Page 135 of Heart Strings & Hotlines
When she invades his space like a conquering warrior, I realize I was wrong. Unlike me, she can multitask.
“That’s where you’re wrong,” she says cooly. “I’ve already made a deal with the Fitzgerald Group. Even if you tie me up in courts for years, you’ll never get your hands on what I’ve built. And that trust fund you’re so proud of flinging around? I’ve never touched it. Not one dime.”
I’ve failed her in so many ways. I still haven’t proven that she built her company on her own time. I didn’t come clean about LotiTech. I spent too much time basking in the glory of outmaneuvering my father to tell her what I’d done. But worst of all, I haven’t done anything I promised to do.
When her watery gaze finds mine with venom behind the pain, I know she’s lost all trust in me.
I’ve never failed before, but I just failed the most important test of my life, and we both know it.
“I guess I’ll see you in court then, dear daughter.”
Charlotte walks away, and I spin on her piece of shit excuse for a dad. “Take her to court, old man. Do it. I dare you. Because I can promise you, you’ll like the outcome about as much as Jonah’s going to.”
His gaze immediately darts to where Jonah stands on the other side of the room.
“The two of you should have never involved me or Lottie in your petty wars and malevolent games. Now that you have, your demise is imminent. The judge will throw out the injunction Monday morning. Think very carefully about how you proceed next because every attack you start, I’ll hit you back with a thousand times more power. Only an idiot would test me on this.”
He chuckles, but it’s skittish-sounding even to my ears. He knows I don’t make idle threats.
Companies are going to fall, men are going to crumble, and the war I’ll wage won’t come anywhere near Lottie ever again.
* * *
I followedher out of the banquet room to the lobby of the hotel and then lost her. I’ve called her three times, and she pushes me to voicemail each time.
Where the fuck did she go?
Me: Charlotte, where are you? We have to talk about this.
(Message read)
I stare at the screen in disbelief. The dots indicating she’s responding never appear.
Me: You can’t just go running out into New York City.
(Message read)
Descending the steps, I scan the street in both directions. Luxury town cars line the road, all mirror images of the one in front of it. Starting with the car in front, I jog down the line, searching for the one with my name on it.
I find it about halfway down, but Lottie isn’t inside.
The volcano in my chest is well past the point of erupting. The lava that overflows burns my insides and sits like rocks in my throat.
Me: I need to know that you’re safe.
(Message read)
Finally, the dots appear, then stop, only to appear again.
Lottie: I’m safe but destroyed. Give me space, Thane.
Thane: Are you on your way back to the penthouse?
(Message read)
Thane: I’ll meet you there and explain.
(Message read)
