Page 49 of Twisted Knight

Like how much I despise Rhett. Like how unhappy I am with you just going along with this. Like how fucking livid I am that I have to even feel those feelings. So what is it, huh?

He glances to the doorway to make sure no one is there before lowering his voice. “Ways to stop this from happening. I’ve got an idea or two but I’m not certain how feasible they are in the short time frame we have.”

“The question is why now? Why think of these things now instead of before Rhett even agreed to them?”

His Adam’s apple bobs, and his eyes glance toward the door and back. “I got caught up in the moment, okay?” he offers, a more than pathetic apology.

I nod, studying him and letting his feckless excuse go in one ear and out the other. But hearing it and seeing how jumpy Chad is also gives me a bit of hope.

I have no qualms playing all sides of this game that I never wanted to be a participant in. And if part of that strategy is exploiting Chad’s guilt over screwing me over by having him help me brainstorm ways to stop this bullshit buyout, then I’m all for it.

“Row, you’re not saying anything.” He scrubs a hand through his hair and sighs. “I’m sorry. I … it’s a pitiful excuse but it’s true. We’ve been under all this stress trying to find a way out of this financial mess and then in walks the answer with Holden’s offer.”

“It was too easy,” I say to try to get a reaction out of him. The slump of his shoulders and resigned nod are all I need to see to know he agrees.

He lifts his eyes and gives me a halfhearted smile. A smile I buy because of our history but don’t completely trust because of what he kept from me. “There have to be some options. We just need to figure out where and how and who we need to help us.”

“Agreed, but I have to admit, every day feels a little more hopeless than the one before. Besides, my brother’s on board with this. He may have just put on a show in the boardroom—big man on campus—but he’s still one hundred percent behind it.”

“He wouldn’t have agreed to it if he weren’t.” He looks around the room. “The cash influx and a win in the election will allow us to move forward with finding a new location to build our own distribution center. A cheaper location and cost than what we’re spending now. If we bring things in-house, we can control so much more. Holden’s purchase gives us the funds to make changes like that, and they’ll net us long-term returns.”

“Anything can look good on paper,” I murmur. “Case in point.” I point to an ad sitting on the corner of his desk. It’s my body, the side of my face, the newest TinSpirits product—a canned Moscow mule—in my hand. “Airbrushing does me wonders.”

Chad’s eyes narrow and his expression softens. “You’re so full of shit. They haven’t retouched a single thing. You’re gorgeous, Row. Always have been,” he says so quietly that I know it’s my cue to exit.

No need to get caught in this emotional quicksand.

“We should talk about it later,” Chad continues. If he sees my sudden discomfort, he’s oblivious to it. “Over drinks or something. Somewhere private where we can talk more freely.” He glances toward the ceiling and then around his office. “For all we know this place is bugged.”

He is paranoid.

But he probably has cause to be. I wouldn’t put anything past Holden Knight. Besides, at this point, Chad knows Holden better than me.

And drinks with Chad? That’s a no-go. I learned a long time ago not to feed that fire of speculation. One night of drinks leads to squealing phone calls from both our mothers, who literally have our wedding planned and are waiting for the word “go.”

That’s the last thing I need right now.

“The one thing you can count on around here is not being able to count on anything,” I say with a despondent smile.

Chad nods. “It might turn out, you know. This thing with Holden coming in.”

Quit playing both sides, Chad.

I rise and head toward the door, turning back to look at him before I walk through it. “For what it’s worth, I think Holden’s right.”

“About Greatland?”

“Yes. About Greatland.” Rhett’s expression when Holden called him out flashes in my mind. My stomach turned because I know my brother—well enough to know that the look on Rhett’s face meant he’s getting a whole hell of a lot more back from Porter and Greatland than a few rounds of golf every year. For a man who’s loyal to no one, Rhett sure as shit is loyal to them being our sole supplier. “It’s basic economics. You know that. Rhett knows that. Holden knows that. What I can’t quite figure out is why you guys decided to bring in someone to make changes and fix things, and yet you’re fighting the changes.”

Chad just looks at me, that muscle ticking in his jaw, but doesn’t say a word.

Exactly.

Your silence means you’re part of the problem too, Chad.

I leave his office with a simple nod. My stomach wobbles and I draw in a deep breath. But I was silent too.

I think back to earlier this morning when I was sitting at my desk, staring at a blinking cursor on an open Word document, when the realization hit me.