“Bullshit!” I stepped into his space, but he didn’t bat an eyelash. “This was an exclusive deal. Shaw wasn’t even looking to sell until I contacted him.”
He laughed. “Next time you should be careful who you let near the things you hold dear. I know how that feels.”
I eyed him. I had a feeling I knew where he was going with this, but I couldn’t wrap my mind around it.
“You couldn’t possibly think my daughter would choose you over her own blood. She’ll do anything for her daddy. Computer files should be protected with your life.” He patted his hand over my chest. That small tap felt like a challenge to everything I stood for. Before he really had a chance to remove his hand, I’d caught it, twisted, and watched him crumble to the floor in pain.
He hollered, yanking his hand from my hold and cradling it against his chest.
Nicholas, that stupid little fuck, had the balls enough to step in. I didn’t even remember where he came from. He had no idea how badly I wanted to break his neck. It sounded like a good plan to me. I wrapped a hand around his neck and used a pressure hold that had him passed out in less than five seconds.
“I’ll have you arrested for this. You’re done.”
I smiled at how comical the whole situation had become. I’d come here for Juliana. To make things right so she’d stop stressing over her daddy’s approval, when all along she’d already chosen him.
“Try it. You may have scored a point today, but you missed the main objective of this whole game. Juliana. I still have her, so let’s see how far Daddy will go to protect his little girl from the monster you just unleashed on her. Expect a visit from my assistant.”
“Leave Juliana out of this.” He shouted my name as I walked out the door. My vision blurred red when I thought of Juliana and Nicholas working together behind my back. I put out a call to Brody and knew within the hour Robert Callahan would be too fearful to involve the authorities.
A woman will be your downfall, Devlin. Take her out before she destroys you.
“Maybe it’s time I finally made you proud, Dad, and listened.” I pulled the car door shut behind me, knowing the ride home wasn’t going to calm my anger. It would just build, and by the time I got to Juliana, I was afraid of what I’d be capable of.
~*~*~
The resounding crash of the door slamming shut behind me vibrated the walls. The shattering sound from the glass panel crumbling caused Juliana to screech as she skidded out into the upstairs hallway.
She gazed down at me from the top of the stairs, eyes wide with panic.
“You!” I jabbed a finger in her direction as I climbed the stairs.
She backed away slowly, apparently aware of the reason I was so close to losing my shit. “What did you do, Juliana?” I followed her into the bedroom. She ran a hand through her hair, her eyes glistening with unshed tears of guilt as her back hit the wall.
“What did you fucking do?”
“Nothing.”
I snorted. Her palms were pressed to the wall, her lips trembling as I ran my thumb softly over them. “These lips… you’re such a beautiful fucking liar.”
Even with betrayal and fury hanging between us, I couldn’t rein in the feelings I always got when I looked at her. I kissed her softly, our lips barely brushing as I shut my eyes to the truth—if only for a few seconds.
“Tell me this is a figment of my imagination. Tell me this is a sick joke my mind is playing on me. Because you wouldn’t do this.”
“I’m sorry,” she muttered, barely audible.
“You let Wainwright into my home. Watched him take information that ruined a business deal I've worked on for months.”
She shook her head, a single tear rolling down her face.
I was suddenly thrown back to a time that should be long forgotten but remained as vivid as yesterday’s memories. I buried my hands in her hair, probably tugging a bit too hard. I tried to shut the memories down, but they still appeared in my mind’s eye.
Fucking whore! You betray me? I heard my father’s shouts in my head.
My mom begged with tears staining her face as my father held the gun against her temple. I’m sorry, Damien. Please, please, Devlin’s right there, baby. Don’t do this.
My father glanced back at me, eyes dark, unfocused. He looked at me like he didn’t recognize me. He turned back to her. You’ve turned him into a pussy. Don’t worry, I’ll teach him to be a man. Like his dad.
Mom shook her head as much as she could with the way his hand was wrapped around her throat, pushing her head back into the wall. King, go to your room, sweetie, she croaked, looking at me in a panic.