Glaring at them, Stephan said, “Marc, is this some sort of sick joke?”
Marc shook his head. “I’m afraid not.”
Alethea pushed her agenda. “Think about it, Stephan. Right in this room we have three people who have different ways to access his defenses. He’d never see it coming. You could finish what you started, and we could make sure that he wouldn’t be able to retaliate.”
Stephan searched both of their faces. “You two are serious.”
Alethea stood, preening herself deliberately. “We couldn’t be more so.” She walked closer to Stephan and leaned into his personal space suggestively. “Nicole is wonderful, but I’m sure the thrill of being with her has worn off. You’ve had time to think about how close you came to beating Dominic, haven’t you? And you regret not following through. I don’t blame you. He may love your family, but he’ll never accept you. Not really. And watching him with your father, that can’t be easy. He’s exactly the son your father always wished you were, isn’t he? Strong. Perfect. A winner. How does it feel always coming in second to him, even with your own family?”
Red spread up Stephan’s neck. He walked away from Alethea and went nose to nose with Marc. “I’d expect this from her, but you? After everything Dominic has done for you? I hope for your sake that you’re armed today and willing to shoot me right now, because neither of your lives will mean much after today. You don’t mess with my family. I would kill you, but you’re not worth the jail time.” He pressed a button on his desk and said, “Anita, have security come to my office. I’d like to have some trash taken out.”
Four men arrived. Two flanked Alethea and two Marc.
With a sigh of relief, Alethea looked across to Marc. “He didn’t do it.”
Marc nodded in agreement. “Thank God.”
Stephan crossed the room to confront Alethea. “What the hell are you talking about?”
Marc positioned himself just off Alethea’s side—close enough to intervene physically if necessary. “Someone has been accessing Dominic’s server and planting coding errors using your IP address.”
Alethea faced Stephan: chin high, eyes unrepentant. “We had to know if you were involved.”
Stephan looked at his security men, then the duo in front of him. Then he waved the men to the door. “Give us a few minutes.” Once they were alone again, he said, “How do I know you’re not lying right now? I haven’t heard about any problems at Corisi Enterprises.”
Marc met his eyes. “What would I have to gain by hurting Dominic? He’s made me a very rich man.” Stephan nodded at Alethea. Marc shook his head. “Not even for her.”
Alethea threw her hands up in the air. “Seriously, you can believe I am after Dominic but not Marc?”
A glimmer of the man she’d seen in the bunker surfaced as Marc postulated the reason. “People naturally trust me. It’s my strong jaw.”
Alethea rolled her eyes. She had to admit to herself, though, that watching him hold his own with Stephan was turning her on. Like her, he wasn’t intimidated by wealth or power, and it made her impatient for a repeat of last night.
Stephan cut into her burgeoning erotic fantasy. “If there are problems with Dominic’s server, why are you two here and not with him?”
Alethea scolded her raging libido. Now is not the time to lose focus. Stop imagining Marc naked. This is important. She directed her next comment to the man in the room she didn’t want to pounce. “We think you’re innocent.”
“You?” Stephan repeated with growing anger. “But not Jake and Dominic? Or did they send you?”
Marc raised one hand hastily and said, “Let me take over, Alethea. No one knows we’re here. Jake is trying to clear you. Dominic is . . .”
“Plotting my death, probably.”
Another realist. Her opinion of him rose a bit. “You can’t blame him, really, after what you did . . . or tried to do to him last year. And the cyber trail leads directly to your doorstep.”
Stephan turned away and slapped his hand forcefully down on his desk in frustration. “I made a mistake last year. A horrible mistake, one that almost cost me Nicole and my family, but things were different then. I was different. I don’t know how this is happening, but it’s not me.” When he turned around his face was twisted with torment. “Does Nicole know?”
“Yes,” Alethea said quietly. The sadness in Stephan’s eyes tore at her conscience.
“When? How long has she known?”
Alethea looked at Marc for help, but when none was given she admitted, “Two days. I told her two days ago.”
Stephan moved back to the seat behind his desk and slumped into his chair. “That’s why she’s been weird.” He searched Alethea’s face with an expression akin to desperation. “What did she say when you told her?”
She’d always felt that whatever was gained by speaking the truth outweighed any hurt it caused, but she was having difficulty meeting Stephan’s eyes. What if Nicole left him over this? I shouldn’t have involved Lil. I should have handled this myself. Alethea searched for what to say that would alleviate some of Stephan’s pain. “She said she didn’t believe me. Accused me of making it all up to cause trouble.”
“It must be eating her up to not ask me.” He shook his head sadly. “She’s been hurt so many times by those who were close to her. Even me. I swore I would never hurt her again. Who would do this? How could they do this? I have state-of-the-art firewalls. I’ve never had an issue.”
Alethea walked to the front of his desk and said, “What can you tell us about the man you gave Dominic’s access codes to last year?”
Stephan stood, suddenly alert again. “You think he’s involved?”
Alethea nodded. “He worked for you, didn’t he?”
“Yes, for a short time. He was one of the best coders I’ve ever met. When he left two years ago, he sent me a prepaid phone and gave me a phone number to call. He said he could plant a virus that would take Dominic’s whole server down. Then he gave me the number of someone who would get me the information he needed to do it. At the time it sounded tempting, but something I would never actually do. I should have thrown the phone away. I was wrong not to. I was obsessed with beating Dominic. You were right about that, Alethea—I hated coming in second to him. I thought he deserved what I did. I was wrong. When I tried to call off the deal, he said he’d make me pay if I did. He could be behind this.”
Marc asked, “What was the man’s name?”
“Jack. Jack Mineoff.”
Alethea threw up her hands. “An obvious alias.”
Stephan shook his head in confusion. “We do full background checks on everyone who works here. That was his name.”
Hand on one hip, Alethea said the name again, slowly. “Jack Mee-noff? Seriously? Jack Me Off? No one would do that to their child. This guy was screwing with you from the day you hired him. He has to be Sliver. That would give him the skills he’d need to create a false background.”
Marc countered, “But what links him to Dominic? Why repeatedly go after him? What’s the connection?”
Alethea turned to Stephan. “Did he ever mention Dominic?”
Stephan shook his head. “Not beyond offering to upload the virus to his server. He said it would make him famous.” He held up a hand and said, “Give me five minutes.” He walked out of the office.
Marc crossed to Alethea’s side and put his hand on her lower back, caressing the tension he felt there. “Jack Mineoff. Good catch. And Stephan believes us. We’re going to catch this guy, no matter how many aliases he creates.”
Alethea nodded sadly.
“What’s the matter?” Marc asked, sensing her mood declining.
She shook a bit beneath his hand. “People will always believe the worst about me, won’t they? No matter what I do.”
He turned her to face him. “I won’t. I know what you risked to come here.” He lifted her chin with a finger and said, “So strong on the outside. So easily hurt on the inside. If you let p
eople see the real you, they’d love you.”
As I do.
He didn’t say the words, but they rocked him to his core. This woman fiercely fought for those she loved and secretly yearned to be accepted by those very people. It made him want to protect her from them or demand they see her as he did.
Across town, Abby was folding the napkins on her dining room table for the third time. She’d given her staff the happy news that they would have not only this afternoon free but also the next. She wasn’t sure how either meeting was going to go, but she was sure neither would benefit from an audience.
Marie had arrived early to help with Judy so Abby could get dressed. Only Marie would come early to help prepare for her own visit. Abby couldn’t imagine what she would have done without the woman she considered her mother-in-law. Her support made the absence of her own mother easier to bear.
“Judy is sleeping. She didn’t want to. It’s like she knows you’re having company and doesn’t want to miss anything. So much like her father.”
“Dominic spoils her. All she has to do is whimper and he picks her up. I told him she needs to cry it out and he said he’s not ready to do that yet. Maybe by the time she’s in her teens?”
“He’s going to turn her into a holy terror.”
Abby smiled and sighed. “Not if I can help it. Can you believe that, of the two of us, I’m going to be the disciplinarian? She’s going to walk all over him.”
Marie smiled. “As little girls do with their daddies.”
Abby nodded, taking a moment to savor the wonder of how her life had changed. “My father never could say no to me or Lil.”
“My husband would likely have been the same with our son,” Marie said wistfully, reminding Abby of the extent of her loss: both husband and child over the years.
“Marie, I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to . . .”
“Oh, hush. It’s me who should be sorry. I don’t know why I brought it up.”
Abby put an arm around the older woman’s shoulders. “Because you loved them and you still miss them.”
Marie’s eyes shone with emotion. “I do.”
“Is that why things didn’t work out with Romario?” Abby asked.
With a purposeful sniff, Marie said, “It was a ridiculous idea to entertain for even a moment. Dating? At my age? I don’t need a man when I have family around me.”
“You’re not that old.”
“Too old for what he wanted,” Marie said, and then flushed.
Abby laughed. “Why, Marie. I do believe you’ve been holding out on me. What happened?”
“Nothing,” Marie said firmly. “And it was for the best. My boys are here. This is where I belong.”
Abby hugged Marie closer and said, “I was the same. All set to live one life and then Dominic came crashing into mine. Do you still talk to Romario?”
“I told him not to call me anymore.”
“And?”
Marie blushed. “He calls anyway. He says he’s not going anywhere. He knows what he wants . . .”
“And that’s you . . .”
Marie made a tsk-tsk sound. “All that chest-thumping should be left to younger men and women youthful enough to appreciate it.”
Abby moved away to double-check the plate settings. “You can tell me it’s none of my business, but I think Romario genuinely cares for you. Why not give love a second chance?”
“I can’t—” She stopped before she lied. “Abby, your generation probably doesn’t understand, but I married the first man I slept with. I’ve only ever been with my husband. I don’t know how to be the wild woman Romario wants. I haven’t had sex in almost a decade, for God’s sake.”
There was a pregnant pause.
Marie closed her eyes for a moment. “Did I just say that out loud?”
Abby returned to her side to give her another hug. “You did, but that’s okay, just don’t let your fears cost you what could be the best chapter of your life. You’ve helped everyone else find love. Give Romario a chance.”
Nicole walked into the room. “Give Romario a chance to what?” When Marie’s cheeks reddened, Nicole’s did, too. “Oh, I’m so sorry. I didn’t realize you two were having a private conversation.”
Marie straightened. “Abby and I were simply discussing nonsense to pass the time until you arrived.”
Abby frowned at her but went to welcome Nicole. “I’m so glad you came. I hope you’re hungry. I cooked lunch today. It’s ready to be served, so please sit down and I’ll be right back.”
Nicole offered, “Would you like some help?”
Abby shook her head. “Oh, no. It’s very simple.”
Abby returned in a flash with quiche and served the two women.
“Where is Judy?” Nicole asked.
“Sleeping,” Abby said. “So we probably have only half an hour left of peace. Then she’s up, she’s hungry, she’s wet . . . I don’t understand how people say you should nap when they nap. By the time I clean up, go to the bathroom, pop some food in my own mouth, it seems like she’s awake again and demanding another meal.”
Marie cut into her quiche. “That stage lasts for such a short time. It puts ten years on you, but it goes by in the blink of an eye.”
Abby said, “I thought I wanted more, but I’m waiting to see if we survive this one before we try again.”
Nicole laughed. “I’ve never seen my brother looking so tired. I wonder how Stephan will handle fatherhood?”
Abby asked, “Speaking of Stephan, how is he?”
Nicole’s face closed a bit. “He’s fine. Why wouldn’t he be?”
Abby put her napkin beside her plate. “Lil told me what happened. All of it. She’s afraid she hurt you.”
“She didn’t,” Marie said. “Alethea was up to her old antics again.”
“I’m glad you brought her up,” Abby said smoothly. “It’s Alethea I want to discuss today.”
Nicole put her hands on her lap, her face purposefully blank. “I have nothing to say about that woman.”
Abby said, “I realize that she’s hard to understand . . .”
Marie countered, “Are you actually defending her?”
With a deep breath, Abby plowed forward. “I’ll admit to having my own problems with Alethea, but Lil is upset. I spent too many years without my sister to risk losing her again because I can’t put the past behind me. Lil told me that she feels she can’t get married while Alethea is at odds with us.”
Marie shook her head sadly.
Nicole said, “I love Lil like a sister, you know that, but I’m not going to pretend—”
Abby cut her off. “I’m not suggesting we pretend anything. I’m suggesting that we figure out a way today to forgive Alethea. For Lil.”
Marie said, “I’m sorry, I believe that life is too short to hold grudges, but I can’t forget how she treated Jeremy. He adored her and she used him.”
“That’s true,” Abby said. “But this isn’t about Jeremy. He’s happy now. He doesn’t need her anymore.” She looked at Nicole. “And all of us have made bad decisions at one time or another. I’ve made mistakes. You’ve both made mistakes. Families work through problems. We can work through this.”
Silence.
“When I was teaching and my students had trouble getting along, I would have them list what they liked about the other person. It made them realize they were focusing on one or two things instead of the whole person.”
Silence.
“Okay, I’ll go first. Alethea is . . .” Abby’s voice trailed off as the first words that came to her were not flattering. She started over. “What I like about Alethea is . . .”
The three women looked at each other for a painfully, long time.
Most likely to simply break the silence, Nicole said, “She has good taste in shoes.”
An awkward silence followed as none present could immediately come up with an additional compliment. Eventually, Abby groaned and laughed, covering her face with one hand.
“Come on. We can do better than that. Alethea is loyal to Lil. No matter how much I worry every time she lures Lil into a new calamity, I know she would die for my sister.”
Marie grudgingly admitted. “She’s very intelligent.”
Nicole said, “And she doesn’t hold back what she thinks.”
Abby nodded, her eyebrows raised in sarcasm. “No, she certainly doesn’t do that.” After taking a fortifying drink of water, Abby added, “Without her, we would have lost Dominic’s business.”
Nicole made a face as she admitted, “Dominic would have never forgiven Stephan if that had happened. So I suppose I’m grateful to her for uncovering the back door.”
Abby said, “She tests all of our security systems. Granted, we ask her not to, but Lil says she does it because she cares. Maybe that’s what we should try to do. See Alethea through Lil’s eyes. Why does Lil love her?”
Marie said, “Lil told me how Alethea was there with her in the delivery room when Colby was born. When Lil has needed someone, Alethea has consistently been there, at least according to Lil.”
Nicole said, “Lil told me that Alethea defended her throughout high school. She never felt alone.”
Abby wiped away a tear that crested over one lid. “She was there for Lil when I couldn’t reach her. Lil says she gave her unconditional support when I didn’t.”
Nicole got up and hugged Abby. “Oh, Abby, you did the best you could.”
“Did I? How have I spent so many years resenting someone who did so much for my sister? How can I still resent her? All Lil wants is for me to stand next to her at her wedding and pretend to like her. Why can’t I do that for my sister?”
Marie said, “Fear is an ugly thing, isn’t it? You’re afraid to lose your sister again.”
Abby nodded. “I blamed Alethea for so many of the problems I had with Lil. She kept her out late. Even got her arrested once. But they were kids. They’re women now. Lil doesn’t want me to parent her anymore and I have to stop—somehow.”
The Legacy Collection Box Set Page 89