by Aly Martinez
“I don’t have the money,” I replied immediately, anxiety spiking within me.
“Your father would be rolling in his grave if he knew you were holding out on me and Katie. You manipulative little shit.”
“I’m manipulative?” I asked in disbelief. “You just showed up at my house, sniffing for dollar bills.”
“I wouldn’t have to if you’d give me what’s rightfully mine.”
“Rightfully yours? Are you insane? If Dad had wanted you and Katie to have that money, he would have put it in his will. Newsflash, Margaret. He didn’t. My name was the only one on that piece of paper, and I’m telling you I don’t have it anymore.”
“And what about Apollo?” she asked in a menacing whisper.
My mouth dried as panic flushed my body from head to toe. It only took the mention of his name to skyrocket my pulse.
On shaky legs, I stumbled back a step.
She advanced toward me, her shoulders rolled back in confidence. “Oh yes, dear. Apollo. You can’t possibly believe that you’re the only one who deserved anything.”
I frantically shook my head from side to side. Words were impossible around the lump lodged in my throat.
“I wonder what your brother will say when I tell him that you’ve recently come into some money again.”
All at once, it felt like toxic chemicals had replaced the oxygen in the room.
My skin crawled, and the hairs on the back of my neck prickled.
She was going to tell Apollo that I had the money.
“No,” I choked.
“You didn’t think I’d come all the way to Chicago without seeing my stepson, did you? We’re meeting for dinner as soon as I leave here.”
The blood drained from my face and my head began to spin.
“No,” I repeated, throwing my arm out to the wall beside the door to balance myself—and trigger the alarm.
She closed the distance between us. “Orrr,” she drawled, lifting a finger to toy with my mother’s diamond at the base of my neck. “For the right price, it could be our little secret.”
I bit the inside of my cheek, the metallic taste of blood bursting on my tongue.
He’ll be here in less than a minute.
Johnson would fix this. He always had.
Just. One. Minute.
“Is this new?” she asked, giving my necklace a sharp tug, snapping it off my neck.
The diamond from my mother’s engagement ring had been my prized possession since I was six years old and my father had set it into a necklace for me. I never took it off, not even to shower. Margaret knew that that necklace wasn’t new. She was only trying to hurt me.
But all she’d had to do was mention his name to destroy me.
She was going to tell him I had the money again.
My nose stung as I fought the tears back.
He’d come for it. Again.
Break me. Again.
Light me on fire. Again.
My legs had begun to shake when I heard Valerie exclaim, “Jude!”
“Jude?” Margaret snapped.
“Jude,” I breathed.
He’d come to save me. Again.
As I made it off the elevator, I saw her silhouette in the doorway. I smiled to myself as I slid my gaze over her sexy heels and up her sensational legs. She had to be fucking freezing, but if she was willing to suffer the chill, I was more than happy to appreciate the view.
A short, black dress covered her ass, but as I continued my path up, the fabric opened, revealing the smooth, ink-free skin on her back. My mouth watered as I followed the delicate line of her spine higher. Visions of my tongue trailing down her soft skin, from ass to shoulder blade, flashed in my mind. They weren’t memories, but if I had my way about it, they would be soon enough.
“Jude!” Val yelled as I got closer.
A smile split my mouth. “Hey—” I started only to stop when Rhion spun to face me, her face etched with fear as she dove into my arms.
“What the fuck?” I grunted, wrapping her up.
I instinctively swept the room. An older, well-dressed woman was standing in front of her, her mouth wide open, her gaze jumping between us.
Val was standing next to the couch, visible relief painting her face.
“What the hell is going on?” I barked as I became vaguely aware of footsteps pounding behind me. I turned in time to see Alex storming out of the emergency exit.
My confusion grew, but I stepped to the side with Rhion in my arms to make way for him to get through the door.
“You!” Alex growled, wrapping a rough hand around the older woman’s bicep.
She let out an offended curse and stared at me.
I narrowed my eyes and snarled, “I’ll repeat: What the hell is going on?”
A shrieked, “Jude? Are you kidding me?” from the woman I did not know was all I got in response.
Rhion jerked in my arms as a strangled “No!” hit my chest.
“Shhh,” I soothed. “I’ve got this.”
A sinister grin tipped the woman’s lips. “I bet you do, Jude.”
I didn’t have a chance to react before Rhion erupted, spinning to face her.
“Shut up! Don’t say another goddamn word. You do not get to do this. Showing up to my house. Acting like a bitch. Threatening me with Apollo?”
Who the fuck is Apollo?
Alarm flooded me as Alex went rock solid.
“Rhion,” I said, attempting to calm her, but she fought against me. Securing her with an arm around the middle, I held her back to my chest. She leaned toward the woman as much as I would allow.
“I don’t ever want to see your face again, Margaret,” she spat. “And, before you even think about it, you will never see another penny from me. I don’t care if Katie has to take up a job panhandling to pay for your funeral. We. Are. Done.” She sucked in a deep breath and looked to Alex. “Pat her down and get my key back, and then get her the hell out of my apartment!”
Folding a hand over Margaret’s mouth, he slipped behind her, stating, “Let’s go.”
Muffled curses came from around his hand as he carted her out the door.
He paused as he waited for the elevator. “I’ll take her upstairs and wait for the cops. The alarm probably pinged on Johnson’s end. I’ll call him and get an ETA. You good with Levitt?” he asked Rhion.
“She’s fine,” I confirmed. “You gonna tell me what the fuck is going on here?”
He shook his head. “Take care of her. Johnson’ll be down shortly.”
Fuck that. I didn’t need Johnson to come down and take care of whatever the hell problem had Rhion shaking with anger in my arms. And I feared my head would explode if he tried. I needed someone to open their mouth and fill me the fuck in. Swear to God, when it came to Rhion Park, I was always in the dark.
“Her necklace!” Val called out. “That lady still has it.”
Alex heard her and pulled up short, releasing his hand over the woman’s mouth only long enough to snatch the necklace from her hand.
“How dare you!” was all the old broad got out before he tossed the necklace my way and pushed her into the elevator.
I caught it and shoved it into my pocket.
My mind was reeling with a million questions, and as I was finally able to take in the rest of the apartment, they only multiplied. Shopping bags from numerous stores covered the floor while makeup and hair shit did the same on the counter. And then, on the small coffee table, I clocked four plates with what appeared to be the remnants of several different meals. Beside them were four champagne flutes each with a different kind of fruit floating in a clear liquid.
I was under the assumption that it had only been the two of them at Rhion’s that day. Not to mention that I’d given Rhion specific instructions not to leave the apartment with Val.
Yet…clearly, they had.
I was sure there was an explanation. My only problem was that Rhion wasn’t exactly known for being forthcoming with
me.
That was about to change.
After releasing her with one arm, I caught the door and swung it shut. “All right. Calm down,” I stated, dipping down and catching her at the back of her knees.
She squeaked as I lifted her, but her arms folded around my neck.
I made my way through the maze of bags and settled on the couch. Rhion attempted to move to the cushion beside me, but with a hand at her bare thigh, I kept her securely on my lap.
“Let’s start with who the hell that woman was,” I said.
When she didn’t answer, I swung my gaze to Val, and for the first time since I’d arrived, I actually saw her. Her hair was no longer pulled back in a ratty ponytail, and she sure as hell wasn’t wearing that baggy tracksuit. Instead, she had on a combination of reds and blacks that made her look like an older version of the little girl I’d always known. I wasn’t big on the idea of my eleven-year-old wearing makeup, but I wasn’t going to make a fuss over the gloss at her lips and the natural tint of color at her cheeks.
Val must have followed my gaze, because she looked down at her clothes and asked, “What do you think?”
“You look beautiful,” I replied.
She shifted a hand into her hair and smiled at the ground. “Rhion picked them out.”
“They’re nice,” I said. “But those clothes are only beautiful because you’re the one wearing them.”
Val’s grin widened at the praise, and Rhion’s tight body finally relaxed in my arms.
At that, my anger and frustration began to ebb away.
“Hey, baby, can you give me a minute with Rhion? We’ve got a few things to discuss.”
She nodded. “I’ll go watch TV in the ocean room.”
That. Fucking. Ocean room. I was hopeless to hide my smile.
After Val had disappeared down the hall, I gave Rhion’s leg a squeeze and announced, “I need you to start talking. And I need paragraphs, sweetheart.”
Her head slowly tipped back, but her mouth didn’t open.
I brushed the hair off her neck and murmured, “Why is it, when I need you to talk, you have nothing to say, but when I need you to be quiet, you can’t shut up?”
Her gaze cut away.
I growled and shifted her in my lap so I could get a better read on her. “I’m really gonna need you to give talking your best shot right now. Because, currently, I can’t decide how to react.”
“Jude,” she whispered.
“My name is not an answer, Butterfly.”
“I’m sorry I cussed in front of Val.”
“Trust me. She’s heard far worse. And you know good and damn well that is not what I’m asking you to talk about.”
“But—”
“And, before you finish that thought, you should be fully informed about what I’m wavering between when it comes to the crazy woman Alex just hauled out of your apartment. Either I’m gonna march up to Guardian and raise immortal hell until someone gives me the answers or I’m gonna sit here on the couch and listen to you give me some answers. Either way is fine with me. But make no mistake. Answers will be had.”
“Jude,” she whined.
“Still not an answer, Rhion. But I’m not done yet. So you got a few more seconds to mentally prepare your words.” I glided my thumb across her lips, my chest swelling when she parted them for me. “When it comes to Val, I’m also on the fence.” I moved my hand to her thigh and teased my fingers up until I stopped under the hem of her dress. “See, part of me wants to slide my hand between your legs and show you exactly how much I appreciate you buyin’ her that outfit and putting that smile on her face.”
Her breath caught and her eyes flashed wide as she squirmed in my lap. She wasn’t moving away—she was opening her legs. At that, more than just my chest swelled.
“But see,” I said, “the other part of me wants to turn your ass red for taking her out shopping when I specifically told you I didn’t want you two leaving the apartment today.”
“Jude!” she exclaimed, clearly affronted.
But I’d like to note: Her legs. Did. Not. Close.
“So, what’s it gonna be?” I asked, allowing my fingers to glide a few inches higher on her thigh.
She sucked in a sharp breath and then finally opened her mouth. Only, in true Rhion Park fashion, it wasn’t to answer my question.
“Could we clarify what turning my ass red would entail?”
I shot her a pointed scowl. “I could show you.”
She pushed out of my lap and started pacing.
“Rhion,” I prompted.
She groaned loudly and stared up at the ceiling before finally relenting. “Okay. Fine. She’s my ex-stepmother. Satan himself created her. Up until tonight, she didn’t know where I lived. As far as I can tell, she and my stepsister are in town and she must have stolen Katie’s key to come see if she could con me out of money.” She scrunched her nose. “Well…more money.”
I reclined casually on the couch and crossed my legs knee to ankle. “Now, that wasn’t so hard, was it? How about you keep that streak alive and answer another one: Why did she keep repeating my name?”
Her body locked up tight, and she changed the subject. “Val and I didn’t leave the apartment. I have a personal shopper. We picked out stuff online. She brought it over.”
“A personal shopper?” I asked, feeling mildly better even though she was avoiding my question.
She nodded. “And my stylist came and did our hair, and she brought a girl to do our makeup.”
Mildly better turned into a hell of a lot better.
That is until I thought about it.
“Shit,” I said. “That must have cost a fortune.”
“Not really. I’m a good client. They come to my house once a month. I just asked if we could move up the date. Well, not the chef. He was new. But he taught us how to cook healthy recipes that Val actually liked.”
My eyebrows nearly hit my hairline. “The chef?”
“Yeah, and he was incredible,” she announced excitedly. Fucking cute. “We might have someone new for Thanksgiving.”
Uncrossing my legs, I leaned forward and rested my elbows on my knees. “I’m sorry. Just to get this straight: You hired a chef to come to your house and cook you and a kid dinner?”
I shouldn’t have been surprised. Rhion was loaded. But a personal chef? For an eleven-year-old?
I hadn’t been sure how much I was paying her for babysitting, and I was quickly starting to regret not having asked that upfront. No way I’d be able to cover a personal shopper, a stylist, a makeup artist, and a personal fucking chef.
“Babe, what exactly is your hourly babysitting rate?”
She blinked and then laughed. “You aren’t paying me, silly.”
“The fuck I’m not. Though, judging by these shopping bags, I might have to be put on a payment plan.”
“You aren’t paying me,” she stated adamantly. “Today was my treat. Yes, I might have gone a little overboard, but don’t take this the wrong way.” She peeked down the hall. Lowering her voice to a whisper, she said, “Your ex-wife is a bitch.”
“This is not news to me.”
“Okay, well… When Val told me that her mom makes her eat nothing but dry salad and plain chicken so she can lose weight, it made me…sad.”
I clenched my teeth and reminded myself that I needed to try to call April again. She hadn’t answered earlier.
“I love to cook,” Rhion said, “but I’m horrible at the healthy stuff. So I hired a chef to show us some quick and easy recipes she could make on her own.” She swung a hand out to the dishes on the table. “Some of it was a hit. Some of it was not. But I did learn that, if you put water in a champagne flute and drop some fruit in, it’s a totally different experience.”
She smiled.
I did not.
Because, in that moment, another PSI of pressure escaped my chest. The relief was staggering. She’d hired a personal chef to help my girl eat healthier. She’
d bought her clothes and had someone come do her hair and apply makeup to make her feel beautiful.
And that act only proved that Rhion Park was more stunning on the inside than she was on the outside.
April should have thought of that to help pull Val out of this funk she’d been in. Shit, I should have thought of it. Yet, in the five hours Rhion had spent with her, she’d realized that something was wrong and gone about doing something to fix it.
God, that alone was sexier than any memory I had of her.
“Come here,” I ordered roughly.
“What? Why?”
I didn’t wait for her to obey—mainly because I didn’t figure she would. Rhion had more than proven herself to be stubborn.
After standing up off the couch, I prowled toward her, muttering, “You hired a chef to teach my girl how to make healthy food.” I stopped in front of her, looming close.
She leaned away, peering up at me through her lashes and stammering, “Are…are you mad?”
Shaking my head, I slid a hand around her hips, resting it on the bare skin at the small of her back, and repeated, “You hired a chef to teach my girl how to make healthy food.”
“Well, not completely for that,” she defended. “I was hungry and didn’t feel like cooking. Win-win.”
I dipped so my lips were at her ear. “Tell me something, Butterfly. Last Friday.” A satisfied smirk hit my mouth when her body went tight in my arms. “Why’d you kiss me?”
“Who says I kissed you?” she chirped, arching her back to create some space between us.
But I had no intentions of allowing her to escape.
“We both know you did. I’m just trying to figure out why,” I rasped. “For some reason, you pushed up onto your toes and brushed that sexy, rambling mouth of yours across mine.” Using my hand at her back, I guided her closer and then nipped at her earlobe.
“Oh,” escaped her mouth on a moan, her hands sliding up my arms to my shoulders.
Trailing my lips down to her neck, I asked, “Ring any bells?”
She didn’t reply, so I pushed her further.
“You barely knew me. But you still kissed me like a woman on the brink of starvation. I think I deserve to know exactly what I did to earn that.” After snaking a hand up into the back of her hair, I used it to tip her head to the side, exposing her neck to me.
