The Business of Love

by Anna James

  “I see you’re still at it,” Wyatt said, walking into the room. “Did you stay up all night?”

  He nodded.

  “Any more coffee or do I need to make a new pot?”

  “New pot,” he grunted without lifting his eyes from the screen.

  Wyatt put the coffee on and then wandered off, muttering something Dante couldn’t make out. Another thirty minutes passed on the video without much action and then the influx of employees returning from lunch flooded the screen.

  He almost missed the figure walking in with them. The man gave a little wave to the security guard sitting at the front desk and the guard waved back, then he headed straight for the row of elevators on the far wall. Exactly twenty-five minutes later the same man reappeared, except this time sporting a large black stain on the arm of his suit jacket. The ass who’d wrecked Sophia’s car had sprayed black paint across the hood.

  Dante rewound the footage to the point where the man first appeared and scrutinized the video until the man disappeared again. No stain on the sleeve. He fast-forwarded and watched as the man strode toward the main exit. The man paused halfway to the door, lifted his arm to check the time on his watch and grinned.

  Dante’s eyes widened. No, it couldn’t be. He zoomed in, and yes, Gil Baker’s watch appeared on the screen, custom wristband and all.

  “Ho-ly shit!” Not only had the bastard wrecked Sophia’s car, he’d stolen the art collection and Sophia’s things, as well.

  “Good morning to you, too.”

  He glanced up. “India. I didn’t hear you come in.”

  She dropped the newspaper down on the computer keyboard and ambled over to the coffee pot and poured a cup.

  Dante turned to face her and sighed. “You’re still not talking to me?”

  She glared at him. “Right now, I’d say I’m the least of your troubles.”

  “What’s that supposed to mean?”

  India gave him a saccharin sweet smile and glided out of the room.

  Women! Would he ever figure them out? He turned back to the table and snatched up the paper, intending to toss it in the trash. The image on the front page stopped him dead in his tracks. “Son-of-a-bitch!”

  A picture of Trey kissing Sophia stared back at him. The headline screamed up at him. Sophia…engaged to Trey?

  “Over my dead body.”

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  Sophia lifted her eyes at the sound of the knock on her office door. Trey stood in the opening, but made no move to enter. “Are you going to come in?”

  He took a deep breath, then strode in and slumped down into one of the chairs on the opposite side of her desk.

  “What are you doing here?”

  He pointed down to the newspapers sitting on her desk. “I chartered a private flight here to LA the minute I saw those rags on the newsstand this morning. I’m so sorry, Sophia.”

  “How did this happen, Trey?”

  He shook his head. “Sanford. He paid one of the waiters to take pictures of us.”

  Sophia’s eyes widened. “Why would Sanford pay someone to take photos of us and how did he even know we were at that particular restaurant together?”

  “He had someone following us all week. I just didn’t know it.”

  Her hand shook. She yanked it off the desktop and clasped it in the other, then laid them in her lap. Oh, dear Lord. “Why would he do something like that? It doesn’t make any sense.”

  “This is Sanford we’re talking about. It doesn’t have to make sense.”

  “Still, he must have had a reason.”

  “He wanted to keep tabs on what we were doing.”

  Both hands trembled and she squeezed them together to stop the motion. “I still don’t understand.”

  “This has been his secret agenda all along.”

  The pulse in her temples started to pound. “Knowing our whereabouts has been his secret agenda?”

  “No,” Trey snapped.

  His harsh voice made her jump.

  He dragged a shaky hand through his hair. “I’m sorry. For all of this.” He made a wide sweeping gesture with his hand. “The threats to take my accounts elsewhere, manipulating you into taking on this homeless shelter project. The pictures in the tabloids. It’s all been a part of his secret plan.”

  Sanford had been up to something back when he and Trey had appeared in her office a few weeks ago. She’d guessed as much, but her brain still couldn’t connect the dots. “Humor me and explain, because I still don’t get it.”

  Trey shoved his finger down at the tabloids. “He wants us to get married.”

  Her mouth fell open. “Married?”

  Trey nodded.

  “What on earth for?”

  “He wants to ensure there are no scandals this time that would cause him to withdraw from the senate race.”

  “That’s crazy.”

  Trey let out a harsh breath. “Don’t you think I know that? This is Sanford we’re talking about, and he expects it to happen nonetheless.”

  Sophia gasped. “What are you saying?”

  He peered up at her with pleading eyes. “You and I get along great, we always have ever since I can remember, and we make a great team. Look what we’ve accomplished so far on the homeless shelter, and in record time.”

  Her mouth fell open. Good grief, was Trey proposing they go along with Sanford’s demented plan?

  “Will you marry me, Sophia?”

  He’s kidding, playing a prank. Yes, that had to be it, and she’d almost fallen for it. She laughed and then let out a sigh of relief. “You had me going there for a minute.”

  His face fell.

  Oh, no. He wasn’t joking. “You really want me to marry you?”

  “No way.” The office door crashed open hard enough to ricochet off the wall and bounce back.

  Sophia’s eyes flew toward the man who spoke the harshly uttered words. Dante’s tall, lean frame loomed in the open doorway. A muscle quivered at his jaw and those dark, insolent eyes gleamed like glassy volcanic rock.

  Trey let out a roar of laughter. “You don’t have a say in it.”

  Dante’s gaze landed on her, compelling, magnetic, and she couldn’t turn away.

  “Maybe not, but I don’t think Sophia will want to marry you after she hears what I have to say.”

  What if you’re wrong? Clair’s words whispered tantalizingly through her mind. Sophia stared up at him and waited as if poised at some precipice.

  “You’ve been at the root of all Sophia’s problems of late,” Dante rumbled.

  Her shoulders slumped. Definitely not what she’d hoped to hear from him, and how pathetic was it she still held out hope? “What do you mean?”

  Trey shook his head. “You’re crazy. Now, why don’t you get the hell out of here? You’re not welcome.”

  Dante stalked into the room and headed straight for the chair where Trey sat. Trey jumped up and the two men glared at each other face-to-face.

  Dante’s eyes flared. “I’m not going anywhere. And the police have proof. You paid off Allen after he destroyed Sophia’s car.”

  A small cry escaped from her parted lips. “What?”

  The color drained from Trey’s face, then he straightened his shoulders, turned toward her and gazed directly into her eyes. “I swear I had nothing to do with what Allen did to your car.”

  Her eyes darted to Dante. “Allen destroyed my car?”

  Dante nodded.

  Allen…destroyed her car. Allen! He’d been causing trouble for her for months. Her lips tightened. “How did he get into the parking garage? He’d already left the company by then and wouldn’t have had access.”

  “He came in through the main entrance with a crowd returning from lunch. The security guard on duty didn’t realize he wasn’t employe
d with us anymore and thought nothing of it.”

  “Soph, I swear to you. I had nothing to do with the damage done to your car.”

  “Then why do the police believe you paid him off?” Dante asked.

  Trey grimaced. “I have no idea.”

  Dante snorted. “Large sums of money were transferred from your account to Allen’s, one payment shortly before he demolished the car and the last within hours of completing the task.”

  Sophia shivered. No, Dante had to be wrong. Trey would never betray her. He was her best friend, had been since they were children. There had to be a mistake.

  Trey shook his head. “Those payments were for something different. It’s just a coincidence I transferred the second one on the same day Allen decided to vandalize your car.”

  Sophia trembled. It must be true. Why? Why would he pay someone to wreck her car? “Then why did you drop a small fortune on a new one for me?” she asked quietly.

  “He bought you a car?” Dante growled.

  Sophia scowled at him. What was it to him, anyway? If Trey wanted to buy her a car, and she wanted to accept, then it was none of his damned business.

  “I don’t know why you’re still upset. You needed a car and I got one for you.”

  “What about the money you transferred to Allen’s account?” Dante grated.

  Trey turned and glowered at Dante. “I’ve had enough of your accusations. I’ve already explained about the money. Now, Sophia and I were in the middle of a private conversation before you decided to burst in on us. You should leave.”

  Dante stared down at Trey for long moments as if considering what to do next. “Not before I finish telling Sophia what I came here to say.”

  He turned his attention to her and, dear Lord, was that pity she saw in his eyes? Well, she didn’t need any sympathy from him, thank you very much. She could handle whatever it was he had to tell her. “Whatever it is, just spit it out.”

  “Allen is responsible for the break-in at the house, too. He told the police he and Trey were in on it together.”

  Allen and Trey? First her car and now this. Could things get any worse?

  Trey exploded from his seat and stormed over to Dante. “That’s a bunch of bullshit and I’ll not stand by and have you sully my good name with lies and false accusations. I had absolutely nothing to do with the robbery at Sophia’s home.”

  “He’s right. He’d just returned home to New York from his trip to Africa the evening the thefts occurred. He couldn’t be involved.”

  Dante shook his head. “The police checked. Both you and Sanford caught a flight from JFK to LAX that morning.”

  Color invaded Trey’s neck and cheeks.

  Sophia slumped back against the chair and let out a soft groan.

  Trey raced over to her, knelt down beside her and clasped both her hands in his. “I swear to God, I had nothing to do with the burglary. Allen acted alone.”

  No. Not true. With the events of the past few days she hadn’t made the connection until now. “How can you say that when I know you were there?”

  “No, Sophia. You’ve got it wrong.”

  “Are you denying it?”

  “Yes. I had nothing to do with any of it.”

  Sophia shook her head. “You were there in my house the evening of the break-in. It’s the only way you could have known what happened to my mother’s jewelry box.”

  He shook his head. “No, you told me.”

  She shot up from her chair and sent it slamming into the wall behind her.

  “Take it easy, Sophia,” Dante said.

  “No. I didn’t tell him. I wouldn’t have told you either if you hadn’t come upstairs to find me. I was too upset.” She whirled back to face Trey. “The only way you would have known is if you’d seen what had been done for yourself. I didn’t put it together when you gave me the new jewelry box for my birthday. I’d been under the impression you’d arrived in Los Angeles after the burglary occurred. An impression you made sure to give me the next day when you and Sanford showed up at the office. You lied to me. Why?”

  Trey held up his hands as if surrendering. “Okay, okay. Sanford and I were at the house that night, but we had nothing to do with stealing your things. The house was empty when we arrived and Allen was getting ready to leave.”

  Dante let out a soft curse. “Allen was sprawled on the floor with blood dripping from his head when we arrived.”

  “I don’t know anything about that. Ask Sanford. He was fine when we left. Please, Soph, you’ve got to believe me.”

  Had Allen faked his injury? He hadn’t wanted her to take him to the hospital. “If you’re innocent, then why didn’t you say something?” Her hand flew to her mouth to stifle a groan. “You knew the truth all along. Why, Trey? Why didn’t you tell me?”

  “I couldn’t.”

  Dante snorted. “Couldn’t or wouldn’t?”

  Trey glowered at Dante. “Stay out of this. It has nothing to do with you.”

  “I will not. I—”

  “I’ve had enough of you two sniping at each other.” Sophia turned to Trey. “I want to know why you couldn’t tell me you were at the house the night of the robbery.”

  Trey sighed. “It all goes back to Sanford wanting me to marry you.”

  Her head began to pound. None of this made sense to her. “We’re back to that, are we?”

  “Sanford has been planning to run for election for some time now, but after what happened the last time, with the scandal—which I had nothing to do with—he needed to ensure there’d be no cause for him to drop out of the race a second time.”

  She threw up her hands. “You already told me that. What does any of it have to do with why he wants us to get married or anything else that’s been going on?”

  Trey shrugged one shoulder, seemingly unaffected by her outburst. “He’s been trying to make me respectable for years. It began with the fight against hunger campaign here in the US and abroad. Everyone loves a humanitarian,” he scoffed. “Now, I need to get married.”

  “Why Sophia?” Dante asked.

  Yes, why her, she wondered.

  Trey shook his head. “I can’t just marry anyone. She has to be the perfect wife. Someone who’s kind and compassionate, well-educated, whose character is beyond reproach. Who better than his grandson’s best friend, who’s been a part of the family for years?”

  Sophia stared at him while her brain struggled to make sense of what it heard. “You can’t be serious.”

  “Of course I’m serious. This is Sanford we’re talking about.”

  This can’t be happening. A cameraman would appear at any moment and someone would tell her it had all been a gag. But, even as the thought formed in her head, she knew it to be untrue. There were no hidden cameras and this wasn’t an episode of a practical joke reality television show. This was real life. “How did Sanford plan to make this happen?”

  “He left that up to me.”

  Dante was right. Trey had been at the root of all her problems, no matter how much he denied it. “You paid off Allen—” She held up a hand to stop his outburst. “—to wreck my car so you could be a hero and buy me a new one, and you destroyed one of my most prized possessions, then once again, came off as the good guy by buying me another jewelry box.”

  “Sophia, I didn’t have anything to do with the car or the thefts and I didn’t demolish your mother’s jewelry box. Allen is responsible for all of those injustices. Yes, I should have said something to the authorities, but Sanford wanted to keep quiet. He didn’t want us to get involved. I went along with him, but only because I had no other choice.”

  “Suppose, for one minute, I believe you, then why did you pay Allen?”

  Trey sighed. “I hadn’t counted on your father leaving you a portion of his company, or you wanting to continue on there.”r />
  Dante snorted. “So you paid Allen to sell his shares to me knowing full well Sophia would be miserable and would leave.”

  Trey glared over at Dante. “You’re the one who forced her out, not me.”

  She’d played right into Trey’s hands. In fact, she’d made it easy for him. All those Skype calls where she’d poured her heart out about her troubles working with Dante. On the surface, he’d been sympathetic to her plight, and all the while he’d been plotting against her. And his plan had worked. At least it had at first. “You must have been shocked when I told you I’d returned to Baker. If I recall correctly, it wasn’t long after that you decided to show up here in person.”

  His lips curved into a sneer. “Sanford insisted. Apparently, I wasn’t getting the job done to his satisfaction, so he took matters into his own hands.”

  Sophia nodded. “The threat to take your accounts elsewhere unless I did what he wanted. Tell me, what do you get out of all this?”

  Trey stiffened. “Well… Uh… Hell, this is Sanford we’re talking about. You know what he’s like. He’ll use any means necessary to get what he wants.”

  “He can’t force you into marriage, Trey. You could have said no, but you didn’t. Why? What did he promise you to make you betray your best friend?”

  “It wasn’t like that,” Trey said.

  “Like hell it wasn’t. Now, what did he give you?”

  He scowled. “Control of my inheritance.”

  She started to shake, her hands first then her shoulders. The wave moved throughout until tremors racked her entire body. “Money.” She should have known.

  “It wasn’t about the money, Sophia. I need control of my life. Every time I so much as breathe wrong, he holds my inheritance over my head. Everything I do or say requires his approval and it’s never going to change until he doesn’t have the threat to use against me anymore.”

  “You’ll be twenty-five in a couple of months. You’ll gain control then.”

  Trey scoffed. “No. Twenty-five is the youngest age I can assume control, but it’s up to the administrator, who is now Sanford. According to the terms of my parents’ will, if he feels I’m not ready, he doesn’t have to turn over management of the accounts until I’m thirty. Sanford will never relinquish the money until he has to and I can’t take another five years of being under his thumb.”