Page 36 of Deny Me
Vicky stammered a, “S-sure,” before turning to Charlotte. Excitement lit her hazel eyes. “And speaking of security, I know we’ve canceled your attendance at the Magnolia Ball this weekend, but…”
The Magnolia Ball was the charity event of the year in Atlanta, attended by everyone who was anyone. Far too big an event for them to cover safely. Dread sparked in King’s gut.
“But what?” Charlotte asked. “Stop keeping me in suspense and spill it.”
“But…” Vicky bounced up on her toes. “I just received a call from this year’s committee chair. It seems they’ve had a specific request for your presence to receive a hundred-thousand-dollar donation.”
Charlotte’s mouth dropped open. “From whom?”
Vicky shrugged as if thewhomdidn’t matter. “Someone who wishes to remain anonymous. Isn’t it awesome? Surely with a contribution that huge, we can arrange for you to attend?” Her hopeful gaze flicked from Charlotte to King to Saint and back again.
“Charlotte,” King warned.
Her raised hand stopped his words, then dropped to the desk to tap out a rhythm. “Do you know how many women and families we can help with that money, King?”
He stared at her hard, trying to convey the risk, the certainty that this was no coincidence. Someone was laying a trap, whether she wanted to believe it or not.
“How do you know the donation will actually materialize?” Saint asked, adding his own caution to King’s look.
“We don’t,” Charlotte said. “But if there’s any possibility…”
King could already tell they were fighting a losing battle. Charlotte would do anything for Creating Families, even if it meant putting herself in danger.
He glanced at Vicky. The woman leaned against the desk, happily going over details of the event with Charlotte. He caught Charlotte’s gaze and gestured to the hall, then pulled Saint out with him. Once there, he lowered his voice. “Can we get the name of our mystery nurse to the team?”
Saint wiggled his phone in the air. “Already done. Dain’s got Elliot on it.”
“Text him about this event as well. We’ll need his authority to nix it.”
Saint snickered. “I’ll tell him, but I don’t think nixing it is going to be as easy as you think it is.”
“This is a trap and we both know it. Charlotte can send someone else.”
“An obvious trap,” Saint agreed. “We need to figure out who’s planning it. But we have to consider something else, King.”
“What’s that?”
“This may be the fastest, surest way to find our go-between. Someone is contacting these families and offering the arrangement, and that’s who we have to find. They’ll be at that ball, no doubt about it.”
“We are not using Charlotte as bait!”
Saint’s shrug didn’t reassure him. “Keep fooling yourself, buddy. That choice is up to her, and we both know what it’s going to be. I’d start checking into a tux rental if I were you.”
“Me?”
“You.” Saint’s dark eyes practically twinkled. “What you wanna bet you get assigned as Ms. Alexander’s escort?”
King didn’t have to think about it; he already knew. King had connections to nearly everyone who would be at that party, and Dain wasn’t about to show any mercy in exploiting that.
King was screwed, and not in a good way.
Chapter Seventeen
Saint left to retrieve the car for them. King nudged Charlotte toward the door, breaking off from Vicky’s excited rambling about the Magnolia Ball. They’d done all they could here at Creating Families; now it was time to rejoin his team and figure out all the loose ends they’d discovered.
As they stood on the steps outside the door, waiting for Saint, King noticed Charlotte’s fingers, now rubbing at her forehead, were shaking. His first instinct was to take those fingers in his and steady her, share his strength. And then, just like he had dozens of times since this had all started, he remembered she wasn’t his to comfort, not anymore.
And not for the first time, denial crowded his throat, threatening to burst forth.
