Shane felt the hairs on the back of his neck prickling. “Tell me about Mikaela.”
Corinne took a deep breath and accepted the drink Shane placed in front of her. “She transferred into Pine Ridge High when her dad retired from the Army and decided to get into local politics. She kept to herself, mostly. Well, you know Lacie. She couldn’t stand to see someone moping around the sidelines. Lacie kind of adopted her, brought her into the fold, made sure she was included in everything. Pretty soon Mikaela was around all the time. I think she had a thing for Craig, but he didn’t seem to notice her much. It was a huge surprise when word got out about the baby.”
“How’d that go over?”
“Oh, Mikaela couldn’t have been happier. Craig, not so much. He didn’t want to get married. Mikaela’s daddy didn’t give him much of a choice, though. I don’t think Craig was even going to re-up until that happened.”
Ian re-entered the bar. “I’ve kicked off a couple of things. We should have the results in a few hours.”
Corinne nodded, rising. “I’d better get home. Mom and Dad are due to arrive any time now. Lacie is so going to kick my ass for calling them home early.” She blew out a breath. “And she’ll kill me if I tank finals on her account. She’ll probably make me take a full course load over the summer or something.” She attempted a smile. “You will text me if you hear anything?”
“Of course. You, too. You’ve got my private number, yeah?”
She nodded and turned toward the door.
“Corinne?”
“Yes?”
“We’ll find her, bring her home.”
She nodded. “I know you will. I’m really glad she has you, Shane.”
*
Craig ran the warm, damp cloth over her gently, reverently. He felt bad about having to give her so much, but it was for her own good.
It had been a battle to get her to drink some more juice. He smiled as he remembered how she tried to defy him. He liked her spirit, but in the end, she listened to him and did what he said. It would always be like that. She would challenge him, get his blood pumping, make him feel alive, and then she would give him what he needed. She was perfect that way.
His words had been a revelation to her. His sweet, kind Lacie. Of course she would believe that he’d loved Mikaela. Love, marriage, children – they all went hand in hand in her world. Maybe that’s why she had refused to see what was between them. Mikaela had been her friend. It was entirely possible that she felt that to acknowledge what was meant to be between them would be betraying Mikaela’s memory somehow.
Mikaela. That stupid bitch had ruined everything! If she hadn’t made herself up to look like Lacie and seduced him when he was three sheets to the wind... She’d planned it all, down to the very last detail, too, leaving nothing to chance. It had been Mikaela that set Lacie up with Gabe, ensuring that Craig would be there when Gabe came to pick her up. It had been Mikaela who worked him into a jealous fury with a few carefully orchestrated insinuations. It had been her suggestion that he say something to Brian about Lacie’s clear lack of judgment in choosing a date. And she had been the one to play dress-up, to come to him when she was fertile and make sure they hadn’t used protection. She’d wanted to get pregnant.
Oh, she’d denied it at first. Told him it was meant to be, that she would make him happy. That Lacie didn’t love him and never would.
Hateful, spiteful bitch.
But as time progressed and she realized that he could barely stand the sight of her conniving ass she grew nasty, threatening to tell Lacie everything. How she found his secret stash he’d never know, but she said she was going to take all those photos of Lacie and show her, her brother, her parents, the police. He’d had to do something; she’d left him no choice. A few well-placed nicks here and there beneath her car, and ... problem solved.
Poor Lacie. She’d been so distraught over her friend’s death. But Mikaela had never been her friend, not really. He’d done Lacie a favor. She’d never know how Mikaela had betrayed her.
But in the end, it had all worked out for the best. Mikaela was no match for Fate. She was out of their lives forever. Lacie was especially nice to him, and lavished attention on Shelly. Shelly adored Lacie. And Lacie would be a better mother than Mikaela had ever been. Soon she would realize that they were meant to be together, and they would finally be a real family.
Lacie would be a better wife than Mikaela, too. She would never have to stoop to tricks to have him in her bed. Already she was pleasing him beyond his wildest dreams, providing him the haven he so desperately needed. And soon she would willingly welcome him into her body and scream his name in orgasmic pleasure.
He just needed to be patient for a little while longer, capturing these stolen, intimate moments when he could until they could enjoy them together.