When I was about to put my phone back in my purse, a set of arms wrapped around my waist and hauled me into the ladies bathroom. “What the …” I snapped, and then when I turned around I had the pleasure of seeing my ex-husband, red-faced and furious.
After he locked us in the bathroom, he stalked toward me angrily, but I stood my ground. “What the fuck are you doing out there? And why haven’t you answered any of my calls. I’ve been trying to tell you about my mother for days.”
“I know, and I’m sorry about your mother,” I replied sadly.
He ran his hands through his hair and sighed. “Yeah, well it’s over and done with now. I was also trying to see if you would be my date for the evening tonight, but I guess you would’ve said no considering you’re with someone else.”
“Yes, I am,” I snapped. “Which is why you need to stop calling me all the damn time.”
Exasperated, he huffed, “When are you going to get over what I did to you and move on? I said I was sorry and that I would do anything to get you back. Why won’t you let me try?”
I scoffed, “Because you cheated on me, Daniel. And you’re also here with another woman. That doesn’t exactly make me want you back.”
“I don’t care about that whore out there, Melissa. I care about you and I want you to give me another chance. I wanted you to come with me tonight but you didn’t answer your fucking phone. Just think about all we could do together with my family’s land. You had some really good ideas floating around in that head of yours when we were married. You could make them all real now, especially with you by my side and with my sister’s help.”
Scowling, I crossed my arms over my chest and snapped, “I don’t love you anymore, Daniel. I’m happy with Brett and it’s going to stay that way. You need to respect that and give me my space. As far as helping you with your project, are you insane? I don’t know how you inherited that land, but I do know it was supposed to go to your sister. I can see it in your eyes that you’re up to something. How did you do it?”
Daniel’s whole mood flipped and he hissed, “You know what? That’s not any of your concern anymore. Since you refuse to let me back in your life, you don’t get the pleasure of knowing anything about mine.”
He stepped closer and pinned me to the wall with his arms on either side of me, caging me in. With a wolfish smile gleaming on his face, he remarked, “Why didn’t you tell Brett that I was your husband? You’re a stubborn woman that always did what she wanted and never once did you ever listen to me when we were married. What made you listen to me now?”
I held up my hand and pushed against his chest. “First off, you’re my ex-husband,” I spat at him. “And Brett’s been looking forward to this account with you and I didn’t want to come between that. If I tell him that you’re my ex it’ll make this really awkward for him, especially if I tell him that something scandalous is going on. I know you don’t have rights to that land, Daniel. There’s no way your sister would give it up that easily. You forget that I spent most of my time with her when we went out there. Her dreams of that land are something she wouldn’t just let go to a brother that couldn’t give a shit about it.”
Shaking his head, Daniel smirked and pressed his body to mine. “Oh, my sweet Melissa, what am I ever going to do with you?” When I tried to speak, he placed a finger over my lips. “Okay, here’s what’s going to happen. First, that land is mine and I can prove it. It’s written as plain as day in my mother’s will.” Yeah, I’d like to see proof of that, I thought to myself. I rolled my eyes while he continued to rant.
“Second, you’re not going to tell Brett anything about me and you while this project is in the works. My investor was adamant on getting Brett to do the designing, and I’m not going to let you or anyone else come between that. I have a lot riding on this deal, and if you screw it up there’s going to be some dire consequences. I’ll make sure you go down with me.”
I tried to get out of his grasp, but he held me tighter against the wall. “You’re lying. You can’t take me down with you. So help me God if you don’t let me go I’m going to scream. You can’t stop me from telling, Brett,” I said through clenched teeth.
Daniel sneered, “Oh no? Are you sure about that?” His hands trailed down the sides of my body and he grabbed a hold of my ass and squeezed. “I think you might want to reconsider that, my dear. You see … if you don’t keep that trap of yours shut, you’re going to make me resort to other means and I really don’t want to have to do that. I don’t want to hurt you, Mel, but if you force it I’m going to have no choice. Please don’t make me do it.”
“Do what?” I asked nervously.
He smiled, but it didn’t reach his eyes. “There are lots of things I could do, baby. For starters, I could tell the school board about a so called scandalous relationship with one of your male students.”
I gasped, my blood instantly boiling with anger. “What the hell are you talking about? I would never do anything like that with one of my students,” I hissed.
The thought of having sex with one of my students was appalling. If Daniel leaked those lies I would lose my job and go to jail. Holy shit.
“Exactly, but the school board doesn’t know that. I don’t want to ruin you, and the last thing I want to do is push you away, but I need to know you won’t cause problems. This would all be easy if you just stayed quiet.”
“You’re a prick, you know that?” I growled, pushing against his chest. “Your accusation could put me in jail and ruin me for the rest of my life. How could you threaten me with that if you loved me?”
Daniel backed off and let me out of his grasp. When I reached for the door, he stopped me with his next words. “I do love you. There’s another way we can handle this,” he suggested.
I should’ve just walked out, but I didn’t. I glared at him as I turned around. “And what other twisted way to fuck me over would that be?”
Smirking, he trailed his gaze down my body and then back up. “It’s not a way to fuck you over, I promise,” he remarked. I scoffed, but he ignored it and continued, “Everything in my life rides on this deal, Melissa. I have to see it through, and by God I wish you could understand that. There’s so much you don’t know and I want to explain it to you, but I can’t right now. All I’m asking is for you to let me prove to you that I’m worthy. This would all go differently if you just …”
I huffed and waved my hand impatiently. “Get on with it and tell me already.”
He bit his lip and smiled. “Come back to me. Let me love you again. I can give you everything you want and you wouldn’t even have to work anymore. We can make a life together, move to California, and live on the vineyards like you always wanted to do. Brett can’t give you all that I can.”
I was about to protest when his mouth closed over mine in that next instant, all hot and demanding. His hands held my face firmly as he pushed his weight against me, trying to wear me down by forcing his tongue in my mouth. I gasped and immediately pulled away, glaring at him in disgust and wiping my mouth off with the back of my hand.
“You must really think I’m stupid don’t you?”
Nonchalantly, he appeared unfazed at what he just did and stood there smiling innocently. “No, you’re actually a very clever woman, and you’re smart enough to know that I’m not going to stop. One way or another I will have you again. It’s just a matter of time. I know you still have feelings for me somewhere in that body of yours.”
Crossing my arms over my chest, my face was a stony mask as I glared at him. He wasn’t going to manipulate me. For the moment I’d keep my mouth shut even though it was against my nature to do so, at least until I found out the information I needed to bust his ass.
“This isn’t over, Daniel. And just so you know, I have no plans of sleeping with you or letting you back into my life, let alone touch me, so you can get that thought out of your mind. It’s not going to happen.”
Striding up to the door, Daniel unlocked it and held it
open for me. “After you, sweetheart,” he said, his face beaming as if he’d won. He fingered the strap of my dress and caressed my skin, making me cringe. “Just keep all of this to yourself and everything will be fine. I personally like the alternative.”
“The answer is no,” I repeated more firmly. “You can threaten me all you want, but my decision is not going to change. If this is how you try to get me back in your bed, you’re going about it the wrong way, asshole.”
I stormed off but he kept his pace beside me. I groaned when I realized he was going to walk with me back to the table; not to mention he was just a little too close. Before we got within ear shot of Brett and Ashley, he lowered his voice and said, “By the time I’m done with you I’ll have you worn down and saying yes before you know it.”
I don’t think so.
Chapter Fourteen
“What took you so long?” Brett asked as both Daniel and I walked up. He glanced at Daniel and narrowed his eyes for just a second before turning back to me.
Before I could speak, Daniel cut in, “There was a slight problem, but I took care of it.”
I wanted to roll my eyes, but refrained from it. Standing and pulling out my chair like the gentleman he was, Brett questioned, “What happened? Are you okay?”
“She’s okay,” Daniel interrupted, waving dismissively. “Just some guy who was a little drunk tried to hit on her. I made him leave.”
Brett gritted his teeth and scowled. I didn’t know if it was from Daniel not letting me speak or if it was the thought of another guy bothering me, but it looked like both. Brett moved his chair closer to me and whispered in my ear, “That guy better be glad it wasn’t me that found him hitting on you or else I’d probably be in jail right now.”
In a way I wished he was there to catch Daniel, but my life would be severely ruined if Daniel leaked his lies about me out to the world. I had to play my cards right to get out of the mess I was in. Smiling, I grabbed a hold of Brett’s hand, but looked over at Daniel. “I’m sure I could’ve handled it on my own. I was two seconds away from kicking the guy in the balls. In a way I wish I would have so he’d have gotten the picture earlier.”
Ashley, Daniel’s date, piped in, “Yeah, you should have, honey. Men these days just don’t know how to treat a lady.” Daniel rolled his eyes behind her back and threw back his gin and tonic, setting the glass down hard on the table.
“I agree, Ashley, but you just have to find the right one,” I said, turning my head to smile at Brett.
He grinned back, but it didn’t reach his eyes. I could tell he felt the tension and wanted to ask about it, but he refrained. Instead, he smiled and nodded toward the waiter. We ordered our food, but I was too angry and impatient to eat so I just swirled it around my plate and pretended. I spent most of the time gritting my teeth every time Daniel opened his mouth.
Could the night go any slower?
***
“Am I staying at your place tonight?” Brett asked as he walked me to the front door of my house. The uncertainty in his voice filled the air and I instantly turned my gaze to him, shocked. We had spent the whole drive to my house in silence, but it wasn’t because I didn’t want to talk to him, it was just that I had a lot on my mind. Brett walked me to my door and I playfully pushed him inside.
“Of course,” I exclaimed. “I always want you to stay. You’ve been with me every night for the past week. I kind of like it.” I squeezed his hand reassuringly, hoping the creases in his forehead would disappear.
Sighing, he shrugged his shoulder and pursed his lips. “I don’t know, Melissa. I could sense a change in you tonight and it was different, distant. You completely closed up on me.” When I didn’t answer, he hesitated before he continued, “Is it Daniel? Your whole mood shifted when you met him. Do you not like the guy or something?”
My inner self was screaming at me just to tell Brett the truth, but I couldn’t do it. I already screwed up by not telling him that Daniel was my ex-husband. As I climbed up the stairs to my room, Brett followed and I knew I had to say something in my defense. “There’s something about him I don’t like,” I announced honestly. “Do you not think he was kind of shady? His whole demeanor screamed douche bag.”
Brett chuckled, but then turned serious. “Yeah, I kind of got that from him, especially when he kept looking at you. I was starting to get pissed off, but since he’s my client I bit my tongue.”
When we got to my room, I sashayed out of my dress and pulled out a T-shirt from one of my drawers, slipping it on. “Have you ever turned down a client or refused to work with one?” I asked curiously, heading into the bathroom.
Brett began to take off his clothes, and then climbed into the bed in just his boxers. After I washed my face and used the bathroom, I joined him in bed and cuddled up next to him. “So far, no I haven’t had to turn down a client. Why do you ask?” he replied, gazing down at me in his arms.
I shrugged. “No reason, really. I just wanted to know what your protocol was if you didn’t like someone.”
Brett kissed me on the forehead and chuckled. “I’m a professional, Melissa. I don’t have to get along with every one of my clients, and I’ve worked with plenty that I can’t stand. It’s what I do.”
Would he be saying that if he knew who Daniel was and what he threatened me with?
Yawning, I laid my head down on Brett’s bare chest and I could hear the steady rhythm of his heart beating against my ear. The burn grew heavier behind my eyelids and I tried to keep the tears at bay, but I couldn’t. They slowly fell in rivers down my cheeks, landing on Brett’s chest.
“Baby, what’s wrong?” he said soothingly while rubbing his hand in gentle circles across my back. The guilt of not telling him about Daniel was eating me up inside. I was angry at myself and even angrier that I was letting my ex-husband get his way.
Shaking my head, I cried, “Nothing’s wrong, Brett. I just wanted you to know how much I love you.”
“Oh, baby, I love you, too.” Tilting my chin up with his finger, he narrowed his eyes and searched my face. “But why do I feel like you’re keeping something from me. Are you sure you’re okay?”
“Yes, I’m all right,” I lied, plastering a smile to my face.
Brett raised a cynical brow and glanced over at the clock. “Okay, I’ll leave you alone since you obviously don’t want to talk about it. But as much as I love you I know that we need to get some sleep. I want nothing more than to fuck you senseless tonight, but I know you don’t feel well so I guess you can have a break.” He winked playfully, but I could see it in his eyes that this conversation wasn’t over. At least for the night I didn’t have to tell him.
Smiling half-heartedly, I murmured, “Goodnight.”
I kissed him gently on the lips and settled myself in the crook of his arm with one of mine draped across his waist while his circled around my back. His warmth was a comfort to me, but even in the comfort of his arms I knew I was going to be haunted with the fact that my life hung in the balance and my ex-husband was the one who had the reins.
Chapter Fifteen
As soon as Brett left to go to his grandmother’s house to help her move furniture I knew it would be the perfect time to make the phone calls I’d been impatiently waiting to make. I tried to find Daniel’s sister’s number on the internet, but no luck; it was time to get my cousin’s help. It was bright and early on a Sunday morning, which meant I was probably going to wake him up, but I was desperate. I had to talk to him while Brett wasn’t anywhere around.
After dialing the number, I waited, tapping my foot against the hard wood floor. “Pick up the phone, Mason,” I grumbled into the phone. Mason Bradley was my cousin and also a very thorough police detective. I knew for a fact he would do anything for me if I just asked.
In a gruff, sleepy voice, Mason answered, “This better be good, Mel.”
I sighed. “Hey Mase, I’m sorry for waking you up, but it’s important. I need you to find a number for me. I never
transferred it over when I got my new phone.”
Mason mumbled under his breath and I could tell he’d gotten up and went to his desk by the sound of shuffling papers. “All right, give me the name and as much information you got on the person,” he ordered in his commanding voice.
He was a couple of years older than me and had always been the protector … well, more like a big brother. He was six foot four with short blond hair and green eyes just like me. The green eyes ran in our family. When he found out Daniel had cheated on me, he came over to help load up Daniel’s things the next day, but he ended up giving Daniel a black eye and a busted nose when he showed up at the house.
When it sounded like he was ready, I began, “Her name is Claire O’Briene, she’s single or at least she was the last time I spoke with her. She also lives in California and she’s twenty-six years old. Her family owns a winery and vineyard out there in Sonoma County.”
“Oh hell, why are you trying to get in touch with your ex’s sister?” he asked incredulously. “Please tell me you’re not going back to that jackass are you?”
“No,” I shouted. “I’m actually dating someone right now. Unfortunately, Daniel is trying to screw everything up though.”
“My God, I wish you would’ve never married that piece of shit. I told you from the beginning that he was bad news, but you didn’t listen to me, did you? What’s the prick up to now?”
Blowing out an angry breath, I explained, “Okay, here’s how it started. First, I met this guy named Brett and now we’re dating which is absolutely wonderful. He’s amazing and I know you’ll like him when you meet him. He’s an architect that works for my friend Korinne’s husband over at M&M Architectural Design. Anyway, he landed a new client and can you guess who that new client is?”
“Are you serious?” Mason muttered. “You have the worst luck of anyone I know. So now your boyfriend has to work with Daniel. I take it that meeting didn’t go over too well.”
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