Page 124 of Nothing to Win

GIA PLAYED NICE all the way home from the Lawman’s Gala.As nice as the barest minimum would allow.Bram lectured her about wandering off.That was the gist.Yeah, yeah, yada, yada.She wasn’t really listening and was “ill,” right?Gave her an excuse to snub him.

Only a few miles into that return journey did she accept the future.Not the one with her all alone locked in the castle until she withered and died, one where she accepted she could only live her life for her, and for her man.

As soon as they got into the house, purpose propelled her upstairs to her bedroom.Her mother called out to her from somewhere.Bram probably texted ahead to say they were on their way home.The advance warning wouldn’t erase their curiosity.Why travel all that way into the city just to turn around and come straight back?She couldn’t slow down to explain.

Long trip for such little time, yeah, but worth every second.

It was time to change, to live her life a different way.

Life.

What life?

Until Brogan she hadn’t been living.Her father would rather she defer and comply forever.Except now she had choice.

Didn’t she?

She didn’t want to go back to the way things were.Brogan had given her the confidence to take a chance on herself.

Work.She’d need a job.Money, she’d need money and didn’t have a penny to her name.As for assets, she didn’t have anything worth anything, her mom controlled every—oh, God, her mom didn’t control everything anymore.Gia did have assets.They were piled in Brogan’s closet.

A breath escaped in a short, shallow laugh.That was Brogan’s point.The presents.Financial security.

God, she’d sneered at him.Insulted him.That’s all she’d done when, the whole time, he spoiled her to ensure her liberty.Ensure and insure, both her future and Jarrod’s freedom.

Financial independence.Why didn’t it occur to her?The jewelry, the gems, the precious metals, it was enough to keep her safe and free from anyone’s bounds.

Was she going to walk away?From her family.Start over and—yes.

That was it.Decision made.

Essentials.Purse.What else was there?Anything valuable or sentimental—how would she get to the high cabinet?Shifting the over-stuffed ottoman wasn’t as easy as it looked.It might not be enough.She shuffled it one side then the other across the closet.Halfway there, she assessed the height and the—yeah, it wasn’t going to be enough.

There would be a ladder or something in the building.Going on the hunt, she got a few stairs down to the foyer when Twyla passed by.

“Twyla!”Hope!The woman stopped.“Do we have a ladder?”

“A ladder?”

No blaming the woman for being confused, that wasn’t a usual family request.

“Something so I can—”

“Gianna!”

Oh, gee, her father must’ve been in withdrawal without her around to yell at.Time to get his fix.

Still halfway down the stairs, she twirled on the spot to see him above.“Yes, Father Dearest?”

“What are you doing?”

“Standing here.”

“Ladders?Why do you need ladders?And why did you rush your brother home?What’s—”

“I’m leaving,” she said, arching her shoulders back.

Under her own steam and for her own reasons.This didn’t need to be hostile or dramatic.Brogan didn’t need to be here for her parents to blame.This was her, making a choice, asserting herself.God, it felt good.