Page 17 of The Vow Thief
Jim finished his glass of wine and set it down with care.“There is one other thing. A new client in Charleston. I want you to take a trip down there, Matt. Meet them, secure the deal. Officially, it’s work. Unofficially, it’s distance. Think of it as a chance to get out of sight while this storm calms down.”
“Do you mean start the relocation?” Sarah asked.
“No. The relocation is off the table for now,” Jim said.“But a trip could serve you well. Business for him, a getaway for the family. Consider it.”
“I’ll think about it,” Sarah said.
Matt stared at Jim like he’d grown a third head.“Wait. Secure a deal? Jim, I’m your finance guy, not a salesman.”
Jim leaned in, voice calm but clipped.“Matt, you’ve crunched more numbers for this firm than anyone. Frederick & Chase wants us to care about their marketing while they focus on growth. They want someone who can sit across from their CFO and make the math sing.”
Matt’s eyebrow arched.“Frederick & Chase? That’s massive. They’re one of the largest lifestyle and apparel brands in the country.”
Jim nodded once.“This isn’t sales. This is a strategy. Landing them puts us in the top three marketing firms in the game. Real, measurable growth. And I need you in Charleston to make it stick.”
Matt sat back, the pieces falling into place.“So the relocation package was about keeping me close to Frederick & Chase."
“Exactly,” Jim said, his gaze steady.“They want proximity. We want their portfolio. If you deliver this, and if we can get you clear of the trouble you’re in, this deal is a guarantee.”
The deal sounded solid, the kind people built futures on. But beneath the surface, the trip carried a different weight.
Matt shifted in his chair.“Jim, why did you take the relocation off the table?”
Sarah studied Jim carefully, waiting. He didn’t flinch.“Matt, you and I both know that until this blows over, I can’t support a relocation. Not yet.”
Matt nodded and glanced at Sarah, who was still looking at Jim.
There was a fourth person at that table, not physically but by all accounts, mentally. Lily.
Outside, the night clung to the windows, and in its reflection, a shadow lingered. Lily stood there in all black, eyes narrowed, breath slow, the glass cool against her fingertips.
How dare they gang up on me.
Matt didn’t stand a chance with both his wife and Mr. Holloway whispering poison in his ear.
She tilted her head, studying the scene inside. The table gleamed under soft light, wine glinting in crystal, laughter spilling between bites. She couldn’t hear the words, but the easy smiles were enough to twist something deep in her chest.
It should be me at that table. Matt should be holding my hand, looking at me like I'm the only person in the room.
They are closing in, tightening their hold on him. I have to move fast before they turn him against me completely.
I have to strike before they weave their net so tight Matt can’t see a way out. I don’t know exactly how yet, but I can feel the shape of it coming together. Something bold. Something that will remind Matt how much power I have.
A plan began to form, dark and dangerous.
Her dreams could still come true.
But first, she had to remove Sarah Taylor from the picture.
Lily watched as the three of them got up from the table and moved into the living room. Her view was now partially blocked, so she shifted to the side, trying to find a better angle. In the process, her hip clipped a potted plant balanced on its stand. It tipped, clattering against the porch and spilling dirt across the wood. Lily flinched, mouthing holy shit.
All three heads turned toward the sound at the same time.
Panic shot through her. She froze, scanning for cover while her pulse thudded in her ears. She backed away from the window and ducked low, trying not to bump into any more of the useless crap Sarah had scattered across the porch.
Footsteps approached. She could hear them coming closer, the creak of the floorboards, the shift in weight as someone reached for the knob.
The front door opened.
