"That's not my problem. With the money I'm offering, he can make a life anywhere."
He saw himself as some sort of hero. His ego so colossal, he truly viewed himself as an agent of justice. He was truly delusional.
"Is that why you married him?" he asked. "Another charity case to you?"
"No. I love him," I said simply and truthfully. There was no reason to try to convince him of anything anymore.
I suddenly felt numb. He would never leave me alone. I'd spend the remainder of my life being his pawn in some form or another. Staring unseeing out the windshield, I ended the call without another word.
I didn't remember the drive back home. Home. Another sob threatened to choke me as tears slid down my cheeks, one faster than the next. "You're okay," I assured myself. "Everything will be okay. Grayson and I will work this out together. He said he'd take care of me now." Oh God, but neither one of us had a cent to our name once again.
I pulled through the gates and immediately noticed a black town car parked in front of the fountain. Oh God, now what? As I pulled in behind it, Cooper stepped out of the back seat. My heart stuttered again and then took up a staccato beat. At this rate, I was likely to die of heart failure before this day was over.
I took one last deep breath and stepped out of my car, closing the door with a quiet click. Cooper was already walking toward me. "Kira, what's wrong?" he asked, a look of concern on his face. I swiped at my eyes.
"Do you really not know, Cooper? Or are you in on this, too? You and my father—some sort of demented duo," I suggested flatly.
He took a deep breath, his brow creasing. "Yes, I know what he did. I'm sorry. But I have to agree with his desire to get you out of here." He waved his arm behind him at Grayson's home. "He's a murderer, Kira," he said harshly. "You're probably not even safe."
"I'm about a million times safer with him than I ever was with you." My voice rose in volume as I spit the words at him. But suddenly another wave of defeat crashed over me. Fighting with Cooper wasn't going to solve this situation. I changed my tactic. "Cooper," I said, moving closer to him, my voice shaking slightly, "I know what you did was . . ." I shook my head, searching for words that would persuade him, rather than anger him, "because of the drugs and alcohol. I know that wasn't the real you."
He seemed to consider that explanation momentarily and find it agreeable. "It wasn't, Kira." Liar. "It wasn't me. I was out of control. But no one can know that. It would ruin me." But you were perfectly fine with ruining me.
I shook my head briskly. "I don't want to expose you, Cooper. I'll never reveal what happened between us. I'll take the fall. It's okay. I'll do whatever you ask of me. Just please, convince my father to take the hold off my gram's money. Convince him to leave us in peace. Will it really hurt you to come up with a new plan, one that doesn't involve me? Please, Cooper, if you ever loved me at all, please let me be happy."
Cooper worried his lip, appearing to contemplate my words. Hope leapt in my chest, and I moved a few steps closer. "You don't know everything he does, everything he's capable of. I know you're better than him, Coop. Don't align yourself with my father any more than you already have."
"What he does?" Cooper asked, moving a lock of hair away from my face. I glanced at the house, hoping against hope Grayson wasn't looking out the window. No, he was most likely still sleeping. I didn't want him to walk into the middle of this. I needed to convince Cooper to help me.
I shook my head. "He manipulates people for his own schemes. He even used Grayson. He's already hurt him, used him so terribly."
"Used me how?" came the cold hard voice next to me. I sucked in a ragged breath, my heart leaping. I hadn't seen Grayson because our cars had concealed him as he’d approached, and I'd been so focused on Cooper. I hadn't expected he'd be working today, but he must have been, at least for a short time. That's the direction from which he'd come.