Max chuckled. “The fuck I am. You think you're the only one who can run away from your responsibilities?”
Ouch. Alec erected a mental wall to keep himself from seeing the image of Jaya standing there in her red dress as he told her he wouldn’t be her date. “Nope. But my responsibilities don’t include a wife-to-be and a kid. I didn’t sign on for all that. But you, you’re an ass.”
Max made an attempt to get out of his seat, but flopped back down, blond hair falling away from his face. “So what you’re saying is you were an ass when you left Sue five years ago?”
Alec breathed out a sigh. “Yeah. At least a little bit. But I wasn't engaged to her. She wasn’t carrying my kid.” He crossed his arms over his chest, hoping the action would keep him from wanting to pummel his brother. “To make matters worse, you’ve left her and the kid with a pile of shit to deal with. Drugs, Max. Seriously, did you think no one would find out?”
“It wasn’t supposed to go like that. It was supposed to be a one-time deal. But after a couple of transactions, they wouldn’t back off. I was just supposed to launder a fixed amount. Then they started to think I worked for them.”
“The Sandovals have been looking for you. It’s only a matter of time before they find you. You put Adele in danger, Sue, the hotels. Most importantly, your kid.”
Max blanched. With a shaky hand he took another swig, and when his hand didn’t stop shaking, he chugged again. “Yeah, well, my point exactly. That kid is better off without me. I can promise you that.”
His brother's lackadaisical attitude set Alec's blood to simmer. “Oh yeah, had a conversation with the little one already, have you? God, you're such a self-important fuck-up. You have no concern for their safety? What if Sandoval and his thugs get a hold of Sue or the baby? You think they’re going to play nice and wait for you to deliver what they think you took? They already paid Adele a visit. What that kid needs is his father to stand up and be a man.”
“What do you know about it?” Max took the last sip out of the bottle and let it clatter to the ground.
“You’re such a spoiled little shit. The spitting image and soul of the old man. You can't just run around doing what you want in life. You have to accept responsibility. You need to go back and deal with the Sandovals. Face Adele. She’s been covering for you, but time’s up. You really screwed up here.” He shoved a hand in his hair.
Max pushed himself up off the couch, weaved, and then staggered to confront Alec toe to toe. “Look, this isn’t your melodrama, okay? I just need some time to think. I couldn’t think with everyone in my face all the time. I’ll talk to Sandoval, tell him I don’t have the transaction list he thinks I took.”
“You really think it will be that simple? If Sandoval doesn’t get what he wants, he’ll take it out on Sue. Or at least, that’s what he threatened her with.”
Max swayed as he squeezed his eyes shut tight. “What do you mean threatened? Is-is she okay? Th-the baby?” His hands scrubbed his face. “I thought I had more time,” he slurred.
Alec shoved him back on the couch. “I can’t believe I gave up on Jaya to come and fetch you.” He shook his head. “You don’t have to worry. I'm not going to be Adele's errand boy anymore.”
“I need to fix this.”
“Finally, we’re on the same page. Problem is, you say you didn’t take what they’re looking for. Caleb thinks it’s one of his lieutenants making a play by taking that transaction file. But they’ve pinned it on you for sure and they don’t forgive that kind of fuck up.”
“I’ll take Sue and we’ll run.”
“Now is not the time to dick around. If you run, they’ll find you. Caleb pulled some strings at the FBI. You’ll talk to the feds and figure it out from there. You and the family might have to lay low for a bit, but Caleb is working on a solution.”
“I’m a moron for getting into bed with them. I don’t know what the hell I was thinking. It was so easy at first. Money Adele didn’t control, didn’t have a hawk eye on. Then they started asking for bigger and bigger cuts. Next thing I knew, I owed them money rather than the other way around.”
Alec worked his jaw. “It could be worse. You just need to get home and fix it.”
Max screwed up his face then mumbled a curse under his breath. “The night I left, I took the money out of my trust. I put half in a numbered account that couldn’t be traced back to me. I paid part of the money I owed the Sandovals and planned to use the rest to take Sue away.”
He blew out a breath. “I detoured to the office to talk to Adele, but she was closed in with the board. I hadn’t planned to leave without saying anything to her. Even I’m not that callous. When I went back to my place, it was being searched. I figured something had come back to bite me in the ass so I’d better get lost for a minute. I didn’t call Sue or Mom because I figured it would blow back on them.” He shook his head.
“So you ran.”
“I did it for their own good. It seemed like a good idea at the time.”
Chapter Twenty-Four
Be brave, Jaya. You can do anything. In the last two weeks she'd done everything from standing up to her father, to leaving an old job for an even more terrifying new job, to skinny dipping, to seducing a man and having sex in all kinds of places she never thought about before. It was more than she'd lived in the ten years since her mother's death. If she could face those things and the new gold in her bedroom, she could face a room full of family, friends, and clients.
The clients she'd never had a problem facing. But somehow knowing she was going to hijack Tamara's thank you and welcome-to-my-wedding speech made the butterflies in her stomach jump and wiggle. She wished for Alec. But he was a crutch. She knew it. He was the force that propelled her, but she didn’t need him.
He’d already changed her more in two weeks than anything else had. Love could do anything to someone. She inhaled a deep breath. Along the way to her table, she made stops, greeting those she knew. Her target in sight, she kept moving forward. All she needed was ten minutes with Brett James and she'd be done.
The loudspeaker went off and Tamara's jaunty lilt addressed the crowd.
Moving faster, Jaya worked through the crowd. If she could just get him aside for five minutes.
“Ladies and gentlemen. Thank you for joining us on this special occasion. Over the course of the week, we've played a little and laughed a little, and now on the day I take the next phase of my journey in life, I wanted to recognize the people who have helped me get here.”
Jaya slipped into the seat next to James. “Hello. Mr. James. Nice to see you again.”
He turned to face her, surprised. “Oh, yes. Jaya isn't it?” His gaze flitted back to Tamara and to her again. “The resemblance really is uncanny, you know.”
She gave him a beatific smile. “Yes, we’ve been told that from time to time.”
He chuckled. “What can I do for you?”
“You know, you’re a hard man to get a hold of. I must have called your secretary a dozen times.”
“I had no idea you were trying to reach me. Carol, my secretary, is a bit of a battleax. When I’m on vacation, she insists I’m on vacation. She won’t put anything through unless it’s life or death and sometimes, not even then.”
“Well I wanted to speak to you about your upcoming project for the All-Tech conference. I want to make sure there are some aspects of the service you're aware of.”
“Sure. I have to tell you, that Battlestar reference sealed the deal for us.” He grinned. “But can we discuss in the morning? I already told your father that I want you heading the team. Your pitch was the most innovative and tailored. Everyone else pitched us like we were a bunch of marketing geared folks. They don’t understand the Tech Geek set. They think we care about leggy models and bright colors. Models are nice, but I’m more interested in the next piece of tech.”
Now was her chance. “Mr. James—”
“Brett, please.”
First name basis, o
kay. “Brett, I’m sure my father is going to mention this in the morning, but I feel I have to tell you that I’m no longer with Trudeaux Events. Derrick Cooley will be in charge of your event.”
He frowned. “You mean the one who attempted to distract me with pretty colors and not much substance?”
“I’m unaware of what he may have presented to you.” Look at her, learning to be politically correct. “But he’s got a unique skill. I’m sure—”
Brett’s frown didn’t lighten up. “I’ll be discussing this with your father in the morning. Can I ask, what events company did you move to?”
Her brain blanked. Of all the plans not to have come up with. “JT Events. I’m an independent consultant. One of my first events will be the Westhorpe gala at the end of the year.” Holy cow, had she just said that? Had she created her own company on the spot?
The frown lines on Brett’s forehead disappeared. “The Westhorpe gala? That’s no easy feat. Adele Westhorpe is known to be a—handful.”
“She’s not so bad.” Maybe she was, but no one would hear that come out of Jaya’s mouth.
“Tell you what. How about I give you a call after I speak with your father tomorrow?”
Jaya felt her head jerking up and down, but the synapses in her brain didn’t fire enough to recognize actual words. But she got the gist. She had the All-Tech account if she wanted it. Holy shit.
“I suppose we can talk in the morning. Make sure to enjoy the champagne.” Now, time to get out before she did any damage.
He raised his glass. “Don’t you worry about that. I'm on my fourth glass.” He looked around. “Where is your date? I assumed you’d be here with the Westhorpe guy? That was him with you at the rehearsal dinner, right?”
Her breath caught and she frowned. “Westhorpe?” A nervous giggle escaped her lips. That bad feeling that had been following her around like a lost puppy squeezed tight around her. “No. His name is Alec Danthers.”
“That’s a good point,” he conceded. “But whether he likes it or not, he’s Royce Westhorpe’s oldest son. I met him in passing with his mother a couple of years ago. I didn’t get the chance to talk to him at the rehearsal. I was hoping to catch up with him tonight.”
Jaya's heart hammered. The rush in her ears drowned out all other sound. Excusing herself, she forced her body erect. She cleared her throat hoping she didn’t look as befuddled as she felt. Westhorpe? “He was unavailable tonight.”
“Always a shame to leave a beautiful woman unattended. Please make sure to save me a dance.”
She gave him a wooden smile and excused herself, desperate for escape. As Jaya made her way back to her table, her legs trembled. Just like that, it had been as easy as a conversation. Brett James wanted her to manage their conference. And in the same breath, he’d told her the man she thought she’d been in love with wasn’t who she thought.
She tried to process what that meant. He’s a Westhorpe? She had a contract with Adele Westhorpe. Would the matriarch go back on the deal? Not likely. She may have given Jaya the job because of Alec, but Jaya was good and she knew it. And after everything, she didn’t want to go back to Trudeaux. She could do this all on her own. At the same time, the All-Tech was the epitome of everything she’d ever wanted to do.
Too busy mulling over her choices, her brain didn’t register Alec’s lean frame in the doorway of the reception hall until she’d already walked past him. As dawning hit, she stopped, teetering on her heels ever so slightly. Her breath locked in her lungs and she couldn’t breathe.
His voice was low. “I hope I’m not too late.”
“I don't know what you’re doing here, but I don't need you.” Jaya brushed at the skirt of her dress as she stalked past him. She’d made it through this much of the wedding without him, so why did she feel a pang at the mere sight of him?
He nodded. “Okay, I deserve that. But hear me out.” He took a step toward her.
The pull of his magnetism made her struggle for a minute, but she managed a step back. She'd already spent too much time trusting and believing in him. “I'm not sure exactly what I’m supposed to hear out. You mean about the part where you abandoned me when I needed you? Or about the part where you’re a fucking Westhorpe?” She sniffed.
His shoulders stiffened and his lips thinned. “I’m not a Westhorpe. I’m nothing like my old man. Besides, he didn’t want me, so it’s not like I have a birthright to claim.”
“Semantics, Alec. Adele Westhorpe is your stepmother. You may not consider yourself a Westhorpe, but you have all the trappings. God. I’ve been so stupid.”
“No, wait.” He put up his hands. “Shit, it wasn’t supposed to be like this. I wasn’t supposed to be here more than two days. You assumed I was a bartender, and for that night I was. I just didn’t tell you I was also the son of Royce Westhorpe. I never tell anyone. I’m ashamed of him.”
She shook her head, unwilling to let him get out of it that easily. “You didn’t need to lie to me, Alec. I wasn’t after your money. You must have chuckled about poor Jaya. ‘She doesn’t even know I own the damn hotel.’”
“Come, on, it wasn’t like that. The penthouse suite is Max’s. I want to be as far away from the Westhorpes as possible. I’m nothing like them. I spend more time exploring the world than following corporate greed.”
“Oh, of course. Your adrenaline rushes.” She dropped her head into her hands. “I'm such an idiot.”
“Jaya, I came after you because you're the only one who made me feel something. I'd been chasing a rush for so long, I didn't know I could feel that rush with anyone.”
“’Oh, and to ante up the adrenaline, let me lie to her and string her along.’ I don’t even know what to say. Did you fix your emergency, at least? Your matter of life and death?”
“I was able to find my brother. Caleb’s arranged a deal for him with his contacts at the FBI. I think he’ll be okay.”
“So just like that, everything is okay?”
He frowned, his beautiful face taking on harsh lines. “No, not quite, but it’s on its way.”
She sighed. “Well, at least it was worth it.”
“I'm sorry, Jaya. My dad, he was like Max.” Softer, he added, “Like me, I guess. He couldn't stick around long. He left my mother when she was pregnant with me. I never knew who he was until my mom died and I found her documents. I went to find him so I could avoid the system. He didn’t exactly want me around, but Adele took me in. Treated me like her own. Even after they had Max. She forced the old man to be a father.”
“I'm sorry you had it rough, but it doesn't make up for your actions, Alec. I never want to see you again. I'm done.” As she walked away, her eyes were dry. No use wasting any tears on him. The man she loved didn’t exist.
Chapter Twenty-Five
Alec didn't anticipate the burning in his lungs or the pain that stabbed its way into his gut and hung around like a festering cloud. Was this what loving someone felt like? If so, it blew the big one. He watched her walk out and her father take steps to follow her.
Catching up with Pierre, he put a hand on his arm. “I don’t think she'll want to be seeing either one of us right now.”
If glares had temperatures, he had a feeling glacial would be how the man felt at the moment.
Pierre’s look was hard and flat. “You're going to tell me how to handle my daughter? You’ve been lying to her all along, Westhorpe. You think I didn’t know. I knew your father.”
Alec nodded. The truth was a bitch. Especially when people kept grabbing it by the tail and bitch-slapping you with it. “Yes, I lied to her. For my own reasons. But at the end of the day I love her and I've lost my chance. If you love her, you can't keep treating her the way you do.”
Pierre’s hazel eyes narrowed. “And what do you know about it? You’re nothing but the bastard son with a trust fund and a hotel. You don't know my daughter.”
“I know how she sounds when she laughs. I know what makes her cry, and I know she thinks you
don't love her and that you favor her sister. I know she thinks you'd rather take the word of your son-in-law than hers.” He drew in a breath. “I know if you don’t take some steps to fix things with her, she'll be gone to you forever.” He left out the unspoken like I am. But Pierre’s expression grew grave and solemn.
“How can she think I favor her sister?”
Alec's eyes rolled of their own volition. “You fired her. Then made it impossible for her to get another job. What kind of father does that? I thought my dad was a harsh bastard, but you take the cake.”
Pierre's lips flattened. “As I told her, I've never stood in her way. I let Jaya go for a slew of reasons, the most important being I wanted her to strike out on her own. And less importantly, because she, and my self-important son-in-law, would have eventually killed each other. You don’t know my daughter. She has to figure things out on her own. I offered to call around and see if I could help her get another job.”
Alec shoved his hands in his pocket. “You mean after you already called and told everyone she was unemployable?”
“What would I have to gain by doing that? I don’t want her to fail. I do love her.”
Alec held his breath. Jaya had been so sure it was her father who'd made those calls, but maybe it was someone else entirely. “Maybe, sir. It's time you talked to her. And not just talked, but listened too.” He shrugged. “Maybe I should have tried that.” Before turning to leave, he added, “And sir, you might also want to think about who else had something to gain by slandering Jaya around town.”
Chapter Twenty-Six
“Okay, so he left you,” Micha said, brows drawn.
Ricca chimed in. “Then he came back to you, and still made it to the wedding reception.”
Jaya nodded. “But it was a lie. All of it a lie. Who he was, his real name. Everything about him.” The pain of it all still percolated in her belly, as if she'd swallowed an ample helping of boiling pain-and-regret soup. God, she felt sick. Sure, Alec had been clear about the whole relationship thing and she’d seen him as some fun to be had for a couple of weeks. She wasn’t supposed to fall in love. So maybe that had been her fault. Love was a tricky animal. But he'd still abandoned her and lied.
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