“My father and I never really had conversations like that. We stuck to money, business, or my education. That’s about it.”
“Maybe things will be different now.”
He stared into my eyes for a long time. “Maybe.”
I understood Diesel was still hesitant to let his father back into his heart. I couldn’t blame him, not after the things Vincent had done. His wrongful behavior came from pain, but it didn’t excuse the lengths he was willing to go to to hurt Diesel. “So, I’ve been thinking.”
“You’re always thinking.”
“Since you aren’t the person who betrayed me, that means someone else did. We should figure out who that person is. If they really have a vendetta against me, I don’t want them to sneak up on me when I’m not looking.” I spent most of my time looking over my shoulder. As a woman with a lot of power, there were always people trying to take it away from me. I made enemies with people I’d never even met. Some people didn’t find my success just intimidating, but wrong.
Diesel’s expression changed into a look I’d never seen before. His mouth formed a partial smile, and his eyes lit up in a special way. His fingers kneaded the soft skin of my waist a little harder than before. “It means the world to me to hear you say that.”
I never got the evidence I needed to clear Diesel’s name, but I refused to believe a man who loved me so much would ever hurt me. He always had my back, even when I didn’t know it, and he’d been loyal to me since the beginning. Maybe Thorn thought I was being stupid, but I was willing to gamble on Diesel. “I’m sorry I didn’t believe you sooner.”
“Don’t apologize for that,” he whispered. “It’s over. I just want you to know it means a lot to me. That’s all.” He moved his face against mine on the pillow and kissed the corner of my mouth, his scruff rubbing against my soft skin. It was a slow kiss, sensual and deep like all the others, but it was filled with even more meaning. He pulled away a moment later, his eyes still filled with the same look of love.
I enjoyed the sight of his handsome face for another moment before I spoke. “Who do you think it is?”
He released a quiet sigh. “I’m not sure, baby. With Thorn—”
“It’s not him.” I didn’t believe in a lot of things, but Thorn was something I believed in deeply. There was no doubt in my mind that he would never betray me. Even now, he still wouldn’t hurt me.
Diesel didn’t push it. “That leads me back to Bruce Carol.”
“He didn’t act guilty. And if he did all those things, I don’t know why he wouldn’t gloat.”
“Me neither,” he said. “Unless there’s another stage to his plan…”
I hoped not. I finally had Diesel publicly, and I was on the road to happiness. I didn’t want to be attacked again. “What about Vincent?”
Diesel didn’t reject it right away. “I’ve been wondering that too. He’s been watching both of us for a long time, and we’ve both seen exactly what he’s capable of.”
I admit Vincent did some terrible things, but that seemed unlikely. “I don’t think he would do that.”
“I don’t know…he did blackmail me.”
“But he also didn’t go through with it.”
“Because you told him not to,” he countered.
“I doubt he would have done it even if I hadn’t.”
“No way for us to know. I know you want my father and me to work things out, but let’s not rewrite history. He’s capable of terrible things because he’s done terrible things.”
I wanted to believe Vincent was a better man than he made himself seem, but I knew that would be naïve. “Then let’s ask him.”
“Outright?”
“Yes. Maybe he did do it. But I don’t think he’d lie about it.”
Diesel considered it in silence, his eyes shifting back and forth as he looked into mine. “You’re right. He wouldn’t lie.” He seemed to be reliving a memory behind his eyes. “That was something he always said to me. A man doesn’t lie about the things he’s done. He admits them openly and faces the consequences.”
“Then I guess we’ll start there.”
I checked the headlines that afternoon
Diesel Hunt and Tatum Titan—Soul Mates?
Titan Followed Her Heart to True Happiness.
Tatum Titan—Lying Two-Timer?
Thorn Cutler Is the Man Of Her Dreams, Just Not Her Soul Mate.
I skimmed through a dozen more and was pleased to see the overall reaction. A few people said some harsh things about my character, but it didn’t hurt because I’d been anticipating that. Most people concentrated on the fact that I’d fallen in love with the person I was meant to be with, and I didn’t have any other choice but to do what I did. They seemed to be understanding, and most importantly, Thorn came out looking good rather than bad. I did my best to make sure it seemed like I was the one losing out on him, not the other way around.
Jessica spoke through the phone. “I have Vincent Hunt on line one.”
“Thanks.” I picked up the phone and took the call without thinking twice about it. Vincent had become a part of my life overnight. Now I didn’t hesitate whenever he was on the line. “Hey, Vincent.”
“Hello, Titan. I’ve been reading the tabloids today, something I never do. You did a great job.”
“Thanks…it seems to be working.”
“That wasn’t easy to do. You controlled the narrative and manipulated the media into reporting a specific version of the story you told. Impressive.”
I chuckled. “Well, I’ve been the subject of the media for a long time…”
“And you handle it gracefully,” he said with a deep voice, a tone similar to Diesel’s. “Has Thorn reached out to you?”
I hated giving this answer. I hated staring at my phone all day as I waited for him to call. I hated this separation between us, terrified that there was nothing I could do to get my friend back. “No.”
Vincent was quiet for a long time, his silence stretching over the phone. “I’m sorry to hear that. But it’s only been one day.”
“Yeah…”
Vincent sat on the phone with me, letting the silence stretch between us.
There were very few people I could just sit on the phone with. Diesel and Thorn were the other two. “Diesel and I wanted to ask you something. Are you free tonight?”
“No, but I can be free.”
“You don’t need to rearrange your plans—”
“There’s nothing I’d rather be doing than spending time with my son.” He cut me off with his strong voice, laying down the law so effortlessly, it was no surprise he was one of the biggest suits in the world. “Just tell me when and where.”
“How about my place after work?”
“I’ll be there.”
“May I ask what your plans were?” I’d never ask anyone else a personal question like that, but I felt like I could. Vincent knew most of the intimate details of my life to a high degree.
He didn’t say anything for a while. “Dinner with a woman I’m seeing.”
I’d seen him with a few different women at events or in the papers, but I’d never given his personal life much thought before. Every woman he had on his arm was gorgeous and half his age. But he had a special kind of handsomeness that had followed him throughout life. I knew he could get those women not just because he was rich, but because he was exceptionally good-looking. “I’d tell you to bring her along, but the conversation is private.”
“I wouldn’t bring her around anyway. We aren’t serious.” Just like his son, he was the kind of man that didn’t commit.
I didn’t ask any more questions. “I’ll see you then.”
By evening, I still hadn’t heard from Thorn.
Maybe he would never call.
What more did he have to think about? I put myself on the line and risked humiliating myself to the entire world. That didn’t mean anything to him? My sadness was starting to escalate into anger. Thorn had every right t
o be mad about the things that I did, but he shouldn’t stay angry forever.
Diesel stepped out of the elevator in his gray suit and black tie. Even though the penthouse was mine, he owned it every single time he was in the space. His silent intensity, his strong presence always filled every single inch of the place.
I got up to meet him, trying to swallow the sadness I felt about Thorn.
But there was no hiding from Diesel. With just one look, he could read every expression on my face. His hand dug into my hair, and he kissed me in the living room, his strong mouth caressing mine.
My arms circled his neck, and I let my fingers explore his short hair. He smelled like cologne and scotch, obviously having had a few drinks during the day. He’d shaved that morning so I felt his smooth skin against my mouth. He was warm and hard, a man made of solid muscle and bones of steel.
His hands slid to my waist, and he rested them on the curve of my back. “Don’t lose hope.”
“I’ll try.”
He kissed my temple before he released me. “Do I have time to shower?”
“He’ll be here any minute.” Just when I finished the sentence, the elevator beeped. “Looks like he’s here.”
The doors opened a moment later, and Vincent stepped out in a navy blue suit with a black tie. He had the same threatening expression in his eyes even when his intent was to be friendly. He stepped inside and greeted us both with a look. He still hadn’t shaken Diesel’s hand or extended any other kind of affection, probably knowing it was too soon.
“Can I get you something to drink, Vincent?”
“No, thank you.” He turned his eyes on his son, the person in the room he cared most about.
Diesel wore a similar expression to his father’s, meeting his gaze with the same silent strength. It seemed to be a family trait—that confident stare. His hands moved into his pockets, dismissing any kind of physical greeting. Diesel remained on edge, always tense whenever his father was in the same room. As if that lunch had never happened, they were still worlds apart.
I ushered the men into the living room. “Let’s have a seat.” If I didn’t break their trance, there was no way to know how long they would stare at each other. We moved to the couch, Diesel and me on one while Vincent took the other.
That heavy silence stretched out again.
I cleared my throat before I spoke. “Diesel and I wanted to ask you something.”
Vincent rested his elbows on his knees and brought his hands together. “I’m listening.”
“A few months ago, someone leaked that story about me to the papers.”
Vincent nodded. “I remember.”
“The newspaper claimed Diesel was the source, but Diesel denies it.”
Vincent nodded again. “I know. I read it.”
“Well, it wasn’t Diesel,” I said. “We think someone tried to frame him. We aren’t sure who did it, and we aren’t certain why either.”
Vincent’s gaze slowly shifted back and forth between the two of us. He examined me like a specimen under a microscope, and then he turned his attention back to his son, watching him with the same intense scrutiny. “You think it was me.”
“No,” I said quickly. “We’re asking if it was you.”
Diesel rested his hand on my thigh, his affection natural even when we weren’t alone. “Was it?”
Vincent’s expression didn’t change. He didn’t seem angered by the question. In fact, he didn’t have any real reaction at all. “No. I want to feel offended by the accusation, but I know I have no right to be.”
That was enough for me. I believed Vincent would come clean if he had been the perpetrator.
Diesel didn’t ask any more questions either.
“You’re a powerful woman, Titan,” Vincent said. “They say it’s lonely at the top because it is. You’ve built an empire entirely on your own, and no matter what obstacles get in your way, you still carry on with your head held high. Of course, people will be jealous. Of course, they’ll want to tear you down. That’s probably the reason why, simple as that. In regards to who’s behind it…that’s not as simple.”
I suspected I would never get to the bottom of this. I could have an archnemesis working alongside me every day. Perhaps it was an old vendor, a previous client…I didn’t know. All I knew was that it wasn’t Diesel—and it wasn’t Vincent.
Vincent continued. “This person probably fulfilled their desire when they published that story about you. They got what they wanted and moved on with their life. There’s a good possibility it’s over. You don’t need to look over your shoulder anymore. Your reputation has remained intact despite all the roadblocks.”
“Or they aren’t finished,” Diesel added. “And we’ll always be looking over our shoulders for the next attack.”
Everyone had an enemy. No one was unanimously liked by every person they met throughout their life. There were always potholes along the road.
Vincent rubbed his large hands together. “I can help. Keep my eyes and ears open. Do you have any suspects?”
“Bruce Carol,” Diesel said. “Titan and I both competed for his company when it was going under. He said some pretty offensive things about Titan, so I bowed out of the deal. Titan purchased the company for a fraction of what I offered, and it wasn’t enough to cover all of his debts, so he essentially lost everything.”
Vincent stopped rubbing his hands together, his eyes focusing on Diesel. “I think you have your culprit right there.”
“I confronted him,” Diesel continued. “He denied it.”
“Doesn’t matter if he denied it,” Vincent said. “Of course, he’s going to lie out of his ass. That’s what weasels like him do.” He lowered his hands then straightened his posture. “Anyone else come to mind?”
“No,” I said. “Diesel thought it was Thorn, but that’s impossible.”
“You’re certain?” Vincent pressed.
It was stupid for me to have suspected him in the first place. “Absolutely.”
“Then Bruce is your man,” Vincent said. “When a man hits rock bottom, there’s no telling what he’ll do. I’ve heard he’s a sexual harassment lawsuit waiting to happen, so it doesn’t surprise me one bit.”
“What did you hear?” I wasn’t ignorant of the inappropriate events that took place in the business world. When wealthy men had power and friends in high places, they thought they were invincible. They abused their power by forcing women to do whatever they wanted or face the professional consequences. I’d been touched inappropriately in the office before, and I didn’t feel any remorse when I sprained a few ankles and knees. No one could pull stunts like that with me. Once I became the richest woman in the world, men didn’t think about crossing me anymore.
Vincent answered simply. “He threatens to fire women if they don’t give him what he wants. When he interviews for assistant positions, he has them meet him at a hotel where he conducts the interview in his room. He offers them a great paycheck with benefits, but says they have to convince him to hire them…very shady stuff.”
That man really was vile. I felt terrible for his wife and children. I didn’t blame them for leaving.
“Fits the description perfectly,” Diesel said. “I guess I’ll keep him on my radar. Last I heard, his penthouse had been seized by the banks and he was leaving the city. Not sure where he’s going or if he has offshore accounts somewhere.”
“Every wealthy person does,” Vincent said. “I have an idea.”
“What?” I asked.
“I’ve met with Bruce a few times. We haven’t done business together extensively, but we know each other well enough. He’s aware that Diesel and I haven’t spoken in a decade. It’s come up in conversation before. I could arrange a meeting with him and determine his feelings toward Titan.” His eyes shifted to me. “I could say some terrible things and see if he confesses. You can’t take legal action against a man who doesn’t have anything, at least, if it’s not a criminal case. But at least yo
u would have your answer.”
Vincent Hunt was busier than most, but he lived off the radar. His name was well-known, and his businesses were huge, but he stayed out of the tabloids. He led a quiet life out of the public eye. For him to get involved in this was generous. “You’d do that?”
He held my gaze with the same confidence Diesel always showed. “Anything I can do to help.”
“He might know it’s a setup,” Diesel said.
“And if he realizes it is, I don’t care,” Vincent said. “No harm done.”
“I don’t want him to have a vendetta against you as well,” I countered.
“I’m untouchable.” He leaned back against the couch and rested his arm over the back. “I have security with me at all times, even if they can’t be seen. The penthouse directly across from mine is staffed with a team that does surveillance for my private use. I’m not worried about a broke man who was too proud to save his business when he had the chance.” He leaned forward again, adjusting his cuff links. “We have a plan?”
Diesel considered it before he gave a nod. “Yeah. We have a plan.”
8
Thorn
The media got off my back.
As if they’d never been interested in me in the first place, they disappeared.
But my mom kept calling me—over and over.
I pitied her because everything happened so fast. One moment, her oldest son was getting married to the finest woman in the world. And then everything changed. Her son was painted as a jerk and a heartbreaker. I thought about telling her the truth, but I thought that would just make her more upset.
From what I read in the tabloids, it seemed like people had responded to Titan’s manipulation. She’d put her reputation on the line when she pulled that stunt. The narrative could have gone quite differently, but she managed to control a situation that was out of her control.
She never ceased to impress me.
Her intention was bluntly obvious. It was her last attempt to make amends with me, to earn my forgiveness after she betrayed me and fed me to the wolves. She was willing to look like the fool so I could walk away unscathed.
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