Claiming His Secret Heir

Caroline slid the papers out from under her father’s elbow, flipping to a back page. “I do. This is very fair to the Degraff interests. We need to protect our investment and get out before Transparent tanks.” She slid the contract back under his pen and leaned closer to touch the bastard’s arm. “I know how important our family is to you.”

It was all Damon could do not to launch over the table and tear her away from Stephan. But one thing was becoming clear. She wasn’t betraying Damon at all, no matter how it appeared. The deal wasn’t going to help the Degraff interests one bit.

She was playing her father for all he was worth to make sure he signed the paper that gave Damon control of Transparent.

“There is nothing more important.” Sweat beads popped along the man’s pale forehead as he swore the words like an oath. “I would do anything to keep our family safe, Caroline. I’m glad you know that.”

A smile stretched the bastard’s thin lips as he stared up at the daughter he must care about in some twisted way.

Then Damon watched his primary investor scratch his name in ink on the contract and tossed down the pen like a gauntlet.

Damon almost couldn’t believe his eyes. He heard someone—his brothers, maybe—trading discreet high-fives. Then Jager clearly told one of the other investors there was no problem with the launch and that it was as hack-proof as possible.

Cameron rose from the table and went around to shake Stephan’s hand. “Since you’ve sold your shares to me, Mr. Degraff, I’ll have my attorney escort you out so he can sign the funds over while the rest of the investors finish up the meeting.”

“Of course.” Stephan nodded, though he watched the byplay around the table uncertainly, as if becoming aware he may have missed something. “I look forward to being done with the McNeills.” He held out an arm for his daughter. “Caroline?”

Damon held his breath. He couldn’t allow her to walk out of this room with that man. Their marriage may have fallen apart, but he would never let anything happen to her on his watch.

“I need to stay a bit longer, Dad,” she told him gently. “Just to hammer out a few details about my own stake in the company.” She opened the file folder that had been in front of the empty seat at the table, which contained a projected timetable for the new product launch. “I’ll be along shortly.”

With her perfect posture and thoughtful scrutiny of the pages in front of her, she gave every appearance of being all business. But Damon saw the way the blue vein in her neck ticked like mad, the pulse tapping triple time.

He was an idiot. And he wasn’t worthy of the woman who’d just handed him the biggest business victory of his life after he’d hurt her. He wanted to roar with fury at himself as the rest of the room cheered Degraff’s departure. Everyone but Caroline, of course, who turned sad eyes to watch Officer Downey escort her protesting father into another room.

Thanks to her, Damon had regained control of Transparent. But he couldn’t imagine a more hollow victory when he’d lost her in the process.

“Congratulations, brother.” Cameron McNeill hauled Damon to his feet and pulled him in for a bear hug. “We’re going to make beautiful business together, mate.”

Damon nodded. Thanked him. But when Gabe thumped him on the back and pointed to the conference room door closing, Damon realized his wife had made a quiet exit.

Shit.

He scrambled toward the door.

“Excuse me.” He clapped a hand on Jager’s shoulder, the brother who’d taken the reins at this company plenty of times in the past. “Jager will finish the meeting. I have to go.”

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

A uniformed officer and a female detective Caroline hadn’t met before whisked her father away before she even arrived in the reception area. She met her father’s cold, furious gaze as he backed stiffly into the elevator cabin, flanked by his two escorts.

Lifting her chin, she allowed herself to meet his eyes without flinching. To let him know she’d recovered—if not her memory, damn it, her dignity. Her self-respect.

It was a small consolation considering everything else she’d lost this week. A love that she’d once thought was strong enough to overcome anything. Her husband.

Her chest had ached more each day following the cold ending to their encounter in the card room. Now, the hurt and hollowness inside would have brought her to her knees if not for Lucas. She still had a precious son to mother and her love for her child would have to keep her strong.

“Caroline.” The deep rumble of Damon’s voice sounded behind her in the reception area.