Kate exhaled a deep breath and kept her hands tightly on the wheel. “Crazy South Florida drivers,” she muttered.
Then the truck pulled beside them and slowed, cruising at their same speed. As they crested that dangerous curve, Kate glanced at the person in the truck. He looked big, and burly, but she couldn’t see his face with his sunglasses and his hat pulled low over his brow.
A second later, he edged his truck into Kate’s lane. A squeal of metal to metal emitted when the truck and her car contacted. The man effectively forced her to move her car partly into the emergency lane.
As they rounded a high corner, he brushed them again. Panic rushed through Kate.
Cecilia leaned over and gave the man the finger. “Asshole. Where’s a cop when you need one?”
The trucked swerved out of their lane and zoomed away.
Kate clutched the wheel, but that last bump caused her to lose control. The car screeched down along the guardrail with a loud crashing sound of twisting metal …
Cecilia screamed.
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
Hannigan’s Pub was lively with music and the after-work crowd. Dropping money on the bar, Trent ordered a beer and a shot of whiskey. He’d been working for a couple hours at the construction site. Tired, he needed a break from work and the potential enemies that surrounded him—his wife included. Her latest revelation last night floored him. He had no idea if it was the truth. And in spite of what he’d told her, he’d been barely able to tear himself away from her arms or her lips—which made any proximity to her dangerous territory.
He threw back the shot of whiskey and then nursed his beer. Sleeping on the floor last night, with Kate so close, had driven him crazy. As had the question foremost on his mind: Was she sincere when she denied she’d had no involvement with Blake?
He wanted to believe her, but another part warred with himself that he couldn’t trust her.
Greg strode through the pub room door. “Hi, buddy.”
He settled on the adjacent barstool. Trent signaled the bartender who set two more cold beers and two shots in front of Greg and Trent.
“Thanks for coming,” Trent said, raising his shot glass in salute.
“You’re getting trashed, huh?”
“Yeah, I am. Drowning my troubles, Greg. You?”
“I can’t drink the hard stuff tonight. Darcy is meeting me after her exercise class.”
“Sounds serious with you two.”
“Might be.”
Trent’s smile dimmed. “I hope you can trust her.”
“I do. She explained everything to me. She and Kate came to the company because of Kate’s brother. Can you believe Kate thought we ran a crooked operation?”
Trent hunched his shoulders. “That’s the story Kate tells me.”
“I believe her, man. Now, how about a game of pool?”
While Trent got change for the pool table from the bartender, Greg went to rack up. Trent barely had time to contemplate Greg’s statement about Kate when he felt a soft hand caress his shoulder.
Kate? He turned.
Erin Duggan, a slim redhead he’d only casually dated, smiled back at him. Disappointment surged through him. He had to get a grip on his feelings for his temporary wife.
“You haven’t been around here in ages,” Erin cooed. Dressed in skintight leggings and a filmy low-cut blouse, she looked ready for an evening on the prowl.
“I’m married now,” he said dryly.
“Word gets around, but I didn’t buy it. Not you—married. That hell you used to talk about must have frozen over for you to have tied the knot.”
Although his marriage was as phony as the overdone purplish-red color of Erin’s hair, he needed to keep up appearances.
Trent narrowed his eyes. “It’s the truth.”
“That’s too bad,” Erin purred in his ear.
Trent shrugged and gulped down his beer. Where in the hell was his wife tonight? He couldn’t stop his thoughts from circling back to Kate.
Erin placed a hand on his chest and squeezed his pectoral muscle. “You know me, hon. Your being married doesn’t matter one bit. I don’t see any wife around here. I can overlook her, if you can.” She glanced toward her table across the room. “I’m with some girlfriends, if you want to remember some old times, stop by and see me.”
“I’m in a lousy mood. I’d be bad company.” He motioned to the bartender. “Send a round to that table, and get a drink for the lady here. And another shot for me.”
Erin took the martini the bartender quickly mixed. She sipped her drink and gazed at Trent over the rim of the glass. “So by the looks of you, I’d say you’ve already found out marriage sucks. Been there a few times myself. I tell you, hon, I don’t care.” She brushed her breasts against his arm.
Greg handed Trent a pool stick. “Hey, remember you’re married now.”
Trent returned a bland look to convey he didn’t care what Greg thought because Greg wasn’t the one married to the liar of the century.
Greg started shooting pool, and one by one, the balls thumped into the pockets. He seemed to forget that they were supposed to play a game.
“Hey, Erin. Listen, I am married now.” Trent hadn’t been with Kate since they had signed their faux marriage on the dotted line, although he’d sure wanted to be last night. And why the hell was he still thinking of Kate? He drained the shot of whiskey. The liquid burned his throat.
Erin leaned in and kissed his cheek and put her hand on his ass. The thought of him being seen with a woman in public who was practically molesting him—snapped him back to his senses. In spite of his sham of a marriage, he had to admit he’d feel guilty cheating.
He took Erin’s elbows and set her aside. “Listen, Erin, you’ll have to find someone else. I’m married.”
Erin pouted. “But you’re the one who’s always said ‘marriage is for fools.’”
“Most join the club, eventually.”
“Call me when you realize marriage is for suckers.” She brushed her palm across his crotch. “You need that itch to be scratched. You aren’t fooling me. You’re as horny as hell. Where is your wife?” She whirled around then flounced toward her table.
He frowned. She’d come closer to the truth than he’d like to admit. Where was Kate? The possibility she was out carousing like Erin, or with another man, blackened his mood even further. The sweet girl he’d thought Kate had been, especially on their weekend in Key West, had turned out to be all smoke and mirrors. He had no idea what she was really like.
“Dam it to hell,” he muttered under his breath. He turned to the bartender. “I’ll have a beer, and send another round to the girls at that table. On second thought make mine a shot of whiskey.” He’d get a cab home tonight and leave his car in the garage at work.
Unless he worked hard to focus on something else, his thoughts turned to Kate. Even though he tried to set them aside, he couldn’t get her out of his mind, no matter how much he drank.
Damn it, he hated the idea she might be sleeping with other men. Maybe he should have thought through the details when he’d planned this farce. It’s not that he suspected she did, but it was that he had no idea. Next time he saw her, he’d make one thing clear, she was to be faithful to him for as long as they were married and that had to be part of the deal.
He didn’t care if she’d had a string of different bed partners every night in the past—as long as she was married to him, she was to remain as pure as the proverbial driven snow.
Greg strode up to the bar just as Trent was pointing at the bartender and giving him sound advice every man needed to know. “Women,” Trent said, “are nothing but trouble.”
The bartender raised an empty glass in mock salute. “I’ll drink to that.”
“Sheesh, I would, too,” Trent said slurring his words, “but I think I’ve had enough for one night.”
Greg clapped Trent on the back. “I’m glad you did the right thing—and you’re not driving anywhere.”
; “Didn’t plan to. I’m drunk,” Trent said, slurring his words. “I can’t even cheat on my sham marriage. And it’s worse than I thought with Kate, Greg. I think she might be working with Blake to bring the company down…to ruin us.”
Greg shook his head. “I don’t believe it.”
“She makes my mother look like Bo Peep, whoever that was.”
“Kate is nothing like your mother.”
Trent laughed, but with bitter humor. “Oh, you don’t know. She’s just as treacherous, just as deadly to my soul.”
“Man, you just don’t trust women.”
Trent took the last swig of the whiskey the bartender placed in front of him. “I only have examples from the best to form my opinions.”
“Is that why you’re drinking tonight?” Greg asked.
Trent nodded. “My beautiful, beautiful Kate,” he muttered, “is an angel on the outside, but a boa constrictor on the inside, waiting to strangle me when I’m not looking.” He grabbed Greg’s shirt. “I think she might want to kill me… Seriously.”
“Man, you’ve fallen hard. You’d better get a grip on yourself and straighten things out with your wife. I thought I’d never see the day.”
“You’re wrong... No way have I fallen for her.” Could he love her? In spite of knowing everything about her? No way. But he sensed there was a stupid truth to Greg’s words. It explained why he’d been so bitter and angry at Kate’s betrayal.
Trent’s cell phone rang.
He fumbled for his phone and then listened to his mother’s screechy pitched voice. What she said scared the hell out of him. He disconnected the call.
He turned to his friend, dead sober from the shock. “Greg… I’ve got to go to the h-hospital. Kate…” he said tripping up on the words. “There’s been an accident. I’m not sure what happened…”
* * *
In the hospital, the waiting room held a chill. Kate wiped the tears from her cheeks with a tissue and took a chair by the window. She trembled all over. Someone had tried to scare them—and badly. Luckily, she’d not been hurt, only bruised. Cecilia was being checked, but she seemed okay, too.
The front door flew open. Trent and Greg rushed in.
Trent strode across the floor. After taking one look at her tear-stained cheeks, he pulled Kate into his arms. “Oh, My God. I didn’t know… Are you all right?”
“Barely,” she whispered. She clung to him, more tears blurring her vision. She wanted him…needed him to hold her.
If she closed her eyes, she could still hear the screech of metal, Cecilia’s screams. Feel the car careening, nearly flying…
Her arms clung to his waist and she nestled her face into Trent’s chest.
“You sure you’re all right?” He nuzzled his cheek against the top of her head.
She nodded, sending pain shooting through her neck. “Yeah, I’m okay, nothing serious.”
“What happened?”
“A man tried to run us off the road. He must have been trying to scare us—”
“Us? Who the hell were you with?” Trent demanded.
She stiffened at his accusations, felt the loss of his embrace as he stepped back—when she needed him the most. The movement sent more pain shooting through her shoulder and back. “Of all the times for you to be angry with me! I was almost killed.” He just stood over her asking stupid questions, when all she wanted was to go home and lie down. “I was giving Cecilia a ride home, if you must know. I’m so tired—”
“Cecilia?”
“Yes!” She stabbed him with her gaze. “She needed a ride! And you? Where were you? You’ve been drinking. You want to know everything I do, but I don’t see you reporting to me on everything you do.”
Eden stepped into the waiting room with her arm around Cecilia and an ER intern at her side. Cecilia was sobbing and shaking.
Kate walked over to them. “How is she, Mrs. Farrington?”
“She’ll be all right, but for heaven’s sake, Trent,” Eden snapped, “they could’ve been killed.”
Kate swiped at wetness from beneath her eyes. “He had us rammed against the wall. I don’t know why he stopped. One more pounding and I know my car would have flipped over the overpass.”
“Why were you two together?” Eden asked.
“I was giving her a ride home,” Kate said, bristling. She was tired of the inquisition. “I’m leaving. I was only waiting to make sure Cecilia was okay. The officer said I could go home, but my car…” She rubbed her eyes. “My car is destroyed. I’ll have to call a cab.”
Kate turned and strode to the exit.
Trent followed her and caught her arm. He took her aside. “First, are you sure you’re not hurt?” he asked softly. “I’d rather have a doctor check you out.”
Kate gave him a sideways glance when she heard the concern in his voice, and then reality seeped back in. He was only asking because they had an audience in Eden, and he needed to appear as if he cared. She straightened her shoulders and shook her head. “You don’t have to worry about me. I’ll be fine. I’m only a little bruised. I just want to go home and go to bed.”
“All right, but with all that’s going on, I’m taking you home to my grandfather’s house. It’s safer there with the alarm system. I’ll post a security guard there tonight.”
Too tired to argue, Kate nodded, but she wasn’t too pleased to go back there after last night…when he accused her of ruthlessly plotting to be with him in his bedroom.
* * *
Once he and Kate had arrived at his grandfather’s house, Trent said to Beasley, “Send up a light meal to our room.”
Kate did not miss the ‘our room’ and only wished this wasn’t one more charade he played.
When they were inside his bedroom, Trent closed the door and leaned against it. “Who’s after you, Kate? Someone else angry about another con job you’ve pulled?”
“No! So that’s why you wanted me to come here, so you could question me more on my morals?” Irritated by his constant accusation against her character, Kate whirled toward the window and clamped her arms over her chest. “As usual you think the worst of me.”
“I think I have good reason, Kate,” he said more calmly. “But I wanted you to come here for your safety...until we figure out who’s behind this.”
She took a deep breath and turned back to him. “Okay. Who could it be? Remember the Halloween mask on the fence? It looked like me. Someone knew at that time I was at the company, trying to find out what happened to my brother, and they tried to scare me away. But I don’t know what any of it means, especially since I heard the conversation about someone being after you.”
“This accident was more than to scare you, Kate. You were nearly run off the road, at a dangerous point. Did you see who was driving?”
“He seemed big. I didn’t get a good look at his face. Cecilia was just telling me someone has been slipping into Purchasing, and I wondered if it was Blake. Perhaps when he visits Eden at the company? Without your mother, Blake wouldn’t normally have access to the products.”
“So you’re really not working with Blake?”
“No, I’m telling you the truth.”
Trent blew out a deep breath. “All right. So you think he’s using Eden to get inside?”
Kate shrugged. “Trent the last thing I’m going to do is implicate your mother in something like this.”
His dark gaze leveled on Kate’s. “I never thought she’d be so stupid, but Blake could be manipulating her. It’s also possible, someone wanted to kill you tonight because you are my wife.”
Her cheeks warmed at the reminder. “Too bad they don’t know I’m just your employee,” she quipped.
It was going to be a long night… She wanted him to pull her into his arms and comfort her, for him to tell her that he was glad she didn’t die, but that wasn’t going to happen because he still thought she was the most evil woman on the planet…
Wincing, she sat down in the winged-back chair, dropping her fa
ce into her hands.
“What hurts?” Trent asked.
Besides her heart? She didn’t want to look at him or tell him her entire shoulder and side ached. On some level, she wanted to keep him at a distance because he had the power to hurt her far more than a few bruised ribs.
Besides, if he showed any sympathy for her, she’d fall apart. “I’m fine,” she whispered. “No, I promised myself I’d be truthful to you, and the truth is I am really hurting, but I’ll live.”
She heard him sigh. “All right,” he said with concern in his voice. “Should I run the bathtub for you? A warm soak might do you good.”
She nodded. Soon, she heard water rushing into the bathtub. When he returned, he said, “There are several robes in the bathroom closet. We’ll go over to your house in the morning to pick up your clothing. I think it’s safer for you to stay here until we find out and apprehend whoever is responsible for this.”
She rose from the chair. “But I can’t stay here more than one night,” she blurted uneasily. He might be able to handle it, but she couldn’t live so close to him with the way things were between them.
They went into the bathroom. Kate struggled with the buttons on her shirt. Trying to lift her arm sent excruciating pain ratcheting through her neck and shoulders. How was she going to undress?
She glanced sideways at Trent. “I need your help.”
“Screw it,” he said, surprising her. “We are married, even if it’s only a temporary business deal.” When she widened her eyes, he caught her gaze. “I promise no more digs tonight. I owe you that, at least. You were almost killed because of me.”
He slipped the blouse off her shoulders. His fingers touched her skin and sent tingles through her. He lowered her skirt and slip. She was left in only her underwear.
His gaze swept to the bruise on her side. “My God, Kate. Let me see your hip.”
Her face grew warm from embarrassment and something else, but she turned sideways.
“Damn it to hell. No wonder you’re in pain. You’re going to be sore for a week.”
She turned her back to him. “Can you help me with one more thing?’
His warm fingers grazed her back as he unhooked her bra. “Do you think you can manage the rest?” he asked, strain evident in his voice.
Disguised with the Millionaire (Dangerous Millionaires Series Book 2) Page 31