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After business hours, of course. He doubted she’d be in the mood,
despite her earlier attraction, especially after he divulged this next zinger.
    Meanwhile, he might need to drop a few ice cubes in his lap.
    “Tell me,” she said. “I’m a big girl.”
    He realized, with a start, that she’d been waiting. There
was no way to ease into his next statement.
    “Don’t you need a moment?” Preston said, fighting the urge
to hold her hand, to take her in his arms. Kiss her. Spread her thighs…
    She shook her head. “Hit me with all you got. I’m homeless
and broke and you’ve told me my father cheated on my mother. What else?”
    Preston loved the spark of defiance in her. The complacent,
obedient teen had become a feisty, independent woman. He welcomed the
change—and all that it brought with it. She’d be a tiger in the bedroom.
    He’d give her a strong shoulder to lean on when the burden
became too much.
    “As I’ve told you, your mother established a secret trust.
She didn’t want to risk your father or Victoria bankrupting Sparkle Industries.
Since you were still underage, she turned her assets over to Night and Night to
manage. My mother has made certain that excellent people are running your
grandfather’s company.”
    Cadence ran her pink tongue over her bottom lip. She wasn’t
coming on to him, no way. Cadence, the mayor’s darling daughter, had never
given him a second thought.
    Even so, he didn’t look away. And he was, without question,
turned on.
    His mind reeled with what he’d like to do with her. He
couldn’t, of course. What he’d told her was shocking, life changing. She was
vulnerable and he’d be taking advantage of a client in a highly emotional
state.
    One day this whole mess would be behind them. This morning
he must be on his best behavior. The difficult task of explaining the family
history was his.
    And there was more.
    “I’m confused,” she was saying. “My father told everyone
Mother had sold the company.”
    “That’s what she wanted your father to think.”
    “He was outraged when he found out,” she admitted. “He
claimed she sold it for less than it was worth.”
    “What she actually did was sell part of the business. It was
that money that your father inherited when she died.”
    “My grandfather’s company was left to me?” Cadence asked,
still mystified.
    “Yes,” he answered. He had good news after the bad. He would
have the pleasure of delivering it to her.

Chapter Three
     
    Cadence shuddered, suddenly cold. Her life was turning into
a freakin’ soap opera but the family drama wasn’t going according to the
script.
    Her parents’ model marriage had been nothing but one of
deceit and betrayal. Pretense and lies. She’d been put on display as the
perfect daughter, the light of their lives.
    It’d all been for show.
    “Your mother had many different assets,” Mr. GQ told
her. “Most of them went to your father. Fortunately, there were a few
investments she kept hidden from your father and those were left for you.”
    He stopped and stared at her with his heart-stopping green
eyes. He wasn’t making this up.
    Her father had been such a bastard her mother had taken
steps to protect her wealth. She’d pretended to sell her family’s business so
Cadence would have an inheritance Victoria couldn’t touch.
    “She kept the trust a secret. She was afraid if Edward Burke
found out, he’d take legal action,” Preston continued. “Only my mother and I,
and now you, know of its existence.”
    How many other secrets had her parents kept from her, she
wondered. How many lies had been told?
    “Are you all right?” Preston asked.
    “This isn’t one of my better days.”
    “Understood.” It was said with kindness and consideration.
He sat back in his chair. She sensed he was a patient man. She appreciated how
he didn’t rush her.
    “Exactly how much money are we talking about?” Cadence
asked.
    “As of nine o’clock this morning,