“That’s what this is all about? What I offered wasn’t enough?” Nathan said, coming closer. Satisfaction practically coated every word. “Name your price.”

“I don’t want money. I was trying to explain how much that estate means to me … I was—”

“Then what do you want?”

It took every ounce of her will to stand still, bearing the judgment in that gaze. The pain in his words cut through her. “I want you to see your father.”

The silence that dawned was so tense that Riya felt the tension wind around them like a tangible rope. The knot in his brow cleared, the icy blue of his eyes widened. It was the last thing he had expected to hear. That she had surprised him left her only shaking in her leather pumps.

“No.”

Fisting her hands behind her, Riya pushed the words that refused to come under his scornful gaze. “Then I won’t sign it over. Ever.”

She could practically hear him size her up, saw him reassess his assumptions about her in the way disbelief and then pity filled his gaze. He looked at her as though he was seeing her anew.

“Don’t push me into doing something I don’t want to. That estate—it’s the one thing in the entire world that means something to me.”

His words were laden with emotion and so much more. And she understood that attachment—because she loved the estate too. But she couldn’t weaken now … now that he was here in San Francisco, so close to Robert.

“I’ve already made my decision.”