“What?” Janson asked.
“I went to get her, bring her back to the penthouse, and he’d taken her in a struggle. Left a note.” My blood boiled just thinking about it. I’d kicked her out of my home, out of my life, and left her to figure it all out on her own. All because I was afraid of the consequences my father might bestow upon me. I wanted her back, even if she wasn’t pregnant, but when I’d learned that she was, it was the last straw. I was going to have her. I was going to make her see just how much I loved her.
“He wants you to come after him.” Janson said it like it was a revelation. I wasn’t stupid, I knew exactly what this was.
“I know. It was the showdown that was always meant to happen.” The one my father put in motion from the very beginning. “Meet me at headquarters. I have a feeling I know exactly where he is.”
I didn’t care what my father told me to do. That bastard was going to pay.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Joanna
“I don’t know what the hell you’re trying to pull, but Greyson will come for me.” I said it with such anger that I was astounded when he turned to me and laughed.
It wasn’t the kind of chuckle you get from someone who doesn’t believe you, no, it was a full-bodied laugh.
“That, my dear, is exactly what I am hoping for.” He smiled at me, “When I exposed you I did so out of anger. You turned me down. You married him.”
I wasn’t chained. Wasn’t tied down, no. I didn’t need to be David had two of his men posted at the door and even if I got out there was nowhere to go. He had me trapped down by the docks. If I tried to run they could easily overtake me. He knew that and so did I, so I didn’t try to run. I just sat on the ratty sofa and tapped my foot.
“I was never going to marry you. You’re unstable.” That earned me a nasty slap across the face. He swung his hand so hard that the crack rang out across the room.
f*ck
.
“I’m not unstable. I’m smart. Strategic. You’d see that if you would’ve just listened. If you would’ve stopped to assess the situation. You could’ve been a f*ck
ing queen, and now look at you. Just another pregnant whore.”
He spit the words out like they would infect him just for saying them. He was so filled with disgust with me that he slowed his speech. “You’ve ruined everything. I started chaos, a war, over you. f*ck
ing Helen of Troy.”
“I highly doubt I’m that beautiful,” I said. His wit was no match for mine.
“No, but you are Greyson’s weakness. He will come looking for you, and then I’ll strike. That stupid sap has been moping ever since you walked out of his life. When I found out you were pregnant I knew it was the perfect opportunity.” He was almost f*ck
ing maniacal with his hands clasped together. I didn’t know if he was doing it for effect or if it was just the way he was. David was teetering on the edge of insane, I knew that much.
“How did you-”
“The same way Greyson knew. I just paid his PI to tell me first. Money. People are easily swayed by it. Not you though. Not money, not freedom. Nothing I could say was going to convince you. You thought he would love you, but he just threw you away.” It was the truth, and it stung worse than the slap in the face he delivered.
“Ah, I do believe I hear that classic Chevelle engine now. I knew he couldn’t resist.” I heard it just after he called attention to it and I knew instantly it was him. I could feel it in my bones.
It was a trap, but I didn’t care. I wanted him to come. I knew he would rescue me.
And if he couldn’t, I would be subject to David and whatever he wanted.
I’d rather die.
“David, let her go.” Greyson’s voice rang out from an unknown place.
“No. She’s too useful. Fight me for her, the winner inherits the family, the merger.” So that was what he wanted from me. The joining of the two families was still important to him. He thought he could create an all spanning empire from the marriage.
Clearly he didn’t know my uncle.
Two gunshots rang out and the men guarding the door fell.
“The f*ck
?” David asked.
“You think I just showed up? I’ve been here for a while, little brother. The rest of your guards are in a similar state. Don’t worry, they aren’t dead. Just tranked. Father was curious as to who would aid you in this. So was I,” Greyson growled as he stepped behind the shadows. “There are two ways to play this. You can let her go and we can all walk away alive, or we can fight it out.” He had his gun pointed right at David’s head.
“No weapons, just fists. I’ll fight you.” David set his gun down and kicked it aside.
“And the gun in your boot,” Greyson said.
He threw that out too.
Greyson dropped his weapons, but David didn’t wait. He charged right at him as soon as he bent down, running full speed at the father of my baby while he was vulnerable.