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“Yes sir.”

The call ends without a goodbye and I exhale, tucking my phone away. I know my father enough not to call his bluff.

Downtown blurs into the industrial parks on the perimeter of the city. The slight buzz from the wine holds me spellbound to the passing scenery.

Ten minutes later, Victor announces, “We’ve arrived, sir.”

Weston Rose looks betterthan he deserves. He deserved a closed casket funeral the second I saw him slap his sister at that auction, but here we are.

He sits up in bed, monitors beeping, while a nurse helps him sip water.

When I clear my throat, the nurse smiles at me while Weston’s face pales like he just made eye contact with a ghost.

Good. The Rose sibling I want to fear me, does. That alone settles the lingering tension from my lunch date.

I don’t waste time on pleasantries, but I do wait until the nurse leaves his bedside before I tell him exactly how the next three months are going to go.

“Enough coke to kill an elephant in your system that night.”

“You have nothing to offer society in that state.”

“Best ninety-day facility in the country.”

“When you get out, you can explain to me why the hell you still deserve to be alive.”

He nods along with every new detail, silent acceptance and trembling fingers wrapped around his call button.

But he doesn’t push it. Maybe because he knows nobody is coming to help his dumb ass.

Before I leave, I pause to button my suit jacket and turn back to look at him, letting a burning question finally leave my lips.

“Why wasn’t Delilah left anything in your father’s will?”

His eyes flicker to the door and back to me before he makes a show of rubbing his hand over his heart.

“Because my father knew exactly who she was. He left it to me because he knew I could manage it.”

The sound of me kissing my teeth joins the beep of the monitors. “That remains to be seen. Your net worth has been in the negative for the past ten years.”

Weston rushes to object, his words coming out on a stammer. “Sh-She’s not who you think she is. Don’t let her damsel in distress act fool you. She’s the reason our mother left, the reason my father is dead. She’s a snake, Samson. Be careful.”

Stuffing my hands in my pockets, I stare at him.

He follows his ramble with another one. “And I told you, my funds are tied up. But as soon as I move things around, I’ll have your money.”

A lie. The debt he owes to The Society matches what he owes me. Delilah’s virginity would have cleared that debt, and now she’s with me. How he plans to scare up two million dollars is none of my business. And anybody who believes Weston’s lies deserves what they get. A momentary lapse has my heart rate pickingup and a smile fighting for purchase on my face because all I can think about is Delilah spewing similar words at me when she woke up.

My teeth puncture the inside of my cheek, washing away the amusement. “She’s your only family left in this world. I could be violating her every night. And your only thought is that I should be careful?”

He looks solemn but it’s insincere. “She’s good at fooling people. Don’t let her play you. Don’t let her get to you,” he warns on a rasp.

She’s already gotten to me.

How low have I fallen where I’m taking anything this man says seriously?

It’s like my common sense has a restraining order out on me when it comes to this woman.

But I’m being smart.