It dawned on her as he was talking. “He’s the man who paid to have your father killed, isn’t he?”
Lucas nodded. “I couldn’t prove it, but yes.”
She shook her head in amazement. “Slade got the one man, and you took care of the other. You Holts don’t wait for the law when it comes to righting wrongs, do you?”
He grunted. He could tell her all of it, but he didn’t see any point to that just then. He still didn’t know what he was going to do about her. He hadn’t expected that his first sight of her after all this time would cause a pain that was eating away at him. She was just as beautiful as he remembered, even more so, and damn, he wanted her so badly. Even thinking she was a heartless baggage, he couldn’t turn away.
He was thoughtful too long, making Sharisse uncomfortable. What was he thinking? “Look, Lucas, I know you don’t want a wife, and I’m sorry I didn’t take care of that sooner. But I will. I’ll get a divorce just as soon as possible.”
“You can’t divorce a man you’re not married to,” he replied absently.
“Lucas! You’re not still angry because I lied to you, are you? You have no right to be.” She was losing her temper again. “You lied to me just as much. What ifIhad really wanted a husband?”
“You would have been amply compensated for your disappointment. In fact, I deposited a small fortune in a bank here for you. But of course, no Mrs. Hammond could be found to collect it.” He shrugged. “Now that I know you don’t need it, I’ve put it to another use.”
Sharisee’s eyes sparked. “You had money all along, didn’t you? You could have sent me back when I asked you to! You…oh!”
“I’m rather glad I didn’t.” He grinned.
“Why were you living that way if you had money?”
“My father’s gold mine made me wealthy, but I was playing a role in Arizona, for Sam’s benefit, and throwing money around wasn’t part of it.”
“But you said the mine was never found.”
“I said Newcomb couldn’t find it. My brother and I knew where it was.”
“So you really are wealthy?”
“Are you disappointed?”
It infuriated her, the way his eyes were twinkling. “It makes no difference to me, I’m sure.”
“Doesn’t it?”
“No. Wealthy or not, you’re still despicable.”
He laughed outright. “And here I thought you would be pleased to know I can buy you all the little luxuries you’re accustomed to. You could use a restraining hand, though. You spend too much.”
She gasped at his meaning. “No one told you to pay my bills, Lucas! Why did you?”
“You wear my name. That gives me license to do what I want to where you’re concerned.”
She shot to her feet. “But you said you’re not my husband!”
“I haven’t denied it publicly—yet. Have I?”
“But you intend to, don’t you?” she snapped. He didn’t answer, and the storm went right out of her. She sat down slowly. “Oh, Lucas, why do you want to do this to me? I can bear the scandal of a divorce if I have to, but not that I was never married to begin with.”
“You created this mess, Sharisse.”
“I told you why!” she cried.
“Because of your sister,” he replied, “but she’s been married a long time. What excuse do you have for not correcting this situation sooner?”
Sharisse looked away. To tell him the truth would be to force him into something he didn’t want. She wouldn’t do that. She couldn’t.
“I…I didn’t think there was any harm in leaving things the way they were, Lucas. My father might have found another husband for me, and I didn’t want another husband.” How true that really was, she began to realize.
