Trust Fund Fiance - Naima Simone Page 0,36
didn’t have to allow a man who was at best a gold digger to put his hands or mouth on her to spare their egos.
That simmering anger stirred to a boil, and she dragged in a breath before forcing a politeness to her tone that required Herculean effort on her part.
“Mr. McCoy, if you would excuse us for a moment. I need to have a quick, private word with my father.”
Not waiting for either man’s agreement, she whirled on the heel of her nude stiletto and stalked toward the exit. She pushed through the door and waited for her father on the sidewalk outside the restaurant.
She didn’t have long to wait before he appeared.
“How dare you embarrass me like that, Reagan,” he fumed, fury glittering in his narrowed glare. “You go back in there right now and apologize for your rude behavior.”
“I will not.”
His chin jerked up as if her words had delivered a physical slap, and his lips slackened. She’d shocked him. Hell, she’d shocked herself. Her heart drummed against her rib cage, and the tiniest sliver of fear slid through her veins. Since she’d returned to Royal and her family from that home without her baby, empty and ashamed, she hadn’t once defied either of her parents. Especially her father. And she would be lying to herself if she didn’t admit it scared her now. But no.
Just. No. Apparently, she had her limits, and she’d reached them.
“Reagan—”
“I’m not an idiot, Dad,” she interrupted, slicing her hand through the air for emphasis. “I clearly see what this is. An ambush. Another setup. Well, I refuse to go along with it. Not this time. And definitely not with him.”
“Yes, you will, Reagan,” he hissed, his attention shooting over her shoulder. Most likely ensuring no one stood witness to her insolence, as he no doubt saw it. “I won’t stand for this blatant disrespect. And I don’t know what you think you know about Justin McCoy—”
“It isn’t what I think I know,” she shot back. “That man in there intentionally seduced an innocent girl and got her pregnant just so he could worm his way into a wealthy family. Considering our family history, you would think impregnating a girl would be at the top of your unworthy traits list,” she sneered.
“Lower your voice this instant,” he ordered, once more glancing around them. And that tore through her like a red-hot sword. Of course. They couldn’t chance anyone overhearing about their shameful family secret. “Wasn’t it you who told me I shouldn’t listen to rumors and conjecture?”
“Rumors?” She released a jagged bark of laughter. “It’s not an opinion that he used Julie Wheeler only to abandon her. It’s not opinion that he tried to do the exact same thing with Beth Wingate. Ask Camden Guthrie or Bruce Wheeler. I promise you they will confirm that Justin McCoy’s complete lack of a moral compass is a fact. After all, it was Cam’s dead wife and Bruce’s daughter he betrayed.”
“It is my job as your father to decide what is best for you, Reagan. And I might have failed once but never again,” he ground out.
Had she thought he’d hurt her before? No, this...this was pain. Having him affirm that he believed he’d failed—that she’d been a failure.
Her breath shuddered out of her, and she blinked back the sting of hot tears.
She loved her father, but at this moment, he disappointed her just as she surely disappointed him. Douglas thought the purse strings controlled her, had kept her obedient and quiet for all these years. But he couldn’t have been more wrong. Longing for his approval had. For her mother’s, too, but more so his. There was no turning back the hands of time to that innocent period when she’d been a daddy’s girl. She might never have what she desperately craved from him. The only difference between now and an hour ago was that she no longer cared.
“And the fact that you would believe he is a better man, a more suitable man than Ezekiel Holloway stuns and disheartens me.” She shook her head. “I love you, Dad, but I’m not going along with this anymore. I know you want what’s best for me, but you’ve never asked me what that is. You don’t care. And that saddens me even more.”
She turned and walked away from him. And even when he called her name, she didn’t stop.
She was through answering to him.
From now on, she would only answer to herself.
“Mr. Holloway, Reagan Sinclair