“For that amount, probably, but if you know the right people,” Michael shrugged, “you can do just about anything.”
Peyton picked at her food. Michael didn’t regret telling her that part. She needed to be aware of her surroundings.
“Have you told anyone else that you were looking into Dylan’s life?”
“No, only you.”
“Good. I don’t want my family to know.”
“Peyton.”
“Michael, my family knows enough about my personal life. I just want to keep this between you and me. Besides, Dylan has done some crappy things, but I don’t think he would do anything to physically hurt me.”
“That might be so, but I’m not willing to take that chance.”
“You think he wants to kill me?”
Michael hesitated. “I’m not sure. It wouldn’t be the first time some asshole tried to collect on a spouse, or an ex-spouse.”
Peyton’s brows drew together, and she opened her mouth but pursed her lips without saying what was on her mind.
“Listen, I’ll be here until Tuesday. I know you’re planning to go back to work Monday, and you should be fine there. As for getting around the city, we can have someone drive you around. Or I can make some calls and assign someone to you.”
“You’re not serious? Don’t you think that’s going to raise suspicion with my family?”
He glared at her, tempted to tell her that as long as she was safe, he didn’t give a damn if her family knew that something wasn’t right with Dylan. Instead, he said, “Forget having a driver. If it makes you feel better, I’ll just have someone watching your back.”
Peyton stared at him. Michael had no clue what was going on in that pretty little head of hers. He expected some pushback, but so far, the conversation was going better than he expected.
They ate in silence until Peyton reiterated that she didn’t want her family to know about Dylan. Michael agreed to keep quiet unless Dylan started coming around again.
*
Peyton barely tasted her food as she finished off her vegetables. There was no way Dylan had intentions of getting rid of her to cash in the life insurance policy. Even he wasn’t stupid enough to think he could get away with something like that.
She thought back on their brief conversations over the last few weeks. He told her that he wanted to talk about something important. Was he in some type of trouble?
“Last night, you know how you talked more about selling your house,” Michael interrupted her thoughts, “and saying that you didn’t want to go back to work just yet?”
Peyton nodded, twisting the fork handle back and forth, not caring that the utensil clanged against the plate. A month off work should have been long enough to figure out what she wanted to do with her life. It hadn’t been. All she knew at the moment was that she wanted to take off a couple of more weeks and think about her future.
“I want you to come back to New York with me.”
Peyton turned her head to Michael so fast it felt as if she had pulled a muscle in her neck. “What? What are you saying?”
“I’m saying I don’t want to do a long distance relationship if we don’t have to. Why not come home with me, spend some time thinking about what you want. You don’t have to worry about a place to stay, food or anything. I got you.”
“What you mean is that you want to keep an eye on me and make sure Dylan can’t find me.” Peyton stood with her plate and strolled over to the sink, putting some distance between her and Michael.
“Baby, it’s not like that.” He walked up behind her, pulling her against his body. “Yes, I’m concerned about your well-being, especially since I can’t get a read on what your ex is up to. But that’s not the only reason I want you to go home with me.”
He turned her around, and she studied his face, trying to keep an open mind regarding his request.
“I want us to get to know each other better, spend more time together. Since you have more flexibility than me, I thought maybe you can consider extending your leave. You can hang out in New York with my family and me for a couple of weeks, or longer if you want.”
His offer was appealing on many levels. Thinking about her family and the business gave her pause, but she’d been considering making changes in her life. She had enough money to live off on comfortably for years, so her finances weren’t an issue. Maybe it was time for something new. Something exciting. She had no doubt that any time spent with Michael would be an adventure.
She glanced up and met his gaze. “Let me think about it.”
*
Michael lounged in the family room on the lower level of the Jenkins’ home, sitting in one of the big leather chairs next to Luke. A minimum of twenty-five guys were scattered about in the multi-purpose room that had been divided into several sections. Some stood around the pool table talking smack, while others shot darts. Michael, Luke, Zack and Paul were sitting in the front of the big screen television watching an NBA game. L.A. was getting pummeled by Portland.
“I can’t watch anymore.” Zack stood. “I’m going upstairs. You guys want anything?”
The only thing Michael wanted was Peyton, but the last time he was upstairs, the women shooed him out of the kitchen. He had only gone up to check on her, or so he told himself. He knew she was safe, but every day he found out a little bit more about her ex, making Michael fear for her safety.
“So I guess you and Peyton are getting along pretty well,” Luke said when Paul left them to go into the card room. The guys in there were playing Spades and every so often Michael heard yelling about someone cheating.
“We’re doing good.”
“How good?”
Michael turned his full attention to his friend. “Why? What have you heard?”
Luke chuckled. “I’m not saying I heard anything, but there’s something different about you today. When you stopped by my office the day you arrived in Cincinnati, you were agitated, prickly. Since you and PJ have been holed up in her house for the last few days, you should be more at ease, but you’re not.”
No one knew Michael the way Luke knew him. He could look at him and know what he was feeling or thinking. To keep his promise to Peyton, Michael hadn’t said a word about her ex. Besides not wanting to piss Peyton off, he didn’t want to cause an uproar unless he knew for sure Dylan was up to something. Although his gut told him that it was only a matter of time before Dylan showed his hand. Michael had obtained photos of Dylan and was just waiting for him to misstep.
“So what’s up?” Luke broke into Michael’s thoughts. “Your silence has me even more concerned.”
Michael knew he could trust Luke with his life, but when the source of Michael’s worry involved Peyton, he wasn’t so sure Luke could be impartial. She might have been his sister-in-law, but he saw her as his sister, his family.
“Whatever you say stays right here,” Luke added as if reading Michael’s mind.
Michael sat forward, his elbows on his knees. “I’m worried about Peyton’s safety.” He didn’t elaborate, but he could hear the gears churning in Luke’s mind. His features hardened.
“If that’s the case, her family needs to know.”
Michael shook his head. “Not gonna happen. She doesn’t want them involved, and I’m handling it.”
Again Luke hesitated before speaking. “Well, you know where I am if you need me.”
“I know. I have you on speed dial.”
“I have a feeling there’s more.” Luke shifted in his seat, turning toward Michael.
“I asked Peyton to return to New York with me, indefinitely.
Luke sat back, rubbing a hand along his mouth and chin. While Michael was quick to react, Luke was a thinker. His cool, calm demeanor had served him well over the years. One of the smartest men Michael knew and a damn good lawyer, Michael knew his friend would have an opinion about what he’d shared, but not before asking a ton of questions.
“What are your intentions with Peyton?”
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Michael met Luke’s gaze head on. “I’m in love with her. I don’t know how or when it happened, but I am crazy in love with that woman.” Actually, Michael knew when he fell for Peyton. He just hadn’t been ready to put a name or emotion to what he felt about her at the time. It was the morning of the wedding. The day they woke up in bed together. Somehow she looked different to him that morning. There was a vulnerability, a softness to her that he hadn’t noticed days earlier. Something in his heart shifted.
“I see,” is all Luke said, still looking thoughtful.
“Luke, I promise you I will never do anything to hurt her.”
“Not intentionally, but do you think you’re ready for the type of commitment she wants?”
Michael was slow to respond. In his heart he was ready, but he’d be lying if he said that he didn’t still have concerns about his issues. They had spent practically every waking moment together since he had arrived in Cincinnati, co-exiting effortlessly. He just didn’t know if a few days were enough to know if he was wired like his father and grandfather.
Instead of repeating his question, Luke said, “Look around.” He pointed at the men in the large open space. “If you do anything to hurt her, intentional or not, they will come looking for your ass. Peyton is the chosen one, man, for lack of a better way of explaining what she means to this family. They hold her in the same esteem as they do their grandparents. Like them, she’s part of the glue that keeps the family together. They’re protective of each other, but more so of Peyton.”
“Oh great,” Michael murmured and sat back in his seat. “No pressure here.”
He glanced around the room at her family. They were a group you didn’t want to screw with. But Michael also knew that he was willing to take the chance at finding happiness with Peyton. Besides, he couldn’t let her go even if he wanted to. He was in too deep. His heart was in too deep.
Chapter Seventeen
“If I tell you something, do you promise not to say anything to anyone?” Peyton asked Martina. They had always been each other’s confidant, and Peyton trusted her more than anyone. But what she had to tell her, would affect all of their lives.
They were the only two remaining at the dining room table, munching on what was left of the vegetable tray sitting in the middle of the long table. The oversized dining room shared a wall with one of the sitting rooms that could be considered a living room, a large arched opening provided a view of family members hanging out there.
Jada, Christina, and Toni had kitchen duty, while some of their aunts came in and out of the dining room grabbing dishes and platters of leftover food.
Martina stopped chewing, her fork dangling from her fingers and she studied Peyton. The way she narrowed her eyes, Peyton knew Martina was about to say something stupid.
“I’ll promise not to say anything on three conditions.”
Now Peyton was the one probably looking crazy. “Okay,” she dragged out the word, afraid of what the conditions would be. With Martina, there was no telling.
“Your secret is safe with me unless you’re secretly married, pregnant or paint nudes.”
And there it is. Peyton shook her head and laughed. “Something is wrong with you! Why would you think any of those things would apply to me?”
“Duh, do you know the Jenkins women? There have been more surprises like those in the last two years than this family needs. Whatever you have to say cannot be more shocking than any of those.”
“Good point.” Peyton grabbed a small carrot from the veggie tray and dipped it in the French onion dip before taking a bite. “I’m thinking about leaving Jenkins & Sons Construction.”
“What?” Martina jumped up and yelled. Everyone around stopped what they were doing to see what was going on.
Peyton propped a fake grin on her face and shook her head while pulling Martina back down into her seat.
“Would you keep your voice down?”
“Not if you’re going to drop bombs like that. What are you thinking? You can’t leave. You are Jenkins & Sons.
Peyton marinated on her cousin’s words. For years Peyton had dedicated her life to the business, losing sleep and giving up her weekends. She loved being an electrician and enjoyed managing Jenkins & Sons. But, she wanted more.
“Does this have anything to do with your boy-toy?”
Peyton nodded. “He asked me to spend a few weeks, or longer in New York with him.”
Martina remained silent, which was not her norm.
“Just say it MJ. Whatever is rolling around in that convoluted brain of yours just spit it out.”
“I can tell Mike loves you. He’s been roaming around here all morning long with that puppy dog look in his eyes.”
Peyton laughed. “Would you be serious?”
“I’m dead serious. Question is, do you love him?”
“Why do you two have your heads together over here?” Jada asked as she and Toni sat on either side of Peyton and Martina.
“You have to be the nosiest person on the planet,” Martina snapped. “Why do you two insist on knowing everything about everybody?”
“That’s our job,” Jada said.
Peyton noticed Martina rubbing her stomach, something she’d been doing since they sat down. Her cousin hadn’t complained, but looked tired, and she’d been wincing every few minutes.
“We know something’s going on,” Toni said, her gaze on Peyton, daring her to deny her claim. “Ever since you walked in with the cutie P.I, you’ve been acting different, more relaxed. So either he’s been putting it on you real good these last few days, or you have a secret that you’re trying to keep from all of us.”
“Yeah, spill it,” Jada added.
Christina walked toward them.
“Okay. So what’s going on over here?” She sat in the chair next to Jada and swiped a celery stick from Martina’s plate, munching on it. Peyton hadn’t talked to her sister much since returning from New York and wondered how married life was treating her. If the constant smile on her face were any indication, she’d be willing to guess all was well in Christina’s life.
Peyton wondered if the joy bubbling inside of her was written on her face. The last few days with Michael had been some of the best days of her life. Was Toni right? Did she look as if she’d been experiencing the best loving ever?
“MJ? What’s wrong?” Peyton stood slowly, her hand on her cousin’s back. Perspiration laced Martina’s forehead, and her brows were pinched together as if she was going to be sick. Martina hadn’t suffered from morning sickness in months, though early in her pregnancy she spent most of the days with her head over the toilet.
“I don’t feel good.” Martina placed her forearm on the table and laid her head on it, her other hand holding her stomach. Peyton rubbed her back until Martina jerked back in her seat, both arms around her mid-section. “Oh, shi…”
Martina struggled to stand. Water ran down the inside of her khaki color pant legs and tears spilled from her eyes.
“Oh my God.” Jada leaped out of her seat along with Toni.
“Her water just broke,” Toni said, stating the obvious.
“Okay, let’s just stay calm,” Christina said in her normal soothing voice. She and Peyton stood on each side of Martina, holding her arms at the elbow.
Martina cried out in pain and doubled over.
“Paul!” They all screamed at once, causing everyone to rush into the room, talking at once.
“Jada, find Paul. We’ll meet him at his truck,” Peyton instructed. Her heart pounded faster than the flapping wings of a hummingbird. Uneasiness gripped her body. Martina wasn’t due to deliver for another month. “CJ, help me get her to the truck.”
*
Michael’s gaze followed Peyton as she paced the length of the waiting room. Worry lines creased Peyton’s beautiful forehead, her shoulders sagged as they waited for word on Martina and the baby.
Memories of the day Michaela was born rose to the surface. Though he and
Octavia had agreed they were better as just friends, she wanted him in the delivery room. Watching a life being brought into this world was an experience Michael would never forget.
Until recently, he hadn’t thought about having more children, but with Peyton in his life, the idea had come up more than once. He saw how she was with his daughter – loving, gentle and a push over. The last thought brought a smile to his face. She would be a wonderful addition to his family.
“Peyton,” he called. She stopped, and he stretched his hand to her.
“Baby, are you trying to wear out the floor?” He pulled her against him, the gardenia scent of her hair reminding him of their shower that morning.
“It’s been hours. No one has told us anything,” she mumbled against his chest. He rubbed his hand up and down her back, loving how perfectly she fit in his arms.
He kissed the top of her head. “Are you hungry? We can go to the cafeteria for a while. Maybe by the time we come back, the family will know something. Besides, you could use a minute to relax. You’ve been wound pretty tight since we arrived.”
She lifted her head. “MJ vowed years ago that she would never have children, and I guess I just want everything to go perfectly for her.”
“I know. I’m sure she’s fine. Besides, Paul is with her. He—”
“He’s probably passed out.”
Michael laughed. “You’re right. He did seem a little out of his element on the way here.” Supposedly the former Senator was normally the epitome of calm, but he’d been a wreck, especially each time Martina cried out in pain. Luke ended up driving both of them to the hospital.
Peyton smiled and warmth spread through Michael. Each passing day he fell more and more in love with her. He wanted to ask whether or not she had thought more about their conversation, about her taking an indefinite leave from work and going back to New York with him. He wanted to keep her close until they figured out what Dylan was up to. More importantly, he wanted to see if they could build on what was already developing between them. Since she wasn’t ready to go back to work, it seemed like the perfect solution.
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