To Win Her Love

by Mackenzie Crowne

  “Wait—”

  He shoved the door closed behind them and turned. Dropping his shoulders back against the metal of the door effectively locked him and Gracie in, and anyone else out.

  She stood before him with her hands on her hips. “You’ve got a lot of nerve—”

  “I’ve got a lot of nerve? You’ve been lying your ass off from the moment we met, lady.”

  She winced but then crossed her arms. “You asked if anything in my past could hurt you, and I said no. When did I lie?”

  “Nothing in your past can hurt me, huh?” He jerked his chin over his shoulder. “He may have been semi-cordial out there, but don’t fool yourself. Doug Costa hates me. He’s a powerful man. Powerful enough to ruin my career. He wouldn’t blink an eye at using his power to grind me into the ground if he thinks I can hurt him.” His chest expanded on a painful breath. Fear clenched in his gut. “But as bad as discovering the league commissioner is your long lost daddy would be, I’m afraid the truth of this situation is even worse.”

  She jutted up her chin in an obstinate angle, but her gaze skittered away.

  Bile rose in his throat. “Jesus, Gracie. Please tell me Tom isn’t your father.”

  “If I do, will you drop the subject?”

  Unshed tears shimmered in the angry brown gaze she shifted to clash with his. Brown, not violet. He hadn’t questioned the change when she’d come downstairs looking like a magical creature in glimmering silk. He should have. Was nothing about her real?

  “Only if it’s the truth.”

  She said nothing and her eyes slid shut. Her mouth quivered before she bit her lower lip. A single tear cut a shiny path down her cheek to catch on the mole at the corner of her mouth.

  Oh, shit. His stomach did a rolling twist then crashed in a freefall. Locking his knees when they threatened to buckle, he slumped against the door.

  Fuck!

  His chest heaved as he gasped for breath. He swallowed the bile burning its way up his throat. He’d never been as furious or scared in his life. “You’re a piece of work, you know that?”

  “I’m a piece of work? You’re the one—”

  He spoke over her, his voice rising to a shout. “Because of you, one of the best men I know is about to see his life destroyed, right before his eyes! Do you know what this is going to do to his wife? Sharon doesn’t deserve being dragged through the mud of the coming press storm.”

  “I never meant for anyone—”

  He snorted, narrowing his eyes. “For months, you’ve been harping at me to do what’s best for the girls. I’m thinking that’s all a smokescreen.”

  “Excuse me? A smokescreen for what?”

  “You’re true agenda.”

  “What would that be?”

  “How the fuck should I know? You clam up whenever I ask a question, but anyone who cares for kids as much as you claim to would realize what this is going to do to Tom’s kids. He has two teenage boys. Do you care? Do you fucking care what this is going to do to their lives?”

  “Not fair!” Fury flashed in her shimmering eyes, and she dropped her arms. Her hands curled into fists. “I told you my father had a family. I asked you to let it go. Did you listen? No! You’re the one who kept pushing. Why couldn’t you just let it go?”

  “I wish I had.” He flung out an arm and pointed back toward the door. “You saw his face. He looked like he’d seen a ghost. He’s been my friend for a long time. I know him. Tom Walden doesn’t let things go. He’ll go all honorable and dig in until he has his answers. When he has them, a lot of people I care about will be hurt!”

  Pain flashed in her eyes, but she didn’t back down. Her chin bumped up a notch and she spaced out her words. “This. Isn’t. My. Fault.”

  Beyond furious, he saw red. If she’d only trusted him, he could’ve handled this in a way where Sharon and the boys weren’t dragged into any fallout. “You should’ve told me!”

  She shouted back. “I did tell you. I told you to drop it!”

  Someone pounded on the door at his back. He jammed a hand through his hair. “What a complete cluster fuck.” He sighed and glanced around the room. Maybe he could still salvage the situation. If he could get her out of here before the shit hit the fan. Tom would have questions. They’d figure out how to handle this fucking mess together. “Let’s go.”

  She didn’t move, except to cross her arms. “I don’t happen to like you much at the moment. I’d rather not go anywhere with you, thank you very much.”

  The pugnacious twist of her lips only added fuel to the fire of his anger.

  He couldn’t help the sneer in his voice. “Yeah, well, ditto to that, lady. Unfortunately, neither of us has a choice in the matter. Not for the next forty-eight hours anyway.”

  He refused to feel guilty when she flinched. Damn it, she should’ve trusted him. What did she think he’d do if he found out Tom was her father, narc his best friend out to the press?

  Disgusted, he straightened away from the door, turned, and yanked it open. The simultaneous flash of numerous cameras made him blink. Dina Sutton fronted a half dozen members of the press. Her snapping green eyes broadcast her almost manic glee at snagging such a juicy story. She held out a tape recorder and tossed out the first question. “Is it true you’re Tom Walden’s daughter, Ms. Gable?”

  The excited gasps and murmurs of several of her colleagues filled the hallway. Unlike Dina, the others had obviously come late to the party and hadn’t yet realized the blockbuster story they’d accidently tripped on to. Jake whipped his head around. Dark eyes wide and full of dread, Gracie’s face was as pale as the white tile walls behind her.

  “No comment.” Jake spoke before turning around. When he did, he strung together several lurid curses as more than one reporter peeled off from the group to race down the hall. He didn’t have to guess where they were headed. Pulling his phone from his pocket, he hit speed dial and held up his hand to block his face when the remaining cameras continued to flash. Tom answered on the third ring. “Get Sharon out of there. Now! I’ll explain later.”

  Wearing a triumphant smile, Dina Sutton snapped one last picture over Jake’s shoulder, spun around and, along with the remaining reporters, broke into a run.

  * * * *

  Too numb to put up a fight, Gracie nearly broke an ankle staggering on her heels behind Jake as he raced after the fleeing press. He gave her no time to examine the wide fissure splitting her heart in two. She had no opportunity to mourn the fact he didn’t include her amongst those he cared about who would be hurt by the revealing of Tom Walden’s secret.

  The lack of reflection was a blessing. Her heart had taken enough damaging blows tonight.

  Dragging her along at a swift clip, he rounded a corner. The breath left her in a whoosh when he stopped short and she slammed into his broad back. Breathing became even more difficult when she peeked around his shoulder. A band of horror squeezed her lungs. Geez, did members of the press have some kind of telepathic intercom system allowing them to shoot one another silent messages whenever a juicy story reared its head?

  She sucked air through her teeth in a wheezing gasp. Menacing. Frightening. The quietly serene, sophisticated atmosphere of the elite fund-raiser had degenerated into the harsh din of a frenzied lynch mob. Several yards away, nearly two dozen reporters competed for answers, surrounding Tom and Sharon Walden like a human noose.

  Sober and tense, deep grooves bracketed her father’s tightened lips as he pushed forward toward the front entrance of the building, one arm raised to shield his pale wife from the cameras and tape recorders thrust at them. Scanning the crowd, his gaze sliced past Gracie and immediately whipped back. For several long seconds, their gazes fused. The glittering recognition in his eyes left no doubt he’d discerned her secret.

  The world stopped, along with her heart. The crowd disappeared. There was no Jake. No angry accusations. No light or sound. No lingering sense of menace. Only she and h
er father existed in that moment. Like an old eight millimeter movie scrolling through her mind, the lonely moments of her life flashed through her head. Her mother’s sudden death. The countless nights Sarah left Gracie alone in their small apartment because she had no choice. Receiving the news of Sarah’s diagnosis and standing in the chill wind as Sarah’s body was lowered into the ground.

  Time stood still as the memories washed over her soul, as if to remind her how different things would’ve been had a pair of denim blue eyes been there to share those moments. A piercing sadness jumpstarted her heart, and the world, when an overeager reporter jostled Tom and he looked away, breaking the connection.

  Tightening his arm around his wife’s shoulders, he pushed forward. Minus his typical carefree grin, Tuck stuck close to Sharon’s other side, using his body to keep the pressing throng from getting too close. Doug Costa had disappeared.

  Like a mobile interrogation unit, the press tossed out their demands. The questions grew more and more personal, and rude, in Gracie’s opinion. Neither Tom nor Sharon answered. Not even to say no comment.

  “Rumor has it, Gracie Gable is your daughter, Mr. Walden. Can you confirm that?”

  “Why have you kept her existence a secret?”

  “Are there any other secret children out there you haven’t mentioned?”

  Dina shouted over the others. “Do you approve of your daughter having an affair with Manhattan’s most notorious womanizer, Mr. Walden?”

  Gracie winced at the woman’s scornful tone until Tuck took exception to her premise. “Excuse me, but that title belongs to me.” Tuck caught Gracie’s eye and winked. For some reason, tears burned at the backs of her eyes.

  Twitters of laughter rippled through the crowd. Dina’s lips screwed up as if she’d swallowed something foul. “Yes, I noticed you’ve been spending a lot of time at the Thompson farm. I wouldn’t have taken you, or Jake, as they type of men to share.” She turned and ran a dismissive glance over Gracie. “But when a woman is willing….” She shrugged.

  Gracie stiffened, and a low growl rumbled in Jake’s chest. A shiver raced down Gracie’s spine when the snarky reporter met her gaze. A smirk stretched her thin lips. Both Tom and Tuck held up a hand when she shoved her small black tape recorder under Sharon Walden’s nose.

  “Mrs. Walden, as the mother of Tom Walden’s sons, how do you feel about your husband having a love child with another woman?”

  Sharon gasped, as did Gracie, and amazingly, several members of the press. Jake immediately released her arm and stalked forward. She scrambled after him and blinked when the crowd parted, effectively giving them access to the Waldens and Dina.

  To her credit, Dina backed down…sort of. The snarky smirk slid from her lips and she pulled back her tape recorder. She even spun to the side as Jake approached, which brought her directly in Gracie’s path. Unfortunately, Dina flung out her elbow at the same time. With her eyes on her father, Gracie never saw it coming. Dina’s elbow slammed into her cheekbone with a sickening thud.

  Stars burst before her eyes. She blinked and teetered on her high heels but remained on her feet. Strong fingers wrapped around her upper arm, steadying her.

  A chorus of groans echoed off the tall ceiling and, though she couldn’t see him, she recognized Tuck’s laughing admonition. “Oh, shit.”

  “Don’t do anything stupid,” Tom warned.

  She turned her head and squinted in an attempt to bring her father into focus. When she did, he wasn’t looking at her. She glanced back at Jake and understood. Like a storm cloud about to unload its fury, he glared at Dina. Oh, shit was right. His inability to control his mouth when in a temper was the reason he was in this mess with her in the first place. As mad as she was at him, as hurtful as his words had been, she couldn’t stand by and watch him undo everything he’d done to repair his reputation over the past three months.

  His fingers dropped away from her arm when she turned her back on Dina to look into his angry face. “Whatever you’re about to say, don’t. It’s not worth it. Think of the girls.”

  Dina spoke behind her in a taunting command. “Listen to your girlfriend, Malone. She’s not worth it.”

  Gracie might care about Jake’s reputation, especially since everything he did would now affect the girls, but she didn’t give a shit about her own. Her secret was out. She no longer had anything to lose, and Jake wasn’t the only one with a temper. She welcomed the hot splash of anger coursing through her. Dina was about to learn the first rule in self-defense. Don’t ever let your enemy get too close. Having delivered her sneaky hit, the reporter should’ve moved away. She’d lost her chance and would pay the price.

  “Wait—” As if he’d read the intent in Gracie’s eyes, Jake reached out.

  She didn’t bother moving stealthily. She stepped clear of Jake’s reaching hand, spun around, and had the satisfaction of seeing the reporter’s eyes go wide as she drew back her fist and let it fly. Dina crumpled to the floor like a broken doll.

  Behind her, Jake’s groan registered. Tuck’s laughter mixed with gasps and exclamations of shock as Gracie danced from foot to foot and shook her hand.

  Ouch! She’d forgotten how badly a bare knuckle punch hurt.

  “Are you fucking crazy?” Jake’s furious whisper sounded in her ear as his fingers closed around her arm once more. “This situation isn’t bad enough already? You have to make things worse?”

  Her gaze flew to Tom. No emotion showed on his blank face, but his eyes were wide with shock.

  Well, shit.

  Jake gave her no time to defend herself. She didn’t even have the opportunity to tell him to go to hell. He shoved her at Tuck. “Get her the hell out of here.”

  Chapter 31

  “It’s true. She’s my daughter, isn’t she?”

  Jake raked his fingers through his hair. “She believes so, yes.”

  Tux jacket cast aside and his tie removed, Tom sat with his head resting against the high back of his desk chair. He raised his glass to his lips and swallowed a healthy gulp of amber liquid. “How long have you known?”

  Legs spread and forearms propped on his thighs, Jake sat across from the desk on the couch. He held his drink in one hand, dangling between his knees. “I didn’t know anything until earlier today. I had a friend check her out.” He winced at Tom’s disapproving stare. “Not a private detective, a friend who’s at home on the Internet. He finally sent me the links for a few articles about Simon White. I didn’t have time to read them. I only glanced at the first one, listing Doug Costa as one of his clients. Until he commented on your having dated Angela Gable, I thought Doug was her father.”

  Tom grunted. “The pictures from the press conference don’t do her justice. She’s a beautiful woman.”

  He stared into his glass. “You’ll get no argument from me on that point.”

  “And an amazing one. Damn, she throws a mean punch.”

  The laughter in Tom’s voice made him look up. He dragged a palm over his face. “She’s a piece of work, all right.”

  Tom smiled softly. “Her mother was beautiful as well, though Gracie doesn’t resemble Angela, except for the shape of her eyes.” He met Jake’s gaze. “Angela had the most amazing eyes. A stunning, violet blue.”

  “So does Gracie.”

  Confusion wrinkled Tom’s brow. “I don’t understand. Her eyes are brown, aren’t they?”

  “She was wearing contacts.” When Tom’s brow shot up, Jake shrugged. “Long story, but I think she was trying to disguise their distinctive color.”

  Tom nodded. “If they’re anything like her mother’s, that would be some trick. Her eyes were what attracted me to Angela in the first place. It wasn’t long before I’d fallen in love.”

  Jake shot a wary glance at the empty doorway. Sharon was in the house somewhere.

  Tom followed his glance, staring at the empty doorway for a long moment before turning back. “It’s okay. She’s in b
ed.”

  Jake nodded and wished her good luck. He wasn’t sure sleep would be possible for any of them after what they’d faced tonight. There would be headlines in the morning they’d have to deal with, but Sharon was his concern for the moment. “How is she?”

  Tom smiled sadly. “You know Sharon. She cried for a while, then she kissed me and told me to get to work gathering facts because she doesn’t plan to face the press again until we have them all. She also demanded I invite Gracie to dinner tomorrow.”

  Jake smiled, somewhat relieved. “I’m sorry about all of this. I fucked up. I should’ve gotten Gracie out of there the moment I realized what was happening.”

  “Don’t do that. If anyone is to blame, I am. Sharon is the love of my life and I wouldn’t change our life together for anything, but none of this would be happening if I had listened to my inner voice all those years ago and tracked Angela down.”

  “What happened, if you don’t mind my asking? If you loved her, why did you walk away?”

  Tom rubbed a palm over his chin. “If you’re wondering if I’m like Pete, that’s not the case.”

  He shook his head. “I’d never think that of you, Tom. If you’d known about Gracie, you would’ve made her a part of your life.”

  Tom nodded. “Yes, I would.”

  “Then what happened?”

  A deep breath heaved Tom’s chest. “I was young, ambitious, and stupid. The pros were calling, and although I loved Angela, a wife would be a complication. I thought Simon’s warnings, when he discovered Angela and I were seeing one another, were a case of him looking out for me. In hindsight, I see he was protecting his investment. He stood to lose quite a bit of money should I wander off the career track he’d set for me.”

  He lifted his drink again then set the glass aside without drinking. “One day, shortly before I was due back at school my senior year, he met me for lunch instead of calling me to his office where she worked. He was sorry, he said. Hated to be the one to tell me, but he’d discovered I wasn’t the only boy Angela was seeing that summer.