Page 31 of Conner's Choice
Lexi squared her shoulders. “I regret it. We both got played. Kevin is sleeping with Alexa Wainwright. She admitted it to me Saturday night at the event.”
“I know. I caught them in bed,mybed, after the party.”
“Wait a minute. You said you were going out of town for a few days.”
“I lied. To set up Kevin and Alexa. I’ve been planning to divorce him all along. I only needed proof of his infidelity.”
“You’re very clever, Elizabeth. You’ve been holding your cards close to your chest. I never thought you were that smart. So, did you kick Kevin out?”
“No. I left him.” Elizabeth tapped the envelope against her left hand, drawing Lexi’s attention.
“What’s that?” she asked.
“Your severance check,” Elizabeth answered and handed the envelope to her. “And a letter of recommendation.”
When Lexi saw the amount of the check and read the letter, tears burned in her eyes. “I don’t deserve this.”
“Take it and start over somewhere else, Lexi. If you don’t leave Denver, your name will be dragged through the mud. Alexa Wainwright is a lawyer. She can work for another firm anywhere she wants. You don’t have the same luxury without a college degree. I’ll remove your name from the complaint if you leave. Go. Don’t waste this opportunity.”
“A detective accused me of plotting to poison you, Elizabeth,” she blurted in a rush. “I swear I had nothing to do with it. Kevin poisoned the diamond necklace he gave you. In exchange for immunity, I got Alexa to confess she’s sleeping with him.”
Elizabeth smiled and nodded. “Yes, I know. Thanks for cooperating.”
“As if I had a choice,” Lexi declared with a toss of her head. Staring at Elizabeth with something akin to respect in her eyes, she added, “Kevin doesn’t know you at all, does he?”
“No. But he’s about to find out exactly who I am.”
Chapter Ten
Kevin paced thefloor in his office at Barnes, Warner, and Wainwright, wondering how long Lizzie had known about his affairs, and, more importantly, how she figured out the code to get into his study. He’d done a quick inventory. None of his files were missing, and checking the history on his laptop proved his wife hadn’t used it. What a shock, though, when he’d discovered her wedding rings lying on it. The fact that the diamond necklace was gone gave him much satisfaction. It was only a matter of time before Lizzie dropped dead. Since they were estranged, he’d be the prime suspect. But he’d planted fentanyl in Lexi’s apartment, and if Lizzie named her assistant in the divorce complaint, it would provide an even stronger motive for murder.
Lexi.
He was furious with her. According to Alexa, she knew about his affair with his partner. Had she run to Lizzie with the truth? He needed answers, but Lexi wasn’t answering any of his calls. He regretted getting involved with her and imagined choking the life out of her.
Kevin sat at his desk and tried to work on Ray’s case as his anger simmered, keeping him on the verge of exploding.
An hour later, a stranger walked uninvited into his office. Frowning, he asked, “Who the hell are you?”
“Kevin Warner, Jr.?”
“Yeah.”
“You’ve been served.” The process server handed Kevin a manila envelope. “Have a nice day.”
He tore it open, scanned the contents, and emitted a roar of pure rage as his heart palpitated and his face burned with fire. Lizzie had already filed for a divorce, which meant she’d been planning it for a while. And… Kevin nearly experienced an apoplectic seizure when he noticed the name of her lawyer.Conner O’Donnell. What the hell? She’d acted as if she’d just met him for the first time on Saturday night. He couldn’t believe it. He hadn’t been duped this badly since he’d represented the couple who’d sold their baby. How? How had this happened without his knowing? Kevin’s eyes narrowed as he re-read the specific details of the complaint.
Lizzie claimed emotional abuse, neglect, and adultery. Alexa had been named and… His blood pressure rose, and he thought his head would explode when he realized Lexi had not been included in the complaint. She’d betrayed him, after all. She told Lizzie about his affair with her and Alexa, and in exchange, his wife let her off the hook. It also explained why Lexi hadn’t been in touch with him after pestering him for days. Damn. He shouldn’t have ignored her. Well, it didn’t matter. He’d make sure she paid for crossing him.
Needing to release his tension, Kevin called Alexa and asked her to come to his office. She entered his richly furnished suite, locked the door, and closed the blinds. She knew exactly what he needed. Without a word, he let down his pants, lifted her skirt, bent her over his desk, and thrust into her. After emptying himself in her, they adjusted their clothing and ended their moment with a hot kiss.
When they broke apart, Kevin showed her the divorce papers. “Can you believe it?”
Alexa reviewed the document he handed her. “Lizzie certainly didn’t waste any time, did she?”
“Notice whose name is missing in the complaint.” He was getting agitated again.
Alexa shrugged. “Maybe your wife felt sorry for her and didn’t want to cause her any embarrassment.”
