A Hard Man to Love Read Online Free

store and cried.

Chapter Three
     
    “The art of intimidation, my boy, is to make your opponent believe every word you say. Look them dead in the eye and never flinch. Never let them see weakness.”
    Phineas’s words repeated in Derrick’s head as he eased the rented sports car into the line of traffic and headed toward the two-bedroom beach villa he’d rented. Phineas had always doled out advice, and it turned out much of it could be applied just as easily to personal relationships as to business ones.
    He hadn’t intended to make Eva angry. He didn’t know a whole lot about pregnant women, but he was pretty sure they shouldn’t get upset. Unfortunately, her reaction to his suggestion of marriage had stymied him and forced him to reveal his intention to take the baby if she didn’t go along with his plans.
    After he let himself in and dropped his overnight bag in one of the bedrooms, he stepped out onto the patio to look out at the Atlantic Ocean, stretched out to the horizon as far as the eye could see. He shouldn’t have come here, because of the memories of all the times he’d stayed here with her. He could have told his personal assistant to book him into another location, but old habits die hard.
    The soothing sound of the waves and familiar salty scent of the blue water didn’t have the same appeal this time. He pulled out his smartphone, trying not to think about her, but finding it impossible.
    Damn. He really should have picked somewhere else to stay, because there were too many memories here—buying groceries at the local store and cooking together in the kitchen, splashing around in the villa’s private pool, and, entwined in each other’s arms, making love until they grew exhausted.
    He turned on the ringer on the phone, which he’d switched off earlier so there would be no interruption during his conversation with Eva. He scrolled through the list of missed calls and saw one had come from the attorneys. Hopefully they had good news concerning the legal battle between him and his family. They’d pooled their resources and dragged him into court to contest Phineas’s will. The attorneys had warned him to expect a long and dirty fight.
    In the midst of all this, he had also become the CEO of Phineas’s international logistics firm, Hoffman Logistics Company, also known as HLC in the industry. At his father’s insistence, he’d worked at the company, in various positions, off and on over the years. Since his father’s death, his most important task had been to calm employees and business associates and reassure them the company remained a viable player in the industry, even though its beloved leader was no longer at the helm. All the more reason to get a quick answer from Eva, so he could head back to Atlanta and deal with the issues he’d left behind to come down here and talk to her in person.
    He spent every day and night reading reports, in meetings, doing everything he could to maintain a sense of order and keep the company from falling apart. Three senior executives had already bailed and gone over to the competition. Keeping up company morale was a priority to stop any further migrations.
    He thought about Eva again. Today she’d looked so fragile as he’d looked down at her slender frame. He’d wanted to pick her up and take her away from her low-paying job and give her the care she needed because she obviously wasn’t taking care of herself.
    To think she carried his child, and he’d almost missed out because of his pride. He’d still been angry and tending to a bruised ego over their breakup when she called to tell him the news. Despite his response, deep down he’d known the truth. Unlike some of the mercenary women he’d come to know over the years, she’d been one of the few who’d never asked for anything from him. Not once had she ever asked him to pay her bills or buy her an expensive piece of jewelry.
    What he couldn’t figure out was what he’d done to make her