Trusting You (Second Chances #2)(38)
“He’s my ex-husband,” I blurted out, meeting his gaze head on.
Brett’s mouth dropped wide open and he angrily ran his hands through his dark hair. “Holy shit, you can’t be serious. You mean I’ve been talking to the same douche who you married and who f*cked you over?”
Hesitantly, I nodded and murmured, “Yes. He told me not to tell you who he was.”
Incredulously, his eyes went wide. “And you listened to him? Since when do you do things he tells you to?”
Pursing my lips, I shrugged and answered, “Never, but since he’s blackmailing me I kind of had no choice. It was either keep his secret or lose my career and possibly you in the process. But that was before things took a turn for the worse.” I moved to the edge of the bed, but I didn’t dare touch him. He was like a bomb about ready to explode and I had no clue if my touch would be welcome. Softly, I ended up saying, “You can’t build on that land in California, Brett. It doesn’t belong to Daniel.”
Coming to an immediate halt, Brett pierced me with his stony gray eyes. “Tell me,” he demanded. “What do you know?”
Releasing a heavy sigh, I explained, “That land was supposed to go to his sister, Claire. Daniel was furious when he found out that his sister was going to inherit it all. I even talked to his mother about it. I’ve tried calling his sister but I can’t get in touch with her. I think he paid some people off to make it look like he owned the land or something. He was very adamant that you start building as soon as possible, and he told me today that his investor was getting impatient. I have a detective looking into it who also happens to be my cousin. I just don’t have a good feeling about this.”
“Fuck,” he exclaimed. “I have to tell Galen what’s going on.”
I nodded and lowered my gaze, muttering softly, “We’re supposed to meet with him and Korinne tomorrow at the firm, and I’m also going to call my cousin to join us, too. I’m hoping he has some information for us. I already set it up with Kori, but I didn’t tell her what was going on. I wanted to tell you first. Please don’t be mad at me, Brett. I knew I had to tell you. It’s just you were so excited about the account, and then with Daniel threatening me I had no clue what to do. I was going to do it the other day, but you had to leave for Seattle and I didn’t want to lay this on you before you left.”
Shaking his head, he sighed and walked over to me, taking my face in his hands and tilting my chin up. “I know I kind of pushed you into the dinner with him, but it still doesn’t explain why you would lie to me. If you knew he was doing something illegal you shouldn’t have kept that a secret. That makes you just as guilty.”
“I know,” I cried, unashamed of the guilty tears flowing down my cheeks. “But I have a reason. I haven’t told you the whole blackmail part and everything else that happened.” I paused and swallowed hard. Here I go. “He threatened me, Brett. He told me that if I told you who he was and what I thought I knew about his mother’s will and their land that he’d go to the school board and claim that I slept with a student. I’ll go to jail if he pulls it off and pays the right people.”
“Dammit,” Brett hissed. “Why didn’t you just tell me?”
Desperately, I added, “I didn’t want to lose my job … or you. That’s why I lied until I could come up with a plan.”
Brett stared at me blankly, his jaw muscles clenching over and over, before he closed his eyes and turned away. He took a seat across the room in the corner and placed his elbows on his thighs and hung his head. “Why, Melissa?” he asked forlornly, holding in the rage that I knew wanted to spill out.
“Why what?” I whispered.
Shrugging his shoulders angrily, he lifted his head and met my gaze. “I don’t know … why to everything maybe. You should’ve had faith in me to know that I’m not going to let anything happen to you.”
“I know,” I agreed, “but you have to let me explain. You see, Daniel wasn’t always like the way he is now. He didn’t start getting greedy and turning into the giant dick until much later when some big time investors sought him out. Once the money started really rolling in, he got cocky,” I explained warily.
When all he did was stare at me, I balked under his gaze and lowered my head. I was afraid of what I’d see … rejection, disgust, hate, anger. My heart was already broken to the core and I couldn’t bear to see what he must honestly think of me now. Throwing my legs over the side of the bed, I slowly got out and grabbed my bag off the floor that held my things and draped it over my shoulder.
When I ambled out of the bedroom, Brett shouted behind me, and I could hear his heavy footsteps following me. “Where the hell do you think you’re going?”
Sniffling, I wiped the tears from under my eyes and turned to face him. He was breathing hard and fisting his hands at his sides, looking like he was ready to kill. “I’m leaving, Brett. I’m sorry for everything I’ve done to you and for lying. I didn’t want to, but I felt like I had no other choice. I’ll still meet with Korinne and Galen tomorrow so I can let them know what is going on. Once Daniel gets figured out it’ll all be over. I know my cousin will help us expose him.”
His features started to soften and he slowly approached me. “You’re not going anywhere, Melissa. You have to understand how pissed off this makes me, especially with being lied to when all you ever used to talk about is trust. I love you, and no matter what happens I’m going to be here for you. I’m not going to let your ex get away with anything, and he sure as hell isn’t going to threaten you.”