by Addison Fox
“You sure you don’t want to move into the Triple R?” Marlowe asked. Her kindness was evident in her smile, even as her head was bent as she stared down at her nursing son.
“It feels wrong, somehow. Especially since the test results aren’t back yet.”
Although the Coltons wielded considerable influence in Mustang Valley, they hadn’t been able to force the issue of the DNA test due to a large, rush job project that had come down to the lab from the state. The lab promised to work as fast as they could, but by the last estimate, an answer was still at least a week away.
“We can help you, Nova.” Marlowe’s voice was gentle, but shot through with the implacable steel Nova had come to associate with the woman.
Nova smiled at that but kept up her steady refusal. “Besides. With the way your family has been coupling up lately, you’d think you all would be way more focused on minimizing outside distractions.”
Marlowe did laugh at that, color high on her cheeks. “Bowie and I can find any number of ways to distract ourselves. I don’t need to give that gorgeous man one more excuse.”
The conversation was funny and easy and Nova was already considering how she was going to work up to her next question—about getting her stylist business going locally—when Marlowe dropped one more distraction.
“So you and Nikolas. Is anything happening there?”
“Oh. Well, we... I mean, um, we—”
Marlowe interrupted her, leaning as far forward as the infant on her lap would allow. “So something is happening. I knew it! Ainsley told me to stay out of it, but I knew I was right.”
“No, really Marlowe, nothing is happening.”
Those dark eyes that knew how to command a boardroom bored full force into her. “Nothing at all?”
“I thought Ainsley was the attorney?”
“It’s in the genes.” Marlowe waved a breezy hand. “Spill. You like him—that much is obvious. And he likes you, too.”
“You think so?” Nova heard the unmistakable notes of hope in her voice and quickly tried to put the kibosh on it. “Because he’s just helping me. Really, we’re friends.”
“Friends.” Marlowe actually sighed. “I think I used that excuse for a while with Bowie.” She smiled down at her son, a beatific smile on her face. “And you can see how that turned out.”
“Yes, I can. And there’s one small difference. On top of how you both feel about each other, that baby is Bowie’s son.”
Nova hadn’t realized just how much that fact weighed on her until the truth spilled out.
“Oh, honey.” The teasing vanished entirely from Marlowe’s voice, replaced with a feminine understanding that went to the heart of the matter. “Do you honestly think that matters?”
“I didn’t think so. And most of the time I don’t think so,” Nova said. Her child was not either less than or some sort of burden to be borne. “It’s just that every time I question if there could be something between us, I can’t help but feel that it’s a lot for Nikolas to take on. Here he was, a little over a week ago, a carefree bachelor. And then I came along and sort of dropped into his life.”
“Life does sort of work that way. The things we can’t plan for, and all.”
“I know. But is it fair to add on having designs on the man? I’ve got a large set of responsibilities on my own. And it’s just—” Nova exhaled heavily, frustrated by the wishy-washy answer that simply was not her. “It’s a lot for a guy to take in, is all.”
“Don’t you think Nikolas is capable of making that decision for himself?”
“Of course he is. I just don’t see why he’d want to.”
“Nova Colton!” Marlowe’s voice shot across the room. It was the first time she’d actually heard anyone formally address her as a Colton and Nova’s head snapped up at Marlowe’s bark. “How dare you say that.”
“I—” Nova tried to hold off the tears but no matter how hard she tried to stare upward and swallow hard around the lump in her throat, the tears were faster. She’d have blamed it on hormones but there were no amount of hormones that could make up for the shot of warmth that bloomed in her chest. “No one’s ever called me that.”
“My mother was a champ at calling me by my full name when she was upset and challenging me on my bs.” Marlowe’s voice was gentle. “I thought I’d give it a try.”
“Reed’s in for quite a ride in another ten years.”
“You bet he is.”
Nova laughed through her tears. “You’re a bit of a nut, you know that?”
“Yeah. But don’t tell anyone. I sort of like my reputation as the scary head of Colton Oil.”
“I won’t.”
And she wouldn’t. Because some way, somehow, in the midst of the chaos that was currently her life, Nova had found a friend. Despite all her confusion over Nikolas and her future, Nova took heart from that simple fact.
She wasn’t alone.
* * *
Nikolas made the last turn out of town to head up to the AAG. He nearly missed it, he was so wrapped up in the voice coming through the speaker in his car.
“Come on, Spencer. You can’t be serious.”
“When am I not serious?”
Nikolas knew that for the truth, the MPVD sergeant one of the most serious and dedicated cops he knew. “So you definitely think the AAG is a cult?”
“Yes. All this ridiculous good day stuff is like a sign. My team and I have had them on our radar for years but that marriage institute seminar Ainsley and Santiago attended added more proof. The members of the AAG are brainwashed. And when we do get our hands on one of them they stay locked up tight as a drum.”
“Like Harley Watts,” Nikolas pressed.
Spencer sighed, but didn’t question where Nikolas had gotten his information. “Exactly. The man’s not talking.”
Although much of what he’d uncovered so far suggested the same, Nikolas still wondered how the AAG had stayed off of everyone’s radar for so long. Heck, they’d even come into town a few months and played key roles in helping the recovery efforts after the earthquake that had hit this part of the state.
Loony and a little brain-washed, sure. But an actual cult?
“Look, man,” Spencer said. “Just be careful. I’m not crazy about you being there either, for the record. But I also know I can’t stop you.”
“I’m not working against you.”
“Yeah, I know. It still doesn’t mean I have to like it.”
“How about if I promise to fill you in after my visit?” Nikolas asked.
“Deal.”
Nikolas disconnected the call as he drove up the long, sweeping road to the AAG center. For all the initial welcome, including the friendly face at the front gate and the pretty rose bushes that flanked the entrance, things changed quickly as you drove further inside.
Despite the flowers and seeming look of warmth and welcome, the campus had a compound-like feel. It made Nikolas think of Nova’s comments about the incongruity in the ad. That inconsistency played the same way on the actual property.
He’d spent the past week, in between looking into Ace’s whereabouts and giving Selina ongoing updates, figuring out his approach to Micheline Anderson. Spencer had reluctantly given his help and Nikolas knew much of that was because he actively worked to be a good partner to the MPVD. Spencer Colton didn’t pull any punches and if the man was looking for a way to catch Micheline Anderson and her enterprise, Nikolas knew he needed to be careful.
Because something rang false about the AAG’s owner and founder and it was time to find out why. Was it because she was the former Luella Smith? Or was she simply a bad seed who’d become conveniently tied to the mystery of Ace Colton’s birth? Since wondering about it was all he’d managed to do, Nikolas figured it was time for action.
If he could get a DNA sample from Micheline
while he was at it, he wasn’t above trying.
He’d called earlier that day to schedule his appointment and had stuck as close to the truth as he could. Yes, he was a private investigator with a practice in Mustang Valley. He was investigating the disappearance of a local resident and he believed there may be a connection with said resident and Micheline.
What he hadn’t expected was to get an invitation for that afternoon.
Again, was it brazen and brassy? Or stupid and misguided? Or did the woman really have nothing to do with what was going on down in town?
All questions he hoped to find answers to.
One thing he hadn’t questioned was the desire to keep Nova out of her orbit. They’d discussed it, and despite the fact she’d initially wanted to come along, she’d reluctantly agreed to stay away. He wasn’t above using the baby’s safety as a bargaining point to force the issue but it hadn’t come to that.
If Micheline was playing a dangerous game with Ace’s history, the last thing she needed was to know the man had a daughter and a soon-to-be-born grandchild in the mix. He’d gotten the added reassurance from Nova that she would stick close to the Coltons while he managed the rest of his investigation and it gave him a tiny measure of comfort that she was being looked out for and watched over.
Even if you should be the one watching over her.
That small, insistent flicker of desire hadn’t left him, even though he’d done his level best to avoid being too close to her as they’d settled into a routine together. But he hadn’t been able to do anything with the steadily growing need to protect her and the baby.
Nikolas filed it all away as he walked into the AAG. It was time to put his game face on, and mooning over Nova and her “little alien” as she liked to refer to the baby wouldn’t do. Even if he’d increasingly taken to calling the baby “little alien” in his mind, as well, and thinking about what the kid would look like when he or she arrived.
He’d even caught himself searching online for a crib and baby furniture the other night after she’d gone to bed.
Focus, Slater. Scary self-help guru now, baby shopping and imaginary diaper duty later.
A woman at the front desk greeted him as he walked in. He took in the wide-open, well-lit lobby and the sayings of affirmation, like “Life your best life” and “Your drive for spiritual enlightenment starts here,” that lined the walls. He even saw a sign that read Keys to Your Happiest Life, with ten daily affirmations written beneath it.
While he wanted to give the place some credit—anything that tried to help people find the strength within should be applauded—there was just something so palpably false about the surroundings. The pseudo psychology seemed overdone and the environment was so calm and sterile as to suggest a brightly lit funeral parlor.
“Welcome to the Affirmation Alliance Group. How may I help you?”
The voice belonged to a pretty blonde who manned the front desk of the center. She had bright blue eyes that made Nikolas think of an angel and her smile was equally warm and bright.
Nikolas moved closer to the desk and put on his most professional smile. “I’m Nikolas Slater. I have an appointment with Ms. Anderson.”
“Micheline is in a session right now. Can I get you anything to make you comfortable?”
Nikolas could have sworn something dark flashed in those baby blues as the woman took his measure, but it was gone as quickly as it came and all he was left with was the vague sense of having been flirted with. Which was silly because she’d not moved from her place behind the desk, nor had she touched him. And she’d hardly said anything suggestive. And yet...
He shook it off. Whatever was going on in this place, he’d come with a set of expectations of bad dealings and fake facades, and it wouldn’t do to add a layer of paranoia on top.
“I’ll wait then, thank you.”
Nikolas moved away from the desk and kept his gaze on the welcome center. He made a show of reading the various affirmations but was also using the time to get a gauge on the building’s security. He could see several cameras positioned in various corners, ensuring anyone who entered would be recorded.
Once again, not something to overtly get concerned about. Businesses couldn’t be too careful and closed-circuit cameras were a way to ensure they had a solid record should anything happen on their property.
The blonde moved up beside him, her big eyes wide as she spoke. “I’m Leigh. Leigh Dennings.”
“It’s nice to meet you, Leigh. Nikolas.” He extended his hand to shake hers, allowing his hand to linger briefly on hers. The move was subtle and not overtly creepy, but when she gave him a broad smile, it reinforced that sense that she was lightly flirting.
“Why don’t you come with me, Nikolas? While you wait.” She gestured toward the large affirmation poster he’d seen when he walked in.
“This is what we’re all about here at the AAG. Here. Let me show you.” She extended a hand and pointed, game show style, at the list of ten affirmations that ran from top to bottom. “Everything is about being your best self. Living your very best life.”
“That’s wonderful to hear. And a noble cause, too.”
“Oh, yes. Micheline is such a guide for all of us. She teaches us all in her ways, encouraging love of self as a pathway to love of others.”
Although his initial impression had been that the pretty Leigh was relatively sharp, he was starting to wonder. She did not quite match the description of the spacey AAG woman Nova had met in the parking lot, but there was definitely a bit of brainwashing going on here.
“How long have you been a part of the AAG, Leigh?”
“Two years.”
“And before then? Are you from Arizona?”
“I don’t talk about the time before then.” For once he heard something other than blind devotion in her tone. Disgust? Fear? He heard both when she spoke once again. “I’m a different woman now.”
Nikolas sensed that focusing on Leigh’s time before coming to the AAG would shut her down, and he needed the opposite. “It sounds like you found your home here.”
“Oh, I have. I most certainly have.”
An image of his strong-willed mother filled his mind’s eye, and in the back of his mind he heard her teasing voice. My silver-tongued boy. You always know just what to say.
He’d never hoped for his gift to work more than at that moment. “You look very familiar to me. Do you spend much time in Mustang Valley?”
“I was named Miss Mustang Valley.”
“That’s where I recognize you from. What an honor to have been chosen.” Nikolas leaned in, his voice conspiratorial. “They certainly picked the prettiest girl.”
A small blush colored her cheeks, but instead of reacting naturally to the compliment, she kept up those robotic answers, saying, “The honor was mine.”
The hand she’d settled on his forearm as she walked him to the affirmation poster was still there, and once again Nikolas had the subtle sense she was flirting with him, even though there was something stilted and off about her attempts. He might’ve thought her out of practice, but that wasn’t quite right, either.
It was as if she did know how to flirt, yet was holding herself back.
“Well, now that you’ve received such an honor, I’m sure the modeling gigs will quickly follow. I suppose you’ll be leaving here soon.”
The hand dropped from his arm. “I would never do that. I would never leave Micheline.”
“But I thought winning Miss Mustang Valley was one of the ways you were being your best self?” He feigned confusion. “It’s an honor.”
“It is an honor. But being my best self happens here.”
Leigh stared at him once more, and Nikolas wasn’t sure if he was being sized up or if he’d frightened her with the idea that she could leave if she wanted to. Perhaps both?
“Wel
l, then I guess that is the AAG’s gain, and Mustang Valley’s loss.”
The stiffness in her body faded, and she relaxed back into the conversation, her hand once again going to his arm. “What brings you here today to the AAG?”
“I’m afraid I can’t share the purpose of my visit with Micheline.”
She leaned in, her lips near his ear. “Oh, come now. Won’t you tell me?”
It was the first full-on flirtation he’d gotten, and Ms. Dennings didn’t disappoint. She was close enough that her hair whispered against his cheek and her breasts brushed lightly against his biceps.
“I’m afraid I can’t. Client confidentiality and all that.”
She put on a pretty little pout. “Well, I guess I can accept that reason.”
“But maybe you would let me take you out sometime?”
Throughout his career he had never really gone much for false behavior such as this—limiting it only to times when it was absolutely necessary to get information on a case—but there was something different about this time.
In this instance, Nikolas just felt bad.
Was it because he pictured Nova, waiting for him at the end of the day?
While she had a lot to do with it, he admitted to himself that it was something else.
There was something about this woman that bothered him. It continued to nag at him that there seemed to be some aspect preventing her from leaving. It set off his antennae, and he wondered if, when this was all over, there would be a way to get Leigh some help.
The woman’s seeming blind devotion was concerning. While Nikolas had no interest in actually taking her out, he would see to it that she got support if they truly uncovered bad practices up here. And based on Spencer’s intel, it looked like there was no way Micheline was innocent of what happened behind the scenes in her center.
