But Curt answered the bell, his eyes widening at the unexpected sight of her standing out in the corridor. “Mindy!” He was an inch taller than Jax, with an athletic build and glossy blond hair neatly combed. When he leaned down and hugged her, Jax’s body went tense.
“I can’t believe you’re really here,” Curt said.
Mindy pulled away from him, embarrassed at the unexpectedly warm greeting. “Curt, this is Jaxon Ryker. He’s a private detective. We need to talk to you.”
Curt’s gaze went to Jax, slid over the powerful, heavily muscled body outlined by his snug, dark blue T-shirt and jeans. The faint outline of a semiautomatic pistol bulged beneath the fabric at his waist.
Curt stared at Jax, whose features looked hard. One of his big biceps flexed, and Mindy could almost smell the testosterone in the air.
“May we come in?” She eased between the two men. “It’s really important, Curt.”
“Of course. You know you’re always welcome.” Tossing Jax a dark glance, he stepped back to let them pass, and she walked into a living room stacked with cardboard boxes.
“You’re moving?”
“Things happen. I’m out of jail, which you obviously know. I’m starting over so I need to make some changes.”
“Or maybe not,” Jax drawled. “Maybe you could keep your fancy lifestyle—if you could get your hands on Mindy’s mother’s money. Isn’t that right, Wyman?”
Curt frowned and shook his head. “What are you talking about?”
“Three men tried to kidnap me Friday night,” Mindy said. “Jax thinks they were planning to torture me until I signed over my mother’s trust fund money.”
The color washed out of Curt’s face. “I don’t understand.” He was a good-looking guy, and yet he no longer held the slightest appeal for her.
“You knew about the trust,” Jax said. “Your burglary scheme failed, and you needed money, so you went after Mindy.”
Curt turned toward her, his gaze pleading. “I’d never hurt you, Mindy. I—I loved you. I know I didn’t show it when we were together, but it’s true. I know I don’t deserve you, but I’d do anything if I could have you back.”
“You’re right, Wyman. You don’t deserve her. Where were you last night?”
Curt’s gaze swung to Jax. “I went on a date with a girl I just met. I’ve been trying to put my life back together, but the evening was a complete and total bust. She wasn’t Mindy. It didn’t take me long to figure that out. Her name’s Margaret Aimes. You can call her, verify I was with her until after midnight.”
He was telling the truth. Mindy could always tell when he was lying.
Jax’s stare didn’t waver. “Give me her name and number.”
Curt nodded, left to retrieve a pen and paper, and wrote down the phone number. He walked over and handed it to Jax, but his attention returned to Mindy. “If I could do things over, I would. I’m really sorry, Mindy.”
A flicker of sadness moved through her. There was a time when she had hoped they would have a future together. “I’m glad you got a second chance. I hope you make it work.”
They left the condo and took the elevator back down to the underground lot.
“You believe him,” Jax said as he helped her into the pickup.
Mindy nodded. “I could always tell when Curt was lying. He didn’t do it often, and he was never any good at it.”
Jax rounded the Dodge and climbed in behind the wheel. “You know he’s still in love with you.”
She glanced out the window as he started the engine. Was it possible? She had no idea, but it really didn’t matter. “I meant what I said. I hope he makes his second chance work.”
She could feel Jax’s dark eyes on her. “If he straightens himself out, you interested in going back to him?”
Curt compared to Jaxon Ryker? No contest. “I’m over him. I was never really in love with him. I just wanted to be. I enjoyed his company and I liked having a man in my life. I miss that.” She had always wanted a home and family. She still did. Just not with Curt Wyman.
Jax looked like he wanted to say something, but instead he focused on backing up and pulling the truck out onto the street.
“I should have taken something out of the freezer for dinner,” she said as the pickup rolled back toward her apartment. “With everything that’s been happening, I forgot.”
