Jack turns when he hears her.
“Rhys,” he says, giving me a head-to-toe sweep.Jack never liked me much.As far as he’s concerned, I was always just the hired help, someone levels beneath him.He’s old money.Cocky.Arrogant.A hell of a businessman.
“Jack,” I say, giving him a chin-lift.“Sorry to interrupt, but I have an urgent matter to discuss with Marnie.”
“No problem.”He brushes back the sleeve of his jacket to glance at his watch.“We were finishing up anyway, and I’ve got another meeting.”He tips back his glass, draining the amber liquid.“I’ll have my assistant send the paperwork through for you to look over, Marnie.”
“Do that,” she says, her voice cool.I can feel her glaring daggers at my back.
He deposits his glass on the sideboard and then picks his briefcase up from the floor.Marnie stands stiffly when he kisses her on the cheek.She doesn’t even look at him.She’s too busy glaring at me.
What the fuck did Brant ever see in her?
Jack murmurs something to her, which prompts her to shake her head.He says something else, earning a grunt from her.This pisses him off.He tenses slightly.It’s so subtle I don’t think anyone else would have noticed, but I do.Reading people is what I do for a living.
And I’m reading a whole hell of a lot right now.
Marnie pulls away from Jack, who finally takes the hint.He’s not thrilled about it, but he backs off and stalks toward the door, cold as ice.
“Nice seeing you, detective,” he says on his way out the door.He doesn’t mean it.
I don’t return the platitude.
“What do you want, Rhys?”Marnie demands as soon as the door closes behind him.
“For you to do your fucking job as the executor of Raven’s trust.”
“Of course this is about Raven.”She rolls her eyes.“God, you’re just like him when it comes to her, you know that?She bats those lashes, and you fall all over yourself rushing to her aid.It’s ridiculous.”
“He was her father,” I grit out.
“What’s your excuse?”
“You cut her off,” I say instead of engaging.I’m not surprised she’s jealous of Raven.Raven is beautiful, talented, and smart, and people are genuinely drawn to her.She doesn’t have to work to be liked.It’s effortless for her.Marnie knows she can’t compete.It drives her nuts that she wasn’t the center of Brant’s world.I think she thought once he moved to Seattle, he’d be all hers, and that didn’t happen.He didn’t stop being Raven’s father.I think Marnie knows if she’d pushed, he would have chosen Raven over her, and she hates Raven for it.She loved Brant.
“Don’t be so melodramatic, Rhys.I canceled her credit cards,” Marnie says with a laugh.“She’s almost twenty-two.She’s more than capable of providing for herself when she isn’t in school.”
“You canceled her tuition payment for next year,” I growl, still furious about that.
Marnie gasps.“I did not!”
“Raven certainly thinks you did.”
“If that’s what she told you, she’s lying.”
“And I suppose she’s lying about you telling her that she isn’t welcome here too?”I ask, crossing my arms and planting my feet.She’s full of shit and we both know it.
“I was upset,” she sniffs, averting her gaze.“I can’t stand seeing her, Rhys.How am I supposed to live with her for three months?It’s like looking at him.”She shudders.“I can’t do it.I don’t need to be reminded of that time.”
“You don’t need to be reminded of that time?Jesus fucking Christ, Marnie.”I laugh without mirth.“You killed her father, but you’re the victim here?Do you even hear yourself?”
“Of course I do!”she cries, throwing her hands up in the air.“Of course, I know how it sounds.”Tears swim in her eyes.“But I’m pregnant with his baby.That’s hard enough without having to look into Raven’s eyes every day and deal with that guilt too.”
“At least you feel guilt,” I mutter.
“You think I don’t?”she asks.
I shrug, not sure I believe she does.Not sure I believe a fucking word she says.She’s like one of those children’s toys that you draw on and then wipe clean.She can be whoever she wants to be.When the show is over, she just erases the face and starts over.The only problem is that eventually, the magnetic ink begins to stick to the board.Little bits of the old drawings remain.They get all mixed up with the new.Sooner or later, the whole board is so messed up that you can’t tell what you’re looking at anymore.
