Charles just glared up at Spencer through narrowed eyes. “Huh. I never believed much of what Teddy told me about you. I always stuck up for you. Maybe I should have listened to my brother.” His gaze came my way before going back to Spencer.
“Teddy and I are fine. He gave us his blessing, and you’d be smart to do the same,” Spencer threatened.
“I don’t have to give you shit, Salvatore. This is my sister were talking about, not some business deal.” Charles turned to me, grabbed my arm, and pulled me closer to him. “You have one minute to say goodbye before I make a scene for your fan club out there.” He let go of my arm, walked around Spencer, and went out the front door. Smiling and waving, he took to the sidewalk and got into the SUV that waited by the curb.
The door was still wide open as I turned to Spencer. “I’ll talk to him. He doesn’t like to be told what to do. I’m sure you can understand that.”
Spencer nodded down at me, wrapping me tightly in his embrace. “I see now why you two don’t get along. Bit of a jerk, that one.”
That was Charles, my cocky jerk of a brother. But for all his flaws, he was family, and I appreciated him sticking up for me, even if it was to Spencer. “I better go. He wasn’t fibbing when he said he’d cause a scene.”
I had to stretch up on my tippy toes to reach Spencer’s lips and, as I did, the storm of cameras went off.
“Elizabeth, you better call me when you get home. If you don’t, I’ll come over there.”
I ran my hands down his chest, laughing at his threat.
Chapter 8
Nickolas
Early Monday morning, I was awoken by my cell phone ringing. Seven-thirty? Way too early for Natasha to be calling me, especially for a Monday morning. Reaching over for my phone, I rubbed my eyes to focus on the screen. Chuck Monroe?
I sat up in bed, staring at the phone as it continued to ring in my hand. Chuck and I had exchanged numbers the weekend of the charity event. We never used them, but it was a comfort to know I had another way of getting in touch with Elizabeth. For the briefest moment, I thought that maybe it was her calling me on his phone, but I knew, thanks to Fame, that the love of my life had spent the weekend with someone else.
Today, she started her internship. I had thought about calling her last night to wish her luck, but a lustful picture of her leaving Salvatore’s house put a little bit of a damper on my mood. I answered, hoping deep down that it was her, anyway.
“Hello”
“Simon?” the voice was deep and sharp,
Not Elizabeth. “Yeah, it’s Simon. What do you want, Chuck?” I figured it would be better to keep the fake name until I could explain everything to Elizabeth.
“I need your help.”
“You need my help?”
“I’m still fucking pissed at what you did to my sister and to our family, but I’ve seen you guys together, and you can’t fake what I saw. So, yes, I need your help.” He paused, so I took the opportunity to apologize.
“Chuck, I’m so sorry. I wish I could take it back. I was blackmailed. There was nothing I could do.”
“Save it, Simon, I’m sure you had a reason for what you did, but I really don’t give a fuck right now. It’s Salvatore I’m concerned about. Now that I know you work for Fame, I know that you and your associates are known for uncovering the truth and making sure the public knows everyone’s dirty little secrets.”
What is he getting at? Does he know something about Salvatore? “What do you want from me, Chuck?”
“Before we became partners, Teddy did an extensive search on Salvatore’s history. Teddy is paranoid about everyone we work with. He came back with few findings, but a lot of question marks. That’s why Teddy didn’t want Beth getting involved with him.”
“Wait, what did Teddy find?” There was another long pause. “Chuck, if it’s something that can hurt Elizabeth, you need to tell me. There are lots of different ways to deal with this, but if Elizabeth could get hurt because of it, I’m going to do whatever is necessary to report it.”
“I know. That’s why I called. Something happened last night that made me believe everything Teddy told me, and I don’t think I could live with myself if--”
“Chuck, what did Salvatore do?”
“All I know is that Teddy found a blip of an article about Spencer being charged with assault. He tried looking deeper, but everything was wiped clean. No records, nothing. It’s like someone erased it.”
Something bad must have happened to make him turn to me for help. “What happened last night?” I asked again, needing to know if Elizabeth was involved.
“Off the record?”
“Yes”
“Let’s just say I saw his aggressive side firsthand, and it was a little more than intimidating. He looked crazy, dude. I’m worried he’s going to flip on Beth. You know how stubborn she is. And that, mixed with his temper...you’ve seen some of the pictures of him grabbing her arm. Something just doesn’t add up. I’m worried about my sister being with him.”
I have to call her. I needed to hear her voice, make sure she was okay. It was taking all I had not to punch the wall. If that asshole laid a hand on her--If she knew this, knew about his past, maybe she would leave him. I had my mission for the day--digging. “Listen, Chuck, I love your sister, too. I would never lay a hand on her and, now that I have a place to start, I will find out exactly what happened.”
“I need your word that you will tell me everything that you find. Leave me out if it. From now on, I’m simply a reliable source. If Beth and Gia knew I was helping you, they’d never talk to me again. I’ll work from my side, see if I can find anything. I know you care for Beth, so I have faith that you won’t screw us over again.”
“I won’t, Chuck. Now I need to know where Teddy found this partial article.”
Chuck gave me everything I needed to start my search for Salvatore’s secrets. In a few hours, I would make my way over to the courthouse to see what I could dig up. It was one thing to have someone look into something, and a completely different thing when you had access to records that no one else did. Once again, Natasha was a master at her craft. I had my badge to investigate in any part of the courthouse, except the judge’s chambers. If there was something hiding there, I was going to find it.
Whatever Salvatore did in his past, it happened his senior year in high school, so I made sure to get information on his father’s lawyers during that time. There’s no way a seventeen-year-old could erase an assault charge without the help from Daddy and Daddy’s lawyers.
***
I sat in the back of the town car on my way to the courthouse. It was later than I wanted it to be. I had originally planned to call Elizabeth before her internship began, but it was now closer to noon. We had talked about her calling me during her first lunch break, before things went to shit. She told me to wait by the phone from noon till one, because she didn’t know exactly when she would get a free second to walk out of the building to call. What’s the worst that can happen if I call?
After talking with Chuck, I was even more worried about her being with Spencer. I had to make sure she was okay, even if all she did was yell at me or hang up. At least, I’d get to hear her voice.
I waited while the phone rang and rang. She’s not going to answer. It was just wishful thinking that she would.
“Hello?”
Holy fuck, she answered. My heart pounded in my chest, and I swore the driver could here because he looked back at me through the rear view mirror.
“Simon?”
There were so many things I wanted to tell her, needed to tell her but, mostly, I just wanted to hear her voice.
“Hey, Belle.”
I couldn’t call her anything else. She was my Belle, my beauty, and lately, I had lived up to being the beast.
“Simon, why are you calling me?”
She didn’t sound mad or angry and I was so thankful for that.
“I just wanted to wish you good luck tod
ay. I know how important this is for you.” There was such silence on the other end. “Belle? Are you still there?”
“Yeah, I’m here.”
“I need to explain to you why I did what I did--I--” I needed to tell her. I needed to just tell her I was blackmailed, even if she didn’t believe me. It was supposed to end on New Years. I was supposed to find her waiting for me. I was going to tell her everything, quit Fame, and work on my photography. Instead, I walked in on her with Spencer. “I need you to know that I loved you--I still love you. I didn’t have a choice. I was being blackmailed--”
“Simon, please just stop. I can’t do this right now.”
“I’m so sorry. I wish we could have met under different circumstances. Please don’t write me off yet. I’m not the bad guy in all of this. I know it looks that way, but I’m not. I’m doing everything I can to fix what I have done.”
I could hear her sighing through the phone then a few mumbled voices in the back ground.
“Simon, I have to go.”
“Yeah, sure. I--um--I’ll talk to you soon.”
“Goodbye, Simon.”
“Bye, Belle.”
I held up my phone. The front screen was her picture, the one I took on our first date. I wanted to kick myself for not telling her that night. I was being selfish. How did I ever let it get this far? I hit my head repeatedly on the back seat for being stupid enough to let someone like Elizabeth slip through my hands. I turned, looking out the window. We had arrived at the courthouse and, apparently, had been sitting for a few minutes.
“We’re here. Whenever you’re ready to get out, sir.”
“Thank you. I just need a minute. You don’t have another client to get, do you?”
“No, sir. You’re the only one today. We can sit as long as you like.”
I could hear the compassion in his voice. He was obviously listening to my phone conversation. You could get shot for less in New York. I could attest.
***
I was finally on to something. After digging around in lost files for most of the day, I was more than ready to abandon the crusade. Natasha’s cover was one of her best yet, so I hunkered down and continued my search. I was now Collin Hayes, sent over from the higher ups to make sure all the files in the vault were being properly handled. Not one person stopped me.
This was almost becoming too easy. A nice red-haired secretary came down to help me after a few solitary hours.
“So what are you looking for, again?” she asked, flipping through a box.
“Nothing in particular. Just making sure everything is filed the correct way. This is a small town, right?”
She nodded.
I tried my hardest to turn on any sort of charm I might have left in me. “Have you ever heard of the Salvatore family?” I glanced up and caught the girl turning as red as her hair.
“I do know who they are. I went to school with Spencer.”
Maybe I won’t have to keep digging in this vault for much longer. “What do you know about Spencer?”
“I wish I could say I knew more. Unfortunately, I was on a scholarship to Channing School, home of the rich and richer.”
Why would I think anything less from that family?
“I hear a little hostility in that statement, not the all-around good guy he perceives himself to be nowadays?”
Chuckling over at me, she shook her head. “Ha, good guy? When he first came, maybe. He actually talked to me back then. I always ended up with the desk or locker right next to his. Salvatore, Salvine--got to love alphabetical seating charts and locker handouts.”
“First came? What do you mean?”
“Yeah, he was adopted when he was eight.”
How did I not catch that? How did Natasha not catch that--unless she did and just didn’t tell me?
“He had this funny New York accent the first year he was here. I mean, when he would actually talk. It was weird. As soon as we went to high school, something changed in him, like he realized how hot he was and how rich. He started playing sports and dating the popular girls, well only one girl.”
I felt like I should have had a pen and paper to take notes. This is unbelievable. Where do I even start? This girl was wealth of knowledge.
“I see now why you’re so hostile toward him.”
Sighing, she placed the file in her hand down on the table to look over at me. “I’m not hostile. I just hoped that someone I saw every day from age eight to seventeen would at least remember my name.”
Shit, what’s her name? I need this lead. I can’t lose her trust now.
Luckily, her badge was hanging from her neck. Maggie Salvine.
“Why are you interested in the Salvatore family? I thought you were just checking files.”
Why do they have to be pretty and smart? The girl was on to me, but I had a feeling I would be able to charm her. This is going to suck. I took a step closer as she began to blush. “Can I tell you a secret, Mag? Can I call you Mag?”
“Sure, I--yeah--”
“I’m not here to check up on the files. I’m here to find dirt on Spencer Salvatore. I’m a reporter.”
Gasping, Maggie took a step back and covered her mouth. “I knew it! I knew you were too hot to be working for the system. Oh my god, I said that out loud, didn’t I?”
“It’s okay, Mag, but I need you to not tell anyone, or my cover will be blown.”
“This is about senior week, isn’t it?”
This girl is just getting better every second. I might have to take her out to dinner as a thank you.
“I’m not sure. That’s what I’m here to find out. Would you like to help take down the man who couldn’t even bother to remember a name as beautiful as Maggie Salvine?”
I took her hand in mine and kissed the back of it. I saw all I needed to as her lips curled up in pure vengeance. Salvatore better watch out. I didn’t think he had a clue to how many people he had pissed off in his life, and, lucky for me, they were all on my side.
I quickly let her hand go and backed away as footsteps came closer to us. I placed a finger over my lips. She nodded and smiled in agreement.
“Maggie, are you down here?”
“Yeah, I’m back here.”
A man who could have easily been Spencer’s twin came from around the corner. Looking me over curiously, he turned back to Maggie.
“The phones are going crazy up there. Would you mind?”
“Yeah, just give me a second. I’ll be right there.”
“Hey, man, finding everything in order? I really don’t need to be written up this year.” The man looked to be in his early thirties and an almost replica of Salvatore.
“Yes, everything is going perfect so far, finding everything I need.”
“Great.” Turning, he left us as fast as he came.
“Who was that?” I whispered, moving closer to Maggie.
“That’s Christopher Thomas. He’s the sheriff. He and his father moved here soon after Spencer arrived, actually. His dad was a cop. He took over the family business, I guess you could say.”
“You call him Thomas?”
“Yeah, I’ve known him forever. We didn’t go to school together, but I lived a few houses down from him. We’re both from the other side of the tracks. Everyone calls him Thomas or T.”
Strange, never known a sheriff to be so informal. Then again, this is a small town, small but rich. Can’t be too many crimes.
“Well, as cool as Thomas is. I should get back to my work. Someone might have wrecked their Bentley.” In a whirlwind of red hair, Maggie turned and headed for the stairs.
“Hey, I thought you were going to help me.”
“I will, but it’s going to cost you. I’m thinking dinner should get you all the information you need.”
Damn, I might have underestimated this chick. “Where should I pick you up?”
“I’ll give your driver all the information you need. Keep digging, Collin, remember your cover story.”
&nb
sp; I think I should introduce this girl to Natasha. They’d make a hell of a team. “Thank you, Maggie Salvine. I certainly won’t forget your name.”
“You’d be smart not to.” She winked before leaving the room.
The minute she walked out, I gasped a sigh of relief and held my stomach tight. That was painful, flirting with someone when you care so much for someone else. Dinner is going to excruciating tonight. I had to keep a straight head. I couldn’t stop. Spencer needed to be knocked down a few pegs, and this girl might have all the ammunition I needed to take him down. The faster it all happened, the faster I could get back to a regular life and, hopefully, back to my Belle.
Chapter 9
Elizabeth
Elizabeth, we need you to go to the back room and finish the new cataloging.”
I turned back to the middle-aged woman who was in charge of me. I still didn’t know how to take her. Most of the morning, she seemed more annoyed that I was there, and then, out of the blue, she could be sweet.
“Sure, Carmen I’ll get right on it.”
What did I expect? That they would have me researching or acquiring information for a prestigious writer or politician? Of course not. They stuck me in the back out of view and buried in files and files of card catalogs.
I walked back to the dungeon, replaying the conversation I’d just had with Simon. I was happily sitting in the lunch room, eating my soup, when my phone started vibrating from inside my bag. I figured it was Spencer, but was more than stunned to see Simons name flash up. I wasn’t sure why I answered.
Maybe I needed closure but, after talking to him, that wasn’t what happened. I did my best to be strong but, after not hearing his voice for a few days, it was comforting. The sound of his voice always seemed to comfort me.
What he said didn’t surprise me, telling me he loved me still and that he was trying to fix what he did. For the life of me, I wanted to believe him. I wanted to believe he was a good guy, but the evidence against him was substantial, and he couldn’t deny any of it. Maybe in a few weeks, or months, I could talk to him and try to understand the situation, but everything was still so raw. I still had feelings for him, not as strong as before, but I loved him, I cared about him, and I couldn’t shut that off cold turkey. My feelings for Spencer were stronger than I expected them to be so soon. Oh, shit, Spencer. If he finds out I talked to Simon, he’s going to blow a gasket.
Mended-Hearts Page 5
