Chapter 42
Kristin glanced up at Rhett and took her sweet time before she spoke. “Mr. FitzGerald, this is just… pointless.”
If she brought Ruby into this mess, it would only open the door for Vincent and the Turner family to come at her guns blazing.
Kristin just wanted to protect her family. She wasn’t born with a silver spoon like Rhett, all hight and mighty.
Rhett scrunched his brows. “If you let people walk all over you and don’t stand up for yourself, then you’re practically asking for trouble.”
His voice was ice–cold, which freaked Kristin out a bit..
Rhett wasn’t a traditionally good guy, but he sure had her back more times than Kristin could count. She was grateful for that, even though she knew it was a tall order expecting him to get where she was coming from.
“Mr. FitzGerald, how about a little wager?” Kristin’s voice was hoarse, but her eyes were on fire. Rhett looked at her with a deep gaze. “Wager on what?”
“That even if I spill the beans, Ruby won’t catch any heat.” Kristin let out a bitter chuckle.
But if Kristin played that card, Vincent and Clarence wouldn’t let her off the hook.
She could already picture the fallout.
Her fear of what might come next was something nobody could wrap their head around.
Rhett was just like everyone else in one way. He’d just slam Kristin for being a scaredy–cat who didn’t fight back without a clue about her reasons for laying low.
Rhett frowned as he said, “I can help you out.”
“You’ve got no reason to cross your kin and the Turner family for my sake.” Kristin shook her head. To Rhett, it was all just a game.
She didn’t want Rhett to throw himself into the ring for her. He might be tough as nails, but she was small fry.
Rhett watched her in silence, taking her in for the first time.
This chick knew the score. She was smart about her place in all this.
The cops showed up and took her statement.
True to Rhett’s plan, Kristin dragged Ruby into it.
But no sooner had the police left than they rang up to inform that Miss Ruby didn’t know diddly, it was just Carey talking out of her ass and she’d copped to it.
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Kristin hadn’t even finished her drip when Vincent and the Turner family had already swept the whole thing under the rug.
Kristin gave Rhett a glance, her voice raspy. “You lost.”
Rhett looked like he’d just swallowed a bug.
Today, of all days, he’d been schooled by the likes of Kristin.
Carey flipping her story was clearly Vincent and the Turner family pulling strings.
Rhett had the muscle to turn the tables and make her come clean, but Kristin wasn’t wrong. She wasn’t worth the hassle for him.
“Thanks for today.” Kristin yanked out her IV and bowed to Rhett.
Rhett had the urge to stop her, but it was too late.
Kristin was out the door like she’d done this a million times, not even pressing down on the needle mark like it was not a big deal.
She bolted like she was running from the bogeyman. She didn’t even stick around to finish her antibiotics.
Vincent and Clarence must be tearing the place apart looking for Kristin.
If they got their hands on her today, she’d be in a world of hurt.
Ruby was their little darling, after all.
? He was
*Kristin!” Rhett was all kinds of irritated. Why was she running? What was she afraid of? right there. Did she think Vincent would have the guts to mess with her under his nose? “I’m right here, why the hell are you running?”
“Can you protect me for life, Mr. FitzGerald?” Kristin trembled as she asked.
Rhett frowned. She really had some nerve, thinking he’d be her lifelong bodyguard.
“If you can’t, then don’t bother playing a nice guy. You should understand that, Mr. FitzGerald.” Kristin clutched her clothes tighter and glanced at his suit. “About the suit… I’ll pay you back.
when I have the cash.”
She wasn’t one to owe favors and went looking for Summer, all out of sorts.
Rhett felt off his game.
“Since I lost the bet, you and Summer crash at my place tonight.” He figured that was the least he could do, bending his rules to a breaking point.
He’d sort out the drama of the FitzGerald family and the Turner family for her.
Kristin stopped dead in her tracks and turned around, looking scared. “Mr. FitzGerald… what is it that you want from me?”
She didn’t buy for a second that Rhett was just being charitable.
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Chapter 42
Hitting on her? No way. That might fly with anyone else, but not Rhett. Guys like him could have any woman they wanted.
So what was the deal?
“I need a woman by my side to play a certain role, no need to get into the details. You just happen to fit the bill.” Rhett was nonchalant in his tone.
Kristin got it. She was easy to deal with.
Actually, this played right into her hands. Did this mean Kristin was hitching her wagon to
Rhett’s star?
But now that Rhett had offered her an olive branch, she regretted it. She didn’t want to drag him down with her.
“Sorry, Mr. FitzGerald, I’m not selling myself out.” Kristin bowed again.
