Page 81 of Red

Erik glanced at the kitchen doorway. Melinda was in her office, tucked into her sorrow and anger. His youngest brother was in hiding. The land for the casino had been purchased, and he’d have his dream fulfilled within months. And all it cost him was his brother and the innocence of a woman.

He’d put his wants in front of everything of everyone around him. And now they were all paying the price.

“Why didn’t he fucking say something? To you if not me?” Erik knew he could be overwhelming when he had his mind set on a goal, but Nico had Ian.

“I don’t know, but, for now, he’s at least safe.”

“Do I want to know where he is?”

“Just leave him be. I know you’re still pissed—”

“Pissed? Ian, he took my wife and handed her over to a fucking lunatic! Do you think he wasn’t going to kill her? If we hadn’t been there. If her father hadn’t shown up—” Erik bit down on his lip. His voice rose with each word, and Melinda would hear. “I could have lost her.”

Ian put his cup down, the hard clank testimony to his own aggravation. “But you didn’t. She’s here. Right in the other fucking room, but you’ve avoided her as much as she avoids you. Since when do you allow that?”

“I’m not allowing anything. She needs time to heal. Her fucking father died, Ian. Killed right in front of her. Because of me.”

“No. Because of her father! It was his past that caught up to him and her.” Ian jabbed his finger at Erik.

“She’s never had a chance. Every fucking turn she’s made, there’s been someone there fucking everything up for her. I’m not doing that anymore.” Erik shoved away from the table, his decision made and the course set. He wouldn’t be the reason Melinda withered away in despair.

* * *

Melinda satat her desk when Erik entered the office. She didn’t look up from her computer; her fingers continued to fly over the keys. He’d watched her before while she was typing. It was like she had no idea the real world continued to move around her while she was lost in her mind.

“Melinda.” He stood at her desk, his fingers pressed into the well-varnished wood. If he’d put as much thought into what the right thing was when his uncle’s attorney explained the requirements for his inheritance as he had into crafting the perfect desk for her, she wouldn’t be hurting now.

Her fingers paused over the keys.

“We need to talk,” he stated.

Her chin snapped up, bringing her gaze in line with his.

“About what?” she asked softly. Apprehension played in her features. How could it not? Nothing had been fully in her power in her entire life, and even less so in the last months.

“I’ve made a decision.” He rolled his shoulders, straightening his spine. “Since my inheritance has been fully transferred and all the strings my uncle had me tied with aren’t an issue anymore, there’s no point in continuing on with”—he paused a beat—“us.”

Her eyes widened a fraction. “What does that mean?” She sat back in her chair, her story forgotten. “You’re just letting me go? After all your insistence?”

“Now that I have the land for the casino and the business plans settled, I’ve realized there’s no need to hold you to our vows. So, yes, you’re free to go.” His tongue thickened on the words. If his uncle’s lawyer wanted to enforce the divorce clause, he’d find a way to deal with it. It wasn’t worth her pain. Not anymore.

“Just like that?” She stood from her chair, studying him. The feathery quiver in her voice gave her away, but he wouldn’t point it out. He’d let her wear her mask.

“Yes. Just like that.” He dragged in a long, heated breath. “Ian will take you to your grandmother’s house. I have your bags being packed right now. Of course, you may take the desk, but it will have to be delivered to you later. For now, take what will fit in the car, and I’ll have the rest packed up.”

She flinched, as though his words had smacked her. “You want me to leave now?”

“Yes. Now.” He nodded. “I’ll have the papers drawn up for your signature. I figure we can be done with all of this within a week.”

Her bottom lip trembled, but she hid it quickly behind her fingertips. The muscles of her throat clenched, and he noticed the tension building in her shoulders. She would hold herself back. She wouldn’t make herself vulnerable to him, not after what he’d already said.

“So, that’s it? You got your casino, and now I’m useless to you?” The anguish leaked into her words, though he knew she’d tried to cover it up.

The icy hand gripping his heart squeezed harder. “Yes. This was never really a marriage, we both know that. It was fun, but…well, it’s not now.”

Red covered her cheeks, in fury or despair he wasn’t sure, but it didn’t matter. He was getting his point across.

“Not fun,” she whispered, lowering her gaze from his.

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