Bishop narrowed his eyes and pointed a finger at Dare’s chest. “You do not dictate to me.”
“Yeah, I do.” Dare stepped closer until that rigid finger touched him. Bishop jerked his hand away and retreated, but Dare didn’t allow that.
He caught Molly’s father by the front of his shirt. “Because, Bishop, fact number three is that you don’t want to be on my bad side. I can destroy you. I will destroy you if you cross me on this.”
Squirming to get free, Bishop feigned courage that he didn’t possess. “You don’t know who you’re talking to. I am not a man you can bully.”
“That’s a claim I can put to you, Bishop.” Dare knew the slow show of his teeth looked like pure evil. “I have contacts in businesses that you can’t even imagine. I have friends in high places, and better friends in low places. No matter what you do or where you crawl away to, I have ways of getting to you. Cross me, and I will obliterate you, Bishop, socially, financially and personally.”
Teeth gritted, Bishop tried to knock Dare’s hand away, but couldn’t. “Just who the hell are you?”
“I’m the person who knows all about you.” He dragged him closer, up onto his tiptoes until their noses almost touched. “I know about your summer house, and your apartment in the city. I have access to your various accounts, a detailed record of your worth and a list of all your business acquaintances.”
Breathless, fearful, Bishop whispered, “You’re bluffing.”
“I don’t waste time bluffing.” Digging up info on Bishop Alexander had been insanely easy for Trace. “I know you’re cheating on your wife and on your girlfriend. You’re considering an offer to sell part of your company, without telling any of the shareholders. You have a dental appointment in two days, and you just bet two grand on the outcome of your golf game.”
Bishop went pale, gasping like a fish out of water. “How…?”
“Even better, you don’t know jack shit about me, do you? Where I live, how I get my info, when I’ll be back…or if you’ll see me when I do return.” After that ominous threat, Dare released him with a small shove. “I don’t like you, Bishop. You’re a shitty father, a cheating husband and an unscrupulous businessman.”
“I… I…”
Dare shook his head. “Save your breath. I don’t care about your excuses or justifications. Just know this—I want answers, and they better be truthful.”
“But…” With a fleeting look around, Bishop appealed to Dare. “We can’t stay here. People are starting to take notice of us.”
Like he gave a shit? Being around Bishop soured his stomach and quadrupled his sympathy for Molly.
“Believe me, I don’t want to extend this visit any longer than I have to.” In fact, he was damned anxious to start the drive back to see Molly. He’d wasted a good portion of the day waiting for Bishop to finish his game, and he still had a little more surveillance to do. Hell, by the time he finished, it’d be late, much later than he’d first intended.
He glanced at his watch. Was Molly lonely? Worried? Without him there, would she have another episode of near panic? He’d have to check in with Chris…. No.
Never before had he been a person to fret, and he damn well wasn’t going to start now. Molly was a strong woman, and she was in good hands with Chris. If anything had happened, Chris would have called.
The glare he put on Bishop had the man swallowing hard. “This will take less than five minutes,” Dare told him, “as long as you’re straight with me. If not…well, then, we can be here all f**king day.”
“Fine.” Trying to regain his aplomb, Bishop rested a hip on the hood of Dare’s SUV and attempted a cavalier pose. “Let’s get this over with, then.”
That Bishop kept trying to take charge should have sent Dare’s temper to the breaking point; instead it reinforced just how obnoxious and pretentious the man was.
How the hell did Molly stand him? Had she gained her incredible willpower through necessity, from dealing with such a cold, uncaring father? Dare thought of her mother’s suicide, and how Molly’s life must’ve been after that loss.
Molly’s choices had been to be strong, or take the same path as one of her parents. She’d chosen strength.
And damn, he admired her as much as he wanted her.
“You had questions?” Bishop prompted.
Shaking off his distraction, Dare said, “Molly’s boyfriend. What do you know of him?”
“Who?” Looking genuinely perplexed, Bishop asked, “Do you mean Adrian?”
Unwilling to give Bishop any guidance, Dare didn’t reply.
His silence impelled Bishop to continue. “They’re not together anymore, which is a shame, but to my knowledge that’s the last man she dated.” Bishop pretended to give it some thought.
Dare wasn’t fooled. “You’re pushing your luck.”
“I don’t know that much about him. He seemed pleasant enough. Successful.” Bishop shrugged. “He owns property, his own business.”
“He owns a bar, but he’s hocked up to his eyebrows—and you’d know that, too, Bishop. No way in hell would you have let your daughter date anyone without doing a background check. You’re too protective of your own interests to risk letting anyone seedy in the door.”