wonder he knew I’ve been having a hard time and he knew where and when to meet Dom and I for my appointment.”
“He won’t let it go, Phi. He refuses to accept you’ve made your choice.”
She slides from the edge of my desk and into my lap. I welcome her, my arms curling around her hips to keep her planted where she is.
“I’m so sorry he’s treated you this way,” she whispers before brushing her lips to mine. “I’m so sorry it’s come to this. I’m done giving him chances. He’s made his choice to care more about revenge against you than being in the lives of his grandson and daughter.”
“Don’t bother being upset by it. Phi, you and Dom are my world, and I’ll do anything to protect that.”
She smirks as her gentle fingers scratch my beard and she drops a kiss to my lips. “Even if it means staging a whole entire fake dinner party to drive my father insane.”
“When you put it like that, itdoessound crazy.”
