Like Silk

by Mary Lynn Baxter

  “If you’re really interested in kicking Collier off the list, then I have the ammunition.”

  Rupert kept his voice bland, refusing to tip his hand and show any emotion. “Oh, really? I’d say that’s a tall order, young man.”

  “I realize you have no reason to believe me.”

  “Wait a minute. I didn’t say that. After all, you work for his firm. That alone makes you privy to certain information.”

  It was obvious his words brought Brewster the confidence and relief he needed to go on, because he straightened a bit, and his eyes took on a steely glint. Yet when he spoke, his voice was slightly unsteady. “But I have to know there’s something in this for me.”

  Ah, so that was the kicker. This young upstart wasn’t going to give unless he got something in return. “If your information’s worth it, I’m sure we can come to a mutual agreement,” Rupert said in a calm, easy tone.

  “You’ll have to do better than that, Mr. Holt. You see, I’m involved up to my eyeballs already, to the extent I could lose my license to practice law.”

  Rupert’s eyes widened, but he kept his cool. “And you’re willing to share your information with me and only me?”

  “If the price is right,” Brewster stressed.

  Rupert needed another drink badly, but he refrained from getting up and going for the bottle. At least his pounding head had subsided without the benefit of another drink.

  “Mr. Holt?”

  Rupert focused his attention back on the attorney. “Fire away, young man. You have a captive audience.”

  Tommy was better. She had just called the prison, and they had told her he’d been released from the infirmary. Thank goodness their disagreement over Rupert hadn’t set him back.

  Brittany flinched visibly. Every time she thought about the verbal slanging match that had taken place between them, she felt sick. How could she have lost her temper that way? On the other hand, how could Tommy have been taken in by Rupert?

  Easy. Rupert had offered to help him, and he certainly had the means to do it. Too, her brother hadn’t known Rupert was the one who had assaulted her. Maybe if she’d told him the truth from the start, this wouldn’t have happened. He wouldn’t have fallen for Rupert’s promises. Now Tommy just wanted out, and he didn’t care by what means.

  Sudden bitterness welled up inside her as she pulled up in her driveway. Instead of getting out, she rested her head on the steering wheel, weary to the bone.

  When had things become so complicated?

  The only bright spot in her life right now was Collier. And in the end, he would break her heart, too. But until he did, she intended to make the most of their time together. So lost in thought was she that she didn’t hear the other car. Only when she reached for the door handle and looked up did she see him.

  Frozen in place, she watched helplessly as Rupert walked toward her. Her first thought was to start her car and back out. She couldn’t. He had her blocked in. She scrambled out of the seat just as he reached her. “I told you never to come here again,” she said, her voice shaking with fury.

  “Well, I’m here,” Rupert said flatly. “And unless you intend to carry on our conversation outside, then you’ll let me in.” His features were harsh. “I’m not leaving until I have my say.”

  “Damn you, Rupert, leave me and Tommy alone.”

  “Ah, so you’ve talked to your brother.”

  “How could you stoop so low?”

  “Hey, I’ve always told you I was willing to help, if only you’ll return the favor.”

  “Don’t you get it? I loathe you.”

  He smiled, though it failed to reach his eyes. “You won’t always feel that way, sweetheart.”

  “Don’t you dare ‘sweetheart’ me,” she lashed back, her chest heaving. Watching his eyes settle on that part of her anatomy further infuriated her. “You have five minutes, and not a second longer.”

  “Or what?” he challenged, his smile turning indulgent.

  “I’ll call the cops,” she flared back.

  He laughed out loud. “I don’t think so.”

  Clamping down on her fury, Brittany swung around and headed for the trailer. After he had followed her inside, just over the threshold, she whipped around. “This is as far as you go. Now, what do you want?”

  “Okay, here it is. I have the evidence to prove Collier Smith and his family are responsible for your brother rotting in the pen.”

  Brittany steeled herself not to show any reaction whatsoever to those words. She wasn’t about to give him the satisfaction of knowing how they hurt her, how her knees almost buckled under the pain. “I don’t believe you,” she declared, that sick feeling in her stomach having returned with a vengeance.

  “I think you do. Right after I met you and learned about Tommy, you told me how you thought he hadn’t gotten a fair shot, that the cards had been stacked against him by Jackson Williams’ family.”

  Brittany bit her lower lip to keep it steady.

  “The truth hurts, doesn’t it?”

  “Get to the point,” she said dully, clinging to the doorknob.

  “In good time, sweetheart. All in good time.”

  “Dammit, Rupert!”

  He laughed again, then said, “Actually, I don’t want to wait, either. It’s past time you knew exactly how lover boy betrayed you.”

  Brittany felt her jaw drop. “Lover boy?”

  “Yeah,” Rupert said smugly. “I know Collier’s been between your sheets. I saw him sneaking out of your trailer the other morning.”

  “You’ve been spying on me?” she screeched, her mind spinning. If Rupert used this information against Collier, it would ruin him.

  “Only because I care.”

  Rupert paused with a chuckle, while Brittany, little by little, was dying on the inside.

  “I’m listening.”

  “So I finally have your undivided attention,” Rupert said. “To get on with the juicy details, Mason, Collier’s stepfather, offered Darwin Brewster a free cruise and a junior partnership in the firm to suppress the evidence that would’ve gotten your brother off, or at least bought him a lighter sentence.”

  “What evidence?” Somehow Brittany managed to force those words through her numb lips.

  “Your brother was telling the truth, after all. His girlfriend admitted she saw Chad Creekmore, whoever the hell he is, doctor Tommy’s drink and was prepared to testify on his behalf. Shortly thereafter, Mason went to Brewster and the girlfriend disappeared.” Rupert paused with an offhand shrug. “And the rest is history, as they say.”

  Brittany stood stiffly, barely breathing.

  Each damning word against Collier was tantamount to being stabbed in the heart with a sharp instrument. More than anything, she wanted to run out of the trailer, jump in her car, find Collier and confront him. But first she had to put an end to Rupert’s torment of her. “You’ve had your say. Now get out!”

  Rupert’s face contorted, and he gave her a disbelieving stare. “Hey, you’re taking your anger out on the wrong person. I’m your champion here. Because of me, your brother will likely get his walking papers. So you owe me big time.” He took a step toward her.

  She stepped back. “Don’t!”

  “I want you, Brittany.” His eyes were hard. “Now that Collier’s out of your life, I’m willing to step in and take his place. You’ll never want for anything again. I know I’m married, but that can change. If I thought you’d marry me…”

  “Stop it!” she cried, covering her ears. “Don’t say another word. I never want to see you again. Do you hear me? Never! You’ve invaded my life long enough. You’ve spied on me. You’ve assaulted me. You’ve—” Brittany couldn’t say any more; fury choked off her words.

  Rupert grabbed her arm. She jerked away and glared at him. “I mean it. Any man who would hit a woman is the scum of the earth.”

  “I’ve already apologized for that, damn you! But if you’re too stupid to know a good thing when you se
e it, then I won’t hesitate to bury you right along with Tommy.”

  He was looming over her now, his fury so acute that spittle had gathered in the corners of his mouth. “I’ll keep my mouth shut about what I told you, and your precious brother will continue to rot in that cell until he serves his full sentence. Maybe even longer, if I have my way.”

  Brittany didn’t back down, though every nerve in her body was strained to the breaking point. She knew she was about to take a gamble that could cost her dearly. “You go right ahead and do what you have to do.”

  “You’re bluffing. You don’t have what it takes to fight me and win.”

  “Try me,” she seethed. “I can still file charges on you! And I can go to your wife and tell her about your extracurricular activities, especially your penchant for beating up on women.” Brittany paused for emphasis. “Wonder what she’d think about that?”

  “Good try, bitch, only I didn’t just fall off a turnip truck. Tommy’s your main weakness. No way would you choose getting back at me over getting him released.”

  Brittany purposely held her tongue for a moment and listened as his heavy breathing gave the silence stiff competition.

  “But you can’t be totally sure of that,” she whispered at last, giving him a lethal smile. “Can you, Rupert?”

  Thirty-Seven

  Brittany kept on walking, despite the crippling fear that threatened to hinder her determination. When she’d pulled up in the parking lot of Williams, Smith and Rutledge and killed the engine a few minutes ago, she hadn’t been able to move, not for what seemed like the longest time.

  Had she taken total leave of her senses? That question had plagued her ever since she’d made her decision. Once Rupert had left her trailer, she’d taken off her clothes, crawled into bed and curled into the fetal position.

  After Tommy had been sent to prison, she had been totally alone and vulnerable. The stake this new knowledge about Collier had driven through her heart had recreated that same feeling.

  But wallowing in self-pity hadn’t been the answer then, and it wasn’t now. Come morning, she had to right a terrible wrong. In order to live with herself, she had to confront Collier, no matter how much such a confrontation would cost her. The fatal wound shouldn’t have come as a surprise. She had warned herself he would hurt her.

  Only not like this! her heart cried. Not such a harsh betrayal. Emotionally she was a wreck. Part of her still loved Collier, while the other part hated him. But until she’d faced him down, she couldn’t move ahead with her life.

  Now, as she made her way inside the building, her heart jumped from her chest to her throat. What if he wasn’t in? She had called the courthouse and learned he wasn’t in court. That much she knew. Still, he could be anywhere, doing anything. His Lexus wasn’t in the lot, but since he was one of the partners, she figured he had undercover parking.

  What if he was out of town? If that were the case, he would have called her, since he had no clue she was on to him and his family.

  A bitter feeling rushed through her. Considering their circumstances, she was a fool to assume that or anything else. It didn’t matter, anyway. Even if she had to camp out in his office, she would. She didn’t have to go to class today, and she’d called Sissy and told her she might not be in to work. Sensing she was upset, Sissy had tried to question her. But Brittany had rebuffed her, though as gently as possible, telling her that she would talk to her later.

  When she finally located Collier’s suite, the desk out front was unoccupied and the door to his office was closed. Was he in? Should she wait for his secretary?

  No. This wasn’t a social call. She had wanted to catch him off guard; that was the point.

  “May I help you?”

  Brittany swung around, her eyes wide and her heart still jammed in her throat. She swallowed and stared at an older woman, who was attractive despite the frown that marred her features. “I’m looking for Collier.”

  The older woman’s frown deepened. Brittany suspected it was because she had called him by his given name. Since the woman had never seen her before, it was only natural that she would be both suspicious and curious.

  “Is he expecting you?” Though her lips were tight, her tone was cordial.

  “Is he in?” Brittany demanded, answering the woman’s question with one of her own, though her face felt scalded with color. She’d never been this pushy or rude in her life, and neither sat well with her. Too bad. She didn’t intend to be thwarted.

  Nothing would stop her from seeing Collier.

  The woman’s frown deepened even more, and when she spoke again, some of her cordiality had disappeared. “If you’ll please have a seat, I’ll—”

  Brittany did something else she’d never done. She turned and opened the door, all the while tuning out the woman’s horrified sputtering. Once she was inside, she closed the door and leaned against it.

  Empty.

  Her confidence eroded. All her blustering courage had gone for naught. Collier wasn’t here after all. Damn! Scrambling to come up with another plan, she took several deep breaths and waited, expecting his secretary to come barging in behind her.

  But it wasn’t the secretary who barged in. A door across the room suddenly opened. In walked Collier, along with a puff of chilly wind.

  He pulled up short and stared, slack-jawed.

  For a moment speech failed Brittany, as well, her guard having slipped with the initial letdown of his absence. Now he was in front of her, in the flesh, looking so disheveled, so fractured, that her first inclination was to close the distance between them, throw her arms around him and comfort him.

  Then her sanity and her self-respect reasserted themselves. She had come to exact her pound of flesh, vowing to condemn him for what he’d done. Yet…

  “Brittany,” he finally said on a hoarse note. “What—”

  “Am I doing here?” She made herself move forward, plastering a plastic smile on her lips.

  “Well, yes, but it doesn’t matter. I’m damn glad to see you.”

  “You mean you’re not ashamed? Afraid for your family to see me?”

  As if he’d just picked up on the bitterness in her tone and the forced smile, he seemed to hesitate, though he didn’t say anything right off. Instead he put down his briefcase and stepped toward her.

  “I take it this isn’t a social call.” He gave her a lopsided smile, but it lacked its usual warmth.

  She felt her control slip. She had resolved to be strong and decisive, to say what she had to say, then walk out. But doing that was turning out to be harder than she’d ever thought.

  The hardships of her past, Tommy’s accident—even Rupert’s assault—hadn’t brought her to her knees the way Collier could. She could have taken it if he’d just used her sexually, which was what she’d expected all along. But what he’d done defied all decency.

  “Let me get you a cup of coffee,” he said into the building silence.

  “No.”

  He pulled up short again at her sharp tone, then muttered a curse before saying, “Well, I’m going to have one.”

  She merely stood still and watched as he filled a mug while the tension around them mounted.

  Once he’d taken a sip, he stared at her over the rim of his cup, his eyes bleak. “How did you find out?”

  She didn’t pretend to misunderstand. “Does it matter?”

  “Holt told you, didn’t he?”

  “Yes.”

  “That son of a bitch!” Collier spat, sitting his cup down and rubbing the back of his neck.

  “Is that all you have to say?”

  “It’s not what it seems like,” Collier said.

  She lifted her eyes upward, mostly to avoid the pleading in his.

  “I can explain everything.”

  She lowered her head. “Oh, I’m sure you can.”

  “Sarcasm doesn’t become you.”

  “Why, Collier?” Her voice cracked. “Why?”

  She’d ha
d no intention of asking that, knowing he’d just deny any involvement in the illegal handling of her brother’s case, pass the buck on to his father, perhaps even his brother.

  “I don’t know why,” he muttered harshly, looking beaten down.

  She blinked, then regrouped, refusing to feel sorry for him just because she didn’t understand his response.

  He took her silence as an opportunity to go on. “I know Darwin Brewster deliberately botched the case.”

  Know. Not knew. That took her aback.

  “That’s right,” he said, as though reading her mind. “I just found out myself. Brewster came to my office, demanding to know when my father was going to deliver on the rest of their deal.”

  “I didn’t come here to listen to your excuses.”

  Collier sucked in his breath, then blew it out before continuing through tight, white lips. “Well, you’re going to, dammit. I have a right to defend myself.”

  “Like hell you do.”

  He ignored her and went on. “When I asked Brewster what he was talking about, he informed me that Mason, not me, had promised him a cruise and a partnership in the firm to suppress evidence that would get your brother off.”

  His words rang so sincere that for several heartbeats he’d almost made a believer out of her. Then she recovered quickly and lashed out, “Stop it! You don’t have to lie anymore. Of course you knew. How could you not?”

  “I’m not lying! This was all done behind my back. Jackson’s, too. Hell, I wasn’t even in the country when it happened. That bastard Holt is the one who told you all this, isn’t he? He’s been spying on you and saw me leave your trailer.”

  There was a frantic edge to his tone, an edge she forced herself to ignore or she would be duped again by his seeming sincerity.

  “I know what Rupert’s been up to, but that’s not the issue here.”

  “You’re right. It’s the truth.”

  While she groped for a suitable comeback, he went on. “Mason says he didn’t promise Brewster anything, that Brewster put his own spin on their conversation. Now, whether I entirely believe that or not is another matter, though I can’t prove otherwise, since nothing was in writing.” He paused and drew a harsh breath. “Now you know everything I know.”