Trusting You (Second Chances #2)(28)
Smiling half-heartedly, I murmured, “Goodnight.”
I kissed him gently on the lips and settled myself in the crook of his arm with one of mine draped across his waist while his circled around my back. His warmth was a comfort to me, but even in the comfort of his arms I knew I was going to be haunted with the fact that my life hung in the balance and my ex-husband was the one who had the reins.
Fifteen
As soon as Brett left to go to his grandmother’s house to help her move furniture I knew it would be the perfect time to make the phone calls I’d been impatiently waiting to make. I tried to find Daniel’s sister’s number on the internet, but no luck; it was time to get my cousin’s help. It was bright and early on a Sunday morning, which meant I was probably going to wake him up, but I was desperate. I had to talk to him while Brett wasn’t anywhere around.
After dialing the number, I waited, tapping my foot against the hard wood floor. “Pick up the phone, Mason,” I grumbled into the phone. Mason Bradley was my cousin and also a very thorough police detective. I knew for a fact he would do anything for me if I just asked.
In a gruff, sleepy voice, Mason answered, “This better be good, Mel.”
I sighed. “Hey Mase, I’m sorry for waking you up, but it’s important. I need you to find a number for me. I never transferred it over when I got my new phone.”
Mason mumbled under his breath and I could tell he’d gotten up and went to his desk by the sound of shuffling papers. “All right, give me the name and as much information you got on the person,” he ordered in his commanding voice.
He was a couple of years older than me and had always been the protector … well, more like a big brother. He was six foot four with short blond hair and green eyes just like me. The green eyes ran in our family. When he found out Daniel had cheated on me, he came over to help load up Daniel’s things the next day, but he ended up giving Daniel a black eye and a busted nose when he showed up at the house.
When it sounded like he was ready, I began, “Her name is Claire O’Briene, she’s single or at least she was the last time I spoke with her. She also lives in California and she’s twenty-six years old. Her family owns a winery and vineyard out there in Sonoma County.”
“Oh hell, why are you trying to get in touch with your ex’s sister?” he asked incredulously. “Please tell me you’re not going back to that jackass are you?”
“No,” I shouted. “I’m actually dating someone right now. Unfortunately, Daniel is trying to screw everything up though.”
“My God, I wish you would’ve never married that piece of shit. I told you from the beginning that he was bad news, but you didn’t listen to me, did you? What’s the prick up to now?”
Blowing out an angry breath, I explained, “Okay, here’s how it started. First, I met this guy named Brett and now we’re dating which is absolutely wonderful. He’s amazing and I know you’ll like him when you meet him. He’s an architect that works for my friend Korinne’s husband over at M&M Architectural Design. Anyway, he landed a new client and can you guess who that new client is?”
“Are you serious?” Mason muttered. “You have the worst luck of anyone I know. So now your boyfriend has to work with Daniel. I take it that meeting didn’t go over too well.”
“Well,” I started, “Brett doesn’t know.”
“Uh … how does he not know?” Mason questioned curiously. “Didn’t you tell him?”
I groaned and started pacing the living room floor. “I couldn’t, Mason. Last night I went to dinner with Brett to meet his ‘client’ and when I found out it was Daniel I tried to back out by saying I didn’t feel good. Brett’s ecstatic about this account, and also Daniel was pretty adamant that he had to have him do the building per his investor’s requests. It was all kinds of odd. I don’t understand why he had to have Brett.”
“So you feel that if you say something then Brett will forgo the account and cause a shit ton of problems,” Mason stated. “Is that what you’re afraid of?”
“I wish,” I mumbled sarcastically. “Daniel threatened me last night when I left the table to go to the restroom.”
Mason growled, “That motherf*cker. What did he say?”
“He threatened to do something if I told Brett who he was. He thinks that if Brett finds out who he is to me then he’ll drop the account. According to Daniel, there will be some dire consequences if he backs out of this. Those were pretty much his exact words. But that’s not really the concern I have at the moment, even though it makes no sense. I know Brett is professional and would keep the account anyway even though he wouldn’t like working with Daniel. The main problem is when I questioned Daniel about the land he wants to build on.”
“Doesn’t his family own some property out in California?” Mason asked.
I nodded even though he couldn’t see me. “Yes, that’s one of the reasons why he threatened me. He says he inherited his family’s land, but I know for a fact that it was supposed to go to his sister when both of his parents died. His parents didn’t want Daniel to have that land. They knew he wouldn’t take care of it like his sister would.”
“So what are you thinking exactly?”