Page 24 of Unravel You

“Bridget knows how to push my buttons. She said something about you paying the consequences if I didn’t give her more money.”

Valentina pressed a hand to her forehead. No doubt a hundred scenarios ran through her head. Bridget had a gambling addiction. It made her irrational and volatile at times.

“And Max? We need to go home.”

“He’s fine. Our house is practically a fortress. Also, I received notice she’d left town an hour ago.” I fished my cell from the back pocket of my jeans and showed her the text. “He’s safe.”

“I thought she was getting help to deal with her issues. What happened?”

“I’m not sure. She checked out of rehab a few days ago. I didn’t think she’d have the balls to come back and ask me for more money.” I pulled her into my arms, and she relaxed against my chest. “She’s gone. I made it clear to her that she wasn’t getting anything else from us.”

“You’ll tell me if she shows up in Tucson again? I don’t want Max there alone if she’s lurking around.”

“I will. I promise.” I kissed the top of her head. Leaving town had been the right thing to do. It forced Bridget to give up on her plan. She didn’t know where we were, only that Valentina and Max were out of her reach. “I can’t wait to get you home.”

She laughed, snuggling closer to me. Desire flooded my senses when she ran her hand up my thigh and stopped an inch from my crotch. “Vail was nice.”

When the car pulled into the long driveway up to the main house, Valentina sat up and lowered her window, looking upward at the tall trees on either side of the road. Up ahead Cole Estate stood proud with its stone walls and white pillars lining the front facade.

“Are you kidding me?” She turned to me with furrowed brows.

The Cole Estate was in Atlanta proper, nestled in Druid Hills. Three generations had lived in this house. I grew up here. Tearing it down or selling the home, as Dad wanted to do, would have been a real shame. He’d called it a money pit. The house needed a lot of repairs, as any house built in the forties would, but to me, it was worth every penny.

“I had pictured a more normal place, but I should know better by now.”

The smile she flashed me released the knot I’ve had in my stomach since I got the call about Bridget. “Are you impressed?”

“I don’t thinkimpressedis the word I’d use.”

“It’s been under renovation for two years, but it’s finally done. Wait ’til you see the gardens. You’ll forget you’re still in the city.”

As soon as we pulled up to the front door, I climbed out of the car and walked around to meet Valentina. She leaned against the passenger door and stared with wide eyes. “I’m afraid to go inside. I feel like I’m going to lose you in there.”

“That’s never going to happen. You’re stuck with me. This is our home.” I took her hand in mine and pulled her up the steps to the grand porch. I finally had the chance to show her the place where I’d spent so many of my childhood years. “How about I give you a tour of our bedroom first?”

“Okay.” She giggled, then froze.

I turned around to find Mom standing in the threshold, holding her reading glasses between her thumb and index finger, short-platinum hair perfectly framing her face. Her hazel gaze surveyed Valentina from head to toe before she extended her hand. This was the same act she used on all our girlfriends. Mine and my brothers’.

“You must be Valentina. Look at you. You’ve been traveling all day, and you look like you just stepped out of a magazine. Bless your heart, to be so young again.”

“Nice to meet you.” Valentina shot me an inquisitive look.

I wedged myself between them. “I promise you that was the worst of it,” I said to Valentina before I hugged Mom. “I see you haven’t lost your touch.”

“I’m happy you’re both here. Come in.” She let the door fall open behind her.

My chest welled up with pride when I walked into the foyer. The old, shaggy carpet had been replaced with shiny marble floors.

Mom wrapped her arm around my waist, beaming up at me. “We were able to salvage most of the original flooring. The missing pieces we had to order from Italy. What do you think?”

“It looks amazing, Mom.”

“Oh, here.” She placed her hand on Valentina’s lower back. “Do you want to see the kitchen? It had to be gutted completely, but we kept the wrought-iron fireplace.” She ushered Valentina past the grand staircase toward the back.

I took Valentina’s hand and pointed at the drawing room to her right. “The old place had three separate drawing rooms like this one. And a super-tiny kitchen. Go figure.”

“This is incredible. I can see why you’re so proud of it.”

---