Trusting You (Second Chances #2)(47)

Daniel pursed his lips and hung his head. “Look, Melissa, I’m sorry about that. I should’ve never threatened you. It was a stupid mistake and I was desperate. I know how you are and I know that I hurt you, so getting me back by screwing over my building project was something I was afraid of. I couldn’t take that chance. Not when I have so much riding on this deal.”

“Daniel, I have no business trying to screw over your business deals. Brett wanted your account so bad that I was willing to keep my mouth shut for the sake of him to help out his career. All I was curious about was how you got the land in the first place. I remember Claire telling me about all the things she was going to do with it when she took over the vineyards. I just couldn’t see her giving it all up to you.”

He shrugged. “She didn’t really have much choice.” It was a vague answer and I could see that he wasn’t going to elaborate. At least I got him to confess to wanting to threaten me. That helped me out a little, but now I wanted to know about his plans.

“So what are you wanting to do as far as building?” I asked. “You don’t plan on bulldozing over the vineyards, do you?”

Daniel bit his lip and looked away. “Not all of it, but some.”

I gasped, appalled that he would level off a portion of the vineyards just to have some real estate. “What does your sister have to say about it?”

Carelessly, he shrugged and waved his hands dismissively. “Oh, she’s fine with it. I think she left to go to London about a week ago. I haven’t spoken to her since our mother’s funeral.” So that’s why she isn’t answering my calls. I highly doubted that she was fine with his plans.

“Do you think you’ll get back together with Brett?” Daniel asked curiously, taking a sip of his drink. “He told me you admitted to still having feelings for your ex-husband. Imagine my shock when I heard that.”

Averting my gaze, I focused on something other than his eyes when I spoke, “I loved you, Daniel. I wouldn’t have married you if I didn’t. And yes, I told Brett that I was confused when it came to you, even though you piss me off to no end. But I guess it wasn’t meant to be with him.”

He reached over to hold my hand and a wolfish grin spread across his face. “Well, I hate to say it, but I’m glad it wasn’t meant to be. Because now he’ll be out of my way.”

“Out of your way for what?”

Daniel licked his lips and stared at mine. “I’m talking about me and you, Melissa. You see … I didn’t realize what I had when we were married. Work got in the way, and I lost track of what was important to me. Seeing you with Brett lit my blood on fire. I hated seeing you with him and it killed me to know he f*cked you before I got there the other day at his office.”

He moved closer to me. “It should’ve been me you were wrapped around, not him. You gave in to me before and I know you can do it again. Please give me another chance, baby. Once this deal gets finished we’ll have so much money we can live off of it for the rest of our lives.”

I gasped. “That much, huh?”

“You have no idea. Please say you’ll come back to me.” His lips were just a breath away, and before he closed them over mine he whispered, “I still love you, Melissa.”

Shocked and frozen in place, I sat there completely and utterly still while Daniel pressed his lips to mine. Swiftly, I pulled away and turned my head. “Give me some time, okay?” I muttered softly. “I can’t jump into this with you so soon.” I wasn’t going to jump into it at all.

A gleam twinkled in his eye when he spoke, “I understand, but just so you know I’m not going to stop trying, Mel. You know I always go after the things I want.”

Turning away, I took my glass of wine and downed it in one gulp. Yes, I knew how he went after the things he wanted. He pursued me with a vengeance in college and that’s how I became wrapped around his finger when he reeled me in.

It definitely wasn’t going to work this time.





Twenty-Six


Mason was sitting on the couch in the same place I left him when I arrived home from dinner. He immediately sat up straight when I walked through the door and searched me over to make sure I was okay. “How did dinner with douche bag go?”

I threw my purse on the counter and collapsed onto the couch beside him. “As good as can be expected, I guess. I think he was bummed when he saw your car still here. The good thing is that I have him on tape admitting to threatening me. Not much else though.”

“Hey, it’s a start. All right, well since you’re home and safe I’m gonna hit the sack,” he muttered, yawning.

“Thank you for staying, Mase.”

“Anytime.”

Scrambling off the couch, he walked down the hall to one of the guest bedrooms and I heard the door shut behind him. I turned off the living room lights and made sure the front and back doors were locked before climbing the stairs to my bedroom. I stripped out of my clothes and prepared for bed, making sure to take extra time on brushing my teeth.

I was hesitant in calling Brett, but I had to hear his voice. Once I dialed his number, he answered immediately. “Do you have any idea how hard it was not to text you tonight?” he said in greeting.

Lying down on the bed, I cuddled with the pillow that still smelled like him and breathed it in. “I can only imagine,” I began. “I would be furious if I knew you were having dinner with an ex.”