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“You can lay your empty threats on us all you'd like,” I continued. “But you will not receive one dime from me.”
Her father's face screwed up like he tasted something sour. “She's not worth it to you?” he asked, sneering at her. “You may have dressed her up to look like one of your dumb debutants, but under underneath all that fancy fabric she's still what she's always been, a selfish little whore?—”
I swung.
CHAPTER 17
Aspen
The sound of Crossland’s fist connecting with my father's jaw was so audible every single person in the room looked our way. Not only were all eyes on us, but so were the cameras who’d been documenting the experience.
Adrenaline racked my body as I leaped between anger, shame, and the protective instincts swirling inside me.
My father grinned, that same sadistic smile that I’d grown up with.
He’d just gotten exactly what he wanted, and he knew it, even as blood dribbled out of the corner of his mouth. Even as the security detail hauled him off the floor.
“I'm going to press charges, you stupid son of a bitch,” my father spit out the words, my mother fawning over him as if he was the most important thing in the world. Like we didn’t all know that she'd sell him out for a few zeros if anyone cared to make the offer.
Brecken sniffled behind me, and I whirled around, torn between begging for Crossland’s forgiveness and the need to take care of my baby sister.
Crossland shook out his hand, following the security as they dragged my parents out of the room.
I focused on Brecken, smoothing my hands over her cheeks, her tears getting caught on my fingertips. She was trembling, and her eyes were distant like she wasn’t here at all but reliving some horrible experience that I hadn't been able to protect her from years ago.
“You're safe,” I said, drawing her a little closer. “Brecken, I need you to breathe. I need you to know that they can't touch you. I've got you. I'm going to get you out of here.”
She blinked a few times, the light coming back to her eyes as her bottom lip shook. She sucked in a deep breath and blew it out slowly.
“We’re safe,” she said, repeating the words a few more times as she did her best to get ahead of the panic attack I could see lingering on the edge of her features.
She hadn’t had one in a couple years, but the last one had sent us to the emergency room. I didn’t want that for her, didn’t want that to happen now, and I fucking hated my parents for putting her through this.
Concern rippled over her features as she spotted Crossland following our parents outside. “You have to go after him,” she said, her voice carrying every ounce the strength she possessed as she held herself together.
“I'm not going to leave you like this,” I said, even though every instinct in my body was roaring at me to go after Crossland.
“I'm fine,” she said. “I promise. I'm doing my breathing. We can break down about this later. You have to go see what's happening out there.”
I nodded at her assurance, wrapping her in a tight hug before I hurried through the crowd who was already looking at me with judgment in their eyes.
I couldn’t really blame them. It was more than obvious who those people belonged to, what brought those people here, andit sure as hell wasn't Crossland. That's not the company he ever kept, and I could see it on so many of their faces. My presence here ruined what this night was supposed to be about.
Guilt ate at me with every step I took, but I finally managed to make it out of the room, and out of the hospital where I stopped dead in my tracks, watching as Crossland scribbled on his checkbook before tearing out the paper and shoving it into my father's hands.
“This is just enough,” my father said, pocketing the check. “I won't press charges tonight, but you better believe this isn't the last you've seen of us.”
My entire body went cold, dread slicing through my veins.
Security shoved my parents unceremoniously into the back of a cab that I was sure Crossland paid for, and even as they drove away, even as I felt the distance between us, I couldn’t move.
Their presence, their words, the scene they’d caused, it reduced me to nothing but that weak little girl who couldn't escape them all those years ago. That same girl who fought tooth and nail to get her sister out of the same situation.
I was no longer the confident twenty-nine-year-old who had proudly gotten my sister into college, I was just the daughter of trashy people who’d just ruined what was supposed to be a monumental night for the love of my life.
After getting the nod from Crossland, the security detail went back into the building, but kept him in their sights.
Crossland paced the length of the pavement, shaking out his hand.
