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Mario was at the door, and I glared at him with disgust.I didn’t even stop as I continued to my father’s office.I knew he’d be there—the king on his thrown.
I hadn’t understood why he came to this side of the country, but after seeing Chardonnay’s presentation, I realized he burned too many bridges.He had no choice but to move on to new territory.He left Mom in California because she couldn’t be caught dead on the east coast unless she was in New York.
He leaned in his chair, that stupid smirk on his face.“Come here to gloat?”he asked.“Go ahead.Doesn’t change anything.”
“You’re right.”Despite the burn of my insides, my voice was calm.“It doesn’t.You’re still a bad person and an even worse father.”
He cocked his head.“Yet you take my money, and you’ll take it again.”
“No.”I leaned in enough for him to think I was about to give in.Just enough to see the flicker of satisfaction in his cold, dead eyes.“This is the last time you’ll ever see me.I only came here to tell you to go to hell.”
The smug smirk on his face dissipated.Good.
“I might have owed you money, but I don’t owe youme.Not anymore.”I stepped back and took a deep steadying breath.“If you come near her, if you even think about touching what’s mine, I’ll burn every last bridge you’ve ever built, even if it means setting myself on fire to do it.”
His lips twitched, more snarl than smirk.“Big words for someone who came crawling back once already.”
“I’m not crawling now.”I turned for the door, then stopped.“By the way, if you didn’t already know.The board voted unanimously.You’ll never own a business in Vine Valley.”
I heard a glass shatter against the wall as I strolled out, a smile inching higher and higher with each pain-stricken step.
For the first time in my life, the ties were finally cut.I had no idea how he would react.If he would retaliate and not heed my warnings.Whatever he planned, I’d be ready for him.If it meant throwing myself in the flames to bring him down, I would happily take a running leap.
My reputation.My name.None of it mattered.
All that mattered was Sherry.
Us and the future we were going to build together.
As the thought settled over me, every muscle in my body eased.
I wasfree.
The air never felt so fresh.I eased myself into the car, and Sherry gently threw her arms around me.“You did it,” she whispered, pressing her forehead to mine.
I wrapped my arm around her the best I could, careful of my ribs.“I’m done with him for good.I don’t need him.”
Sherry looked at me, those light brown eyes filled with so much love, and for the first time in my life, I felt worthy of it.“You don’t,” she said.“You have me.”
Her lips captured mine, and I knew I’d never get tired of kissing her.“And I come with two parents and six overbearing siblings and all their significant others, so you’ll never be lonely.”
“Sounds like the life I’ve always wanted.”
The life I now knew I deserved.
All because of a one-night stand with a sexy woman dressed as Alice in Wonderland who grabbed hold of my heart and never let it go.
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