Page 157 of Dirty Rival
“He said that if this continues, he’ll make my father pay in a painful way.”
“What?” Carrie drags a hand through her hair. “Who is he? Really. Who is this man I call my father? What did your father say?”
“He loves how pissed your father is, but he said that your father will come for him and that if I don’t handle him and quickly, he will.”
“Oh my God. Oh my God.” Her hands go to my chest. “I have to go back. You have to stay.”
“Baby, I’ll handle this. You can’t deal with my father, but I will.” I cup her face again. “Listen to me. I will handle this. We’ll go to the meetings tomorrow. I’ll stay a few days, in which I’ll make plans to deal with our fathers, and then head home to deal with all of this. I’ll fly back and we will go to Paris.”
“I can’t go to Paris. I’m going to worry the whole time. Are you okay with that? Can we just have Christmas in our home together?”
My heart softens with those words our home.
“Yes, baby, we can. Of course, we can, but there won’t be anything to worry about when I’m done with our fathers. I’m going to handle it.”
“How?”
“We’ll talk about it. We’ll get Gabe involved. I need to update him. Order us some food. Let me call him while you do and then we’ll talk through our plans while we eat. Yes?”
“I don’t think I can eat.”
“You need to eat, sleep and trust me. I won’t let anything happen to your father.”
“I do trust you. I think I’ve proven that.”
“You have, but you need to remember that now. I got this and I got you.”
“How?”
“By being the brutal asshole you know I can be. I know you trust my ability to be those things. “
“Right about now that makes me happy.”
I kiss her forehead, but she pulls back. “Reid, I love you with all my heart, but I’m scared for my father. Maybe we have to call off the engagement just temporarily. Just until you can do your thing.”
Those words stab me like a sharp blade. “No,” I say in instant rejection. “I told you, you’re protected.”
“But my father is not.”
“Yes. He is. I will protect your father. You have my word. I promise you, Carrie.”
“How, Reid? How can you end this when they won’t let you end it?”
“I’ve never closed a deal in my life, baby, that someone didn’t want to stop. We’ll do this. We’ll do it together. I’m not taking that ring back. I’m not even pretending to break our engagement. We need to plan our wedding, not postpone it. Our fathers don’t get that power over us.”
“You’re right, of course.”
“I am right. I love you. You love me. Fuck them for being such shitty parents. As for Christmas, I would love to spend it with you in our home because we’re starting our life. Now, order food. I’ll make phone calls. We’ll end this war and start our lives together.” And because her quickness to call off the engagement is bugging the fuck out of me, I add, “Unless you just don’t want to marry me.”
Her hands go to my face. “Of course, I want to marry you,” she vows, sincerity radiating in her voice. “So very much.”
Relief washes over me. I cup her backside and pull her snug against me. “Then fight for me, baby, like I am for you and us.”
“I am. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make you feel that I wasn’t. I’m not running. I’m not having second thoughts about us. I just—murder takes this to a whole new place. Murder is not sabotaging someone or ruining their business. It’s murder.”
“I knew this would rattle you and with good reason, but that’s why I didn’t want to tell you. Not because I didn’t think you could handle it, but because you shouldn’t have to. I don’t want this to be your life but we’re already in the middle of this simply by being their children. Just know this, no one is going to die and we are going to live happily ever after with our dog and cat.”
She breathes out. “Yes, please. I am fighting. Fighting is all that works. I just wanted you to know that I’m willing to do whatever you need me to do to end this. Make your calls.” She kisses me. “I do think I need those French fries and most definitely the ice cream. It’s power fuel for the fight.”