His dark brows twitched up. I scanned his face. I saw nothing of his daughter there. She clearly must resemble her mother. No wait—his eyes. They were that same shade of green. Shrewd. Clever. They saw everything. Just like hers.
Except, where I got the feeling she was noting, cataloging, and empathizing, he was looking for weaknesses for an entirely different reason. No empathy in the older Barrett. No. He acquired knowledge for exploitation. I knew his type well.
You are the type. I heard Gray’s comment in my head then. She’d said that once when we’d been discussing her father. Perhaps I did know his type so well for that reason. Perhaps.
But like him, I wasn’t one to give up, especially when it was something I wanted. Something I wanted a lot.
And at that moment, I made a decision. I wanted Gray. And I needed her. And as far as I was concerned, she wasn’t going anywhere, no matter how much her father was going to try to scare me off.
Resolve solidified inside me, and I stared the man down. Let him crack. Let him be the one to bring up the subject. Let him approach me from a position of weakness.
Let him come. I wasn’t afraid.
Barrett abandoned his pile of chips after another sip of soda. “I do have a question about the program, Commander Tyler.” He held up a finger. “Just one. How much do you really want to fly?”
I held his gaze and refused the bait. “I’m very excited to fly again.”
His tongue rolled under his cheek as if he were cleaning out his mouth. “That so? Because it doesn’t seem like it. You don’t seem very focused on that goal.”
I blew out a breath. “In what way? I’ve stuck with the plan. The PR stunt has gone exactly as it was laid out. My training—”
“And Gray? How does she fit into all of that?”
“She’s been a very integral part of the whole—”
“That’s not what I’m talking about, and you know it.” His eyes narrowed. “I can take a lot, Commander Tyler, but one thing I cannot take is BS.”
I shifted in my chair and held his gaze. “Then how about you come out and say what this is really about.”
His lips thinned. “Last night, I picked my daughter up to take her to dinner. As I’m sure you’re aware.”
He paused. I stared, neither confirming nor denying his suspicions.
“I do all my own driving, as I prefer. I get motion sickness otherwise. But I had to take a call from China before picking her up. Hence, I got to her place ahead of time and sat in the car to take the call. I parked in full view of her front door. You follow me?”
I blinked. Well, that pretty much laid it all out, didn’t it? Was there any point in denying it now? He’d seen her walk me to the stairwell—also in full view of the parking lot—give me a long kiss goodbye with her arms wrapped around my neck and while I grabbed her ass. Then me leaving with her full suitcase. Yeah, he’d seen enough to incriminate.
“What do you want, Mr. Barrett?”
He pursed his lips. “For you to stay away from my daughter, in case it wasn’t already obvious.”
“Your daughter is a consenting adult with her own decisions to make.”
“As are you—a man capable of making his own decisions about his life. So, I ask again, Tyler. How much do you want to fly?”
I laced my fingers together in front of me and stared at them for a long moment. “You have the wrong idea of what this is. It’s not just—”
“Not like all the other women you’ve had in your life—” he turned his hand in a circular motion “—one after the other—for the past year, at least? Each and every one of them featured in the tabloids? Not like that? You tell me what man in this universe would want his daughter involved with the likes of you?”
“Gray is capable of—”
“I know full well what she’s capable of. I’ve known her for her entire life. She’s a fighter. I’m not here to coddle her. I know she’s strong. But she’s never dated. And I don’t want her to fall prey to—”
I shook my head. “She’s not my prey. Not anyone’s. Gray can—”
He held up a hand, stopping me with a look on his face that made it clear he’d brook no bullshit—from me or anyone else. “She’s young. She’s inexperienced in this area. You’ve been through women like underwear. I don’t want her anywhere near you. And, because I’m sick of beating around the bush, I’m going to lay this out how it is. Should you choose to continue this unwise course of action with my daughter, then I will have no choice but to pull the plug on my investment.”
My hands, where they were laced together, clamped tightly. I’d known it was coming. Why the hell was I so surprised? “And by pulling out of this, you risk alienating yourself from Tolan, and even your own daughter. By yanking your support of the program, you effectively stifle their dreams too. This program is not all about me.”
Conrad Barrett’s eyes narrowed shrewdly even as his face flushed with obvious anger. He took another long, lingering sip of his Diet Coke and nodded. “Exactly, Commander Tyler. Exactly. This program is not all about you. Something you should definitely remember when you make your decision. Do we understand each other?”
“How about asking me what my intentions are, or—”
He shook his head and laughed. “I don’t care what your intentions are.”
I blinked. “So just like that, you want me to…And risk alienating her from you anyway.”
“I think it goes without saying that she doesn’t need to find out about this little meeting. Am I right? We all suffer disappointments in life. Better it happens for her now than later.”
I shook my head in denial, but before I could speak, he continued.
“What on earth gives you the arrogance to assume you even deserve her? All that shit they put in your head about being a hero? You’re no hero, Tyler. Your friend died. You left a man behind. Your best friend. To die and decay in orbit. You let down NASA, and they fired you in disgrace. You’ll let her down too, inevitably. I’m the one who picks up the pieces when you shatter the precious gem that is her heart. So, don’t. Pull out now.”
I sat back, as stunned as if he’d landed a kick right to my diaphragm. And, noting my reaction, he stood and straightened the jacket of his ill-fitting suit. “I’ve given this matter all the time it deserves. Don’t get up.” He exited the room, leaving me sitting, watching him go. Gap-jawed at the abruptness.
Well.
Fuck.
I buried my forehead in my palms, fingers threading into my hairline as a server I didn’t know came to clear the plates. The asshole had thrown down a twenty to cover the check, and the server quietly took it without attempting to engage me.
I had to think. I had to…
But, fuck. Who? How? Where?
I got back to work as most everyone was packing up for the day. Fortunately, the guys had no idea that the “investor” who had been waiting for me across the street was Barrett or they would have all been giving me I told you so looks.
I put on a brave face—I was used to that. It was one of the things I did best. And met Gray at my car. Our schedules had coincided, so we’d ridden in together since most knew she’d been staying at my house for the purpose of her assignment.
Still, we’d been sure to be discreet about it, arriving early, parking at the farthest part of the lot, and not heading out to the car together.
We were halfway home when she finally turned from looking out the window. “You’re quiet. How was your day?”
My fellow astronauts are barely speaking to me because they found out about us, and your bastard father just gave me the ultimatum to end all ultimatums.
I kept my eyes on the road. “Good. Yours?”
She nodded. “It was good. I spoke with Marjorie about the conference with my advisor. She’s going to give me more duties so I can get my clinical hours. I’ll be Dr. Barrett before I know it.”
I forced myself to smile. “Awesome.”
“Pari wanted me to catch a
movie with her tonight.”
“Sounds great. I could use a good long walk in the canyon.”
She looked at me. “You don’t mind?”
I frowned. “Why would I mind? We aren’t attached at the hip.”
She snorted. “Not right now. But hopefully, we will be later.”
My insides clenched. Aching. My jaw squeezed shut.
I wanted nothing more. But everything was so up in the air.
I needed some breathing space.
“Text Pari. I’m going to go hang out with the guys, I think,” I lied.
My voice was quiet, my face placid. I would have fooled about ninety-nine-point-nine percent of the population. But not Gray.
She looked up from her phone. “Just did.” She watched me for a long moment. “You sure you’re okay?”
“Headache.” Another lie.
Once she left to go to dinner with Pari, I went for a long walk in the canyon, making sure to find my way back to the well-lit streets of the neighborhood well before sundown. Then I walked those streets for hours more.
I was gone for a chunk of the evening, thinking, running that conversation with Barrett over and over in my head. Thinking about Gray. What it felt like to be with her. Her smell. The sound of her voice. The way I couldn’t hide anything from her. Even when I tried, she knew something was up.
And thinking about how much I didn’t want to hide anything else from her.
I’d bared my deepest secrets to her.
Why keep this one?
Because. Because…
I had no right to damage her relationship with her father, despite how much of a bastard he was.
She’d told me they were close. That he was her support, her foundation. I couldn’t rob her of that, no matter how undeserving he was. I hadn’t had my father for more than half my life. I’d give anything to have him back. I couldn’t rob her of hers.
Because I was even more undeserving.
In truth, I had no idea where this was going and had had no answer for her when she’d asked. I had nothing to offer her. I was broken. We both knew that.
The old man was right. I didn’t deserve her.
When I got back to the house, it was almost midnight.
I turned on my phone to find a few texts from her asking where I was. Then telling me she couldn’t wait up any longer. Exhausted, she was going to bed.
I showered in a guest bathroom and crept into my bedroom, knowing she was in that bed.
She’d left all the lights on for me. And she was curled up on her side, facing my side of the bed. A lump collected in my throat. I could hardly breathe around it.
Yeah, it made logical sense to end this, but—
But.
These feelings. What did they mean? Was this…
What was it? I shook my head.
I couldn’t stop this now. Not before I found out.
With a long sigh, I slipped under the covers. A second later, I had her wrapped in my arms. She stirred, murmured something absolutely unintelligible, and rolled her head onto my shoulder.
I turned my face toward her and breathed her in.
That warm scent that was her. I had gooseflesh. Everywhere. My eyes closed.
Oh no, I fucking wasn’t giving this up.
It wasn’t happening.
That old man could go fuck himself.
Gray and Ryan’s story concludes in the next book in their duet, High Reward (Point of No Return, book 2) (available here).
Afterword
Thank you for reading. I hope you enjoyed High Risk. Gray and Ryan’s story concludes in High Reward (click to purchase) Please consider leaving a review at the site where you purchased it. I welcome all honest reviews.
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Brenna’s books.
The Point of No Return series
High Risk (this book)
High Reward (click to purchase)
The Gaming The System series
Girl Geek (prequel) (click to purchase)
At Any Price (Adam & Mia part 1) (free download)
At Any Turn (Adam & Mia part 2) (click to purchase)
At Any Moment (Adam & Mia part 3) (click to purchase)
For The Win (Jordan & April) (click to purchase)
For The One (William & Jenna) (click to purchase)
Worth Any Cost (Adam & Mia part 4) (click to purchase)
Acknowledgements
With huge mega-thanks to my earliest readers, Kate McKinley and Sabrina Darby. Also to my in-office romance expert, Tessa Dare. Much gratitude to beta readers, Leigh Lavalle, Natasha Boyd, Tessa Layne, and content editor Gretchen Stull. Many thanks to Zoe York and Viv Arend, also, for expert advice.
Thank you to my “tribe” of amazing kickass next-level lady authors—you know who you are and you are da bomb. And HUGE SHOUT OUT to my super-readers in the Brenna Aubrey Book Group and the lovely Kelly Allenby.
My design team, Sarah Hansen (cover design), Joshua Brown (model) and Eric Battershell (photographer) without whom I would not have that amazing cover! Also huge thanks to Julianne Burke for the gorgeous promotional graphics.
Most of all thank you to my family…for your encouragement, your unconditional love, understanding and for all you do to keep me safe, fed, loved and sane while I’m getting the book out—especially during the home stretch of insanity. I love you to the Moon and back again.
Copyright
Copyright ©2018 by Brenna Aubrey
All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
Trademarked names appear throughout this book. Rather than use a trademark symbol with every occurrence of a trademarked name, names are used in an editorial fashion, with no intention of infringement of the respective owner’s trademark.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.
Cover Art: ©Sarah Hansen, Okay Creations
Cover Image: ©Eric David Battershell
Model: Joshua Scott Brown
20181005
ISBN 978-1-940951-60-7
Silver Griffon Associates
P.O. Box 7383
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High Risk (Point of No Return Book 1) Page 31