“And yet you ruined your own daughter’s happiness, knowing Grant would never love her. He actually went back to Alicia, didn’t he? And…” I took a stab in the dark. “He hated you for what you did. It’s why he wanted a divorce.”
Her expression hardened. The skin stretched taut over the angular bones of her narrow face. Yep, nailed it.
“Jack’s betrothed to Hannah Jaeger”—she came in with another attack—“I won’t let you ruin a merger worth a billion.” Her gaze slid over me as if I should be seated outside with the hobos. “Besides, she is more his type.”
“He doesn’t want her or your merger. He told you as much,” I shot back.
“Ms. Logan, you don’t want to fight me on this.”
“And you’re wasting your time. I’m not giving up Jack.”
“If you think you’ll get a penny of his inheritance, you’re mistaken. It’s better you accept this deal.Youneed the money.”
I held her stone-cold stare. “I love him. I doubt it’s an emotion you’ve ever experienced. If you had, then you wouldn’t steamroll over everyone to get what you want.”
Her eyes became chips of brown ice. She took the envelope and dropped it inside her bag again, only to fish out another one and set it in front of me. Did she just have another offer waiting in case I didn’t play ball?
“Double. This should make you happy. Help pay off your student loans, your family’s medical bills, or start up your own architectural offices.”
“As long as I break up with Jack?” God, I was so done with this horrible woman. “You can offer meyourentire fortune, and my answer will still be the same. I love him, I won’t give him up.” Anger surging, I pushed to my feet, needing to get out of the claustrophobic place and the suffocating air.
“Exclusively Yours.” She said it so quietly, I frowned and glanced back. “Escort services.”
I froze. My pounding heart was the only sound in my ears. I hadn’t told Jack about that time. It wasn’t like anything had happened. I’d only been an escort…in a place that did the full-package service. God.
My throat drying up, I rasped, “Go ahead, tell him.” And I prayed Jack would understand.
“For all Jack’s wild ways, he is rather conservative in some,” she said, her tone unruffled. Then, as if she already held me by the neck, she tightened the noose, “I understand your mother is ill. Several strokes? And your father resigned his job, works part-time now to play nursemaid?”
My knees gave way. I grabbed the table and sat, the threat a knife in my chest.
“I ran a background check on you.” The cold smile returned. “Did you think I’d let a sullied gold-digger try and hook my grandson? It’s not good to thwart me, Ms. Logan. I always win.”
Oh, Christ. My chest cramped as if she’d fisted my heart. This vile woman had my worst fear in her clutches.
Not only did I live in a small town that knew us quite well, but my parents were also respected and old-school. Even if they didn’t hear about it, there were those who would very happily inform them, wanting to humiliate them. The shock would be devastating. It could do irreparable damage to Mom.
I lowered my burning gaze to my clenched fingers, feeling as if I were caught in quicksand.
“It’s good we understand each other. You don’t want the festival photo with the escort headlines now, do you?Wewill brave that storm. Can you? You have until Monday.”
Or Tuesday morning, there would be one helluva salacious headline in the society pages.
With one French-tipped nail, she pushed the envelope closer to me and rose. In a swirl of cloying perfume, she left.
Frozen, I stared at the envelope on the linen tablecloth, the thing ticking like a time bomb as a mind-numbing cold seeped into me.
My cell beeped. On autopilot, I pulled it out of my pants’ pocket. At Jack’s initials, a sob caught in my throat. After several blinks to clear my blurry eyes, I managed to read the message.
Wait for me at Moretti’s. I’m going to head out early. I miss you.
No-no! He couldn’t see me like this. I needed time.
Hastily, I typed back.A raincheck? I have a few things to do. Not sure how long I’ll be.
A second later, my cell rang. I couldn’t talk to him, I just couldn’t. Not yet…
JACK
