Ellie
Colton wraps me into a hug the second I walk in the door. He’s in a good mood tonight. I can tell by the way he moves. “What took you so long?”
“I got held up at my listing.” I pull out of his arms before he releases me. I’m weary and not in a snuggling mood.
“Really? How come?”
I close my eyes. I might as well tell him. “Why did you think you could get away with blackmailing your father?”
He blinks then gives a long, resigned sigh. “Because he’s a fucker who needs to pay for what he’s done. I have the dirt on him. I have proof of the money he was laundering through the gallery. Proof of cars he sold on the black market. Of dirty favors you wouldn’t even believe. Why let him ruin Molly’s life when I don’t have to?”
I shake my head. Colton’s always been too proud for his own good. He thinks he can handle every injustice himself, like he’s some superhero. Nelson’s about to prove otherwise. “Why not just go to the cops? Tell them everything he did to her so they can arrest the sick asshole?”
“You don’t think that would disrupt Molly’s life? You think she wants everyone to know that her slimy stepdad touched her? You don’t think my father would fight it with everything he had? He’s one of the most powerful lawyers in this town. Everyone owes him favors, and he always makes things go his way.” He shakes his head. “I couldn’t go to the cops, not when he controls them. I had to deal with this myself. And it was simple. I let him know I’d hand over evidence of his criminal dealings if he didn’t leave town for good.”
I wrap my arms around myself. I don’t like Nelson any more than Colton does, but I maintain a healthy fear of the man. “You didn’t think this through.”
His face twists into a sneer. “I hate that I didn’t protect her from him. Hate that I wasn’t there to see what was happening. I always thought he was weird about her. What grown man worships a little girl like that? I should have seen it. I should have known.”
“Even if you lived there, you might not have known. Ava was there, and she never suspected anything. Ava still thinks Noah is yours.”
“I know. Molly will probably tell her the truth eventually, but it’s going to be hard for her. Even though Ava has a tough relationship with our father, she still idolizes him. It won’t be easy information for her to handle.”
“Nelson caught me alone at one of my listings earlier tonight,” I say softly, and when the blood drains from Colton’s face, I quickly add, “Nothing like that happened, but . . .”
“What did he say to you?”
“He said I have to give him a million dollars or he’ll stage his own death and frame you for it.”
“Bullshit!”
I shake my head and realize all of me is shaking. I’ve held it together so well since seeing Nelson, but now I’m starting to fall apart. “I’m not willing to call his bluff on this.”
He laughs. “So, what, you’re going to give him a million dollars instead?” When I don’t answer, his laughing face goes hard. “Don’t do it, Ellie.”
“It’s too late. I’m meeting with Tate tomorrow to see if he wants to buy the Discovery collection.”
“You mean the fake Discovery collection. The one that could ruin your life.”
I shrug. “I’d rather take my chances with Tate than Nelson.”
“Fuck that,” he growls. He grabs his keys off the table and storms away, slamming the front door behind him as he goes.
Friday, September 7th
When Tate Andrews walks into Ooh La La!, he’s as beautiful as ever. He’s one of those guys who only gets more handsome as he ages. The wrinkles around his eyes draw attention to the depths of his irises, and the gray at his temples makes him look sophisticated. But instead of sending butterflies dancing in my belly, the sight of him makes my whole body go tense. Because when Colton stole those paintings for me so Nelson couldn’t sell them, I promised myself I’d never return to the ethical muck of Tate’s world.
But here I am.
“God damn, you’re a sight for sore eyes,” he says, taking a seat across from me. “I’ve missed you, Ellie.”
“I’ve missed you too,” I admit, dunking my tea bag. “Thanks for agreeing to meet me today.”
“You think I’d have passed up this chance?” He frowns at my cup. “Since when does Ellie Courdrey drink tea in a coffee shop?”
I open my mouth to provide an excuse, then shake my head. I need to get used to telling the truth. “Since I got knocked up. It’s decaf.”
His eyebrows shoot up into his hairline. “You’re pregnant?”
I nod and put my hand over my stomach, remembering the sound of my baby’s heartbeat. I’m doing this for you, peanut. “Crazy, huh?”
“That’s wonderful. Congratulations. I didn’t even know you were married.”
I drop my gaze to my tea. “I’m not yet.” Mustering all my courage, I meet his eyes. If he wants to judge me for this, he can. “I did things out of order, I guess.”
“Pssh. Who says there’s a right order?” He studies me and shakes his head. “You’re going to make an amazing mother, Ellie. I have no doubt in my mind.”
My chest warms. I’m trying so hard to do all the right things. I’m trying to be an amazing mother by saving my child’s father. By any means necessary. “Thank you, Tate. That means a lot to me.”
“I mean every word, and if you ever need anything, don’t hesitate to give me a call. And I mean anything, Ellie.”
“You’re too good to me.”
His brown eyes soften. “Do you ever miss the art world?”
I shrug. “Sure. Art was my first love. Who doesn’t miss her first love from time to time?”
“Have you ever considered coming back?” When I don’t answer right away, he says, “You have considered it. Of course. That’s why we’re here, isn’t it?”
“Kind of, but I’m not here for a job. I’m here because I’m looking to unload Bauer’s Discovery collection.”
Folding his arms on the table, he leans forward. “You’re kidding me. The originals?”
I shrug. I keep telling myself I’m doing the right thing. That this won’t come back to haunt me. Tate will sell them to an international buyer with a vast private collection, and no one else will ever know they exist. I can’t trust Nelson to take such care with my future. “Sure. We can call them that.”
“You naughty girl.” He wets his bottom lip with his tongue, and I can see the hunger in his eyes. Other men get that look when they’re turned on. Tate gets that look when he thinks he’s going to score a priceless piece of art—or a convincing forgery. “And what exactly did you bring me here for?”
“Would you be interested in obtaining the collection?”
He bites his knuckle. “I want to grab this opportunity and run,” he says, “but instead I’m sitting here wondering what kind of trouble you’ve gotten yourself into.”
“The worst kind of trouble,” I admit. “And this is the only way I know to get myself out of it.”
Saturday, September 8th
There’s a man at my door flashing his badge.
My day was long, made longer by the fact that I haven’t been able to get hold of Colton since he stormed out of my house two days ago. I’m so worried about him, and I’m afraid Nelson’s already done something terrible. Despite Tate’s interest in my forgeries, he refused to buy them. Instead, he insisted that it wasn’t worth putting myself at risk to pay off Nelson McKinley because Nelson can’t be trusted. He insisted that I call the police and tell them that Nelson’s alive and threatening to fake his own death and frame his son.
Tate was so worried about my safety and so convinced that Nelson would try to bring down Colton either way that he turned down the opportunity to more than double his investment on the Discovery collection.
My hands are shaking so hard. I just have to keep telling myself that I’m so close. It’s almost over. Everything will be okay soon. I wanted to talk to Colton before I called the detective, but I can’t wait any longer.
I open my door. “Hello?”