Page 113 of Merciless Heir
I did the most stupid thing in the world I’ve done.
I fell in love with Kingston Sinclair.
And, to protect him, I smashed my own heart, along with any chance with him, to pieces.
We’re done.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Kingston
Her dad comes out from the shadows across the hall.
I don’t turn because her words still burn inside me. What she said, how she said it all, put my long ago past into perspective. Back then, I was a kid playing at love and got burned. My ego and pride got crisped up and blacked.
But now?
Oh, fuck me, she’s ripped me open and left me bleeding and I…I don’t know what to do.
Except deal with this nasty piece of filth who happens to be her father.
I take a breath and rub my eyes, forcing myself back under lock and key. And I turn. The man leans against the door, his lined face wearing a casual smile, a knowing one, like he has me where he wants me.
I didn’t lie about the evidence of her leaving that apartment building. Sadie has been busy and not telling me a damn fucking thing, just like I thought.
But—and I need to be real here—as evidence it’s non-existent. And no one that bought stolen goods will report that to the cops. He thinks he has me and he doesn’t. “You get what you’re trying to do, don’t you, Trevor?”
“And what’s that? Bring you justice?” He straightens.
“We’re talking about your daughter you want to throw under a bus. And she says she doesn’t have it.”
“I showed you evidence,” he says.
“Dude, you showed me her leaving a place. That’s all. Not stealing.”
“She has the tiara.”
And even though I’m furious with her for her lies and running out on me when I had to deal with shit, I look at him. “She doesn’t. I know this because I have it.”
He looks at me like he doesn’t believe me. Which is fair, because I’m obviously lying.
“Are you in love with her or something?” Trevor’s eyes narrow.
“Or something,” I mutter. And then I say so he can hear, “I don’t give a shit about her. I do, however, give a shit about a pissant criminal trying to extort money. You asked for a cool thirty million to keep your daughter safe.”
“Or hand her over to the police.” He eyes me like he doesn’t believe me.
I nod. “I could go to the cops with this.”
“With what? The fact I came to you about a crime? So, hand over the money.”
I merely look at him. “So, you’re fine doing this to your kid?”
“I told you. She never visited, so what’s she to me? You, I like. I’m helping, but I don’t help for nothing.”
“No, you don’t.” I get my checkbook, something I haven’t used in a long ass time. I look at him again. “This is the one and only time you extort money from me.”
“To keep my daughter from jail.”