"Of course not!" Ryder shot Easton a furious look.
Easton just sneered, not giving a damn whether Ryder was involved in today's mess or not. He turned his attention to the group demanding money, his eyes cold as ice. "So, what's it gonna be? You leave on your own, or do I have to make you?"
The group knew Easton's reputation all too well. Just seeing him standing next to Cassidy had them shaking in their boots.
When Easton spoke, they got the message loud and clear: leave now or risk leaving in body bags.
"We're outta here! Right now!" They didn't waste a second, shoving each other to get out of there.
Cassidy watched them scramble away, feeling a wave of relief wash over her.
With Easton on her side, she could dodge a lot of headaches. Teaming up with him was hands down the best move she'd ever made.
Easton turned to her. "It's done, let's roll."
Cassidy nodded, ready to leave with Easton, completely ignoring Ryder, who stood off to the side, looking like he'd swallowed a lemon.
Ryder was already pissed that Cassidy had become the head of the family. Seeing people come to give her grief today had made his day, so he egged them on, never expecting Easton to show up out of nowhere.
What shocked him even more was Easton siding with Cassidy!
He distinctly remembered Easton not being a fan of Cassidy. When the lawyer read Ashton's will, Easton had been against Cassidy taking over. But now, here he was, jumping in to help her at the first sign of trouble!
"I didn't think you'd turn into such a loyal lapdog," Ryder sneered, his voice dripping with contempt. "Anyone messes with your master, and you go for the throat. Did you sell your dignity for her trust and those five votes?"
Easton and Cassidy stopped dead in their tracks, the air around them going still.
Easton and Ryder had butted heads often, but this was the first time Ryder dragged Cassidy into it, calling their relationship master and loyal dog. The blatant insult had everyone around them holding their breath.
"Watch your mouth, Ryder! If you can't speak respectfully, I can arrange for someone to teach you." Easton's icy stare bore into Ryder, but Ryder didn't flinch.
"You turned into her lapdog for some perks?" Ryder's words were like daggers.
Cassidy first frowned, then smirked knowingly at Ryder. "Are you jealous because Easton stood up for me first? Or did you help those people to humiliate me, planning to swoop in and save the day to win my favor? Did Easton ruin your little scheme, and now you're throwing a tantrum?" She watched Ryder's face darken and felt a surge of satisfaction.
She added, "It's okay, Ryder, you can try harder next time. Maybe your plan will work then."
"Cassidy! Keep talking, and I'll end you right here!" Ryder rarely dealt with Cassidy. From what he knew, she was just a weak, clueless woman. If it weren't for the marriage alliance, she wouldn't have had a shot at joining the Cooper family.
Cassidy was pretty much useless to the Cooper family, but Ashton had a soft spot for her and even made her the head after he passed!
Ryder had just tried to humiliate Cassidy by siding with those people, but now, thanks to Cassidy's spin, it looked like he was trying to suck up to her! Who did she think she was that he'd try to please her? He was probably the one who wanted her gone the most in the whole Cooper family!
His eyes were filled with malice, making Cassidy super uncomfortable. She didn't want to keep dealing with him and tried to leave, but as soon as she turned around, Ryder lunged at her and grabbed her by the neck.
Ryder's sudden move almost knocked Cassidy over, but his tight grip on her neck actually kept her steady.
He was squeezing too hard, and Cassidy soon found it hard to breathe. Just as she was about to slap Ryder's arm, Easton kicked Ryder away.
Ryder felt a sharp pain in his gut and had to let go of Cassidy.
Cassidy quickly stepped back, covering her neck and coughing. She had no idea why Ryder had suddenly lost it.
Easton stepped in front of Cassidy, his eyes full of warning. "Ryder, if you want to die, I can make that happen right now!"
Ryder ignored Easton, his eyes fixed on Cassidy. "You slut! Where did those hickeys come from? My father just died, and you couldn't wait to find a lover!"
Hickeys? Cassidy panicked. She thought she had covered them all, but Ryder had still seen them!
She immediately looked up at Easton, instinctively reaching for his clothes. Just as her fingers brushed against the fabric, she pulled her hand back.
Easton stood in front of her, blocking her view of Ryder. He felt the brief touch of her hand on his clothes and understood her distress.
"You keep running your mouth. Seems like you really have a death wish!" Easton twisted his wrist, his expression unchanged, but his gaze at Ryder grew more menacing.
Seeing Easton like this, Ryder started to panic. Easton looked like he was ready to kill! "Damn it, she has hickeys all over her! She hid it from us and slept with another man!"
Easton looked at Ryder coldly. "I didn't see any hickeys on her. You conspired with outsiders to mess with her, and now you're spreading lies. Ryder, do you need me to send you to your grave today?"
Ryder, clutching his aching stomach, angrily pointed at Cassidy. "Damn it, Easton, are you sleeping with her? Is that why you're defending her so much?"
"Ryder, say one more word, and I won't hesitate to snap your neck right now!" Easton's voice was cold and terrifying, like the whisper of a demon.
Ryder cursed, knowing Easton wouldn't kill him right now, but Easton's look was too scary. He saw the real intent to kill in Easton's eyes.
If he kept pushing, Easton would definitely act. Even if Easton didn't kill him, he'd probably end up in a hospital bed for a long time.
"You're a madman! A complete madman!" Ryder cursed and stormed off.
After Ryder left, Cassidy finally relaxed. She took deep breaths to calm herself down.
Easton turned and saw her looking down, patting her chest. Her hair was parted and hanging in front of her, revealing a small patch of skin on the back of her neck when she looked down.
Cassidy had covered the hickeys she could see but missed the ones on the back of her neck.