Page 30 of Ruin Me

“Do you recognize someone?” I asked.

“Not sure.” He stared at a corner in the image before shaking his head. “I can’t be positive.”

“But there’s a person who reminds you of somebody?” I pushed because we had nothing.

Kent returned the photo before snagging Fred’s attention. “Is Paulina Finch a regular?”

“Paulina?” Fred broke into a smile. “She’s a guest of honor whenever she comes around. She did me a huge favor and sped up my permits and licenses before I opened. I didn’t know what the hell I was doing and was looking at delaying my openingand losing a ton of money. We call her Brewfully Yours’ fairy godmother. She’s always been flattered by the moniker and stops by two to three times a week.”

“Is she significant somehow?” I retrieved the discarded photo.

Behind the now deceased woman, the photographer captured a partial profile of a woman seated with a blonde. Unfortunately, the other woman was facing away from the camera and only her hair and the back of her shirt was captured. I made a note to myself to forward the image to my team to enhance the corner. Even if I couldn’t identify the second lady, maybe a clearer picture would provide another lead, however of a long shot it might be.

“I can’t think how. She’s the Director of Boards and Commissions. Unless these women were trying to open a business, they wouldn’t have a reason to know her. And given this place’s popularity, if the woman in the photo is her, she’s there by coincidence.”

Fred handed me the rest of the pictures. “Listen, I wish I could think of something, but I can’t. Every interaction I recall having with them was normal and nothing from those days pop out as being memorable.”

“Thanks anyway. I knew it was a long shot.” I packed the pictures away and retrieved my business card. “But if something comes up, please call me. Clearing Kent’s name is important, but not as important as giving these women’s families the answers they need.”

We departed from the cafe in contemplative silence, hand in hand.

“This morning when I found you in the office, I thought you were working so hard because Elsie had been hurt. I didn’t realize I was the one driving you to these lengths.”

I pulled out of his hold and waited until he turned to look at me. “I like and respect Elsie, but…” I took a deep breath. “As horrible as this will make me sound, it’s your safety that drives me. I can’t help but fear that whoever is targeting these women will turn their violence on you because you haven’t given them something they wanted. And I couldn’t live knowing I hadn’t done enough to help stop them before they went too far.”

“And I don’t want you painting a target on your back because we’re together now.”

“But no one knows about us.”

“Yet, and not because I want to hide you from the world.”

I swallowed because he was right. I was the one hiding what we were becoming, although I had a lapse with the kiss we shared. I looked from left to right, wondering if anyone was watching us. If I’d exposed our secret because I was desperate for a kiss.

I cleared my throat. “How about a compromise?”

CHAPTER 13

Kent

While Madison met with Luxe Locations’ in-house public relations, I stared out of my office window, contemplating the state of my affairs. Speculation dogged me everywhere I went, dampening the little joy I’d eked out of life since Lola’s passing.

I lived for Ife and my company since her death, almost certain I’d never feel adrenaline pumping through my veins again. Then Madison appeared and my heart raced with excitement. I was rusty at the relationship thing, but rediscovering what it’s like to be someone’s man again, to think about someone else’s needs and provide them… I wanted that. Dreamt of us together for everyone to see.

To think, at the mere suggestion of more than one date from any of the women I’ve slept with in the past year caused me to ghost them. I’d been running from anything deeper for so long, but with Madison, I had no choice. She was my match in so many ways. She was perfect in a different way than Lola. What I felt for Madison didn’t diminish the love I had for my late wife butneither were the growing feelings for Madison any less potent. They were stronger.

And with all the shit thrusting me in the headlines, painting me as a monster, I didn’t want Madison’s reputation destroyed because of me.

The irony. She only returned to Douglas to rehab my status in society, however she now needed to focus on not being too closely associated with me. And my real worry was her safety. Madison was gifted at re-engineering people’s reputations. She could revamp hers whenever she wanted, but she shouldn’t have to.

In my mind, whoever was targeting the women I dated months ago was the real danger, and I needed to protect Madison. But how do I convince her without scaring her?

We were still new. Maybe it was my age, but I didn’t want to waste time. One benefit of conceding the fight against myself was without the ego and pride blinding me, I had every reason to knock down any barriers to claiming her.

But was she ready?

Despite admitting she hasn’t stopped loving me from when she was younger, that was the love of a misguided child. She’s a woman now. Did she understand the difference?

Not to mention, yesterday’s reminder after our public kiss made her more skittish about publicizing our relationship. I clenched my teeth, hating the secrecy.

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