He narrowed his gaze. “Why would you be asking about my business?”
She pressed her lips together, and he was floored by how difficult she obviously found it to shake her father’s world in light of how cold the man acted toward her. Didn’t every kid deserve love and affection from their parents?
She deserved love and affection, Sam thought, and damned if he didn’t want to be the one to give it to her. It was all he could do not to reach out and pull her against him, supporting her completely. The only thing stopping him was the fact that she didn’t need the distraction any show of affection would provide. So he kept a respectful distance even though it just about killed him, as he realized his feelings for her were growing exponentially with every minute that passed.
“Would it surprise you to know that your partner is in bed with the Russian mob?” Nicole asked her father. “And before you ask how I could accuse him of such a thing, you should know I overheard him discussing it with Andre, your accountant.” She went on to explain what she’d overheard and when, along with the resulting threats to both Tyler and herself.
Sam kept an eye on her father. His training taught him what to look for, and the older man’s expression never registered shock, surprise, anger, or anything else he knew she’d expected over her accusations.
“You already know!” Nicole exclaimed, proving what Sam already knew.
She was smart. Savvy. And one hell of a strong woman to have been raised by this cold, unfeeling man and still come out the warm, sweet woman he loved.
Loved?
Shit. This was not the time for revelations, he thought, breaking into a cold sweat.
“I didn’t know specifics, but I suspected something was wrong when I noticed the books were off. That and Robert’s been acting strangely, clearly nervous and hiding things. I hired a forensic accountant to look into things.” He straightened his tie. “You said Tyler knows too?”
Nicole nodded. “I suggest you talk to him. The police are aware as well, and that’s why I’m here. I wanted to give you a heads-up before they pay you a visit.”
He sent her an appreciative look, which was as much emotion as Sam suspected the man was capable of, Sam thought in disgust.
He’d never treat his child like a business associate or inconvenience, which was exactly what this man was doing to his daughter. And she accepted it, clearly used to the dynamic. Sam wasn’t, and his stomach churned. He wasn’t sure if it was because he’d just thought about the idea of how he’d handle a kid of his own, something he’d never contemplated even in passing before, or because the notion settled in his heart. And stayed there.
“Well, I’m certainly not going to jail because Robert’s gotten reckless and greedy.” He straightened his tie. “However, I did not know anything about what you heard or that he’d let those animals loose on you.”
Sam stiffened at the reminder of the Russians and any danger. He hoped like hell the DEA bust and round of arrests had gone down as planned.
“I know that, Dad.”
“No, I don’t think you did, or you would have come to me long before now.”
Guilt flashed across Nicole’s face, which infuriated Sam on her behalf. “Maybe if she thought you gave a shit about her, she’d have brought her problems to you instead of thinking she had to handle them herself,” he said, unable to rein in his anger any longer.
“Sam—” Nicole placed a warning hand on his arm, but he was finished letting anyone treat her with cold dismissiveness.
“Excuse me, but I’d say this is between myself and my daughter,” her father said with an air of authority and entitlement.
Oh hell no, Sam thought. “Considering I’m the one keeping her safe, I’d say you’d better include me in the conversation. You’re lucky she cares enough to warn you. I wouldn’t have been so generous. Now tell me what you plan to do to make sure your partner can’t use his connections to hurt Nicole.”
Paul Farnsworth stepped back and studied Sam, suddenly seeing him as someone worth assessing. “What are your intentions toward my daughter?” he asked, surprising Sam by turning the conversation to the personal.
“That’s between me and Nicole.” Sam couldn’t help but play this man’s game. He didn’t like him or his smug arrogance, but mostly he didn’t like how he treated Sam’s woman.
He reached out and snagged Nicole’s hand. Let the man take that as an answer. As of this moment, Sam was claiming her, at least in his mind. He’d take the time to sort through what that meant to him later.
For now, he’d deal with the situation at hand. “I believe I asked you a question.”
Nicole couldn’t believe Sam was engaging her father. For her. She found the whole situation humiliating and embarrassing.
“I’ll call the police myself and cooperate,” her father said, taking Nicole by surprise. “If they have the evidence from Tyler and me to arrest him, that should protect Nicole.” He spoke to Sam as if she weren’t in the room, his tone bland, as if he were discussing a business deal, which was the way he always acted toward her.
Her father was the iceman. That had been Vicky’s name for him growing up, and she wasn’t wrong. To have Sam, who came from a perfect family—loving, caring, kind—see her treated like that . . . She shuddered and wrapped her arms around herself, unwilling and really unable to face him.
“And I’ll talk to Tyler and see what we can salvage business
wise when this is all over,” Paul continued.