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“I can’t believe you didn’t tell your Daddy you’re getting married, Reagan.”
And to make matters worse, there, standing a few paces behind him in a black suit and pink tie, was Ryan.
Chapter twenty-one
Matthew
I saw the way the color in Reagan’s face drained away. The way the smile she had had on her face the entire night disappeared into a fearful look. When I followed her line of sight, my back snapped straight attention because Ricardo’s silver hair and smug look weren’t the first thing I laid my eyes on.
It was the blonde man behind him who shared the same blonde hair as Reagan. He looked thinner compared to the last time I saw him, which was ages ago. Prison had not treated him well if the strange look in his eyes was an indication. It told me that they’d seen many things, things that would be forever etched on his mind.
But I couldn’t find it in me to pity him, even if he looked so much like my feisty employee. All I could remember was the look on his face when I found Paige’s ring around his neck.
“What are you doing here?” I sneered, stepping in front of Reagan on instinct. The stories she told me about her father were enough for me to feel the need to protect her. I quickly glanced at Reagan over my shoulder to see that she was frozen in place, her mind trying to digest the sight before her.
“We were invited, Matthew,” Ricardo answered, cockiness oozing from his voice as he gave my parents a wicked smile. “Hello, Kristofer. Lucille.”
“I didn’t know you’ were still in business,” my father retorted, narrowing his eyes at Reagan’s father. He knew about what had gone down between me and Ryan and the former had made it a personal mission to curse the latter to hell.
“Tofer,” Mother warned, pressing a calm hand on his shoulder, reminding him that this wasn’t his battle to fight.
“Our business is up and running, Tof. You don’t need to worry about that.”
“How have you been, Reagan?” Ryan’s voice was like claws on a chalkboard. He stepped out from behind his father and towards the woman behind me. Now it was me and him at the center of the group, and the only thing stopping me from grabbing him by the collar and punching his face into a bloody pulp was my respect for his sister.
“Why are you here, Ryan?” asked Reagan, her voice laced with worry as he stared down at her brother. She took a step from behind me to confront her family and now we were standing shoulder to shoulder.
“I’m not here to see an old friend, that’s for sure,” Ryan answered sarcastically. A hint of worry swept across his face as he sized up his sister, as if he thought I had hurt her or kept her here against her will.
“Then get the fuck out,” I grumbled as I shot a withering look at them. “Both of you.”
“When did you get back?” Reagan chirped, determined to get answers from her brother who had ghosted her for years and was now suddenly back home.
“When Dad said you left home, I came back two days later.”
“I’m giving your brother another chance to be CEO, given that I have no use for you. You didn’t make a single contribution to the St. James name, Reagan. You’re worthless.”
“Watch it, Ricardo,” I warned, my voice cold as I pointed a finger at him. Thankfully, there weren’t a lot of people left in the banquet hall except for the ones trying to mind their business across the room but failing. At least there were no cameras left for her to see this.
“Or what?” the old man challenged. “You going to send me to jail and make a fuss out of this? Let’s see how that will turn out for your fancy hotel.”
“Why didn’t you call me?” The longing in Reagan’s voice almost physically hurt me. There were tears pooling in the corner of her eyes, but she kept them at bay, not letting the men in her family see her so vulnerable. “You got out of prison, you went to Bali. You came back home and it didn’t cross your mind to say something to me?”
“Reagan—”
“Why else would he call you, Reagan?” their father interrupted. Why did he like tormenting his daughter so much when he was the only parent she had left? “You’re not loyal to your family. After what happened to your brother you’re going to marry the man who put him in jail?”
“You deserve it, Ryan. And more.” I could see that my girl was trying so hard not to look her father in the eyes. She was only looking at Ryan. She clenched her jaw at her father’s words but ignored him, yet he continued to push her buttons.
“And now you’re defending him? I knew I shouldn’t have let your mother coddle you. You’re weak.”
“You left home for him, Reagan?” my former business partner asked, trying to understand why Reagan did what she did. If he had communicated with his sister, he might understand why.
“She left home because your father was coercing her into covering for you. And she didn’t want that,” I answered on her behalf as my hand snaked into Reagan’s. Her hands tightened their hold around mine as if telling me she needed it. My other hand itched to form a fist to punch either man square in the jaw. I thought about hitting her brother first.
“Yeah. And she proved to me repeatedly how much of a failure she is. Your music isn’t going to feed you, Reagan. With the amount you spend daily, it’s not gonna cut it.”
“I’d rather cut you.”
