Page 23 of Joel
“You can’t prove anything.”
“Check your email.”
There’s a long silence on the other end as he no doubt finds the email in question. The one filled with just a few pieces of damning evidence concerning the wreckages I mentioned. I have more should I need them.
“Fifteen thousand.”
“Ten.”
“Twelve, and that’s my final offer.”
“Done.”
“If anything happens to Mercer Industries, I’m taking Kylie down with me.”
“Send the contractual release to Kylie today, and I’ll send you the money settling her debt to you in full. She no longer works for you, or has any obligation—past, present, or future—to Mercer Industries.” I choose my words carefully, so they can’t be construed as a bribe on this recorded call—I have little doubt Todd is recording it, but I am too in case it’s needed in a future court proceeding.
Todd ends the call without another word. But after the email I sent, I know he’ll come through. He might have an ego the size of the ocean, but the man’s self-preservation instincts will trump that.
Most importantly, Kylie will finally be free.
11
KYLIE
“I knewit was love at first site,” Ella Harris gushes from the waiting area as an older woman—Mona—helps me into a simple yet elegant silk gown behind a dressing room curtain. At least I think it’s Ella. I made a point to memorize their names at our very tasty brunch earlier: Blakely—married to Jaxson, Ella—married to Jordan, Serenity—married to James, Mara—married to Jonas, and Vanessa—married to Jasper.
But I’m still learning voices.
Why? Good question.
I know I can’t stay, but I’d be lying if I said the fantasy wasn’t fun to entertain. That instead of having no family—Mom has been absent in my life ever since her divorce with Todd—I suddenly have a whole gang of people who care about what happens to me. None of these women would ever dare ask me to get in a skiff on the Bering Sea—by myself—to hunt for illegal treasure.
Not only did these womennottry to talk me out of such a fast wedding to a man I’ve known less than three days, but they’ve gone positively feral with planning the whole thing. They refuse to let me have a simple courthouse wedding.
I always wanted sisters.
A silent disappointed sigh slips out.
Guess I’ll have to jilt Joel at the altar tomorrow after all.
The thought saddens me more than it should. He’s mypretendfiancé. This is all a ruse to get back at his well-meaning, but albeit overbearing friends, and hopefully give him a reprieve from their exhaustive matchmaking efforts. After I break his heart, they should back off. And I’ll be halfway across the country, unable to be reached. The second I’m done with Todd, I’m getting a new phone number.
Still, I wasn’t ready to leave North Haven so soon.
Todd probably thinks I’m out on the water today, but fuck Todd. I’ll find the money I need—I’ll beg for it if I have to—and pay him off. I’m fuckingdone. And if that’s not good enough, I’ll just disappear. Hell, maybe itwouldbe better if he thought I drowned in the Bering Sea. He wouldn’t look for me. He’d wipe his hands clean and make sure no one could tie him back to my untimely disappearance.
“You ready to see yourself, honey?” the grandmotherly figure, Mona, asks as she zips up the back of the gown.
“Ready as I’ll ever be.”
Mona tugs back the curtain, and the women piled on circled folding chairs collectively gasp.
“Oh, Kylie,” Blakely says, throwing both hands over her mouth.
Several sets of eyes are shiny with tears. Half the women are pregnant, so it might just be hormones. But it’s still flattering.
I step onto the round pedestal and face the mirror.
