that it must have meant something. I must have meant something to him. This arrangement wasn’t anything other than a bored millionaire stumbling across an embezzler and deciding to use the connection to me for entertainment purposes.
I’d never felt so low and like such a fool as I did when I walked out of that restroom tonight.
“And if I don’t agree to that amendment?”
As hard as I tried, I couldn’t keep my voice from cracking. “Then I’ll sell Fiona’s and my house and hire an attorney if the value doesn’t equal enough to pay off the debt.”
I could see his entire body lock up at my ultimatum. “She’s the daughter of a client whose done business with us almost from the start,” he explained, going back to my questions about the blonde.
I told myself I didn’t care.
“She’s exactly what she appears to be…a gold-digging socialite.” He came back to stand in front of me. “I have never wanted to nor will I ever want to sleep with her. That little display was because she took offense to Will mentioning that his date was in the restroom with my girlfriend.”
“It doesn’t matter, Damien,” I whispered. I was emotionally in tatters because of this man. I would be beyond stupid to let his words affect me now.
His next words confused the hell out of me. “Don’t do this, Fiona.”
I glared up at him, tears still streaming down my face. “Don’t do what, Damien?”
And, then, he did his worst. “Fine,” he hissed. “If the sale of your parents’ assets, your home, and your business equal the amount that your father stole from me, then I won’t prosecute on the criminal charges. But if the total is short so much as a dime, then your parents are fucked, Halloween.”
I stood there and watched him storm out of his own apartment and I briefly wondered why he was leaving instead of kicking me out. It wasn’t until I heard the doors of his private elevator swoosh that I finally broke down in sobs. I curled up on the couch and cried until I had nothing left to give.
After about an hour, I realized I couldn’t stay here any longer. I grabbed my purse and checked to make sure I had some cash for a cab and then made my way to the elevator. My stomach was tied in knots the entire ride down. I was losing everything I worked so hard for and I couldn’t even blame Damien for it. Sure, he was the one pushing all this, but there’d be nothing to push if my father hadn’t stolen from him to support his gambling addiction.
It was almost midnight as I rushed my way through the lobby of the building. I could only hope it wouldn’t take too long to flag down a cab. I didn’t want to call Vicky because I was pretty sure she was on board with whatever Will had planned for her tonight and I didn’t want to ruin that for her.
I was standing in front of the building looking up and down the street when I realized Damien could come back at any moment. I mean, this was his home after all. I took off down the sidewalk looking for a café or all-night diner or something where I could safely sit as I called a cab company or call for an Uber driver.
I found myself about three blocks away when I stumbled upon a cab idling on the street. I approached the side door and knocked on the window. The window rolled down. “I’m sorry to disturb you, but are you available?”
The cab driver looked me up and down before his brows drew down in concern. “Are you okay, ma’am?”
I smiled at him. “I am. I just need to find a hotel for the night, preferably one that won’t cost me a payment of my future children.” This was San Francisco, after all.
He chuckled a bit. “Sure, honey. Get in.”
I got in, and he suggested a mid-star hotel a couple of blocks further down. I started crying when I went to pay, and he refused to take my money. “Just get some rest. I promise things will be better in the morning when you’ve rested and can think more clearly.” I thanked him for his kindness and went inside to book my room.
I made my way to my room, which wasn’t bad at all, and fell right into the bed, dress and all. The cab driver was right, a