Mr. Monroe still had the rest of the world fooled, planning a huge, over-the-top wedding for his daughter, living large in his twenty-thousand square foot mansion, driving his over-priced vehicles - but Damien knew Douglas was close to bankrupt. He’d made poor business choices, and in-turn, had lost billions of dollars.

The man was practically a slithering idiot at the opportunity to do business with Damien’s corporation.

The longer Damien was silent, the more nervous Douglas became. Damien could practically taste the man’s fear. He had to remind himself that his battle wasn’t with Douglas Monroe. He didn’t care if the man failed or succeeded in life, though Damien had a feeling Douglas would soon be losing everything.

With self-taught control, Damien pulled himself together. He wasn’t there to make Douglas sweat. Damien was successful in what he did because of how well he read people. He saw weakness, and he immediately wanted to go for the jugular – close the deal. And he certainly saw weakness in Douglas.

Damien owned thousands of properties throughout the world, making only the finest of wines. He knew how to choose the land, pick the vines and staff the property to make wine in which royalty was on stand-by for.

Damien seemed to have the Midas touch, because every venture he invested in, every dollar he made, ended up tripling. He couldn’t seem to lose when it came to financials, but it was never enough. None of it was.

Only retribution could soothe his troubled soul.

“To be honest, Douglas,” he stressed the name, letting the man know that even though Douglas couldn’t address Damien informally, Damien certainly would take the opportunity to do so to Douglas. It was a power play, letting his opponent know he was the weaker man. “I wasn’t going to take you up on your offer, but then I did some research… It made me change my mind. I’m intrigued by why you’d basically sell your child.”

Damien left the words as a statement, seeing if Douglas would fill in the blanks.

“You placed an ad. I just happen to have a solution. I’m looking for investors, so it seemed a mutually benefiting deal. I’m a very private man, though, and the terms of our agreement are to stay between us,” Douglas said, showing a bit of the backbone that had made him billions of dollars.

“I’m private myself, Douglas.”

Douglas gazed at him for a few silent moments. Damien could see the man was trying to decide if Damien was for real or not. Though Damien’s passion was his vineyards, he was well-known throughout the world as a smart investor. It was common knowledge that he never invested in a losing company.

Damien knew he’d most likely lose every dime of money he sunk into Monroe enterprises but it didn’t matter. This wasn’t about making money, it was about payback, and Damien didn’t care if he lost millions. It was inconsequential to him.

“Fine. It looks like we’re both agreeable. Are you going to accept the offer?” Douglas finally asked, sitting back, trying to portray a man with confidence, who was slightly bored. He wasn’t pulling it off.

“I’m willing to invest ten million into your project.” He paused, letting his words sink in. “Only if your daughter is… cooperative.”

Douglas waited for more. Damien said nothing else.

“How cooperative?” Douglas finally asked, his brow beading with sweat as he nervously waited for Damien’s reply. It was obvious the man didn’t think his daughter was worth ten million dollars. In reality, he was most likely right. The only woman Damien could think of worth that kind of money was already taken.

“Do you really want to know?” Damien mocked.

Damien was still standing, towering his six-foot-plus frame over the small man. He bent down, his knuckles grazing the desk. He knew intimidation was his best tactical maneuver.

“I can’t make any guarantees about her attitude, but I’ll make sure she works hard,” Douglas said, perspiration starting to drip from his brow.

“I wouldn’t be too concerned about her attitude. From everything I’ve learned about her, she seems to be quite…accommodating,” Damien mocked.

He watched as Douglas blanched, but didn’t back down. The man was truly selling his daughter, even with Damien leaving the impression that he wanted her for nothing more than a slave.

He wanted to turn and walk from the room, dismiss the entire deal, but the more he sunk into this twisted family, the more he desired to know about Sierra Monroe. He’d have his answers soon enough.

Damien’s cold eyes showed none of the emotions raging through him as he pulled the pen from his breast pocket. He signed the paper before looking into the greedy eyes of his newest investee. It was the first time he’d signed a deal that made his stomach turn.

Chapter Three

Sierra awoke, stretching out her arms before daring to look at the clock next to her bed. With a quick glance, she saw it was only seven in the morning and she was a bit disappointed with herself. She knew she’d never be able to get back to sleep, but she’d so hoped she’d sleep until at least nine, maybe even ten.

With frustration running through her, she stumbled from the bed and made her way to the bathroom. The long, hot shower woke her in a refreshingly pleasant way, and she scrubbed the rest of the wedding stink from her body.

She took her time putting her hair up and applying make-up. She wanted to make her father wait on her for some reason. It was her small form of rebellion. She hated it when he yelled, hated it even more when he hit her, but she was trying to gain some small piece of independence.

He refused to let her move from his home, though she was twenty-five years old. He had no problem with his darling Sandy running all over the place, jumping from one man to the next, then finally marrying her sister’s barely ex-boyfriend, but he had a problem with Sierra moving out on her own.

She hadn’t understood why, especially since he hated her. When he finally explained that she was paying for what he believed were her mother’s sins, she was horrified. She’d fought him, but in the end the battle hadn’t been worth it. He was a powerful, domineering man, and she didn’t have the strength or energy to fight. He’d broken her spirit long ago.

With Sandy now gone, though, so many possibilities loomed before her. Maybe he’d finally let her go and get her own place, actually start living her life.

She’d managed to stash money away through the years. It was enough to survive on her own long enough to get a job and start living. She had a college degree and did volunteer work, so it shouldn’t be that difficult finding work. She just had to get away from her dad, get away with his permission so he wouldn’t drag her back.

For two precious years she’d had freedom, a taste of what it would be like to be away from him. It wasn’t two full years, as she’d had to return home during breaks, but it was still more than she’d ever hoped for at that point in her life.

She’d gone to community college after high school, still having to stay home, but at least getting to leave during the day. Then, for two years she’d gone to the University and stayed on campus – a rule of the prestigious campus she’d attended.

Her first semester, she’d been too afraid and shy to meet anyone, but after that, she met her new roommate, who refused to allow her to hide away. She smiled fondly thinking of Brianne. She’d been like a mini-tornado, arriving in their room, full of energy and enthusiasm.

She’d refused to let Sierra stay in their dorm room alone, dragging her out to eat, party, and play until all hours of the night. They’d become best friends. It hadn’t taken long, as Brianne was one of those girls who refused to be told no.

After they graduated, Brianne had wanted to get a place together, saying her family was suffocating her and she needed her best friend as a roommate and buffer. Sierra had certainly known how she felt, though, she’d disagreed with Brianne. Sierra had found her family charming, full of life, and always kind.

Sierra had eagerly agreed to move in together, wanting to live with Brianne, to start a career and continue the life she’d started on the college campus. When she’d made the mistake of telling her father her plans, he’d cut her off of all money, blocked her from getting any jobs by informing potential employee’s he’d either make sure funding was pulled, or telling them she was highly inadequate. Finally, he’d threatened all kinds of retribution if she didn’t come home. She knew it was about power and control, but she also knew he was capable of following through on his threats.

Brianne had tried to stop her, saying she’d pay for the place until Sierra could get on her feet. In the end, Sierra had done what her father wanted. He was just too powerful to fight. She was afraid he’d carry through on his threats, like he’d done the time she’d run away. He’d been good to her for about a month after she came home, too preoccupied with business to even notice her much.

It didn’t last, though.

Soon, he was back to himself, hitting her when he felt like it, blaming her for her mother’s loose life, and her sister running around, and just for being not quite good enough to be his child.

She’d taken it – as she always had and always would. She didn’t know how to fight him.

Sierra snapped out of the past, knowing she was taking too much time to leave the room. She was late. Though her brief moment of rebellion had felt good, the thought of her father’s wrath was beginning to outweigh it. She picked up her purse and started moving toward the door of her hotel room. She was sad to leave her small paradise.

She reached the door when the phone rang.

Fear slithered slowly down her spine like a snake. Should she answer? If it was her dad and he found out she was still there, he was going to be furious. On the other hand, if she didn’t answer and then wasn’t home for the twenty minutes it would take her to drive there, he’d still be furious, knowing she’d ignored his call. She was damned if she did and damned if she didn’t. He always seemed to know, though she didn’t know how.

In her last effort to leave, she felt her feet moving in the wrong direction in a mad rush and she tentatively picked up the phone before it could go to voicemail.

“H…hello,” she said, her voice tripping over the words.

“Sierra? Is that you? What’s wrong?”

Sierra breathed a sigh of relief.

“How did you find me?” she teased, her body relaxing to almost jelly as she sat on the bed. She knew she’d be even later to see her father, but the sound of the familiar voice – one she missed so much, was a welcomed distraction and she couldn’t bring herself to take a rain check on the conversation. Bree was the one person she’d risk the wrath of her father for.

“I have my ways,” Bree replied with a laugh.

“Or, you have a husband who has connections.”

“Well…that, too. But, hey, I can find you without him.”

“Did you?”

There was a long, telling pause. “Well…”

“That’s what I thought. Did you have him place tracking devices on me?”