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“What do you mean you’ve never been to one?” Jesse asks him.
“I don’t know anybody who’s married.”
“Jesus. Stick around here, everybody around here seems to get hitched.”
Bennett shrugs. “Don’t get me wrong. Plenty of my homies are baby daddies. They just can’t choose which momma they want to spend the rest of their life with.”
Jesse’s eyes meet mine. I shrug. I’m trying to keep him away from that life now.
“So that’s no on the dancers then,” Jesse says, like he’s afraid Bennett could get in trouble with them.
I nod. “Probably for the best. Now don’t you two have a jetty to design?” Because that’s why Jesse’s here. The two of them are working on this project together, and it’s actually quite sweet watching them bond.
Sweet? Jesus, I’m getting soft. I blame Eden.
My phone buzzes on my desk and I glance down at the screen.Unknown Number. It could be the bank. I’ve been waiting on them for the last few days. “I’ll take this in the meeting room,” I tell them, standing up. “Talk to you later.”
“You’re a hard man to get a hold of,” Vin’s voice slides down the line, smooth and cold as soon as I close the door behind me and accept the call.
Every muscle in my body goes tight. I grit my teeth together and stride across the floor to look out of the window. Jesse and Bennett are walking out across the site. At least I’m alone. I can talk freely.
“If this is about the casino,” I say evenly, even though my pulse spikes, “I’ve decided against it. And the bank money comes through next week. You’ll have your first repayment then.”
“It isn’t about that. I wanted to catch you in the Hamptons but you disappeared. We need to talk.”
“I told you, we’re not adding a casino,” I tell him. “There’ll be no gambling on this island.” Especially not after all Eden has been through with her dad. “You’ll still get your money. You don’t have to worry about that.”
He clears his throat. “You see, that’s where you and I differ. I’m not worried about the money, West. I always get paid. But there are other things we need to discuss.”
“What other things?” I ask him. Getting involved with this asshole is the worst thing I’ve ever done. Yes, it was necessary at the time, but I’m absolutely paying the price now.
“Things that we should talk about face to face. I’m free tomorrow.”
“I’m not.” And I’m not dancing to his damn tune. “Send me an email.”
“Either you fly to me or I fly to you,” he says, ignoring me. “Your choice. Of course, I’d love to meet your beautiful wife. Or is she your wife? I hear nobody’s quite sure.”
What the hell?“Leave my wife out of this.”
“I wish I could. But I keep hearing stories. You should be careful who you confide in. What was the word I keep hearing? A sham.”
My jaw locks so hard it hurts. He knows that the wedding wasn’t real? “If you’re trying to bribe me, don’t bother. Her family knows about our marriage. Every last one of them. There’s nothing you can use to hold over me to get your way.”
There’s a pause, then Vin’s laugh slides down the line, low and sharp. “You sound so sure. But do they knoweverything, West? Or just the version you’ve chosen to sell them?”
Ice slides down my spine.
“Who’s been talking to you?” I ask him.
“Nobody,” he says, but there’s triumph in his voice. “All I’m going to say is beware of trusting people. I always find out in the end. Shame your wife will get hurt in the process.”
“Leave her out of this,” I grit. “You come at me, not her.”
Vin chuckles, soft and cruel. “That’s the problem, West. She is you. You’ve made her your weakness. That makes her my strength.”
The line goes quiet. My pulse pounds so loud I almost miss his next words.
“I’ll see you tomorrow in my New York apartment. Don’t keep me waiting. Or maybe I’ll save us both the trouble and come over there to meet the lucky lady myself.”
