Corrupt(133)

Since the night at the yacht over a month ago, he’d woken up in the middle of the night a few times sweating and breathing hard. He’d had nightmares about the water. About me being pulled down and him grabbing for my hand just like he had that night.

Only in his nightmares he didn’t find me. I was lost.

“Mrs. Crist, I can’t believe how busy you’ve been.” I said, looking around, amazed at the newly redecorated sitting room and all of the holiday décor splashed around the house. Garlands and wreaths hung from the walls and stairs, and I looked up, seeing Michael appear at the top of the stairs. He descended in his pressed black suit with the smallest smile curling his lips. His eyes zoned in on me, and I inhaled a deep breath, feeling my stomach flip like always.

“Well,” Mrs. Crist said, sounding sad. “I needed to stay busy.”

I tore my eyes away from Michael and met his mother’s glossy eyes that welled with tears.

Guilt washed over me. “I’m so sorry.”

Trevor was dangerous, more so than Damon because Trevor hid it so well, but I couldn’t imagine losing a child. Even one like that.

I hoped I never had to feel what she did.

But she just shook her head at me, sniffling. “Please don’t say that. Who my son was wasn’t your fault, and you’re both safe,” she said, and then looking to Michael. “I wouldn’t trade that.”

Michael stared down at her, a look of regret crossing his face.

Other than me, I was pretty sure his mother was the only woman he loved. And while his first instinct had been to protect me, his second had been to protect her. After Trevor had drowned, Will tried to talk Michael into dumping him into the ocean on the way back, so Michael wouldn’t have to deal with telling his parents that he’d killed his brother.

Michael wouldn’t even listen. He couldn’t leave his mother’s son out there. At the very least, he had to bring a body back to her, and he knew he couldn’t look at her day in and day out and lie to her.

So after we’d brought the yacht into port, we’d called the police and told them everything. How Trevor took me, lured Michael and his friends there, and nearly killed Will and me.

It was devastating, and while Mrs. Crist was thankful we were okay, she would hurt for a long time.

Mr. Crist, on the other hand, seemed more disappointed than grief-stricken. He only had one son now, and instead of the contempt with which he usually treated Michael, he began getting very involved in his life, wasting no time in shifting the hopes he had for Trevor onto Michael.

Good thing for Michael he had plenty of practice standing up to his father.

My mother and Mrs. Crist walked toward the kitchen, and Michael’s father approached, carrying a drink in his hand with a cigar between his fingers.

“I want to sit down today. We’ve got things to discuss.”

He spoke to Michael but glanced to me, his indication clear. Since I wouldn’t be marrying Trevor, his plans now included Michael.

“Things to discuss,” Michael mused, taking my hand. “You mean my future and Rika’s money? Because it’s too late. I broke the trust. Everything is in her name now.”

“You did what?” his father growled.

I grinned, letting Michael lead me away. “I’d love to sit down and discuss my future next time you’re in town,” I told Mr. Crist, letting him know I was the one in charge of my family’s business now.

There were several pieces of real estate he and my father co-owned, so I had no choice but to work with him, but I wasn’t a pawn for men to marry and govern. Now he knew.

Michael and I walked into the dining room, seeing Will and Kai standing around the table, talking with drinks in hand while their parents and several others congregated in small groups around the room.

Servers flitted in and out, carrying trays of hors d’oeuvres and refilling champagne glasses.

Kai met us halfway, closely followed by Will.

“I found Damon,” Kai told Michael right away.

“Where is he?” I asked.

“St. Petersburg.”

“Russia?” Michael said, a stunned look on his face. “What the f*ck?”

Kai continued. “His parole officer came looking for him. Damon missed his check-in with him, and after tracking his passport, they found him there,” he explained. “It makes sense. That’s where his father’s people are from, so he’s on friendly ground. They’re not going to go after him, of course, but we can.”

I shook my head. “Just leave him alone.”

Michael turned his eyes on me, looking down. “I’m not waiting for him to just show up back here, Rika. He’s dangerous.”

“He won’t come back,” I stated. “He won’t want to fail a third time. Just leave him alone, and let’s move on.”

Kai and Michael studied me for a few moments, and I hoped they understood what I wasn’t saying.

There had been too much pain. Too many years and too much wasted time. We all needed to start living again.

Damon wouldn’t try to hurt me again. Another attempt after two failures would make him look pathetic. He was gone.

And since we’d found the phone from Devil’s Night right where I suspected—in Trevor’s cabin on board Pithom—and destroyed it, there was absolutely nothing holding us back anymore. It was time to start having some fun.