Devil in the Details

by Morgan James

  I caught her elbow and dragged her back to me. “I took care of it.”

  Her pretty lips formed a small ‘O’ before she caught herself, and her face settled back into an expression of annoyance. “Well.” She cleared her throat. “Thank you.”

  One foot tapped an impatient rhythm on the sidewalk as if it would magically conjure the valet so she could escape my presence.

  The thought alone pissed me off. Shoving my hands back in my pockets, I studied her. “We need to talk, Lydia. You’re still my wife and—”

  Her chest rose on a sharp inhale, and she spun toward me. “I am not your wife.”

  I let out a mirthless laugh. “Really? Because I have papers that say otherwise.”

  “That’s impossible,” she scoffed.

  “Really? You sure about that?”

  Her shoulders tensed. “Of course. Why wouldn’t I be?”

  “You ever read the documentation that the lawyers sent back?” Though she refused to look at me, I read the hesitation in every line of her body. “You didn’t, did you?”

  The blood drained from her face, giving me the answer I’d been looking for. I sighed. “We apparently both forgot to sign one of the documents.”

  Cold expression firmly back in place, she glared at me. “Fine. Let’s take care of it, then. I’ll sign it right now.” She began to dig around in her giant purse, probably looking for a pen.

  I was fucking tired of fighting. I set a hand on her arm to halt her frantic searching. “Come on, let’s go somewhere and talk.”

  An alarmed expression moved over her face. “N-no. I can’t—”

  “Lydia.” She froze at my exasperated tone. Searching her eyes, I softened my voice. “I just moved in, so my place is a mess, otherwise I’d invite you there. Let’s just go back to your place and—”

  “No!”

  She said it much too quickly, and my eyes narrowed. “You don’t trust me to come home with you?”

  “I-It’s not... I can’t...” She stammered over her words and fell back a step, her hand moving to the base of her throat. So she was fine speaking to me in public, but the second I mentioned going somewhere quiet, she freaked out. Why?

  She whirled away, stumbling much too close to the curb. I caught her elbow and yanked her back just as the valet pulled up with a compact black car. “Jesus, Liddy!”

  Tearing herself from my grasp, I watched as she practically ran around the vehicle and threw her bag on the passenger seat as she clambered inside. The valet held the door for her and she ripped it from the poor guy’s hands, slamming it shut and throwing the car in gear.

  What the fuck just happened?

  The valet watched with a combination of surprise and dismay, jumping back as she peeled away from the curb. For some reason, I felt the need to apologize. “I’m sorry.” Digging a twenty from my wallet, I handed it over to him. “She’s a little... frazzled.”

  That was a fucking understatement if I’d ever heard one, and I was at a loss as to how to proceed. The look on her face had spoken less of hate and more of... fear? Was she so afraid of me that she’d damn near thrown herself in front of a moving vehicle? Propping my hands on my hips, I stared after the red taillights disappearing into the distance.

  I’d give her a couple days to calm down. Then Lydia and I were going to have a serious discussion.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Lydia

  I bit my lip, blinking away the tears burning the back of my eyelids. This was the absolute last thing I needed this morning. I’d been an emotional mess the past two days, snapping at everyone and ready to cry at the drop of a hat. Seeing Xander the other night had thrown me completely off balance, but that was nothing compared to what I’d experienced over the past few days.

  Nothing. Nada. Not a phone call, no emails, not a visit to my house or the salon. It was extremely unnerving, and I didn’t believe for a second that he would leave well enough alone. He was biding his time, waiting to swoop back into my life and ruin everything. The possibility of him popping up unexpectedly hung over my head like a black cloud, and I was stressed almost to the point of breaking. Brenda had asked about him once but promptly dropped the subject when I practically bit her head off.

  I needed to tell him about Alexia. There was no putting it off any longer. I’d allowed myself to fall into a state of complacency for the past year, but that had dissipated in a matter of minutes. Now that Xander was back, it felt as if the ground of my perfectly constructed world was crumbling beneath my feet. I could only imagine his reaction. He would be furious, and I wasn’t quite ready to deal with it just yet.

  “This is horrendous. I don’t understand why you can’t figure out...”

  I whirled at the sound of Caryn Anderson’s voice and steeled my spine, lifting my chin as I stared her down. With everything spiraling out of control around me, I finally reached my wits end. I was done with this woman throwing her weight around. “Caryn, I appreciate your business, but clearly we are not seeing eye to eye. I think it’d be better if you went somewhere else.”

  The other woman’s mouth dropped open in shock. Likely it was the first time anyone had stood up to her. “Are you kicking me out?”

  I clasped my hands in front of my stomach and affected my most calm but firm expression. “I think it’s in everyone’s best interest to find someone better suited for your needs. Someone who can make your vision come true.”

  Good freaking luck to whomever that might be. The woman was hell on wheels, and if I never had to see her again, it would be too soon.

  Her jaw dropped open, gaping like a fish. The sight would have been comical if I weren’t so pissed off and frustrated with our constant battling. “You can’t just quit! Who the hell do you think you are?”

  I spread my hands wide. “I don’t believe I’m the best person to design your dream dress. You said so yourself.”

  Caryn threw the dress on the floor. “I’m not paying you a dime. Your work is—”

  “Actually,” I interjected, holding up my index finger, “your contract states that you’re required to pay for the amount of work that has been completed. However,” I cut Caryn off again as she opened her mouth to protest, “I’ll cut that number in half as a courtesy. I’ll mail you the bill next week.”

  I didn’t care what the hell I had to do to get rid of her, I just wanted the woman out of my salon and out of my life.

  The woman’s eyes narrowed to angry slits. “You’ll regret this.”

  “I seriously doubt it.” I smiled serenely. “Best of luck to you.”

  Throwing her giant designer handbag over one twig-thin arm, Caryn stomped off the dais—taking care to grind her stiletto-clad heel into the delicate lace of the dress on her way out. I closed my eyes at the sight, anger simmering deep in my belly. I clenched my hands together in an effort to refrain from leaping over the dais myself and strangling the woman. The bell over the door jingled, announcing Caryn’s dramatic exit. The slam of the door made me flinch, my shoulders jumping to my ears.

  “That woman could piss off a nun.”

  A smile cracked my face, and, relaxing, I turned to Gwen. “Amen, sister. She’s a walking nightmare.”

  “Is that salvageable?” Gwen pointed to the fabric puddled on the floor, and I scooped it up, inspecting it.

  “I think so. Except where Queen Bitch ripped a hole in the lace.”

  “I’ll take care of it.”

  I passed it over with a smile. “You’re a saint, you know that?”

  “Better believe it.” My assistant shot a cheeky smile my way and cradled the dress in her arms. “I’ll see if I can work some magic, and we’ll use it as a display.”

  “Sounds great. Thank you.”

  Gwen headed toward the back of the salon, and I took a moment to compose myself before striding to the welcome desk. Brenda sat behind the computer and swiveled toward me as I approached. “You okay?”

  I offered a small smile. “I’ll be fine. We shouldn�
��t hear anything from her anymore, I hope.”

  Brenda chuckled. “She certainly left in a huff. Looked like someone pissed in her Cheerios.”

  I smothered a giggle behind both hands. “That’s awful.”

  “No,” Brenda deadpanned. “She is awful. I’m just honest.”

  “Fair enough,” I said on a laugh. “I’m going to straighten up a bit before the next appointment.”

  I paused in front of the large glass window overlooking the street, watching the world outside. What made women like Caryn so cold? She’d been raised with a silver spoon in her mouth, had everything handed to her on a platter, while I’d scrimped and saved and sacrificed everything. Despite all that, I wouldn’t trade it for a thing. The struggle I’d endured made it all worth it.

  I shook my head and turned away with a sigh. Meandering the display room floor, a sense of pride swelled deep inside. My fingers trailed over the sleek satins and delicate lace as I fluffed the skirts, carefully arranging the fabric.

  The shattering of glass behind me ripped a small scream from my throat, and I instinctively covered my head with my hands as I dropped to one knee. A full second of silence ensued before chaos broke out across the salon.

  “Lydia!”

  “What happened?”

  “Are you okay?”

  Voices assaulted my ears from every direction, and I opened my eyes. Tiny shards of glass littered the floor at my feet, and, dazed, I turned toward the window. The sounds from outside filtered in through the gaping hole in the lower portion of the window. What remained of the pane was splintered, looking like jagged teeth ready to chomp down on its next victim.

  There was only one reason it would have exploded like that. rushing forward, I braced one hand on the sill, carefully avoiding the shards of glass. Leaning out, I scanned the sidewalk to my left and right, looking for anyone, anything, responsible.

  Cars whizzed past, and a couple people ambled around the corner farther down the sidewalk, but whoever had broken the window was long gone.

  Shaken, I turned back to the group of women gathered around, watching me intently for guidance. Placing one hand over my still racing heart, I pasted on a soothing smile. “Everything’s fine. It just scared me.”

  “What happened?” Brenda asked, concern evident on her face.

  “I’m not sure.” I debated voicing my fears but decided against it. “Whatever it was, I’m sure it was just an accident.”

  “Mhmm.” She hummed a low sound in her throat, and the rest of the ladies exchanged uneasy glances.

  I reached for patience. “Maybe someone was mowing the grass and it ricocheted through the window. Or something fell off a truck.”

  None of the ladies seemed to like either of those explanations, but it seemed to calm them at least.

  Gwen rounded the corner but came to a dead halt when she saw us. “Is everything okay? I heard a commotion, and—” Her eyes rounded as they moved over my shoulder to the shattered window behind me. “Oh, my gosh! What happened?”

  I held up my hands. “Just an accident. Let’s get this cleaned up, then—” My words were cut off as the bell over the front door jingled, and we collectively turned toward the sound.

  Please, God, no.

  I stared at the one single person on earth I had no desire to see—one far worse than Caryn. I’d been dreading this moment, waiting for him to walk through that door and change my life forever.

  My heart dropped to my toes, and a steel band constricted around my lungs as blue eyes cut to me, sending a fiery sensation through my body that I didn’t understand. God surely hated me. There was no other explanation for it.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Xander

  A cacophony of chattering female voices met my ears as I entered the small salon. The tinkling of the bell over the door announced my presence, and several sets of eyes swiveled toward me. The only ones I cared about, though, were the steel gray pair that met mine, turning my blood to fire. The stormy depths registered agitation and... worry?

  Immediately on guard, my gaze swept over the scene before me, taking in the broken window behind the three women as well as the glass littering the pale blue carpet. Shit. I’d been so preoccupied on my way in that I hadn’t even noticed.

  Lydia straightened and directed her attention to the women gathered in a semicircle around her. “Gwen, would you please bring me the vacuum? And Brenda, could you please make some calls to get this window replaced or at least covered for now? I think our next appointment is due in about an hour.”

  The women avoided me completely, scattering like pigeons as Lydia dismissed them with a gentle smile.

  I lifted a brow at her. “What happened here?”

  She drew in a shaky breath and waved me off. “Something broke the window, but it’s nothing, I’m sure.”

  “Hmm.” I hummed a noncommittal sound before venturing closer, examining the gaping hole in the lower corner of the window. “I can get some plastic sheeting and cover this for you.”

  “That won’t be necessary.” Her voice was clipped, and her immediate refusal had my hackles raising.

  I turned to her and crossed my arms over my chest. “Looks like you have a penchant for pissing people off, Liddy.”

  Her pretty gray eyes narrowed on me. “First of all, don’t call me that. Secondly, I didn’t do anything.” She lifted a hand and gestured toward the street. “It was probably some kid playing or... something.”

  I didn’t like that tone at all, or the worried look in her eyes. I was willing to bet there was a hell of a lot more to the story than whatever bullshit she was feeding me.

  “Did you find whatever came through the window?”

  “Not yet.” She shook her head. “I was more worried about getting the glass cleaned up and the window covered before our next clients get here.”

  I nodded and bent to a knee, searching beneath the ruffled folds of white fabric.

  “What are you doing?”

  I tipped my head up to meet her curious gaze. “I’m looking for whatever they tossed in here.” I swept my arm under the low-hanging dresses on the rack, and my fingers brushed something hard and rough. I stretched my fingers and snagged the large rock, then climbed to my feet. I held it out for her inspection. “Found the culprit. What the...?”

  Her eyes widened, and she snatched the rock from my fingers just as I noticed the word scribbled in black marker across its smooth surface.

  Fraud.

  She clutched the rock close to her chest, her whole body trembling as she glanced worriedly out the window. What the hell was going on here?

  “Lydia.”

  Her gaze jumped to mine, but she remained silent.

  “What is that?”

  She swallowed hard, then reluctantly passed it back to me. I shot her a hard glare before redirecting my attention to the rock in my hands. I turned it over, but there was nothing else. Just that one word. What did it mean?

  “Any idea who may have done this?”

  Her brows furrowed, and she chewed her bottom lip in thought. Finally, she gave a little shake of her head. “No.”

  “You sure you haven’t pissed anyone off lately—besides me?”

  Her angry glare threatened to cut right through me, and I felt a sudden stab of guilt. I hadn’t come to provoke her; I’d just wanted to talk things out a bit. With Lydia, though, things never went as planned. It occurred to me that she might be more accommodating if I showed her I wasn’t the bad guy here. I held up my hands in a placating gesture. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said that. You should tell the police about this.”

  She gave a derisive little laugh. “So they can do... what? Post someone out front to make sure no one throws another rock through my window?”

  She had a point. There wasn’t a hell of a lot they could do. “They can at least file a report. Have you had any trouble recently?”

  She froze, her mouth parted slightly as if something had just occurred to her. Almost
immediately she snapped it closed, and her expression shut down. “No.”

  I didn’t believe that for a second. If I pushed any harder, I’d be calling her a liar, and I didn’t want to drive the wedge any further between us. If she wasn’t going to open up to me, I’d just have to do it my way. “What can I do to help?”

  “Don’t worry about it.” She turned to leave, but I reached out and caught her shoulder. Her muscles tensed under my touch, and I could feel the faint vibration of her body as I slowly spun her around to face me. Her gaze collided with mine, and I studied her expression. Fear warred with trepidation in those liquid depths, and remorse seized me. She was obviously shaken from the incident, and I’d made the situation worse.

  I stroked her shoulder lightly with my thumb. “Why don’t you let me fix this up while you clean? If you have any plastic sheeting, we can get this covered up until someone can get out here to replace the glass.”

  She looked torn, and her gaze darted to the back of the salon. “We have another appointment coming in soon, and—”

  “Let me take care of it,” I cut in. “Please.”

  Her teeth sank into her bottom lip, and she wrapped her arms around her waist before finally relenting with a single jerky nod. “We should have some in the back. I’ll go check.” She shrugged out of my hold and took a couple steps away before angling back to me, her voice as soft and uncertain as her gaze. “Thank you.”

  The corners of my mouth lifted. “Welcome.”

  I watched her slink from the room then turned back toward the window, inspecting the rock still in my hand. If this was an accident, I would eat the boots on my feet. The park was too far away and, though a kid may have been involved, it was surely no accident. I’d have to chat with the neighbors, see if anyone heard or saw anything.

  Noise from behind prompted me to turn around, and I saw the younger woman standing there, watching me closely. I recognized her face—she was the same one I spoke with the other night, the one who’d told me where Lydia had gone on a date. And thank God she had. I owed her a sincere thank-you for that. What the hell was her name again? I offered up a small smile and thought I saw a faint blush stain her cheeks, but my attention was diverted as Lydia came around the corner.