Worth the Challenge (26 page)

“Really, my darling? Well, that’s odd considering Rhett Worth called me and asked for a meeting.” The tone of his voice was unmistakably triumphant. “I think he wants to beg me to come back.”

Shock swept over her, rendering her blood ice-cold. Carefully she extracted herself from Rhett’s grip, scooting clear across the bench seat so she could press against the door. “Are you serious?”

“Would I lie to you, my daughter? I am meeting with him. I am reconsidering my letting such an opportunity go. Now, I’m sure they played along nicely and enjoyed the little scent you created, but how many ingredients did it take, hmm? And how many other scents does it smell like? It is so hard to be an original with such little experience on your side, don’t you know?”

His words sliced her open like a thousand knives cutting across her skin. “How could you do this to me?” She kept her voice pitched low, waved her hand at Rhett when he made to slide across the seat and join her.

“You did this to yourself, with your high expectations and eagerness to please. This is a cutthroat business. You should well be warned of it.”

“You’re jealous.” Realization dawned the moments the words came to her. “You hate that I’m finding success when you’ve had such trouble obtaining it for so long.”

“Crazy talk. You have no idea what I feel. I am a perfume master. I have taught the best, I have created the best. I am unheralded in the industry.”

“You are an old man who lives in the past. You haven’t created a successful perfume in years.” She spoke the blunt truth, had held her tongue for far too many years to count.

Well, no longer. He may have been a master, but he was a faded one at best.

“Ungrateful brat. I taught you everything you know,” he spat.

She hung up on him before he could get another angry word in. She was already upset enough, didn’t need to hear any more of his hateful words, discover more of his treachery.

“What happened with your father?” Rhett asked.

She jerked her head, glaring at him. “Why did you call him?”

He frowned. “I never called him.”

“Really? So you don’t have an appointment with him this week sometime? To discuss his coming back to Worth and taking over my position?”

He pressed his lips together, his expression resigned. “He called me, Gabriella. I swear it.”

“When?” She bit back a sob, pressed her fingers to her lips. She didn’t know who to believe.

Closing his eyes briefly, he thumped his head against the back of the seat. “A few days ago. I thought he wanted to discuss you, but all he did was go on about how he let the opportunity to work for us get away from him. Trust me, I didn’t say a word to encourage him. Then he asked to meet with me. Questioning if we could somehow come to an agreement and have him work for us, alongside you.”

“And what did you tell him?” She almost didn’t want to know the answer.

“He was so upset, I wasn’t about to deny him over the phone. So I…humored him. Told him we could meet when he returned to the States and talk it over.” This time he did lean toward her, reaching for her hands so he could clutch them in his. “I have no plans of replacing you. None of us do. Are you already forgetting what happened in that meeting? They love you.”

Supposedly, so did her father, yet he was undercutting her without a care to her position, her feelings. “I want to believe you.”

Rhett released his hold on her. “But you can’t. Is that what you’re saying?”

“I don’t know what I’m saying!” She threw her hands up in the air, completely overcome. “He is my father yet he wants to take my position without a care as to how I might feel. You should’ve heard the things he said, the way he spoke to me. And the things I said to him.” The sob came now. It felt good to let it out.

Tears streaming down her cheeks, she shook her head. “He has always put himself first, even when I was a child. I was just too blinded by love to see it. Or admit it.”

“Gabriella…” Rhett reached for her again and she jerked away.

“No. Don’t touch me. Take me back to my apartment.” She drew away from him as far as she could, her arms crossed in front of her, her chest tight.

“What? I thought you were coming home with me.”

“I need to be alone. I need to think this through.” She sent him an imploring look. “Please, Rhett. I can’t—I can’t deal with everything tonight. I need some time by myself.”

He looked ready to argue, his entire body taut, his lips parted. Finally, he leaned back against the seat with an exasperated sigh. “I can give you that. But know this—I would never lie to you. I would never go behind your back or double-cross you. I will always put you first, no matter what.”

Turning away from him, she stared out the window, at the busy city streets that passed. She desperately wanted to believe him. But if her own father couldn’t be trusted, then how could she trust Rhett, whom she’d really only just met?

It hurt too much to question.

Rhett sat behind his desk, quietly raging inside. The emotion was the only thing fueling him, prepping him for his confrontation with Michel Durand.

The man was an unmitigated bastard who didn’t have an ounce of caring toward his daughter. That he could be so callous, so dismissive of her feelings and accomplishments, rendered Rhett speechless.

It also made him madder than hell.

The man would arrive in mere moments and he’d spent the last half hour working in preparation. Remembering one last thing, he called his assistant Kara.

“Gabriella Durand will arrive in approximately…” He checked his watch. “Fifteen minutes. I want you to tell her the moment she arrives she may come directly into my office. Don’t escort her in, don’t ask her to wait. Just let her come right in.”

“Of course. I’m assuming Mr. Durand will arrive soon?”

“I believe so. Miss Durand’s arrival won’t disrupt us. I can assure you of that.”

“Not a problem,” Kara said crisply. “I will do exactly as you ask.”

“Thank you.” He hung up, pleased. She was the best damn assistant he’d ever had. The only assistant, for that matter.

He bided his time, watching the minutes tick past while doing a bit of last-minute research via Google. Looking up the Renaldi family and digging up their situation. Three brothers and a sister who ran various branches under a brand much like Worth, he already knew. Launching a new perfume—not a word about it. But there was plenty of information regarding Giorgio Renaldi’s health failing.

Interesting.

Within minutes, Michel Durand entered his office, all smiles and jovial greetings. Rhett was coolly polite, not wanting to reveal his true feelings yet. The man had no idea of his involvement with his daughter. That Rhett knew from their conversation yesterday Durand was a liar.

Rhett had no place in his life for liars.

“So, you want me back, eh?” Michel asked cockily after settling in his seat across from Rhett’s desk.

Rhett smiled thinly. “Aren’t you the one who wanted to meet with me?”

Durand’s expression slipped a bit. “Well yes, I did. But I’m assuming you were so agreeable because you’re displeased with the work Gabriella is doing.”

Pressing his lips together, Rhett rested his clasped hands on top of his desk. The man’s very presence boiled his blood, let alone the horrible things he said. “Whatever gave you that assumption? I’m merely curious to see what you might say.”

“You would like to know what I have to say? Fine, I shall tell you.” Durand leaned forward in his seat. “I want the in-house perfumer job. I can do it much better than my daughter and you know it. I have twice as much experience as she. Three times, even. I have seen many things and done more. My creativity, my scents are legend. You would be a fool to turn away this offer of my expertise.”

Rhett arched a brow. The gall of the man was unbelievable. “You certainly don’t think little of yourself, do you?”

“Of course not! I have too much experience not to be proud of my accomplishments. I have taken a break, too long of one, and now I am ready to get back to work. Get back to creating. And I want to create for Worth.”

“So what happened with Renaldi?”

Durand appeared taken aback. “Renaldi? What do you mean?”

“You worked for them, albeit briefly. What happened?”

“How do you know of Renaldi and my association with them?”

Rhett leaned back in his chair. “I have my ways.” As if he would reveal anything to Durand, especially the fact that he was half in love with his daughter. Not yet, anyway.

“It didn’t work. A brief distraction, nothing more.” Durand waved his hand, dismissing his association with Renaldi with a flick of his fingers.

“So you think you can come back in here and take over Gabriella’s job because it didn’t work out for you with Renaldi. Interesting.” Rhett shook his head. “You realize you haven’t asked how she’s doing?”

Durand frowned. “How who’s doing?”

“Your daughter.”
You bastard.
Rhett sat up straight. “Gabriella.”

“Ah.” Again, another wave of his hand, another dismissal. “She is a simpleton. Raw talent, to be sure, but she needs years more experience to hone it.”

“Here is where we’ll disagree.” Ah, the satisfaction would come now, he was sure of it. “She’s a brilliant perfumer who captured exactly what we were looking for.”

Durand reminded silent for a long, still moment before finally clamping his lips together. “Then what you look for is most likely too simple.”

“First you insult your daughter, and now you insult me. Have you no shame?” Rhett smiled, but it was more like a grimace, he could feel it. “Walking into my office as if you own it, demanding a job you carelessly ignored, trying to take it from your very accomplished and soon to be very successful daughter. You have tremendous nerve.” Rhett paused. “Or perhaps you’re tremendously stupid.”

Ah, that did it. Michel Durand leapt to his feet, his face beet red, his hands clutched into fists at his sides. “How dare you speak to me in such a manner?”

Rhett stood as well, towering over the man. Thank Christ the desk was in between them, or he would’ve grabbed Durand by the scruff of his neck and given him a good shake. “I could ask you much the same.”

This was happening far too quickly. Durand could be out of his office within minutes and usually Gabriella was punctual—early even.

“Turning me away would be a mistake, Worth. One you would be extremely foolish to make. I have access to every single element out there in the world. I could make any scent you desire, exactly to your specifications. Unique and special enough that no one could duplicate it in all the world. And yet you waste your opportunity on a young, untried girl who probably flashed you a pretty smile and a glimpse of her long legs and you fell for it.” Durand laughed when he saw the murderous expression on Rhett’s face. “Ah, I know you. You are nothing but a dog who wants to mess around with the ladies. Your reputation will always be for public record, you know. My poor, pretty daughter wouldn’t know how to turn you away. She isn’t smart or strong enough to withstand you.”

“You truly believe that?”

The soft, despondent-sounding voice came from the doorway. Both men turned to see Gabriella standing in the office, the door closing softly behind her. She clutched her purse in both hands, the leather Worth bag dragging on the floor, her knuckles white with nerves.

“Ella, my darling.” Her father went to her, his tone docile, his arms out as if he wanted to embrace her.

She sidestepped him, looking from Durand to Rhett. “What’s going on here?”

“He wanted your position,” Rhett said, earning a glare from Durand. “And I told him no.”

“Lies, all lies.” Durand smiled at her, trying to win her over.

Good luck with that. The wary expression on Gabriella’s face said it all.

“You think Rhett wants to keep me only because I’m a woman. Because he thinks I’m pretty and nothing else.”

“You use your beauty to your advantage, it could help you, you know. Always use what you have in your arsenal,” Durand said.

She shook her head. “I can’t believe you. Most parents would be proud of their child’s accomplishments. Pleased that their daughter followed in their footsteps and worked in the same field. Not you. Never you. All you can think of is how I’m stealing something from you.”

“You misunderstand—”

“There is nothing to misunderstand. I heard what you said. And I believe Rhett. You want my position. You don’t care how that will affect me or hurt my feelings. All you care about is you. All you’ve
ever
cared about is you.”

The silence that stretched after Gabriella’s outburst was long. Uncomfortable. Rhett remained standing behind his desk, pride running through him over how well she handled her father.

Proving yet again how magnificent she was. Eloquent and strong. A woman he’d be proud to have standing by his side.

Forever.

“I will leave,” her father finally said, his voice laced with disgust. “I can see when I am not wanted.”

“Oh, don’t play that game, Father. Please.” She went to him, pulling him into a quick embrace. He remained stiff, didn’t put his arms around her in return, and she released her hold on him. “I will call you later. We have some things to discuss.”