Iâm going back to New York.â
âIf thatâs how it is, there isnât much point to this, is there?â He released her hand from his dick.
âCâmon, Ty.â She shut her eyes on a frustrated huff. âWhy canât we just enjoy this? Isnât that what you always wanted from me? To live in the moment? Why do we always have to mix business with pleasure?â
âBecause the two things are inseparable,â he said, âat least as long as we both have an interest in Brandt Morgan. When you first came out to Vegas, you promised me sixty days to come up with financing to buy you out. I still have a month left. I want you to wait until that time is up. Weâre not doing this again unless you agree.â
âWhy? What difference does it make if Iâm there or in New York?â
âAll the difference in the world. I want a chance to show you the hotel could really be something.â
âBut I canât do it, Ty. If it wasnât for Tom, I never would have gone out to Vegas at all. I donât belong in Las Vegas. Itâs not who I am.â
âMaybe you feel that way because you never tried to belong,â he suggested softly. âThings might have been a whole lot different if you had.â
Monica drew a breath but then closed her mouth. She had no rebuttal because he was right.
âI want you to come back to Vegas with me,â he said. âJust thirty days. Thatâs all Iâm asking.â
âWhy, Ty? You donât need me anymore.â
His brows rose. âWhat are you talking about?â
She sighed. âThereâs something I have to tell you. Something that changes everything. Thereâs a codicil bequeathing you controlling interest in Brandt Morgan. You see? You donât have to answer to me or anyone else anymore.â
âYouâre shitting me.â Heâd never asked Tom about his will before, and anytime Tom tried to bring it up Ty had changed the uncomfortable subject.
âNo. Bob told me today.â
âWow.â He pursed his mouth. âI sure didnât see that coming.â He didnât know why he was so shocked. It only made sense that Tom would be as generous after his death as heâd been while heâd lived.
âI think you should also know that Iâm still planning to sell out.â
He regarded her with a scowl. âYou canât sell it out from under me,â he said. âNot anymore.â
âI know that. Iâm not trying to screw you over. I just want you to know I had an offer.â
âSo youâd sell your share?â
She nodded. âThatâs my intent. If not to you, then to another investor. You can do whatever you want, but I donât want to be in the hotel business.â
He jerked back. âWho made the offer?â Her answer only confirmed what he already suspected.
âEvan. He came in from New York on a fishing expedition. He wants the property. I think you should sell it to him. Letâs just say for the sake of argument that you bought out my share, what are you going to do with the place? Even if you invest millions in renovation, youâll never survive with your current business model. If you keep it, itâs only going to bankrupt you. If you had any sense youâd take Evanâs money and run.â
Evanâs money. The words rang in his head like a hammer striking an anvil. The thought of dealing with her ex almost made Ty see red. Evan was everything Ty wasnâtâa rich asshole who got off by throwing his weight around. Was it Evanâs money she wanted? But sheâd just inherited nearly a billion. Maybe it was Evanâs name and power she wanted? Ty had none of that. Were those the real reasons sheâd boarded Evanâs plane bound for New York?
âIf I sold, then what?â he asked slowly.
âWith tens of millions in the bank you could do whatever you want,â