The Fidelity Files (Jennifer Hunter #1)(60)

Lauren groaned audibly and rolled her eyes. Her father shot her a warning glance as I tried to ignore both.

I looked to Roger. "As you requested during our initial meeting, I conducted a fidelity inspection on Parker Colman." I glanced at Lauren and spoke carefully. "Meaning that in order to fail he had to show a clear intention to engage in ... sexual infidelity."

"Oh my God!" Lauren growled in disgust.

Roger ignored her and offered me a nod of encouragement.

I paused and took a deep breath, looking from Lauren to Roger and then back at Lauren again. "Your fiancé, Parker Colman, unfortunately did not pass the inspection."

Roger collapsed against the back of his chair, seemingly in relief. And I wasn't sure if the relief was directed more toward the fact that now (or at least eventually) he would be off the hook with his daughter, or toward the fact that thankfully there would be no chance he would have to let this * into his family.

Lauren stood frozen in shock. Trying to absorb this whole unexpected chain of events and the highly disconcerting news that had come along with them. She looked at me, puzzled and confused, before leaning against the desk behind her for support.

Roger immediately stood up and rushed over, hugging her thin frame close to him. She pushed him away. "Don't touch me."

"Lauren, I know you must be upset at me right now, and I don't blame you. But I hope someday you'll thank me for this."

"This is ridiculous!" Lauren exclaimed, stepping away from her father. "How do we even know this woman is telling the truth? I mean, who is she to tell me that Parker is a cheater. She doesn't even know Parker."

I've dealt with many women in denial before, and I've learned that the best way to fight an accusation of fraudulence is not to fight it.

"Lauren," I began calmly and gently, "it's not my job to convince you of anything. My job is to tell you exactly what happened with your fiancé when he was given the opportunity to be unfaithful to you. That's all."

"So what did happen?" she asked in a sarcastic tone. As if anything I said from here on out would be considered complete bullshit. But I knew she wouldn't have asked if she wasn't curious.

"Well, we met at the Bellagio Poker Room, and then later in the evening at the nightclub Rain in the Palms Casino."

I saw her eyes widen slightly at the mention of the very familiar locations. Recognizable stops on the weekend itinerary that had been safely pinned to a bulletin board or taped to a refrigerator for quick reference.

"He bought me a drink at the club...several actually, asked me if I wanted to dance, and then invited me back to his hotel room."

"He invited you?" she clarified.

This is why I always insist on following, not leading. Leading can easily get you into trouble.

"Yes," I confirmed.

"Honey, I tried to tell you. He's a player," Roger explained gently. "He's not the right guy for you. I did this so you could see it for yourself. So you wouldn't make a huge mistake by marrying him."

Lauren continued to glare at me, ignoring her father's speech. "And then what? Then you guys had sex?" Her tone was not only accusing...it was soaked with repulsion.

I closed my eyes and re-gathered my strength. "No, that's not what I do. I test for intention to cheat only."

"What the hell does that mean?" Lauren shot back in a snotty tone.

I was having a hard time remaining in my seat. For the first time in my life I felt like strangling someone. And I wasn't sure if it was because Lauren Ireland was annoying the hell out of me or if it was because she was the closest and seemingly most deserving target on which to take out all my pent-up anger and frustration.

Fortunately, Roger interrupted. "It means that Ashlyn has proven that Parker has cheating tendencies. That given the opportunity to have sex with someone else, he would."

"How does she know for sure if she didn't actually have sex with him?"

Roger sighed loudly, obviously running out of steam – and fast.

This time, I helped him out. "Lauren, I stop the sex from happening at the last possible moment. But I am more than confident that Parker would have engaged in intercourse if I hadn't interrupted."

Roger looked to Lauren eagerly. Watching her expression. Wondering if she was finally going to come around.

She sat on the edge of his desk and re-crossed her arms against her chest. "Well that doesn't say anything. You have no idea if he would have gone through with it. Knowing Parker, he would have realized that what he was doing was wrong just in time and stopped it himself."

I wanted to jump out of my chair, put my hands on her shoulders, and shake her. Shake her violently. All the while yelling, "Wake up and smell the scum bag, you idiot! He kissed me, he fondled me, his hands were all over me. He wanted me so badly he probably would have paid me for it! If you are too stupid to see what kind of loser you're wasting your time defending, then maybe you don't deserve to know."

But instead I calmly stood up, grabbed my bag, and quietly made my way toward the door. I wasn't sure how much longer I would be able to just sit there and do or say nothing. "My work is done here."

I opened my bag and removed a small envelope and handed it to Mr. Ireland. "This is the remainder of your retainer. If you have any additional questions about the assignment, please feel free to call me."