Kase Of Deception

by Riann C. Miller

  “You told me he didn’t put his hands on you.”

  I shrug. “We were still new. I wasn’t sure what to tell you. I stayed with a man who treated me like shit for years. I was a doormat, but as much shit as I put up with, he wasn’t physically abusive with me. Not until that night.”

  His deep brown eyes slowly close like he’s in pain. When they open again, he grabs the bag off the bed and grumbles, “Let’s get the fuck out of here.”

  Kase

  I didn’t lie to Delanie about the reason I was out of town, but it felt like a lie. I didn’t bother to correct her when she thought my office for Solar Core was in Walton Towers. I’ve built a foundation with this woman based on lies and half-truths and when the dust settles, I doubt she’s going to forgive me. Hell, for that matter, I’m not sure I’ll be able to forgive myself.

  As the acting CEO of Solar Core, it’s my job to ensure the investors their money is in safe hands. When I got a call from Walker—my Managing Director—that one of our largest investors decided to up and show a week earlier than planned, I had no choice but to hop on a plane as fast as possible. We wined and dined him, showed him all the necessary reports to ensure his money is still the best investment he could make. During all of that, Chris called to set up an appointment to meet. He refused to debrief me via phone or email and the bastard also couldn’t meet with me until the next day. When I left his office, I chartered a flight home instead of waiting another second in New York, which I’m glad I did.

  I knew Carter Bosa was a royal piece of shit but I underestimated what he was capable of. Asking his future wife to raise a baby, pretending it was her own, only to put his hands on her when she refused is something that will forever torment me. Then showing up today, squeezing her fucking hand so hard that he breaks two bones, not to mention what he did to Brenna, leaves me sick to my stomach. The situation could have been worse, but I won’t let my mind go there. Instead, I’m going to make it my new goal in life to not only bring him down but I plan on making him suffer for a long time.

  The door to my office cracks open. Delanie pops her head in with a weary smile. “My dad’s plane is scheduled to land in about an hour.”

  “Do you want to be at the airport when he arrives?”

  “If you don’t mind.”

  “Babe, I don’t mind at all. I’ll have Tim drive us.”

  Her smile widens a fraction. “Thanks. I’m not sure if his phone is on but I’ll send him a text now.”

  She still hasn’t given me details. Details about today or that night. It’s clear she’s not ready, and to be honest, I’m not sure if I am either. Regardless of what she tells me, it’s not going to change the fact that I plan on ruining her ex.

  “His phone is on. He’s already texted back. He’ll be at terminal three.”

  I grab my phone and fire off a text to Tim to bring the car around.

  For many reasons, Brock Charles is a man I’m not jumping for joy to meet. For starters, I’m expecting him—rightfully so—to go through the roof when he discovers how his daughter ended up with a broken hand. It’s because of that I also expect that any man—myself included—will go under a microscope. If he pays someone worth a damn, my lies will be discovered long before I’m ready.

  “I haven’t seen my dad in…” She sighs, taking a seat across from me. “Well, it’s been awhile.”

  “You’re patching up the past. That’s all that matters.”

  “You’re right, and at least our relationship is something we can repair. I’m not sure the same can be said about my mother.”

  Her mother is a greedy piece of shit that ranks right below her ex as people I’d like to teach a lesson to.

  “What do you plan on telling your dad happened to your hand?”

  She looks down studying the splint on her hand. “I need to tell him the truth. If he’s being honest about wanting a relationship with me, then I don’t want to start off by lying to him.”

  At her comment, my chest tightens like someone took a knife and stabbed me straight in the heart.

  “Are you okay? Your face looks a little pale.”

  Before I have the chance to answer, Tim knocks once on the door before walking in. “I have the Lincoln out front and ready to go.”

  “Thanks, Tim. We’ll be right out.”

  I jump to my feet and jaunt around the desk as she stands delivering the same breathtaking smile that made it impossible to walk away from her.

  “Thank you. The last two months have been a rollercoaster from hell. I don’t know what I would do without you.”

  “Hopefully you never have to find out.”

  She leans up on her toes, brushing a quick kiss across my lips. “I’m ready when you are.”

  Delanie

  My blonde hair and blue eyes came from my father, who has fought the signs of aging harder than a Hollywood actress over forty. The first gray hair he found, he shaved his head. Standing at six-four, with arms the size of trees, most people move from his path when they see him coming. He appears big and mean but on the inside, he’s nothing more than an oversized teddy bear who doesn’t like confrontation.

  He grabs his suitcase off the turntable seconds before he spots me. He doesn’t waste time making his way to where both Kase and I are standing, his eyes are shining brighter than I can ever remember seeing.

  “Delanie. God, you look…beautiful.”

  Standing before me wearing a blue and white checkered button-down shirt and jeans, he’s echoing the same nerves I’m feeling.

  “How was your flight?”

  “Long and boring but worth it.”

  Kase steps up next to me, placing his left hand around my waist while extending his right hand in front of my dad.

  “Kase Cole. It’s a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Charles.”

  Taking in the two of us, dad’s eyes narrow as he shakes his hand. “Nice to meet you.”

  “I met Kase shortly after I moved here. We kind of hit it off and now…” I look back and forth between them. “We’re sort of dating.”

  Kase is quick to correct my statement by adding, “There’s no sort of. I’m extremely taken by your daughter and I’m trying to make it my life’s goal to ensure her happiness.”

  Joy blossoms in my chest while my face breaks out in a goofy smile, one that doesn’t go unnoticed by my dad.

  “It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

  “Delanie didn’t mention if you had hotel arrangements, but you’re more than welcomed to stay with us.”

  Dad’s gaze move my direction. “Us?”

  “I’m searching for an apartment of my own. I’ve been staying with Brenna, but things became a little complicated so I’m crashing at Kase’s for a few days.”

  Dad sighs with relief. “Thank you for the offer, but I made a reservation at the Sunset Tower.”

  Kase nods. “Great. If you’re hungry, there’s a restaurant a couple of blocks from there that serves the best ramen in the city.”

  I can’t help but laugh. “Kase seems to know all the best places to eat. So far, he hasn’t been wrong.”

  Dad winks. “I’ll let you two lead the way.”

  Chapter Twenty

  Delanie

  Dinner was perfect.

  The ramen was perfect.

  Kase was perfect.

  My dad, however, watched the two of us like a hawk. He noticed my hand within seconds of climbing into the car. I didn’t want to lie but I wasn’t ready to start off our visit by upsetting him so I told him it was a long story and I would tell him later.

  Later is now. Kase said he had a few calls he needed to make and left us alone in the penthouse suite of my dad’s hotel.

  “Would you like something to drink?”

  “No, thanks. I’m fine.”

  Dad pours himself a couple fingers of whiskey then with glass in hand, we walk outside to the enclosed balcony.

  “I could tell you had a lot on your mind when we talked the other day.”
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  “I did, I do, I… Why didn’t you mention you were doing business with Carter?”

  “I figured you knew,” he replies with a frown. “Carter interned for me last summer. He’s smart, talented, and very resourceful, but none of that mattered when he presented me with a contract asking for a ten-million dollar invest. He was planning on using that money as start-up capital for his own business he was trying to get up and running.”

  My mouth drops open. “He asked you for ten million dollars?”

  After taking a long pull on his drink, he nods. “He sure did. When I turned him down, he came back with a second proposal, asking for an investment of three million and another two as a wedding gift.” His nostrils flare. “He listed you as an equal principle, so I figured why not? You were going to marry the man, and I sure as shit know first-hand how money—or lack thereof—can put a strain on a relationship so I agreed.”

  “Can you get your money back?”

  “Hell yeah, I already have, or most of it anyway. The contract Carter provided stated the money was a gift. The contract my lawyers drew up said otherwise. He only received one million, the rest he couldn’t touch until your marriage was official, and if you divorced before five years, you were entitled to sixty percent of the company.”

  “Wow, I had no idea.”

  His eyes scrunch. “You signed the papers.”

  “I know what this is going to sound like, but the last couple of weeks we were together, Carter tossed stuff at me to sign all the time. He claimed he was financially getting us ready to be married, which I guess wasn’t a total lie.”

  Dad sits his drink on the table next to him then unbuttons the top two buttons of his shirt. “There was something about that kid I could never put my finger on. He could definitely act like a pompous entitled ass, but it was more than that.”

  It’s now or never…

  “I know what you mean. Carter is a master at disguising his true colors. When we first started dating, he was the perfect gentleman. By the time he left for college, he ran hot and cold but he was still respectful. In the last year, he’s distanced himself from me and anytime I tried to bring it to his attention, he’d snap.”

  Dad picks up his drink and growls, “It sounds like dumping his ass was a smart move.”

  “It was,” I quickly agree. “But the night I told him it was over he…he…he put his hands on me.”

  He sits up, tension drawn in his shoulders while his chest moves up and down with every breath he takes as he asks, “Come again?”

  Carter’s over the top reaction to me leaving him is a little easier to understand. “I had no idea our marriage was a pending part of your arrangement. If I had, I probably would have handled things a little differently.”

  “He put his hands on you?”

  Oh, shit. I’ve never seen my dad angry. Pushover or not, I’m not surprised to learn that he can get pissed, I’ve just never witnessed it. And the worst part… I haven’t mentioned what happened today.

  He jumps to his feet mumbling, “I’m going to kill him.”

  “I’d really rather you not. I don’t want to be forced to visit you in prison.”

  “God, Delanie,” he groans, rubbing his hands over his face before adding, “All I had to do was pick up the phone and call you but I didn’t. I went on assuming your life was turning out exactly the way you wanted.”

  “Don’t do that. At the time, I’m not positive I would have said anything. I was unhappy and lonely but other than a moody absent fiancé, I didn’t have much to complain about.”

  “I won’t kill him, but he’ll get what’s coming to him. One way or the other.” He forces a smile and winks. “Why don’t you tell me a little more about this new guy?”

  “The last thing I wanted to do was fall out of one relationship, only to land in another but…” My face breaks out in a huge smile. “Everything feels different with Kase. I actually feel butterflies in my stomach when I think about him.”

  When his eyes hit mine, they soften. “That’s all I’ve ever wanted for you.”

  He opens his arms, and without hesitation, I step into them. In addition to his arms, a sense of peace and protection wraps around me.

  As sad as it sounds, I spent a lot of time imagining what my life would look like if Carter and I broke up. I always knew my mother would spend time trying to get us back together, but I never suspected it would strengthen my relationship with my dad.

  Kase

  Brock Charles is an enigma. He took a small fortune and turned it into an empire. As a businessman, he’s been known to be ruthless. But, by all accounts, as a father, he’s been nonexistent in his only child’s life.

  I was shocked when Delanie mentioned he was coming to town, but the second I witnessed the way he looked at his daughter, it was clear his love for her runs deep…deeper than I expected.

  Delanie was quiet on the ride home. She waited until we were about to crawl into bed to mention she never told her dad what happened to her hand. Apparently, Mr. Charles flipped a lid when he found out that his almost son-in-law put his hands on his daughter, to the point that she felt it was in everyone’s best interest not to mention what happened earlier in the day.

  The next day, I offered to make myself scarce while the two of them caught up, but Delanie insisted she wants me to get to know her father. Spending time with them translated into me becoming their own personal tour guide. We spent the day wandering around Rodeo Drive, then I took them to the Griffith Observatory, then we ended the day at the Santa Monica Pier enjoying a cold beer at the Rooftop Lounge.

  “What exactly is it you do for a living, Kase?”

  Before Brock Charles came into money, he was a used car salesman. He knows how to read people, watches every queue for signs that will tell him more than any conversation will. Which means, I need to stay at the top of my game if I want to win his approval.

  “I work for a company called Solar Core.”

  He shakes his head. “Never heard of it.”

  After taking a long pull off my beer, I reply, “I’m not surprised. It wasn’t until just a few years ago that we finally grew our legs and turn a profit.”

  “He’s being modest, Dad. It might be a small company, but he doesn’t just work there; he started it himself.”

  Brock arches a brow. “Is that so?”

  “Yes and no. My final thesis in college was on a hybrid system that combines diesel, natural gases, and wind to provide a cheaper and more environmentally friendly source of energy. My professor believed my project had merit and convinced me to pitch the idea to a group of overseas investors who happened to agree with him.”

  He picks up his beer and says, “I’m impressed.”

  “Don’t be. I just happened to be in the right place at the right time.”

  “With a good idea that you came up with. Don’t sell yourself short.”

  Delanie leans into me smiling. “That’s what I told him.”

  “How about you, Delanie? How’s work going?”

  Her shoulders tense while my mind flashes to the day before last. My phone was turned off. I didn’t get Roan’s message telling me Delanie was in his office demanding to know why Lester was told to keep her busy. Roan didn’t know what to tell her so he pretended to not know or care, which he mentioned didn’t go over well. She’s yet to ask me about it, but I’m sensing the conversation is coming. The last thirty-six hours have been eventful, to say the least.

  “Work is fine,” she states in a dry tone.

  Her dad cocks his head to the side. “Just fine?”

  “I like my job but…” She shrugs. “I guess I don’t love it.”

  “Quit and find a new job. Life is too short to be wasting time with something that doesn’t grab your attention.”

  “That’s easy for you to say. You have more money than God.”

  With his eyes locked on his daughter’s, Brock’s expression softens. “That wasn’t always the case, but it’s the reaso
n I’m telling you to explore what life has to offer. The last couple of months have been challenging. Take some time for yourself to figure out what you want from life.”

  “Dad,” she groans. “I appreciate the offer, I really do, but I’m twenty-six, which is well past an acceptable age to be mooching off my parents.”

  Instead of arguing with her, he signals to our waiter for the check. “Oh, I got it.”

  Brock slaps my hand away. “Nope, this one is on me.”

  “You don’t have to do that, but thank you.” As he tosses a card on the table, I pull my phone out of my pocket when I feel it vibrate.

  “Are we keeping you from something?” Brock’s voice hums with a sudden disapproval.

  “Nope.” I turn my phone around, flashing the screen in his direction. “The Dodgers are playing. I’m keeping up with the score.” I was hoping it was Roan with an update on Brenna.

  “Oh, you’re missing the game. I’m sorry,” Delanie quickly adds.

  “Not a big deal. I’d rather be here with you.”

  The corner of Brock’s mouth turns up with a smile. The man wants to approve of me, yet he’s not willing to let his guard down—and for good reason.

  Once the bill is paid and we’re heading to the car, Brock stops and says, “I’m going to call it a night. You kids have worn me out.” He pulls his phone out of his back pocket and checks something before he adds, “My flight doesn’t leave until three tomorrow afternoon. What do you say about grabbing a late breakfast before I go?”

  “I’d love to.” Delanie brushes a kiss on his cheek seconds before Brock flags down a cab.

  “I can drive you back to your hotel, Mr. Charles.”

  His nose turns up. “If you’re hoping to land on my good side, then call me Brock.”

  Fighting back a laugh, I shake his hand.

  Brock, a man my respect is rapidly growing for, hugs his daughter, whispers something in her ear that makes her face light up, then he climbs into the waiting car.