18
Adrian
I wait until Barry rolls down his car window and then I nod. “What’s going on?”
We’re parked next to each other in an old gravel parking lot in the industrial district. We’ve been coming here to meet privately ever since I hired him nearly ten years ago.
Instead of answering, he hands me his phone with a document loaded up on it. It’s a contract from nearly ten years ago, for the purchase of my first house. I bought it with money that my parents loaned me.
I shake my head. “So? Why are you showing me this?”
“My contact at the Feds told me they’d started looking into the corruption charges against you. I remembered when you showed me your first house, you said you’d bought it with a loan from your parents.”
“Yeah.” I frown. “What’s your point? Lots of people get loans from their parents to buy houses. The housing market is fucked.”
Barry sighs, staring at me like I’m denser than a block of concrete. “Did you pay your parents back?”
“Obviously. It only took me a couple years to start making good money in my first business before I went into politics. Barry, will you get to the fucking point, here? I haven’t got all day.”
He waves his phone at me. “If they can’t get you on corruption charges with this construction deal, they’ll get you on this. Paying your parents back for that loan made your first mortgage fraudulent. It’s a felony.”
“What?” I laugh, frowning. “What are you talking about?”
“How do you not know this?”
“It doesn’t make any sense! Everyone borrows money! Show me one person who’s bought a house in their twenties who didn’t get the money from someone else.”
Barry shrugs. “Google it if you don’t believe me. It’s falsifying a home loan application.”
I shake my head. My heart thumps and I shake my head harder. “That’s crazy.”
“Your lawyers figure out a way to get you out of this mess yet?”
I stare at him and then look away. I shrug. “They want me to settle out of court. They said the DA will drop the charges based on some of the things they’ve found.”
“My advice is to take that deal and run. The feds find this,” he lifts his phone up again. “And Adrian, they will find it… then, you’re done.”
I take a deep breath as panic starts to rise in my throat. I smack my steering wheel as hard as I can and the horn blares. “Fuck!”
“Take the deal.”
Barry stares at me from under those bushy grey eyebrows. His face is deadly serious, and I know he means it. If he says I should run from this, I trust him enough to believe it.
That doesn’t stop me from Googling it the minute he drives off.
“18 U.S. Code § 1014. Loan and credit applications generally; renewals and discounts; crop insurance:
Whoever knowingly makes any false statement or report, or willfully overvalues any land, property or security, for the purpose of influencing in any way the action of the Federal Housing Administration...”
My eyes skim over legal jargon I don’t quite understand, and then I see the last line of the act:
“shall be fined not more than $1,000,000 or imprisoned not more than 30 years, or both.”
I drop my phone in my lap and cover my face in my hands.
Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, oh shit, fuck.
I’m hyperventilating. I grip the steering wheel and take long, slow breaths as I try to make sense of what’s happening. I could be fined a million dollars?! I could go to jail for thirty fucking years?!
They wouldn’t give me such a harsh sentence… would they?
I lean my head against the headrest and close my eyes. An hour ago, I was absolutely sure that I wanted to fight this. I wanted to clear my name—but now I realize that I can’t even do that. I made that deal with Hansen Constructions. I accepted campaign money and gave them a development project they had no business winning. Even if my name isn’t on the contract that they got, the whole thing stinks of bribery.
When I open my eyes, I know what I need to do. I need to face these things head-on. I can’t clear my name, because I was wrong.
But I won’t go to jail for accepting money from my parents to buy a house. Going to jail for thirty years for that… I can’t even wrap my head around it. I can accept the consequences when I’ve done something wrong, but not something that every single one of my peers has done. I didn’t even know it was a crime!
It’s time for me to face the facts: my political career is over. I made a dirty deal, and I have to pay with my seat as mayor. I have to give up my career in politics and save my skin. If that’s the only way to avoid jail time, so be it.
My eyes are misting and I shake my head angrily. I won’t cry.
Instead, I pick up the phone and dial Theresa.
“Mr. Mayor,” she says on the first ring.
“I’ve changed my mind. Talk to the DA, see if you can get the charges dropped. I don’t care about the acquittal.”
“That’s a very wise decision, Mr. Mayor. May I ask what prompted this change of heart?
“Just call me Adrian, please. And I guess I just came to my senses,” I sigh, closing my eyes as Theresa chuckles.
“Of course. This is the right thing to do, Adrian. I’ll set a meeting with the District Attorney today and see what he says.”
“If he accepts… does that mean I can’t be tried for these same charges again?”
“Depends on the deal we make.”
“That doesn’t sound like a ‘yes’ to me.”
Theresa takes a deep breath. “I’ll try to get him to agree to closing the case. If it’s dismissed, there is a chance it could be re-opened in the future, and it could show up on your record.”
“This is sounding less and less like a good option for me.” My palms are sweaty. A criminal record—I can’t have a criminal record!
“Mr. Ma—Adrian, listen. You do not have a strong case. If this thing goes to trial, you will lose. We may be able to get away with a lighter sentence, but there is no lawyer in the world who can get you acquitted. Getting the charges dropped is the only option you have. I’m glad you’ve come around to the idea, because it’s your only shot at avoiding jail time. I’ll do my best to have your criminal record wiped, and to have the case closed, but I’m not making any promises.”
My heart thumps and I take a shaky breath. I nod, even though she can’t see me. Then I clear my throat. “Okay. Yeah, alright. Just do it. Thank you.”
“I think that’s the first time you’ve thanked me for anything.”
“I’ve been told I’m an asshole.”
She chuckles. “I’ll call you tonight and we can meet to discuss the DA’s response.”
“Thank you.”
“Twice in one conversation! I must be doing something right.”
“You sound like Stella—like Ms. King.”
Theresa just grunts in response. “Bye-bye, now.”
I hang up the phone and take a deep breath. Then, I pick up the phone and call the governor. His receptionist answers.
“Governor Hardy, please. It’s Mayor Maguire.”
She transfers me through, and Oliver Hardy’s gruff voice comes on the line.
“You’d better have some good news for me.”
“I’m waiting on word from my lawyers to sort this thing out. Once I get the call, hopefully tonight, I’ll be able to step down as mayor. No extended leave of absence, just a straight up resignation.”
“This is a change of tune.”
“I’ve seen the light.”
Governor Hardy chuckles. “And here I thought you were coming for my job.”
“I was,” I admit. “I’m not anymore. Just give me a couple days to get this case figured out, and I give you my word that I’ll step down.”
“You word isn’t worth much around here, Maguire.”
“Oliver, you’ve known me a long time. Please.” I pains m
e to beg him like this. My pride is screaming in agony as it gets stripped from me, bit by bit. I can imagine the victory in his eyes and the triumphant, cocky smile on his face. But I swallow back my snarky comments and wait for him to speak.
“Fine. But I swear to Christ, Maguire, if I get even on whiff of you fucking me on this—”
“You won’t. I’m done. You said it yourself.”
He grunts and the phone clicks when he hangs up on me. With a sigh, I head back to City Hall with my head hanging low and my tail between my legs.
19
Stella
The champagne pops and Nicole grins at me. “I wish I could have some!”
“Me too,” Ashley laughs. “I just want this baby out! I feel like a whale.”
“Have you signed up for a mother’s group yet? I can give you the name of the one I went to with Jackie. It was great. We’ll be able to go together.” Nicole smiles at my sister, and Ashley beams. They both put a protective hand on their stomachs and bask in their motherly glory.
I turn to Martin, who’s holding the champagne and I nod. “Give me some of the good stuff, Marty. I can’t stand much more of this baby talk.”
He laughs and pours me a glass. Liam grins at me and takes a glass of his own. He nods at me with a strange expression on his face.
“So I heard you dropped my brother’s case.”
I take a deep breath and nod. “I also quit the firm. Four weeks from now I’ll be nowhere near that case.”
Liam smiles sadly. “I never thought it would come to this. After everything Ash went through last year, this just feels like salt in the wound.”
“Believe me, I know. I tried to explain that to Adrian, but…”
Liam sighs. “Adrian’s always been stubborn.”
“I prefer the term ‘arrogant prick’ myself, but stubborn works.” I glance at Liam and blush. “Sorry. I shouldn’t say that about your brother.”
“Hey, I was just trying to be polite.” He laughs and throws his arm around my shoulder. He touches his glass to mine. “You’re my sister-in-law, now. We’re family.”
Ashley smiles at me, and I glance around the room at my friend, my sister, their husbands, and I realize that this is my family. My parents aren’t with us anymore, but it doesn’t really matter. We’ve made our own families.
Or, I guess they made their own families and graciously decided to let me be the fifth wheel. My champagne flute is empty all of a sudden, and Martin fills it up.
“I’m glad you decided to accept the offer.”
“It’s not a bad contract you had there. I didn’t have to change much at all.”
“It’s almost like it was written by a lawyer.” He grins, and then turns to Liam. “So are you ready for the baby? Get ready to live on so little sleep you don’t even know if you’re alive or dead. The newborn twilight zone, I like to call it.”
Liam laughs, and the two dads start talking about babies, too. Ashley and Nicole are in deep, serious conversation about the advantages of German-built strollers over American ones, and I feel like I’ve landed on an alien planet.
I take a deep breath and drift away from them. I find my phone in my pocket.
Theresa: Just letting you know that the DA accepted the deal. Your work on this case saved us going to court, Stella. I’m going to miss having you on the team.
My heart skips a beat. It feels good to get that kind of recognition from Theresa. She’s a hard boss who doesn’t hand out compliments easily. But the most shocking thing is that Adrian reconsidered. He decided to go with the deal, to avoid going to trial and to save us all the nightmare of dredging up the past.
My heart thumps and I turn to Ashley, who immediately sees the look on my face.
“What? Is everything okay?”
“I don’t know the details. I don’t know for sure yet, but I think Adrian is settling out of court. You might not need to testify at all, Ash.”
“You mean, this whole thing is over?”
I take a deep breath. “Until everything is signed, sealed, and delivered I’m not going to say it’s over. But it sounds like we’re close.”
A smile splits her face open and she throws her arms around me. She squeezes me tight and then turns to Liam who’s waiting with open arms. I smile a real smile for the first time in weeks. Martin holds up the bottle of champagne and winks at me.
“Looks like we have more to celebrate than we thought!”
I let him fill up my glass and then duck into the bathroom. With trembling hands, I pull out my phone and find Adrian’s number. My hands are shaking so much that it’s hard to type, but I manage to write out two words: Thank you.
I hit send before I can reconsider, and then I go out and re-join our little celebration. A weight has been lifted off my shoulders. I have a new job, a new title, Ashley won’t have to be a witness in a messy trial, and we can all move on with our lives.
I’m happy—I really am. Things feel like they’re finally working out and I can leave Adrian Maguire behind. The only problem is, I’m not sure I want to.
By the time I get home, I’m happier than I’ve been in weeks. Ashley and I are back to normal, and I actually enjoyed talking to her and Nicole about their pregnancies. I was able to connect with them without feeling like I was missing out. That’s something I wasn’t sure I’d be able to do.
I drive up towards my garage and see someone stand up from my front steps. In the headlights of my car, there’s no mistaking those broad shoulders.
Adrian lifts his arm in greeting. His face is lined, and he looks almost sheepish. I park in the garage and take a deep breath before walking out to meet him.
“Hey.” He walks towards me and then holds up a bottle of wine. “I got the red kind.”
“What are you doing here? What is up with men showing up at my house unannounced these days?”
“Sorry.” He inhales and shifts his weight from foot to foot. I motion to the front door and click the garage door closed. It rumbles behind me as I lead the way for us to go inside.
Kicking my shoes off, I flick the lights on and glance at Adrian. “How long have you been waiting for me?”
“Not long.” He grins, and my whole body goes wobbly. “A little while.”
“I’ll get some glasses.”
By the time I get back to the living room, Adrian is flicking through one of my books. He puts it down and takes a deep breath.
“Sorry to show up unannounced.”
“That’s the second time in less than five minutes that you’ve apologized to me—must be some kind of record.”
“You know, Theresa said something very similar to me this morning. It’s almost like you guys have the same opinion of me.”
“Can’t imagine why.”
I hand Adrian the corkscrew and steal a glance at his biceps as he uncorks the wine. He sets the bottle down on the table. “We should let it breathe.”
I laugh, taking a seat on the couch. “I’m guessing you weren’t a fan of the wine I had last time you were here?”
“I didn’t care about the wine last time I was here.” His eyes darken and his gaze sweeps over my body. My blood ignites and I clear my throat. He sits down next to me, sending my heart beating at a million miles a minute.
“I heard you settled the case.” I tuck a strand of hair behind my ear.
“Still need to finish up the paperwork but by the end of the week it should be done.”
“What made you change your mind?”
He takes a deep breath, intertwining his fingers and staring at the rug. “I’m not sure,” he shrugs. “I guess I just thought it was time to take responsibility for what I’d done.”
My eyebrows arch in surprise. “Really?”
He glances at me and smiles sheepishly. “I was mad when you left the team.”
“I was mad when you told me you were going to put my sister’s life in jeopardy.”
“I was selfish.”
“And now you’re not?
”
He doesn’t answer right away. His eyes flick to my mouth and his tongue slides out to moisten his lips. My heart skips a beat. I take shallow breaths, not wanting to move. The air between us grows thick.
“I came straight here after work,” he finally says in a low voice. “I’ve been waiting for you for almost two hours.”
“Why?” I frown, laughing. “You have my phone number.”
“I wanted to apologize in person… I wanted to see you.” His gaze draws me in. He shifts closer, leaning his arm on the back of the couch and reaching over to run his fingertips over my cheek.
I close my eyes and lean into his touch. Taking a deep breath, I inhale his scent. I’m lightheaded, dizzy with desire. I wrestle between lust and hate, despising him one minute and admiring him the next. Underpinning it all is an unwavering, undeniable want.
I want him.
His fingers drift down to my neck, pushing my hair back over my shoulder. He growls beside me, shifting closer. I open my eyes to see him watching me, shaking his head.
“I don’t want you to hate me.”
“That’s not up to you.” My voice is barely above a whisper. I swallow, hoping my heartbeat isn’t as loud as it sounds. He curls his fingers into the nape of my neck and I lean in towards him.
“I really want to kiss you right now.” His eyes are dark, his voice is heady. Desire flows between us, thick as molasses.
I lick my lips and take a breath.
“So, do it.”
20
Adrian
This is better than the first time I kissed Stella. She moans as I pull her closer and my whole body goes into overdrive. In seconds, her arms are wrapped around me and our lips are interlocked.
Her smell, her taste, her body—it’s making my head spin. I run my hand down her side as my other fingers tangle into her hair. She gasps when I pull her head back, leaning in to kiss her neck. With one hand reaching up to touch the soft skin of her waist, I brush my lips over her neck.
Ruined: An Enemies to Lovers Romance Page 9
