Chapter 12
Hailey had no clue who she was dealing with.
I scowled and took a sip of my Condrieu. The woman was going to ruin everything, and she didn’t even realize it.
Despite my warnings, she was still refusing to budge. I’d known it would take more than a little pressure to scare her off, but I was trying to be nice. A sigh escaped my lips. I really had tried.
If time weren’t an issue, I’d just keep hitting those pressure points, knowing she’d come around eventually.
But I couldn’t wait for that. The situation was volatile, and it would only grow more so as time passed.
I had one more plan in place, but if she didn’t take the hint, I was going to have to step things up, and fast. I had to regain control.
If I didn’t . . . I shook my head. I couldn’t think like that. It simply wasn’t an option. I had known from the beginning that this was risky—but by the time I realized just how risky it was, I was in too deep.
I ran my finger along the edge of the glass. So far, everything had been worth it. If I had it to do over, I might make the same decisions. But that didn’t change the fact that discovery would be catastrophic.
I wouldn’t just lose everything. No, the stakes were far higher. Financial ruin was the least of my concerns. If he found out what we’d done—what I’d done—I’d be fleeing for my life.
And if he and his underlings ever caught me, I’d be wishing I’d died of a heart attack like Frank. The rumors of what he was capable of . . .
Though I prided myself on my cool composure, a shiver rippled up my spine.
With one last tip of the glass, I drained the last of my wine and pushed back from the table. I had plans to make. If Hailey wasn’t on her way out by tomorrow afternoon, I’d send her a message she couldn’t ignore.