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toward them. “Father.”

“Oh, that’s just great,” Jake said. “I knew when it came down to it you’d take his side.”

Panic filled her as her father began to slump. “Jake, let him go. I mean it. He’s hurting.”

Jake pushed away from her father and, with disgust, turned around. “I don’t know why I even bothered.”

Lucy reached her father just as he fell to the floor.

“Lucille, please. The pain. Oh, God…it’s my…heart. It’s…really…my heart…this time. Get…help.”

He could barely speak as he sucked in great big gulps of air in between words. She heard the panic in his voice and it ratcheted up her own. Her father was breathing fast.

Too damn fast. Lucy dropped to the floor and grabbed her father’s wrist. His pulse was so

fast, so erratic. Oh, God.

“Maggie!” she screamed.

Her secretary flew through the door.

“Call 9-1-1 now!” she ordered.

Maggie’s stricken look said everything. She nodded and grabbed the phone.

Lucy cradled her father’s head in her lap, loosened his tie and unbuttoned the top button of his shirt. It didn’t slow down his rapid breathing at all. “Relax, Father.

Take

slow, even breaths. We’ll have an ambulance here shortly.” She shot a look to Jake. “You. Get out of here. Now.” Jake looked down at her with a frown. “He’s faking it, Lucy.” Dear God, the man was certifiable. Anger mixed with panic, making her feel lightheaded and dizzy and nearly ready to lose it. She tried to keep her voice even, for her

father’s sake. “Get out or I’ll have security escort you out. My father is having a heart

attack, can’t you see? Even I would know if he was faking.” But Jake just stood there, looking down at her, then at her father. His frown changed

then.

“Lucy, I…I need you to understand what happened here.” She couldn’t hold back the tears any longer, even though she wanted to appear strong

for her father. “I mean it, Jake. I don’t want you around my father. Or me. Get out of

here.”

“Let me help.”

“Get out now!”

He turned and left the room without another word. Her heart broken, she sucked in a

shaky breath and turned back to her father, stroking his sweat soaked brow.

“The ambulance is out front and the paramedics are on their way up in the elevators,

Lucy,” Maggie said.

She nodded, focusing all her attention on her father. “It’s okay, Daddy.” She kept her

voice low and soothing. “I’m here. I’ll take care of you now.” Jake stood outside the entrance to the building and watched them cart Raymond Fairchild out on a stretcher. An IV tube was hooked up and an oxygen mask covered his

face. He saw EKG leads on his chest, and the concerned looks on the faces of the paramedics as they hurried him into the ambulance.

He also couldn’t miss the stricken look on Lucy’s face as she followed them out the

door.

Jake stepped back into the shadows, letting the gathering crowd swallow him up so

Lucy couldn’t see him.

What had he done? Had he let his anger send the old man into a heart attack?

Jake

didn’t like Fairchild, hated what he’d done to his company, but he’d never forgive himself for causing harm to the guy.

He walked back to the construction trailer and closed the door, laying his head in his

hands.

He wasn’t a violent man. But he’d completely lost it in the boardroom with Lucy’s father. He’d let his anger overrule his common sense. He could have gone about this a

completely different way, but instead he’d busted in and attacked a defenseless old man.

Now he’d have to answer for that.

And the look on Lucy’s face…

He’d lost her. And probably his company, too.

He couldn’t think about that right now.

First thing he had to do was pray that Raymond Fairchild survived the heart attack.

Chapter Twelve

Lucy sat at her father’s beside, holding his hand while he slept.

His hair was mussed. Her father was always impeccably groomed, and his hair was a

mess, sticking up everywhere. She reached up and smoothed it.

At least he had some color in his cheeks now. The doctor had no results yet, said they’d need to run more tests. But her father was resting, and that was good.

They didn’t

even have him in the cardiac unit, since the tests they’d run in the ER indicated he was in

no imminent danger. So they’d brought him to the general floor in a private room, which

made her stress level reduce considerably. Now all they had to do was await the test

results.

He was still alive, and for that she was incredibly grateful. They might butt heads every day, but she loved her father. The thought of losing him…

He was all she had. Her only family. The only one who loved her.

Besides Jake.

Jake. She let her chin drop to her chest.

She wouldn’t think about him. Not now. Not yet.

“Are you sleeping?”

Her head snapped up at the sound of her father’s voice. “No, not at all.” She smiled.

“How are you feeling?”

“A little tired, but much better.” He squeezed her hand.

“I’m so glad.”

“Thank you for being here, and for…defending me. I didn’t want you to think I’d ever do something so heinous.”

She patted his hand. “I believe you.”

“I don’t want to lose you, Lucille. I need you.”

Were those tears in her father’s eyes? He was blinking so rapidly she couldn’t tell.

Overcome by guilt at how she’d treated her father the past couple months, she knew she

was going to stand by his side no matter what. “I’m here for you. I’m not going anywhere.”

“Thank you. It’s just you and me, you know, just like it always has been.” She managed a grin. “Yes. The fearsome twosome. But you have to rest and get well

so we can spread fear into the hearts of other law firms again.” He laughed. “I’ll do my best.”

They chatted for a bit, then Lucy said she was going to the cafeteria for something to

eat, demanding her father get some rest. “The doctor said he’d be in with test results in a

little while. I’ll be back before then.”

“I’m going to be just fine, Lucille.”

She nodded and gave him a bright