Total pages in book: 96
Estimated words: 91357 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 457(@200wpm)___ 365(@250wpm)___ 305(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 91357 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 457(@200wpm)___ 365(@250wpm)___ 305(@300wpm)
But he’d been sent here to corral Nicole into going home with him, and he stood to watch his father go to prison while the family business he was due to take over was destroyed by greed.
“Tyler, don’t you dare hurt Macy,” Nicole said. “You have commitments in New York, and she’s not a city girl who can slip into the role of society wife.”
“Like you did?” Tyler asked, unable to hide his obvious hurt.
Nicole’s chest hurt, surprising sympathy for him filling her. “I’m sorry. I ended things as soon as I realized I wouldn’t be happy. I didn’t lead you on. And I just don’t want you to set Macy up for a fall by making her believe she has a chance with you when all you want or can give her is a fling.”
Tyler straightened his shoulders. “Don’t take this the wrong way, but my love life is none of your business. Not anymore.”
Nicole nodded, not insulted in the least.
“Before you go, leave me names,” Sam instructed Tyler. “I want to have Mike run a check on these Russian guys. Meanwhile, head home and try to get a handle on things there. I’m taking Nicole out of town for the rest of the weekend. I want the Russians gone and Serendipity back to people I know and recognize before we return.” He pinned Nicole with his gaze, daring her to argue with him.
She might not like being told what to do but she wasn’t stupid, either. Having the mob show up in town had scared her. Getting away with Sam was exactly what she intended to do.
* * *
Sam waited until Tyler left and he had Nicole alone before changing the focus of the conversation. She sat in the club chair her ex had vacated, her entire body stiff. He wasn’t sure if she was upset about the Russians being in town today or the fact that he was still vibrating with anger at Tyler, her family and the entire situation. If she were smart, she’d go with the latter.
Although they’d agreed on casual, he was still hurt over the fact that she’d kept all this inside her from the minute they’d hooked up. He was a cop. Didn’t she think he could help her? Protect her? “How—”
“I wanted to tell you,” she said, cutting off his question.
He flexed his fingers, his tension still high. “Then why didn’t you?”
She rose from the chair and walked over. He couldn’t tear his gaze from the long legs protruding from her white lace skirt. “You’re a cop.”
He raised his eyebrows. “My point exactly. Who better to look out for you? To help you figure out what to do?”
She braced her hands on his waist, and his frustration began to recede at her soft touch. He didn’t understand his reaction, but he focused on her face and her sincere expression.
“Because you’re a cop, I assumed you’d have to report whatever I told you about illegal activity. I didn’t want to put you in a compromising position. Now you’re there anyway.” She shook her head and looked away. “How did you find out?”
“You were looking out for me?” he asked, addressing the most important part of what was racing through his mind first.
“Don’t sound so shocked.”
She pulled away and walked back toward the fireplace, staring at the photos on the mantel. Sam looked over her shoulder. Pictures of Nicole and her twin through the years. None of her parents. No friends. Obviously, she didn’t extend herself to others easily. Yet she’d done so with him.
And she’d taken him off guard with her admission. He was so used to looking out for others—by profession and by family code—he wasn’t used to being on the receiving end of someone putting him first. And it humbled him that she’d think of him when her entire life was imploding.
But that didn’t change the facts. “Look, you weren’t far off,” he started to explain to her. “I do have to act on the information but not without a plan. Not without coordinating with you. We can spend the next few days implementing a strategy, but to do that, I need to pull in some people.”
“But—”
He held up one hand. “People I trust. Like my brother, who has contacts in Manhattan, and my brother-in-law Cole.”
“He hates me,” she blurted out.
Sam shook his head. “No, he’s just a tough nut to crack. Once you get to know him better, you’ll see what I mean.”
“Maybe hate is the wrong word. But he equates me with Victoria. I’m not so sure he’ll want to go out on a limb to help me.”
Sam crossed the space dividing them and pulled her back into his arms. “When it came down to it, you helped Erin. You can be damn sure I’ll remind Cole of that fact. Not that I think he’s forgotten. He’s just wary.”