Going Down Hard (Billionaire Bad Boys 3)

The next day, he showed up at the office and texted her again before diving into work. He couldn’t concentrate, not since he hadn’t heard from Cassie, but he did his best to keep busy.

But no matter what, he was definitely heading to her place after work. Her time for ignoring him was over. And he damn well didn’t need any thinking time.

By the time Becky told him he had a visitor who preferred not to give his name, Derek was grateful for the distraction. And curious.

He glanced up as the door opened, and Christopher Storms walked in. Nothing could have surprised Derek more.

He rose from his seat. He didn’t know what the other man wanted, but he knew to meet him on equal footing.

“I see from your expression you recognize me,” Christopher said.

“I lived on your property for a long time.” And he hadn’t changed much.

His hair was thinner, his face more lined, and he could now see he and Cassie shared the same coffee-brown eyes.

“True.” Christopher inclined his head. “Can we sit?”

Derek nodded and lowered himself back into his chair. The back of his neck prickled uncomfortably. “What can I do for you?” he asked stiffly.

“When was the last time you spoke to my daughter?” Christopher asked.

Derek gripped his chair arms tightly. “Why is that your business?”

“Hang on.” Christopher held up his hands in a sign of entreaty. “Believe it or not, I’m on your side.”

“Explain.”

He ran a hand over his beginning-to-bald head. “Cassie came to see her mother. She was beside herself because her brother wrote an article about you. One that went after your mother, revealing our whole sordid past.”

Derek swallowed hard. And waited.

“She also told her something Spencer revealed. That he was the one who stole the necklace I accused your mother of taking.”

Derek reared back in his seat. “Excuse me?”

“My son stole the necklace I accused your mother of taking.”

“Stealing,” Derek spat.

Christopher’s face turned ruddy. “In my defense, I really believed she’d stolen it.”

“Guess you’re a poor judge of character,” Derek muttered, leaning forward on his desk. So far the information was interesting but didn’t warrant this visit. “So why are you here?”

“I can’t make it up to you, what I did to your mother. And the fact is, as my wife reminded me, I haven’t been a particularly good father to Cassie.” He shook his head, lowering it in shame. “I didn’t know what to do with a girl.” Yet another lame explanation. “Consider this as my way of making up for it. For a lot of things.”

“What is?”

He shifted in his seat. “A couple of months ago, we received an offer on Storms Consolidated. From a company I’d never heard of.”

Derek narrowed his gaze. “And?”

“I hired people to dig deeper. And I discovered that you made the offer. And I’m here to accept.”

Derek’s head spun. He braced his hands on his desk and leaned in. “Why?” He didn’t trust any offer this man made.

Christopher leaned forward in his seat. “Because my wife tells me my daughter loves you. And I’ve screwed up enough for one lifetime. It’s time to make things right.”

Derek swallowed hard. He had no pity for Cassie’s father,