Page 105 of Nothing to Win
“It’s okay,” she said.Nausea suggested otherwise.“If you want to go talk to him.”
“Yes!We have to.The PI says we have to be quick or we’ll miss our chance.Jarrod won’t trust someone he doesn’t know.He’ll trust me.He’ll know it’s okay if I’m there.”
“Yeah,” she said, leaping up from the bed.“Okay, I’ll—wait by the phone.”
“I’m packing.Now.”
“Okay, yes.I’ll take care of it and call you back.”
Hanging up, she tossed her damp hair from her shoulder as she swept up her keycard.She hadn’t dried her hair or done her makeup.Still, she sailed out of her suite, barefoot, to hurry along to her father’s room and hammer on it probably harder than was necessary.Wasn’t her fault Shanna’s urgency fired her adrenaline.
Some of the employees of Gault’s company were staying in the hotel too, the delegations of those bidding on the company were grouped on the same floors.What the hell did that matter?The only thing that mattered was her dad opening his door.Like now.Not yesterday or tomorrow, now.
“Come on,” she whispered and knocked again.“Come on, come on, Daddy.”
A moment later, his door opened, and he stood there, shirt half unbuttoned, bow tie loose around his neck.Tonight was black tie.Explained the voluminous gown hanging in her closet.
“Gianna,” he snapped.“Why are you banging on my door like that?”
Bram appeared behind him.“Is Spurn pressuring you?”
“Pressuring me for what?”she asked.Closing her eyes and shaking her head, she didn’t care about the answer.“No, Daddy, I need money.”
He straightened up.“Why do you need money?”
“I need to go to Mexico.”She didn’t blame him for being surprised.“I know that it doesn’t make much sense and there isn’t time to explain.I just need you to trust me and—”
“You’re not going anywhere,” he said.“The deal was you remain with us while we’re here and we won’t be going home until Monday.”
“I know.I know that, but—”
“No, that was the deal,” her father said.
“Something unforeseen has come up.It’s an emergency.”
“I don’t care what it is, Gianna.Frankly, I’m tired of having these conversations with you.There is an appropriate way for a woman to act and gallivanting around hotel hallways in a bathrobe is not an appropriate way to act.”
Who cared that she hadn’t put on her dress yet?She was wearing underwear beneath the robe.Routine dictated the dress came last.Hair, makeup, dress.Not her rules.
“I’m sorry, Daddy—”
“Doesn’t matter,” Bram muttered.“There’s guys in this hallway who’ve seen her naked.”
“Please, Bram,” she said, aggravated by his attitude.“Can you, please, butt out for ten seconds?”
“I think it’s sick that—”
“Yes, I know you do.Everyone knows you do.Why don’t you go up to the roof and shout it out?”
Would give her ears a break for a minute.
“Stop your bickering,” her father said and laid a hand on her shoulder.Ah, relief.Support at last!“When we get back home, if there’s still a problem with your friend, I’ll make a call to—”
“No, not a call, I don’t need you to make a call,” she said, stepping away from his patronizing pat.
“That’s all I can offer you, Gianna,” he said and exhaled.“I don’t know why you insist on throwing good money after bad.It’s crazy.And your friend Shanna is—”
“Were you ever planning to help me?”she asked, hurt, upset, angry.What an idiot.How could she have let herself be duped by her own father?Again and again.The longer he stood there saying nothing, the deeper the truth sank.“You weren’t, were you?”
