Chapter 32

Tara

"I thought you said you handled the Greene Street property, girl?"

"I did. I met with the realtor last week and did a walk through. It's not worth the investment, Daddy." God, I hate calling him that.

William slams his fist on his desk, making me flinch. I've never seen him this angry before. Yes, he has a temper, but he's never aimed it at me before.

"I told you to get that property, Tara. God damnit!" He drops into his seat and pinches the bridge of his nose. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have yelled."

"It's okay." No, it's not. "You're under a lot of pressure." I sound like my mother. "I went to close the deal, but the owner decided to put it up for auction at the end of the month and refused all offers."

William stills. "How many offers did they have already?"

"I don't know exactly."

"Fucking Clyde-Smith vultures. They've managed to get every single property I want, and I don't understand how. If we hadn't already signed the contracts for the two hotels, they'd have them too. They're working faster than us." William runs his finger along his bottom lip while he thinks. "I was told a third party is interested in it, too. Do you know anything about that?"

"I'm sure there are several investors who want it." I'll never tell him it's Ryker. I'll protect that man at all costs from my stepfather's vindictive strikes. "It's the last cheap piece of real estate on that side of the city."

"And yet you couldn't close the fucking deal."

His angry disappointment makes me cringe. "It's garbage. You'd have to level the place and turn it into parking spaces."

"Don't fucking tell me what I should do!" He slams his fist on the desk again.

I take a step back. Holy hell, I've never seen him so mad before.

"Travis can investigate who the other interested parties are," Garret says behind me. I didn't even hear him come in. "I'll take care of it."

"No." William stands. Leaning on his knuckles, he bends forward and glares at me from across the desk. "Tara will take care of it." His dark eyes rake down my body and lands on a specific body part. "By any means necessary. Is that clear?"

The blood drains from my head. He… he can't possibly be referring to what I think he is, right? "Daddy, I—"

"You want to keep that trust fund, sweetheart? Earn it. Get me that fucking property or kiss your money and your job goodbye."

I can't believe he's doing this to me. "But it goes up for auction at the end of the month."

"Then you have two weeks to seal the deal before that happens." My stepfather straightens up and walks over to me. "I thought you were a smart woman, Tara. You've never disappointed me before now." He runs his finger along the strap of my dress. My stomach twists. I'm going to throw up. "If your brains can't seal the deal, use what's between your legs. It worked wonders for your mother."

I slap his hand off me and step back. I'm so done with this. I've spent too much time and energy trying to prove myself to William, to prove to his whole side of the family that I'm a valuable asset. That I'm smart and skilled. But I'll never be good enough. I'm only a woman who's worth to the company is valued when I spread my legs to seal a deal a man can't get on his own.

It makes me sick.

Seething, I can barely keep my tone level and calm. "I'm done." My chin trembles and I hate it. "I fucking quit."

William blanches.

"Nothing I do is good enough." Fisting my hair, I want to pull it out. "The degrees, the deals, the work and time I've put into making you happy and proud. I've busted my ass to help your company grow. And you've never seen me as an asset at all."

"Ass, asset." Garret shrugs. "Tomato, tomahto."

William doesn't say a word.

I've never felt this used before. So slapped in the face. All the work I've done to be a member of the Brisbane family, all the shit I've put up with from Garret over the years, all the digs I let slide from the company employees… I've been trained to keep William happy for my mother's sake.

Fuck. This. I know my worth and if they don't, that's their mistake. "I'll have my assistant transfer all accounts to Garret."

William's brow furrows. "Tara, you're not serious."

"Oh, I am. So, fuck you," I flip him the bird. "And double fuck you, you arrogant piece of shit." I flip both middle fingers up to Garret and then spin on my heels and storm out the door.

Only to run smack into Ryker in the foyer.

"Let's go," I say, fisting the lapels of his suit jacket and spinning him towards the front door.

"Tara, what the—"

"We're leaving. Now." If I stay any longer, I'll commit murder. "I need to get out of here."

He must see the desperation in my eyes because his jaw clenches. Then he glances at the door to my stepfather's office and his eyes darken. Without asking me why, he wraps his arm around my waist. "I've got you," he says, escorting me towards the front entrance. "Let's go, baby."

We make it outside and I all but stumble down the steps. I swear to God, I've never been this mad before in my life. Of all the things I've put up with, William's just crushed me with one fucking sentence, and I refuse to roll over and take it anymore.

Nostrils flaring, I look over at the garden—tempted to tell my mother what's just happened. But what's the point? I know exactly what she'll say. Tara, you need to apologize. He's under a lot of stress and says things he doesn't mean. Don't make a mountain out of a molehill. It's no big deal.

Well, it's a big fucking deal to me, damnit.

I no sooner reach our car, when something catches my attention. The black Mercedes parked behind us in the circular driveway is rocking.

My blood chills.

"Tara, get in the car," Ryker commands, but I flick my finger up at him, silently telling him to hold on. Then I creep closer to the vehicle.

Mom's bouncing on Travis's lap in the backseat, making loud porn star noises.

My last fuck burs to cinders.

Stalking back to Ryker, I drop my ass into the passenger seat and slam the door shut. "Get me out of here."