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Then I walked out, my heart hammering so hard I was sure everyone in the restaurant could hear it. I’d done it. I’d turned down a whole hell of a lot of money, and I felt damn good doing it.
I began to walk to the rental car that was parked a little ways away
Aspen at night was just as polished as it was during the day. The streets glowed with soft golden lights from the high-end restaurants and boutique hotels. Well-dressed couples strolled down the sidewalks, ski jackets perfectly tailored, their laughtereffortless.
I was halfway down the block when I heard the sharp click of heels on pavement.
“Duke!”
I didn’t stop.
She caught up anyway, stepping in front of me, forcing me to halt. Fiona looked livid—eyes blazing, breath coming fast, hands curled into fists.
“You son of a bitch,” she seethed. “Gloria was right; you’re not selling.”
I tilted my head, pretending to think. “Guess not.”
She let out a sharp, humorless laugh. “Why didn’t you just tell me the truth?”
I stepped closer, my voice low. “I owe you no truths. The ranch is mine. You’re an employee.” Not for long, but you are.
Her breath hitched, but her pride wouldn’t let her back down. “You need to go back and settle this with Piper. She doesn’t take well to being led on.”
I smirked. “That a threat?”
She swallowed hard. “Piper Novak is?—"
“You’re fired, Fiona.”
Her mouth opened, closed, then opened again. “You can’t?—”
“I can. And I did.”
She stared at me, furious and trapped. “On what grounds?”
“Lack of competence in handling the Wilder Ranch project.”
“But you don’t even want to sell.”
I shrugged. “Doesn’t change that you handled it all wrong. Also,ethicalissues.”
She snorted. Yeah, so maybe I wasn’tthatethical—but I was always on the right side of the law.
“We’re going to do an internal audit of all projects you worked on, including Evergreen, to check foranyirregularities.” She went pale. “Come after me for wrongful termination, and I’ll drag your name through every legal channel I can find and make sure you never work as a lawyer again.”
“Duke,” she breathed.
“Your stuff’s already been moved to a suite at The St. Regis.” I pointed to the resort that was across the street from where we stood.
That was the final blow. She knew then—this wasn’t a heat-of-the-moment decision. This had been my plan all along. I’d asked Hunt to take care of removing Fiona from the ranch, and he had with Itzel’s help.
Her voice wavered. “You’re a bastard, Duke Wilder.”
“You have no idea.”
CHAPTER 32
elena