Blackmailing the Bad Girl (Cutting Loose)

by Nina Croft

  “It doesn’t matter now. It’s done, and I’m not sorry. But Nik…” She reached across and rested a hand on his arm. “I can’t go back to prison. I hated it. Every day. I know I deserved it, but I can’t do it again.”

  Christ, he could understand that. He couldn’t even begin to imagine what prison was like. And Summer was such a private person, it must have been doubly hard for her. At the same time, he sensed there was more.

  “There’s something else. Some other reason.”

  She drew back her hand and looked away for a moment. “Maybe, but it doesn’t concern you. The less you know, the better. I won’t involve my friends.”

  “Can’t you admit I’m more than a friend? You said you loved me.”

  “And that’s one more reason I need to keep you out of my mess.”

  “So you’re going to run away?”

  “I have no choice.”

  “There’s always a choice. Trust me, Summer. We’ll get through this together. And if it all turns bad, I’ll wait for you.”

  She pressed her lips together and wiped her hands over her face. Christ, he’d made her cry. All he wanted was to keep her safe, make her happy. But when she moved her hand, her face was resolute.

  “You don’t understand. If Trenton comes after me, there’s other stuff he could find, and I can’t risk it.”

  They sat in silence for what seemed an age. “When?”

  “On the sleeper train, tonight.”

  “Will you be safe? Will they not trace you there? Wherever you’re running to?”

  “I’m going as Sarah Daniels. They’ll never find me. I have the paperwork. I’ll be fine.”

  He had to get out of there. Or he might beg. What happened if she gave in, and stayed, and everything turned to crap? What would he do if he were directly responsible for her being locked up again? What if he couldn’t keep her safe?

  There was one thing he could do for her. Maybe the only thing he was good for. He got to his feet and crossed to where he’d dropped his jacket when they’d come in. He found his checkbook in the pocket and a pen and went back to her. He wrote the check quickly, almost making a mistake and writing it to Summer Delaney, but he remembered just in time. She was Sarah Daniels now. He signed it, tore it out, and handed it to her.

  “That should help you stay out of sight.”

  She glanced down at it and her mouth dropped open, but no words came out.

  “I’ll phone the bank. Tell them to expect you. There will be no problems.”

  “Thank you,” she said, but her eyes were troubled and her face pale. It wasn’t the normal expression of someone who’d just been given a million pounds. But then, hadn’t he always known she wasn’t in it for the money?

  “Well, I’ll always be good for one thing.”

  Suddenly her expression was fierce. She glared at him. “You’re good for lots of things. You’re the best.”

  “Just not good enough.”

  He couldn’t leave without touching her one more time. He closed the space between them, then leaned down and kissed her softly, feeling her lips move under his. He straightened. “I love you. But I guess sometimes love just isn’t enough.”

  And he was out of there.

  …

  Summer stared at the closed door for a long time after he’d gone.

  Her chest hurt. She guessed that was the sensation of her heart breaking. She glanced down at the check in her hand. A million pounds. That was the amount of money she’d stolen from Trenton. Maybe she could go see him. Give it back. But she knew it wouldn’t finish there.

  The man had a reputation for vindictiveness. He’d pursue her, even if he had his money.

  Maybe she’d frame the check instead. Keep it as a memory of Nik. She hated that he thought money was all he was good for. He was one of the best, truly good people she had ever come across.

  She sniffed.

  She wanted her mom.

  She had to be at the train station at eleven, but she was going to go see her mom first, to explain that she wouldn’t be around for a while. And she wasn’t looking forward to it. Though really, nothing could be worse than that meeting with Nik. Just so long as her mom never realized that the real reason she wouldn’t stay and risk Trenton remembering was because they might trace the money back to her mother. That money enabled her to live a full and independent life instead of in some home, dependent on other people to do everything. Especially if Summer was back inside.

  She couldn’t risk it.

  And her heart would mend.

  An hour later, Ginny opened the door to her. She was smiling. “She told you?”

  “Told me what?”

  “Oh. She didn’t tell you. Maybe she wanted to tell you in person. Come in.” She held the door. “They’re in the living room.”

  They? She’d presumed her mother would be alone. When she opened the door, her mom and Pete were sitting side by side on the sofa. Holding hands. Both smiling. Pete had been a little standoffish at their first meeting. She hadn’t blamed him. She was an ex-con. He probably blamed her for going off and doing bad things and ultimately leaving her mom all alone in the world.

  Now the reserve was gone. When he saw her, he rose to his feet and came toward her, his hands held out in front of him. She took them a little warily, glanced at her mom over his shoulder. She was grinning. Then she raised her left hand and Summer caught the glint of diamonds on her ring finger.

  “You guys are getting married?”

  Her mom nodded.

  “But what changed your mind?” She hurried over to her mom’s side and sank down beside her, admiring the ring. It was beautiful and clearly expensive.

  “Pete took me to his place today. It’s a beautiful house, but he’d done all these changes so that I could live there. I’d already told him I couldn’t marry him, didn’t want to be a burden, but he did them anyway. Messed up his beautiful house.”

  “I knew I’d wear you down eventually.”

  Summer sniffed. “Let me just get one thing straight.” She turned to face Pete. “You love my mom, right?”

  “Forever.”

  She turned back to her mom. “And you love him?”

  “Of course.”

  Pete sank onto the chair across from them and studied her for a moment. “Elizabeth told me what you did for her. Where the money came from.”

  She glared at her mother. This was bad.

  “I don’t condone theft, but you did what you thought was right, and you looked after your mother. I’ll never judge you for that.”

  “Good,” she muttered. She didn’t know where this was going. Right now, she couldn’t think much past the huge wave of relief. Her mom would have someone to care for her. She wouldn’t be alone. It was like a huge crushing weight of responsibility lifted from her. A weight she hadn’t really realized was dragging her down.

  “And,” Pete continued, “I’m a rich man. I can look after us both and you as well, if you need it. We’re family now.”

  “Thank you.”

  “Maybe the money could be given back,” her mom suggested. “Anonymously. Then you could stop worrying.”

  She gave a noncommittal shrug. “I’ll think about it.” But she knew she wouldn’t. Somehow she doubted Trenton would just accept it and forget the crime. And besides, she couldn’t give it back and risk it being traced to Danny. He’d helped her set up the trust fund, which had his digital fingerprints all over it.

  She’d come to say good-bye, but she couldn’t bring herself to spoil her mother’s good mood. She was positively glowing. So she drank champagne and tried not to think about getting on that train. And not coming back.

  “When is the wedding?” she asked.

  “As soon as we can arrange it,” Pete replied. “Your mother doesn’t want a big wedding, but I’d like it to be a special one. You’ll come, of course.”

  She nodded, but knew it was unlikely. She hoped her absence wouldn’t spoil her mother’s special day
. But it couldn’t be helped. She was no doubt used to it by now. Most of their lives, at least since Summer was fourteen, had been spent apart. And her mom had Pete now to help her through it.

  When she left an hour later with the excuse that she had work in the morning, she still hadn’t mentioned the fact that she was leaving.

  Sitting on the bus on her way home, staring out the window at the passing fields and buildings, the thought grew inside her that she was wrong. That running away wouldn’t solve anything.

  You could never get away from your past. If she ran now, she’d spend her whole life looking over her shoulder. Waiting for the authorities to catch up with her. She would never be safe. And she’d never allow herself to be happy. Always at the back of her mind would be the thought that everything had to be paid for.

  Did she want to live like that?

  By the time she got off the bus in the city center, she’d made her decision. Unfortunately, she hadn’t quite worked herself up to accepting what she had to do.

  Shoving her hands in her pockets, she turned in the opposite direction from home and walked.

  This might be her last night of freedom for a long time.

  Chapter Eighteen

  Nik downed the scotch and waved his empty glass at the bartender. The man came over and poured another measure.

  The alcohol burned in his belly, but did nothing to dull the sharp edge of pain.

  Christ, he should be thankful. He’d almost fallen for it again. Tied himself to another mercenary woman.

  Except she wasn’t.

  He’d bet his last penny on that.

  Though he’d been wrong before.

  “Drowning your sorrows?” a voice asked from beside him.

  Harry.

  He glanced up as the bartender refilled his glass and placed one in front of Harry. His friend was looking smug. He’d called half an hour ago, saying he had information to share. But it was too late.

  She’d be gone by now. Probably on her way to the train station. Or already on the train.

  Harry sat down beside him and sipped his drink. Harry had never been much of a drinker. He was too perfect to let go like that.

  “Don’t you want to hear what I found?” he asked.

  “Doesn’t matter. It’s too late. She’s gone.”

  “Jesus, you’re a pussy. Man up. You got a second chance. Are you just going to let it walk away?”

  His eyes narrowed. “I thought you didn’t like her. She was dangerous, a liability. She’d take me for every penny, blah, blah, blah.”

  “Yeah, but at least you might enjoy yourself while she was doing it.”

  He stared into his glass. “I never thought I’d make the same mistakes. End up like my mother and father.”

  “You also never expected anything better. Or believed you deserved any better. That’s why you married Jocelyn.”

  “Crap. She pretended she had no clue who I was.”

  “And you believed her? Deep down, you knew what she was like.”

  Had he? He wasn’t sure. Maybe he had suspected, but that made him feel safe. He had money. It was something tangible he could give to a relationship. He was pathetic.

  “Anyway,” Harry continued, “you know you’re totally wrong about your mom and dad. They love each other.”

  “They do? She’s twenty-five years younger than him.”

  “So?”

  “She married him for his money.”

  “Again—so?”

  “He married her because she was pregnant.”

  Harry shook his head. “You don’t get it. All of that might be true. But it doesn’t stop them from loving each other. You’ve always been too close. But they’d die for each other. Your dad would give away every penny he had to make her happy.”

  “Believe me, that would not make her happy.”

  Harry grinned. “Maybe not. My point is, your girl might be a thief and a con artist, but that doesn’t stop you from loving her.”

  “No.” Life was a goddamn bitch. “But it does stop her from sticking around for me to love. She decided being in prison would probably put too much strain on the relationship.”

  “Then make sure she doesn’t go to prison. Because the fact is that she might be a thief and a con artist, but for totally justifiable reasons.”

  Okay, now he was interested. “What did you find?”

  “Yeah, well, you were right about one thing. She gave the money she stole from you to all your favorite charities. A million in total. Never kept a penny.”

  “But why?”

  “That’s the interesting part. Has she spoken to you about her mother?”

  He could feel a frown pulling at his brows. “Not much. Just that Elizabeth Delaney was in an accident when Summer was fourteen. That’s how she ended up in the foster system. I thought she was dead.”

  “No, the woman is very much alive. She was working in a factory when one of the machines exploded. The accident broke her spine, left her in a wheelchair. The company she worked for claimed negligence on her part and refused to pay out on the insurance. The CEO even had people swear she was drunk at the time, and said they wouldn’t sue out of mercy for her circumstances.”

  “Bastards.”

  “You want to take a guess at the company?”

  It was all making a weird sort of sense now. “Trenton Industries?”

  “Spot on.”

  Trenton was a bastard, with a bad reputation, and a number of legal cases against both him and his company. Nik had no problem believing he could have done a worker out of compensation and not blinked an eye.

  “So Summer decided to take the law into her own hands?”

  “Looks that way. She got her mother the compensation she was owed. It took some digging, but in the end, we looked from the other side and found the trail. She bought a house, had it pretty much rebuilt to suit a wheelchair, and the rest I presume went into a trust fund. I haven’t traced it yet, but her mother is getting income from somewhere. She has a live-in housekeeper.”

  “All down to Summer,” Nik said. “Clever girl.”

  “Not so clever. She got caught.”

  “She told me she was distracted.”

  “I wonder by what?”

  Me. But he didn’t say it.

  “What are you going to do?” Harry asked.

  “I’m going to make sure that bastard Trenton never even looks in Summer’s direction. I’m going to make sure he knows if he says anything, he’s going down. I’ll dig until I get every bit of dirt on him. Then I’ll tear his company down with my bare hands.”

  “I don’t think it will come to that. I’ve pulled up enough on him to ensure he stays quiet.”

  “And steps down.” He put his glass on the bar.

  “Maybe you’d better go tell your girlfriend the good news.”

  “Oh shit.” Summer was running away. He had to catch her, tell her she didn’t have to be afraid anymore. She didn’t have to pay anymore just for righting an injustice.

  He jumped to his feet, headed to the door and into a taxi, Harry close behind him.

  “Where are we going?” Harry asked.

  “Euston station.”

  He ran all the way through the station, but by the time he found the platform he needed, the train was pulling away.

  “Crap, shit.”

  He searched along the carriages, staring in through the windows, half expecting her to be staring back at him. She’d see him, and she’d leap up and run to the nearest door. She’d jump off and into his arms.

  Or more likely, she’d break her leg or her neck or…

  Anyway, it didn’t matter, because she wasn’t at any of the windows. And he was left staring after the departing train.

  “I guess you didn’t find her,” Harry said, coming to a halt beside him, slightly out of breath.

  Nik swallowed down his disappointment. Maybe this was for the best. He’d see Trenton first thing in the morning, make sure everything was sorted
out, and then he’d go after her. How hard could she be to find? He would hunt her down, and then he’d tell her that she didn’t need to run anymore.

  …

  At eight thirty on the dot, Summer stepped into the police station. The place was quiet, so she could hear her footsteps. Maybe all the criminals were home in bed at this early hour or all locked in their cells.

  I’m doing the right thing.

  She repeated the words over and over in her head. That was the mantra she’d run through her mind through the long night. All the same, shivers ran down her spine, and she had to force one step in front of the other as she crossed the seemingly huge space between the door and the counter.

  Behind it, a woman in uniform—three stripes on her arm showing she was a sergeant—watched her approach, her eyes narrowed. She glanced down to read something on the desk, then looked back at Summer, raising an eyebrow.

  “Summer Delaney?”

  “What?” How the hell did the woman know her name? She wasn’t that notorious. She peered down at herself, just in case someone had pinned a name tag on her when she wasn’t looking.

  “Well?” the sergeant asked.

  “Yes, I’m Summer Delaney. I’d like to—”

  “Just take a seat over there.” She waved a hand at the row of plastic chairs that lined the wall opposite the counter. Summer tried one more time. “But I—”

  “Sit down,” the woman said.

  Summer gave in and backed away and sat, clutching her bag on her knee. It was big and full of things she might need. There was a good chance they would take it from her at some point, but until then, it was a comfort. The sergeant was speaking on the phone, but she’d turned her back so Summer couldn’t hear what she was saying, though she was sure she heard her own name spoken.

  This was turning surreal, or maybe she was just tired. She’d spent much of the night walking. When she had finally gotten home, it was to find Regan and Darcy waiting for her.

  Summer had explained what she was going to do and why. They hadn’t been impressed. They’d begged, argued, cajoled, threatened to tie her up so she couldn’t do it. Finally, they had given in and offered to come with her and hold her hand.

  She’d turned down the offer. She didn’t want them involved or tainted by association. They were both on parole and vulnerable.