by Addison Fox
“She was an amazing woman. She believed in me and supported me. And she did it all with a smile, even when she probably didn’t feel like it.”
“What do you mean by that?”
“My father loved her. Loved us both. But he wasn’t exactly a faithful husband.”
Nova thought about her own mother and Allegra’s teenage affair with Ace. How she’d quickly rushed into a relationship with Paul Ellis after Ace had broken her heart. Had Paul ever known that he wasn’t biologically her father? Had her mother shared that with him?
Questions that would never be answered, even as Nova wondered how people built relationships with each other. How they committed, day after day, when there was the potential for such large secrets between them.
Hadn’t Ferdy proved that? He carried secrets that weren’t just painful, but illegal, too.
It was a wonder people found each other at all. That they created and built and stayed in relationships for a lifetime.
“Your mother knew, obviously?”
“She did. I often think that’s why she didn’t want more children. She never came out and said it, but I think it was easier on her to focus on me and not think about sharing one more bond with him.”
“But she loved him?”
“Totally. And died heartbroken because while he loved her, he never loved her all the way. He never gave her all of himself. He never found a way to put her first.”
“Do you think that’s what it’s about? Putting someone else first?”
“I think it should be. But I don’t know that it often is.”
Nova thought about that, wondering what it all meant. Humans were innately flawed, but that didn’t mean there wasn’t good in people. But how did you know? Certainly not everyone was Ferdy, hiding criminal activity. A lot of them were men like Nikolas’s father, just finding their way through life. Stumbling—terribly sometimes—but not all the way bad.
It was hard to understand and it made her think of her own father. Allegra had believed Ace had feelings for her, yet he’d left her at the end of their summer fling. Was that the inconstancy of youth? A character flaw? Or just the strange vagaries of how life went sometimes.
Why was it all so hard to understand?
Holding back the mental sigh, she gave Nikolas her full attention. “I’m sorry. But thank you for trusting me with this.”
“I just—” Nikolas stopped, those curls flopping against his fingers once more as he ran a hand through his hair. “I thought you should know that. Slater men are a bad bet. Hell, a lot of men are a bad bet. But that doesn’t mean you’re not entitled to happiness and a future.”
Nova wasn’t sure how, but their conversation had seemingly leapfrogged from life-changing events to family pain to an underlying warning to steer clear of a relationship with him.
That warning lodged somewhere underneath her breastbone, but Nova ignored the feeling, vowing to think about it later. They barely knew each other, so she had no reason to be upset.
No reason at all.
Of course, her conscience whispered, there wasn’t any reason for him to say it, either.
Was it because of their kiss in the elevator? The one he’d initiated? Maybe he was really warning himself and Nova was simply caught in the crossfire.
Whatever the reason, Nova heard the warning loud and clear. She stood at that, her focus just above the top of his head. “I’m going to go lie down for a bit and then get ready to go over to the Triple R.”
* * *
Nikolas spent the better part of an hour continuing his online searches as well as digging through a few databases he had access to via his investigator’s license. Nothing had provided much beyond what he already knew, but he was grateful for the distraction.
What was wrong with him?
If he’d been looking for a calm, cool, collected way to tell Nova that they couldn’t kiss again, he sure as hell hadn’t landed on one. Instead, he’d ham-fisted his way through his family sob story and then warned her off like she was some sort of girl, fawning over him.
He wasn’t a repeat of a youthful Ace Colton, caught up in a summer romance. And for all her seeming innocence, Nova wasn’t her mother, locked in the wonder of a first romance at seventeen.
He’d been the one to kiss her, after all. It was hardly fair to suddenly assume she felt some wild, crazy attraction.
Only something had begun to shift in him as they’d sat there. He’d listened to her talk of her life changes and the baby’s impending arrival, and in that moment, he’d seen himself doing that all with her.
Being there.
When she finally met her father. When she went into labor. And most of all, when she sat there in the hospital, propped up against the pillows, holding her child serenely in her arms.
He’d seen it all, and seen himself clearly in the scene with her.
And that scared him beyond all rational thought.
He didn’t know this woman. As early as today, he’d wondered if she was playing him like a fiddle. And now?
Now he was fantasizing about her baby and spending time with them once the little one arrived?
He was Guy Slater’s son, after all. He didn’t do long-term relationships or permanence or, heaven forbid, real, true love. He did short-term and easy. He’d seen how his father’s behavior had ravaged his mother and he wasn’t interested in repeating that mess. Because of it, Nikolas had always been careful. He didn’t get into relationships he couldn’t easily get out of, and he’d become a champ at selecting women who expected a fun, casual date, not someone permanent.
So why now?
And why Nova Ellis?
She was the exact opposite of the sort of women he usually dated. The pregnancy aside, everything about that petite frame and long braid that fell down over one shoulder and those vivid green eyes spoke of permanence. Forever.
And when he talked to her, he could see it, too. This wasn’t a woman content with the casual. She might be young, but his mother would have called her an old soul. A person who saw the world around her for what it really was, even as she continued to find the good in it.
His mother would have liked Nova. He could envision his mother sitting at the table with them, talking of deeper things beyond the weather or the latest gossip around town. And in the same vision, he saw Nova holding her own, talking of the things in life that truly mattered.
He saw it, damn it.
And while his mother might be gone, Nova was very real and very much here. She deserved someone who could both appreciate those traits in her and encourage them. Not do to her what his father had done to his mother and betray the beauty in those gifts.
Which only reinforced his words earlier. He might have been ham-fisted in his approach, but he’d been honest. Nova Ellis Colton was a bright, shining light.
And he well knew he couldn’t have any part of it.
Chapter 12
Although something had whispered to Nova that she should drive herself to Rattlesnake Ridge Ranch, she’d ultimately acquiesced to having Nikolas take them in one car. Bowie had offered earlier to take her home and she assumed the offer would still stand if needed.
Which wasn’t like her, but, well, a woman had a right to change her mind when her feelings were hurt.
And hers were.
She had told Nikolas she forgave him for his freak-out at Marlowe’s earlier that day and she’d meant it. A few minutes thinking through his perspective and she’d innately understood why he had panicked. He didn’t know her and he had no reason to believe her reasons for being in Mustang Valley.
But to warn her off like he did? Over a kiss?
Well, that had her pissed.
Nova stared out the car windows at the vista that surrounded her. The three-story ranch house was visible in the distance, but it was the land that really ca
ptivated her. As someone who had been born and raised in New York City, she found the idea that there could be more than a street width between buildings mind-boggling. And here, for as far as she could see, was land.
Although Payne Colton and his family ran Colton Oil, she also understood that Rattlesnake Ridge Ranch was a working cattle farm. A rather successful one, by all accounts. It was an interesting juxtaposition, the cowboy-like nature of owning a farm along with the corporate responsibilities that came with running an oil company.
One more thing that fascinated her about the Coltons.
Nikolas pulled up in front of the house into a small parking area. With as many family members who lived here, they needed more room than just a standard two-car garage. As reinforcement of that, Nova saw several cars already parked in spaces.
“Well. I guess this is it.” Nova turned to Nikolas and she unbuckled her seat belt. “Time to meet more of the family.”
“They’re going to love you.”
“That would be nice. But for now, I’ll settle for getting through the evening.”
Nova didn’t want to be ungrateful, but she was still smarting from Nikolas’s reaction earlier. It wouldn’t do to get her hopes up that suddenly she was walking into a family reunion. A strong, self-effacing thought that carried her as far as the front door.
The thick, magnificent entryway was flung open before she even had a chance to knock.
“You must be Nova!” A pretty woman with long, chestnut-colored hair beamed at her through the doorway. “I’m Ainsley. I’ve been so excited to meet you.”
With barely a hello in return Nova was pulled into a tight hug and once again that sensation of being Alice down the rabbit hole struck with full force.
Was it possible that people could love so unconditionally? Could accept her so simply?
Based on the strong, welcoming circle that enfolded her, Nova had to believe the answer was yes.
“Come on in. Don’t let me leave you standing out here.” Ainsley waved them both in, shooting an eye toward Nikolas as she did. “Good to see you again, Nikolas.”
“You, too, Ainsley. How are things?”
“They’re better now.”
Nova followed Ainsley deeper into the house, marveling as she went. While the image her mother had painted in her stories of the house had been from nearly a quarter century ago, Nova could see how things had been contemporized. The living room was still an impressive centerpiece to the house, the paneled ceiling rising two stories above them. She suspected the furniture, the rugs and the wall hangings had likely been updated from the way they were initially described. Things were rustic yet carried enough modern sensibility to seem fresh instead of outdated.
In spite of its size, the room was warm. Homey. And even if her entire New York City apartment could fit into this room, it didn’t feel cold or spare.
Perhaps it was the people who lived here? The ones who, even now, surrounded her and talked to her, not at her.
“Marlowe and I still can’t quite believe you’re here. But I can see it. I can so see it.”
“See what?” Nova asked.
“The resemblance. It’s like I’m looking at my brother. A far more beautiful and feminine version of my brother,” Ainsley said with a wry smile, “but I can see Ace.”
She didn’t miss the fact that Ainsley still referred to Ace as her brother, and she gave Nova the courage she needed to press on. “I’m sure it’s been hard on all of you, to have him missing and your father in a coma.”
“You have no idea,” Marlowe said, setting drinks down on the coffee table. “Our brother has always played oldest when it suited him, taking the quiet and stoic route when he needed to, but this is new, even for Ace.”
“He’s been through a lot, Marlowe.” Ainsley reached for one of the iced teas on the coffee table. “Finding out about his birth the way that he did. The way we all did.”
Although he had been quiet up until then, allowing the sisters to direct the conversation, Nikolas finally spoke. “How did he take the news?”
“It was difficult, of course. To spend your whole life thinking one thing, and then find out that you were someone else. And all from an email, no less. But we told him.” Marlowe looked at her sister before shifting her attention back to Nikolas. “We told him that it changes nothing in our eyes.”
“Sweetheart, we talked about this,” Bowie interjected. “Your feelings may not change, but it’s still a lot for Ace to go through.”
“I know. I just wish—” Marlowe broke off. “There’s so much happening. So much good. Reed’s arrival. Our engagement. Ainsley and Santiago getting together. All the siblings, really, finding their place. Finding love. I’m just sorry he’s missing out.”
Although it was obvious the discovery of his birth had shaken Ace, Nova had to wonder if there was a little more to it. To Marlowe’s point, things were changing in the Colton family. Relationships, new babies. It was a lot of change—albeit wonderful change—but to add that on top of your own personal confusion must be difficult.
Nikolas handed her one of the sparkling waters that Marlowe had set down on the coffee table. It was a simple gesture but it was enough to break some of the cool tension that had existed between them since his comments at his kitchen table.
“Thank you.”
Nikolas didn’t say anything, just nodded, but she had the feeling he understood some of what she was thinking. “Marlowe, you said earlier that there was more to Ace’s story. I’m ready to hear it. All of it.”
“You didn’t tell her?” Ainsley asked Marlowe.
“We covered a lot of ground earlier.” Marlowe smiled at her sister before shooting a supportive glance toward Nova. “I didn’t want to bombard the poor woman with too much.”
Nova appreciated that subtle support and decided right there on the spot that Marlowe would have been the perfect older aunt. Able to keep a confidence and more than willing to cover for her if she’d missed curfew. The added wink Bowie shot her from where he sat beside Marlowe only sealed her fast-growing affection for the pair. “I think I’m ready to hear the rest now.”
“I think we left off after the email and the paternity test.”
“Yes, that’s right.” Nova braced herself for whatever might be coming next, well aware nothing had been normal up ’til now.
“Our cousin, Spencer, is a sergeant with the MVPD,” Ainsley began. “He’s been working the case professionally but that hasn’t stopped the rest of us from looking into things. Both Marlowe and I have been focused at work trying to uncover where the email might’ve come from.”
“Did you find anything?” Nova asked, realizing they’d left the subject of the email open-ended earlier at Marlowe’s condo.
“Eventually. It took a bit of digging but Colton Oil keeps some great people on staff in our IT department.”
“Darling, we can discuss the merits of IT work later. I think Nova wants to know what’s going on,” Santiago Morales said, his rich voice soft with both love and pointed affection to keep Ainsley on track.
Ainsley leaned over and gave him a quick kiss before pressing on. “Of course. So we ultimately did trace the email.”
“Who did it?” Nova asked, aware that hacked emails and anonymous tips took this whole situation up a notch.
Ainsley nodded. “IT traced it to a dark web account. The sender is some guy by the name of Harley Watts. Spencer has him in custody but he won’t talk.”
Dark web. Jail. Secrets, lies and subterfuge. Nova’s head spun at the idea of it all. What was really going on here?
Marlowe picked up the thread from Ainsley. “Since my father’s shooting, there’s been a tremendous amount of pressure on Ace. The question of whether or not he’ll be able to ascend to the CEO role. The questions around his kidnapping at birth. And then of course my father’s shooting and
subsequent coma.”
“A lot for anyone to take in,” Nova said. And it would be, but from what the sisters said, there was way more that had happened since those horrible days back in January.
“He’s tried so hard to keep his focus solely on Dad, as we all have, but the hits just keep on coming.” Ainsley reached for Santiago’s hand, twining their fingers together. “That’s how we met actually. Last month, someone tried to frame Ace, planting the gun used to shoot my father under the floorboards of his home.”
“Framed, you say?” Nikolas asked. Although he’d been steadily focused on the conversation, this new news had him moving to the edge of his seat on the couch. “You know who did it?”
“We don’t know yet. We’ve been working on it and so has Spencer. The call is suspicious in and of itself. But the ballistics did prove that was the gun used to shoot Payne.” Santiago shook his head. “Nothing about it has been an open-and-shut, though. We still have no idea why Destiny Jones, whom Ace said he never met, gave the tip to the police. Or how anyone even got into Ace’s apartment to plant the gun.”
Whatever she’d expected coming here, the depths of depravity and cruelty the real killer was determined to mete out surprised her. And with that surprise came another reality: Ace’s siblings were all convinced of his innocence.
Nova rubbed at her arms, the warmth of the room fading in the reality of what her father faced.
What they all faced, really.
“Is that why Ace went on the run?”
Santiago nodded. “We think that’s the reason. The ballistics look pretty bad.”
“Even if we all believe, without any doubt, that he’s innocent,” Ainsley added, her hand tightly linked with her fiancé’s.
Nikolas took off his sport coat and settled it over her shoulders before resuming his seat beside her on the couch. Nova didn’t miss the pointed look Marlowe shot toward Nikolas, or the softening in her dark brown eyes.
Point to Slater, Nova thought with no small measure of satisfaction.
