by A. P. Jensen
“Hello?”
“Mom?”
“Juliet?”
“I need to talk to Daddy,” Juliet said, voice tight with strain.
“How’s the party, honey?”
“It’s fine, I just need to talk to him.”
There was a pause on the other end.
“Is everything all right?”
Juliet rubbed a hand over her face and bit her lip to keep from telling Mom that her world had been turned upside down. “Yes, I just need to clear something up with him. Is he there?”
“He’s in his office on a business call. You’re sure there’s nothing wrong?”
Juliet tried to stop the anxiety from leaking into her voice. “Yes, thanks, Mom. I’ll be home soon.” Juliet hung up and eyed Kai. “Can you drive me home?”
Kai looked ill at ease. “Maybe we should get Brent and Lee—”
“No! Can you drive me home or not?” she demanded.
“Yes.”
They walked across the field, silent and tense. The music got louder as they approached the barn. They passed several couples making out in the shadows. People yelled for them to rejoin the party, but Kai waved them off. At that, hoots and whistles came from the men propping up the wall. Kai flipped the bird as he and Juliet wove their way through the mass of cars.
Juliet hopped into Kai’s muddy pickup and belted herself in. Kai shot her a worried glance before he started the truck and turned onto the highway.
Chapter One
15 Years Later
A valet attendant tapped on the car window. “Ma’am?”
Juliet took a deep breath and opened the door. She took the outstretched hand and missed the admiring expression on the valet’s face as she stepped out of the rented Mustang. She was too caught up in her thoughts to register the way people paused in conversation to watch her glide through the open lobby. The ocean breeze played with long, black hair that fell around her in soft waves. Heels clicked on the stone floor as she crossed to a railing and looked out over the beautiful resort.
She vowed never to come back to Hawaii and here she was. She arrived three hours ago, just long enough to pick up her rental car and make herself presentable for the wedding. Pride wouldn’t allow her to look less than her best. Her heart galloped in uneven rhythms. The only thing that kept her in place was the knowledge that her flight back to Seattle left in five hours. She would do what she had to and then leave. Simple.
The wedding invitation from Lee was an unrecognizable, crinkled ball in her clutch. She received it months ago and folded and unfolded the stock paper until it was as limp as a napkin. Lee included a short note with the invitation:
Juliet,
I’m getting married. My day won’t be complete without you here. No matter how much time has passed or how we feel about each other, you’re family. Nothing can change that. I hope you’re well and will consider being here on my wedding day.
-Lee
Juliet didn’t know if Lee’s words were sincere, but she would find out soon enough. Through oversized sunglasses, Juliet took in the picturesque ceremony taking place near the shoreline. A musician played Hawaiian music while a massive array of guests began to take their seats. The sun began its descent towards the ocean as the groom took his place at the front of the crowd. Juliet squinted her eyes to get a look at Lee, but she was too far away to see the changes time wrought in him.
Two bridesmaids were escorted down the grassy aisle covered in dainty white orchids. Juliet examined the groomsmen and wasn’t surprised to see Brent who had premature white hair even though he was only forty-two. He looked serious and forbidding despite the happy occasion. Even through her anxiety, Juliet noticed that Lee’s best man was tall, fair, husky and damn good-looking.
The musician began to sing What A Wonderful World, the Hawaiian version by Iz. Lee’s bride walked barefoot across the lawn in a flowing white gown. Her dress was simple, flattering and dreamy. The bride was a cute, petite Hawaiian woman with dark skin and eyes. The smile on Lee’s face said it all. This wasn’t an arranged marriage, it was a love match. Lee walked forward to claim his bride before he led her to the minister with their hands clasped. The ceremony began with the waves crashing on shore and a hushed silence overtaking the crowd.
Juliet was too far away to hear, so she took the opportunity to scan the guests. It took less than thirty-seconds to pinpoint Gray Grant. Her heartbeat sped up and she shivered even though it was uncomfortably warm. Gray wore a suit despite the casual attire of the other guests. Her oldest sister, Scarlet, sat beside him with a fidgeting little girl on her lap. Gray reached out for the child who went to him without hesitation. Juliet ignored the stir of emotions that evoked. There was a line of boy’s beside Scarlet. Surely, they didn’t all belong to her sister? In their youth, Scarlet vowed never to have any children.
Juliet zeroed in on a small figure at the end of the row who wasn’t watching the ceremony. Instead, the woman stared out at the ocean. She seemed completely oblivious to what was taking place in front of her. Callie was four years older than Juliet. Callie’s small stature made her appear young and fragile. She was the most like their mother—quiet, introspective and gentle.
Juliet tensed as the crowd cheered and the spectators around her clapped. Lee and his new wife made out at the altar as they sealed their wedding vows. The onlookers whistled and catcalled. Juliet could almost feel Gray’s disapproval of their PDA. She hoped he saw a lot of tongue.
The wedding party walked onto the beach for photos while the guests were directed to a nearby ballroom. People nabbed refreshments and strolled with small plates of food and flutes of champagne.
Juliet watched the wedding party pose for humorous and touching pictures that would make an impact later. From her perch, it looked as if the wedding was a happy affair thus far. Did she want to ruin that? It would be so easy to walk away. No one expected her to come. The wedding invitation was the first contact she had with any Grant for fifteen years. If she left, no one would be the wiser. There would be no drama, no scene. She could go back to her life in Seattle and continue to pretend as if she had never been a part of the Grant family.
Juliet caught sight of Gray moving through the crowd. He was hard to miss. His height, stature and charisma electrified the air around him. People either moved out of his way or approached with extreme caution and respect. Everyone knew he was a ruthless businessman, but only she knew of a streak of cruelty that he kept under lock and key. He was the reason she was here. A week ago, she discovered that even after all these years, Gray was manipulating her life. He was still making her suffer and she refused to do it in silence. There was nothing more he could do to her—he already took everything.
Juliet released her death grip on the railing and flicked hands damp with sweat. It shouldn’t take long to tell Gray to fuck off, she decided. Lightheaded with fear, Juliet descended the staircase, but by the time she made it to the lawn, Gray had disappeared into the ballroom. Juliet watched as the photographer used every bit of light from the sunset to capture the newlywed’s happiness. The moment the sun set, the photographer and her team rushed towards the ballroom, intent on getting as many shots of the elite guest list as possible.
When Lee and his bride Moana approached, Juliet told herself to turn away, but she didn’t. Juliet saw traces of the brother she’d known, now aged. His face was hard and chiseled with crow’s feet around the eyes. There was a hardness in him that hadn’t been there before and with his unnaturally dark skin, he was barely recognizable.
“Thanks for coming,” Lee said politely when he was close enough to be heard over the sound of the ocean.
Behind her sunglasses, Juliet blinked at the restrained greeting. He didn’t know who she was. A cowardly voice in the back of her mind urged her to smile, back off and get the hell out of here. Instead, Juliet removed her sunglasses with trembling hands. For a few seconds, Lee looked puzzled and then his eyes bugged.
“Juliet?” Lee br
eathed.
She rehearsed a million things to say when this moment came. Now that it was here, Juliet was mute. Fifteen years she’d been without family. The night Nora Lindsey approached her at the graduation party changed their lives. She wasn’t sure if Lee’s wedding invitation had been a lure to bring her back to punish or humiliate her further, but she chanced coming anyway. Juliet was tired of running from her past. She came here to face it head on.
They stared at one another.
When Lee made no move, her doubts about the sincerity of his invitation crystalized. The way he looked at her made her throat tighten. She was vaguely aware of the bridesmaids whispering nearby and others drawing near, but she was lost in an undertow of memories that wouldn’t let her draw breath. She took a step back to regain her composure, but didn’t make it far.
Lee lurched forward and embraced her. Juliet stood stiff and unresponsive in his grasp. Voices sounded around them. She felt the vibration of Lee’s voice as he answered. Every fiber of her being was focused on the fact that she was in his arms. She began to tremble. Lee’s hold tightened. He murmured something in her ear. She didn’t hear what he was saying, but she registered his tone—soothing, comforting. Something in her fractured and in that moment, she knew she made the right choice to come. No matter what happened, she had Lee and that was worth any price. Juliet buried her face against his shoulder as she tried to control her emotions.
“I’m here. It’s okay,” Lee murmured.
It wasn’t okay. It would never be okay, but nonetheless, his reassurance made her feel better. When she was in control of herself, she tapped Lee’s side and he loosened his grip. Before she could back away, he clasped her face between large hands, forcing her to meet his gaze.
“You came,” Lee whispered.
“I did. How’d you find me?” She was relieved that her voice was steady.
“Private investigator.”
She mulled that over for a second and then, “I’m sorry I didn’t RSVP.”
He chuckled and brushed a kiss over her forehead. “You think I wouldn’t save you a seat?” He drew back and his eyes roved over her face. “You’re beautiful.”
She gave him a wobbly smile. “Thanks. You, too.”
Lee laughed. “This is Moana, my wife.”
Juliet held out a hand to Moana, unsure of her reception. Juliet was completely out of her element. “Thank you for inviting me.”
Moana beamed and kissed Juliet on the cheek. “I’m so happy you made it.”
Juliet expected accusations, screeching fights and people casting stones. This wasn’t going the way she anticipated. She was about to let her guard down when Brent stalked forward. His hands were balled into fists and he was close to losing it. A bolt of fear lanced through her, but she didn’t let it take hold.
“What are you doing here?” Brent snarled.
Moana jerked and the bridesmaid’s mouths dropped open.
This was the reception she expected. She shoved away the warmth Lee and Moana roused in her and beckoned the cold that got her through hell. She met his furious eyes without flinching. “Hey, big brother. Nice to see you too.”
“How dare you show your face here?” Brent hissed.
Lee faced Brent and gave him a quelling look. “I invited her.”
“You what? Are you insane?” Brent exploded. “Dad’s gonna flip!”
“She’s family,” Lee bit out.
Brent gave Juliet a scathing glance. “No, she isn’t. She’s nothing to me.”
“If you don’t like it, you can leave,” Lee said calmly.
Lee’s best man stood beside Brent who turned purple with rage. In contrast, the best man was the epitome of relaxed. There was something in his green gaze, a competence that said he was more than capable of restraining Brent. He watched the confrontation between the Grant brothers with an inscrutable expression.
Juliet opened her mouth to speak, but Moana wrapped an arm around her waist and led her towards the ballroom.
“Are you hungry? I’m starving,” Moana exclaimed.
“Excuse me, I—” Juliet half turned as her brothers got in each other’s faces.
“Let Lee deal with it,” Moana said. “He can handle Brent.”
Juliet wanted to tell Moana that she was more than capable of handling Brent herself, but she didn’t want to argue with the bride.
“When did you fly in?” Moana asked, still pulling her firmly towards the ballroom.
“A couple of hours ago.”
Moana paused, an appalled look on her face. “You must be exhausted!”
She didn’t tell Moana that she hadn’t had a good night’s sleep for fifteen years. “I’m fine.”
Before they reached the ballroom, they were assaulted by dozens of well-wishers. Juliet broke away and headed inside. She welcomed the blast of air conditioning and appreciated the dim lighting. She made her way to the bar and ordered two shots of tequila. Seriously on edge and desperate for this to be over, Juliet looked around the ballroom for Gray. He was seated at a table with a group of men she pegged as workaholic businessmen at a glance. Gray Grant had a herd of distinguished politicians, law enforcement and entrepreneurs at his beck and call. Gray was a dangerous adversary. How could she have been dumb enough to underestimate his loathing for her? It turned her stomach that she once called him Daddy.
Juliet knew the exact moment Gray spotted her. She could feel the intensity of his gaze across the room, but was too far away to read his expression. Was it shock, wariness or fury lighting his eyes? She had every intention of facing Gray once and for all. She hoped Lee would forgive her. She was tired of trying to outrun nightmares. She had to face the monster once and for all.
Juliet downed the tequila and started across the ballroom. She didn’t take her eyes off her target. It had been fifteen long years of trials. She dreamed of facing Gray as a successful entrepreneur, but that wasn’t her current reality. She failed to make it in the business world, but it wasn’t for lack of trying. She’d been rejected and fired so many times that she lost track a long time ago. Adrenaline mixed with tequila. Did Gray suspect the scene she was about to cause? He should be very afraid. Because of him, she had nothing to lose.
A man stepped in front of her, blocking her path to Gray. Juliet opened her mouth to tell him to get out of the way and then registered who it was. Her temper, which had been a seething mass inside of her exploded. Her ex-lover and business partner looked down at her with an alarmed expression.
“Chad.” She resisted the urge to sock him in the face.
“What are you doing here?” he hissed, gripping her arm and trying to move her in the opposite direction.
She planted her feet and tried to shrug him off. “You know damn well why I’m here.”
“I told you the truth so you’d stop badgering me, not so you could make a scene!” Chad said in a scandalized tone.
“Let me go,” she ordered.
“You aren’t going to ruin my partnership with him!”
“A partnership you gained by getting rid of me!”
“He’s Gray Grant. What did you expect me to do?”
“I expected you to tell him to piss off.”
Chad shook his head. “You don’t get it. He offered me the chance of a lifetime. I couldn’t turn him down.”
“It took three years to build up that business and I worked three times as hard as you,” she said through clenched teeth. “Then, you have the nerve to accuse me of embezzling with false evidence!”
“I told you why I did that,” he said in a stifled tone.
She gave him a sharp shove. “Then you know why I’m going to do this.”
Chad’s eyes were wide with alarm as she continued on her path towards Gray. Seeing Chad gave her the resolve to follow through on her destructive path. She couldn’t do anything to Gray’s precious company, but she could hit him where it hurt—his image and ego. She could make a scene, which he avoided at all costs. Having his adopted d
aughter reappear and accuse him of blackmail in front of his colleagues would spread like wildfire.
A bruising grip jerked her to a halt. Chad shoved her into a shadowed corner.
“You’re not ruining this for me,” he decreed.
Juliet resisted the urge to rake her nails down his face. “You really think you can stop me?”
His face hardened. “I will.”
She couldn’t believe she ever trusted this guy or let him touch her. “Did you stop to think why Gray approached you in the first place? Why he wouldn’t make the deal if I was involved with the company?”
Chad scowled. “He sees my potential. The company is stronger with me at the helm.”
“He can see your weaknesses,” she corrected. “That’s how he knew how to manipulate you.”
He gave a long-suffering sigh and clasped her shoulders. “Juliet, I know you’re upset, but it doesn’t have to be like this. Just move back in. I can take care of you. With the money he invested, I can—”
“How dare you?” Juliet hissed.
“Juliet?”
Callie appeared beside Chad, eyes wide with shock. She looked a lot like Scarlet with blonde hair and blue eyes, but she had a sprinkle of freckles on her nose that made her appear much younger. Juliet’s eyes dropped to Callie’s pregnant stomach, which stretched the material of her dress. Chad immediately dropped back a step, recognizing Callie as one of the heirs to the Grant empire.
“Is it really you?” Callie lifted a hand to her mouth as she took Juliet in. “You’re gorgeous.”
“So are you,” Juliet said politely.
Shared memories of the last time they saw each other crackled in the air between them.
“You know each other?” Chad asked, breaking the awkward silence.
Juliet gave him a steely smile. “Gray is my adopted father.”
Chad paled. “He’s what?”