Page 106 of Beautiful Betrayal

I study him a moment more and I believe him, I do, but I also know he’s worried.

“I will not hold you back, Mia,” he adds as if he’s reading my mind. “That’s not love. That’s not a partnership. If you want to do this, we both need you to do this.”

His voice radiates with the passion of conviction. “All right then. This will please Delaney. And me. Thank you for supporting me.”

“No thanks ever needed, baby. Call her.” He kisses me and then walks away.

I turn and watch him with all his grace and male beauty saunter back to the table, a regal tiger that could pounce or purr at any moment, and my heart swells with love. He sits down facing in my direction and when his eyes meet mine, there is this punch of awareness between us, and I can almost feel our bond grow right here and now.

I smile.

He smiles.

God, I love his smile.

And I love him.

In this moment, I know that Ri won’t win or beat us. We will win. Together.

Chapter seventy

Mia

Delaney Wittmore answers on the first ring. “My God, Mia. Did you see me on the television?Again.” She sounds frazzled and hoarse, her tone a raspy, after-crying tone I know well. I had it often after Grayson and I broke up. A break-up that could have been avoided, while Delaney couldn’t have fixed her problems with her husband. He was an abuser who would have seen her dead before he let her leave him.

“I did, actually,” I say, leaning on the bar and staring at a television with yet another image of her on the screen. “But you knew this was going to happen. That’s the thing, Delaney. A deal doesn’t stop the press from a fascination with you. True crime rules the networks these days. You don’t escape this for you or your daughter, just by taking a deal.”

“Well, it doesn’t matter, does it? They won’t give me a deal.”

“Look,” I say, “if you take a deal or if you’re convicted, the family will likely sue for your inheritance.”

“I don’t want it. I have my interior design business. I can make my own money.”

“They’ll sue for your daughter’s inheritance.”

“Can they do that?”

“They can. They will.”

She’s silent a moment. “I should have run away and hidden years ago, but I didn’t want to do that to my daughter. And he wasn’t a man to let me run away. He would have found me. What next?”

“Here’s what I want us to do. I met with Reese Summer today. He’s well-respected. He wins. He’s ethical. I want to bring him in as part of your team. Google him. You’ll understand why.”

“I know who he is. I considered talking to him before you, but I really wanted a woman and when I met you, I was sold. This wouldn’t change you being on my team, right?”

“Not at all. This just offers you extra support, but he needs to believe in you how I do. He wants to meet tomorrow morning. Early. He’s got a trial going on right now.” I don’t tell her we’ll have to push back the trial. I want Reese to win her over first. “Can you do it?”

“Yes. I’ll be there.” I give her the address and directions with the help of the bartender.

“Got it,” she says. “Mia, thank you.”

“Thank me by staying strong.”

We disconnect and I return to the table as Reese is standing to leave. “She’ll be here,” I say quickly. “And I’ve reconsidered. I think a partnership works.”

Reese smiles. “I thought you might and I’m glad you did.”

He and I shake on our agreement. He and Grayson shake on their agreement. Cat and I hug. “You two are going to be magic together. I feel it.”

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