Page 85 of Nothing to Win

“Not as far as I know.He doesn’t want to be with me anymore.”Boy was that fun to say.“That’s it.”

It might actually be better if he had been overcome with passion and love for someone else.That would be a reason outside her control.All she knew right then was she wasn’t it; she wasn’t good enough.Had she expected to be?Not out loud, but maybe in some secret recess of her wildest imagination.She’d been putting off admitting that.

“He broke up with you?”She nodded.“I’m sorry,” he said again.“You’re worth ten of him.Man’s an idiot.”

“Thank you, Daddy,” she said, too tired to remind him that he’d never been Brogan’s biggest fan and probably would’ve said that last part from day one.

“I was coming to tell you Bram and I would like you to join us at Gault’s.”

Excuse her?Where had that come from?

She edged her arm away from his hand.“Why?”

“It’s time you got more involved in the business,” he said.“After all, it will be half yours when your mother and I aren’t around anymore.”

And he had never said that before.Ever.Not in the entire duration of her existence.

Something must’ve prompted it.“Is this about Brogan?He’ll be there and if you think my presence will—”

“No,” he said and smiled.“Though I would be proud if you showed him your strength, that you’re over him.”

She wasn’t that good a liar.Over him?Maybe not quite yet.

“I’m not sure, Daddy.It wouldn’t be right to leave Shanna right now.She’s worried about Jarrod and we might have a lead.We could run out of money before—”

“Money?You don’t have to worry about money,” he said, his hand finding her arm again.“Come with us and your friend will have whatever she needs to find Jarrod.”

Quid pro quo?

Ironic.And she might laugh if—no, too soon, that wasn’t funny yet.

When she’d first asked her father for financial help with the Jarrod search, he’d scoffed.That was how she’d ended up in Brogan’s office.

That deal didn’t exactly work out amazing for her.Did she have it in her to accept a second?

Dubious, she looked at her father but could only think of her friend.Shanna would be beyond disappointed when she learned Brogan had pulled out.If there was no contingency plan in place, she might have to tell her friend to bring the PI back empty-handed.

Unsure as she was, Gia sighed.She didn’t have any choice.Door number two was the only option.

TWENTY-EIGHT

AFTER RAIDING ROXIE’S closet for fabulous shoes, and downing a couple of cocktails, she was in exactly the right mood to sail on into Roxie’s Ruby Room with the hostess at her side.Dance.Party.Not a care in the world.She could do this.

“Let’s sit first,” Roxie said, linking their arms to hold her close as they wound their way through the very important partiers in the exclusive, exclusive space.

Their destination?Four couches in a square, three occupied, one empty.Roxie didn’t sit on the vacant sofa; she shifted Tripp Breckenridge along with a knee bump and put them there next to him.Gia hadn’t drawn breath before a server handed both her and Roxie glowing cocktail glasses.

“Is this a new one?”Roxie asked and the server nodded.

She sipped.Sweet, kind of tangy.

“Zairn won’t like it,” Tripp said, ever cool as he slouched, arms laid along the back of the couch.“Won’t pass his stringent standards.”

Roxie swallowed.“Uh, I think I’m the better judge of the Emperor’s standards.”

“I’d dispute that,” Tripp said, almost smirking.“Though he is more likely to agree with you than anyone else.”

“Because I’m in charge of his sex life.”