That’s why he’s so willing to walk away from us.
He doesn’t want me to suffer through that same thing.
I glance at Meredith, and she looks at me, then her father.
“Nathaniel was the head of this entire thing. He was using our properties in Boston to wash some of the money. He’s been buying the properties with dirty money through various buyers who paid more for the houses than they should be worth. He started getting some heat on it and shifted to using my horses since no one pays attention to horse sales. Travis would set it up, Nathaniel would send one of the buyers to get the horse at some stupid price, and they kept doing it when he realized no one was on to them. But Travis got spooked by something Nathaniel said, I don’t know exactly what yet, but that’s when he took off. Apparently, the rumors that were fed by Nathaniel canceled all the legitimate sales we had, but the rest of them, they were all fronts for the crime ring.”
I can’t believe what he’s saying. Nathaniel offered to help. To loan him the money he needed in order to get through this rough patch. He came here because he said he was worried. Now to find out that he was behind all of it has to be devastating for Killian.
All of it was lies and for what? Money? I hate all of it. I hate that he did this, and I hate him for almost ruining Killian’s entire life.
“I don’t even know what to say,” I confess. “I can’t believe it.”
“Me neither. I’ve known Nathaniel for most of my life, and I never would’ve believed it, which I think the prosecutor knew, so they let me read Travis’s full confession. He explained everything, how they did it, where they found the buyers, why they used them, and then how the horses that won just brought them more revenue. All of it was in there. The dates, times, names, properties where Travis would meet Nathaniel at in Boston when he told me he was going to check on a stud or a new mare. Everything was a fucking lie.”
Jake scratches his cheek. “Jesus. And your name was tied to it all?”
“Yes, the paperwork that Tessa and I found with my signatures was really one of the most damning parts. Nathaniel and Travis were smart. They entwined me in it where they could and the fact that the whole scheme involved both of my business partners pretty much made me a prime suspect all along,” Killian explains.
Meredith looks to me. “Don’t ever make me an accomplice in your life of crime.”
I chuckle. “I’ll do my best.”
Jake scoffs. “Please, she should be saying that to you. If either of you is going to be the troublemaker—it’s not her.”
“True,” I say with a smile.
Killian clears his throat. “I’m going to grab some water. Does anyone need anything?”
We all shake our heads.
Killian then looks down at me longingly, and I do my best to stop the pang in my heart. All I want is to be close to him, touch him, confess my feelings, but I also know that if I do that, then it could mean he loses his daughter.
He needs his family, and I need him to have that. I just hope Meredith comes around soon and sees that I love him.
I watch him go inside, not able to take my gaze from him, my chest so tight it feels as though it might break.
“Tess, will you take a walk with me?” Meredith asks.
My eyes move to hers. “Now?”
She nods.
“Okay.”
Jake gets to his feet. “I’ll go get water or…you know, disappear so you two can talk.”
Meredith leans in and kisses him quickly. “Thanks, babe.”
She loops her arm through mine and we start to walk down toward the dock. I can hear the river moving, hitting the rocks and splashing up as it flows down from the falls that are much further down.
“How are you holding up?” she asks.
My brows furrow. “What do you mean?”
Meredith snorts. “Please. I know you better than that. You love him, he’s home, and it’s very clear he loves you too. But the two of you look like you’re in pain.”
Because we are in pain.
