Total pages in book: 96
Estimated words: 91357 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 457(@200wpm)___ 365(@250wpm)___ 305(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 91357 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 457(@200wpm)___ 365(@250wpm)___ 305(@300wpm)
They finally arrived at her house, and Tyler pulled up in his Porsche a short time later.
Sam’s scowl deepened. “Could he be any more conspicuous?” he muttered.
Nicole knew better than to answer.
They settled in separate corners of the living room, Nicole on the charming floral sofa the Browns had left behind, Tyler on a solid cream club chair, while Sam leaned against the wall, arms folded across his chest.
“I don’t understand what’s going on today.” Nicole spoke first.
Tyler met Sam’s gaze.
“Tell her,” Sam said, issuing a direct order in a tone she’d never heard from him until this afternoon.
Her ex-fiancé rose to his feet. “I’m not here to win you back. Well, I was, but not because that’s what I wanted.”
Nicole narrowed her gaze. “It never did make sense to me that you’d chase after me after I ended things. And once you saw there was sosmeone else . . .” She shook her head. “It made no sense,” she repeated.
He shoved his hands into his pants pockets. “When you broke up with me, I was floored. I admit I didn’t see it coming, but I accepted it.”
Sam took in Tyler’s words, and Nicole knew he was putting himself in Tyler’s position because he had been there when his fiancé ended things the morning they were to get married. She hated that either man had to go through this awkward reliving of events.
“Then why come to town?” Nicole asked.
“The same afternoon you ended things, my father called me to his office. He was in a panic. Afraid you’d overheard certain information about his business dealings and could destroy him if you went to the police.” Tyler’s gaze shifted from Sam—the cop now in the equation—to Nicole. “Did you overhear them?”
Her breath coming in stuttered spurts that hurt, she managed a nod.
Sam, meanwhile, stared at the other man. “Let me guess. Daddy sent you after Nicole to win her back? Why? Because he didn’t think she’d turn him in if you two were still engaged?” Sam looked at Tyler with disgust but Nicole was just confused.
Tyler ran a hand over his perfectly cut hair. “Because he thought he’d have more control over her if she was still my mother’s campaign manager and my future wife, and if she was more invested in the family dynamic again.”
Nicole sucked in a startled breath. “Why didn’t you just come to me? You could have asked me what I did—or didn’t—know.”
“You could have done the same thing,” Tyler shot back.
Sam held up one hand. “You first.” He turned to Tyler. “Why not talk to her?”
“I’d think that would be obvious. Because if she didn’t know, I’d be putting her in danger by telling her.”
“But I did know. And I’ve been torn up with guilt, wondering if you knew, how you could let it go on. And if you didn’t, same answer you just gave. The firm partially funds your mother’s campaign. That’s illegal money and would taint her so badly she’d have to step down and not run again. Then there’s my father. I had to decide what I thought he knew—if I could destroy his firm, his livelihood, and everything that’s important to my parents. I might not like them much, but they’re my family. And speaking of family, what about Victoria?” she asked, her voice rising. “Who would take responsibility for her once she gets out if my father ends up in jail?” She turned to Sam. “Don’t you see? There’s more at stake than just my morality.” She needed him to understand.
And his soft gaze told her he just might.
Sympathy flashed in Tyler’s expression, too. “Well, I just found out, as well. And I have many of the same questions you do.”
“Nice mess,” Sam muttered. “Do you think your father sent those men to hurt Nicole?”
Tyler shook his head, then stopped himself and shrugged. “I hope not. I want to believe he intended to make a statement to me, to get me to step things up. I have to believe that hurting Nicole is a line my father wouldn’t cross. Threaten to, maybe, but not cross.”
“What if they don’t have any such boundaries?” Sam asked, obviously meaning the Russians.
“I’m hoping they don’t know everything, that they’re just doing my father a favor,” Tyler muttered.
Nicole wrapped her arms around her waist, and Tyler swore. “I have to go home and find out what my father told them,” he said.
“What about my father?” Nicole asked.
“I’ll see what I can uncover,” he said.
Sam nodded. “That’s the right place to start.”
Tyler inclined his head. “But I have to talk to Macy before I go. I can’t just disappear without an explanation,” he said, not meeting Nicole’s gaze.
She wasn’t surprised that Tyler had feelings of some kind for Macy. She’d seen Macy’s interest and Tyler had quickly fallen in line, from changing his style of dress to following her around town.