Page 84 of Liberating Lily

“No, we don’t. And it’s going to be very hard for anyone to cover up for you anymore now that Daddy Dearest is broke.”

Danny slid away from Rick.

Probably wise.

Rick swallowed heavily. “We should take this inside.”

“Well, I was going to suggest that before you decided to attack Lily. No one attacks Lily.” Harvey moved closer so he could speak quietly to Rick. “Consider this a warning, Rick. If you’re smart, you’ll run and hide. And if I find out you had something to do with drugging her . . . well, there’ll be nowhere you can hide.”

He turned away and nodded at Paddy who gave the women at the next table a small bow to which they giggled. Then they both walked out of the terrace and into the main restaurant.

To find Ronan standing there, waiting for them with his arms crossed over his chest.

“I think we need to talk. Don’t you?”

Well. Hell.

18

Harvey followed his oldest brother into a private room at the country club. But as they grew close, he heard his name being called.

Turning, he saw Rick running toward him.

“Wait a moment, Ronan.”

It was a risky thing to say. His oldest brother didn’t like to wait for anything or anyone. But he nodded, and they all paused to wait for Rick to catch up to them.

By the time he got there, he was panting, and there was a sheen of sweat coating his red face.

“Asshole, you’ve got to do this thing called exercise once in a while,” Paddy said. “Or you’re going to die of a heart attack. On second thought, keep going as you are. That would solve the problem for everyone.”

“Look,” Rick said, “I don’t want a problem with you all. Our families have always gotten along, haven’t they?”

“No, they haven’t,” Harvey said. “And we never have. It was all a ruse, Rick. I was never interested in being your friend. Why would I want to be the friend of a cheating, small-minded asshole?”

“I don’t get it. Why?” Rick asked.

“You endangered your sister,” Ronan told him. “I don’t like that. And your father is a sleazy, disgusting man who is on the edge of destruction himself. I sent my brother to watch you, learn your secrets, so we could ruin your family.”

Rick’s face grew slack with shock. “Wait, wait. Are you saying that you’re the reason my father lost most of his money?”

Ronan raised an eyebrow, and the expression on his face didn’t change. “Your father lost money? How unfortunate.”

“Unfortunate,” Rick snapped. “He’s lost everything. We have nothing. And tomorrow, we’re sneaking off to Europe because my father is scared of that fucking cowboy Clem is with. He already quit his job because of everything and now we’re going to have to flee the fucking country.”

Interesting.

“Well, good luck in Europe, Rick the Dick,” Paddy said. “Although I don’t really mean that.”

“You can’t do this. You can’t do any of this,” Rick said desperately.

“But we are,” Ronan said dryly. “Oh, but your sister stays.”

“What?” Rick asked, looking startled.

“I’ll leave you alone, if you leave your sister here,” Ronan stated.

“Really?”