Page 144 of Crash Course
"I’m not your son." Cruz held his arms out. "And I’m right here. Bring it on."
"The two of you," Cilla said, "stop."
Randolph didn’t bother looking at her. His gaze stayed glued to Cruz. "I’ll ruin you and your fucking family."
Not likely. He might be powerful, but BARS had enough resources to do battle. Rohan alone could probably dig up wads of dirt on Randolph.
"Try it," Cruz said. "With what I know about your company and forever chemicals, you have way more to lose than we do."
"Cruz!"
He peered at Cilla. "I’m not one of his lackeys." Cruz faced Randolph again. "If we find out you had something to do with this, you’d better hide because I’ll come for you.I’llruinyou."
"Dad!" Cilla said, her voice rising and carrying a screechy edge. "Please, tell him you had nothing to do with this."
Randolph faced her, his gaze zooming straight to the bandage and then his head whipped back, as if someone had struck him. "My beautiful girl," he said. "My beautiful, beautiful girl. We’ll get you the best. I swear to you."
Cilla blinked, then blinked again and her eyebrows drew together, giving her a puzzled appearance. As if trying to decipher a foreign language.
"That’s what you’re worried about?" she asked. "How I’ll look? Dad, it doesn’t matter."
Hold on. Whoa, whoa, whoa.
"Wait." Cruz faced Randolph again, his mind ticking back to minutes before. "You know her routine. What time she leaves.Yousaid she’d left earlier."
Randolph’s eyebrows shot up and another spurt of adrenaline fired.
Got him.
"You fucker!" Cruz cornered the bed, storming toward Darren Randolph, his finger stabbing the air. "You did this!"
Still by the door, Randolph pointed. "Stop right there."
"Cruz!" Cilla shouted.
Rage in full boil, Cruz blew right past that. This fucker may not have put that bomb in his daughter’s car, but Cruz had a feeling he knew something about it. And he’d find out. Whatever it took.
Barely two feet away, Cruz stopped, let his hands hang at sides, refusing to touch Randolph, but ready for whatever the old man would do. "Who did it?"
"What are you talking about?"
"Your buddy Paul? He’s been threatening her. You know that, right? About the bullet left on her car? Or was it you? Maybe you wanted to scare her? The bullet is one thing. This? If she had been in that fucking car, she’d be dead!"
"You shut your mouth!"
Then Randolph did it, he raised his hands . . . and shoved Cruz.
"Dad! Stop it!"
"Shut up," Randolph said, shoving Cruz again.
Cruz fought for the control his parents had always begged for. Somehow, that control, all the lessons he’d learned growing up, vaporized.
Or maybe he just felt like punishing this guy.
Cruz squared his shoulders. "Don’t touch me again."
Randolph put his hand on Cruz’s chest . . . and shoved. One step back. That's all Cruz gave this fucker.
