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Ryan recognized that he’d made a huge mistake with Kelly Briggs. Had he repeated the error with Zoe? Would his actions once again come back to bite him in the ass?
His choice to invite her to stay in one of his guest apartments had been far from prudent, but lust had proved stronger than curiosity or suspicion. He might have overpowered his desire to take her to bed if their chemistry had been less explosive.
The speed with which things had been moving between them coupled with Crosby’s warning awakened Ryan to just how fast Zoe had slid beneath his skin. Should he tap on the brakes? Her financial situation wasn’t the best. Did his wealth make him more attractive to her? She hadn’t asked him for help, yet she’d made it clear that her situation was desperate.
Ryan believed he’d resolved the questions surrounding Zoe joining Susannah’s campaign. He’d been lulled by their deepening connection to invite her into his inner circle. Now, Crosby’s ambiguous threats reminded Ryan that in many ways she remained an unknown entity. If things fell apart with their fledgling relationship, would she act out the way Kelly had? What sort of fallout should he brace for?
Her fingers tightened around his. “What are you thinking about?” she asked, peering at him in concern and leaving him to wonder if his expression had revealed his inner turmoil.
“Let’s get out of here,” he said, pushing aside his doubts about what was or wasn’t real about their relationship. “I think I’ve supported my sister long enough.”
“Sure.” The smile she gave him would’ve appeared perfectly natural if it had reached her eyes. “I’m dying to be alone with you.”
Her response was perfect. Too perfect? Disgusted with himself, Ryan led her toward the exit. “Do you want to grab a drink somewhere or head straight home?”
“Let’s go back to your place,” she said, leaning into him. “I want to get naked with you.”
Her whispered words sent lust raging through him, but Ryan couldn’t stop himself from wondering if she was saying what she knew he wanted to hear or if sex was truly on her mind. It would be so easy to take her at face value. He could just consider himself incredibly lucky to be involved with a woman whose passion matched his own.
“Keep talking like that and I’ll get pulled over for speeding,” he teased, shoving aside his doubts for the rest of the evening.
* * *
Everly sat in her car outside Susannah Dailey-Kirby’s campaign headquarters, replaying her latest conversation with Devon Connor and wondering how long her business would survive if she lost her biggest client. The golf resort magnate was far from happy at her latest ideas to brand the new property he’d purchased and had given her a week to come up with a fresh concept.
Which was why she should be brainstorming at her office instead of watching the campaign staff file out
one by one until only the deputy campaign manager remained. In the past, when Everly cruised by at this time of night, she’d noticed Patty Joyce working late, putting in ridiculous hours to make sure everything ran smoothly.
Everly expelled a frustrated breath. Sitting here while nothing was happening was a huge waste of time, but since Zoe had decided to renege on her part of the bargain, it wasn’t like Everly had any choice. From the start it was obvious that Zoe lacked commitment. Everly’s fury with the former socialite had grown in the days following the fund-raiser and she’d added Zoe to her growing to-do list. As soon as Everly dealt Susannah’s campaign a death blow, she would make Zoe pay for turning her back on all Everly’s careful planning.
Deciding tonight’s surveillance was a bust, Everly took a hold of the keys in her ignition, but before she could fire the engine, she spied a man approaching Joyce. The late hour and darkened storefronts he passed prevented her from seeing his features, but she assumed it was Gil Moore, the campaign manager. Nothing new there. Moore worked as hard as his deputy.
Only as she watched the man approach Patty Joyce, Everly realized she’d guessed wrong. Crowing with delight, Everly lifted her cell phone and zoomed in on Jefferson Kirby as he pulled his wife’s deputy campaign manager into his arms and kissed her.
In seconds Everly had captured a dozen images of the couple’s passionate embrace. While she waited for them to leave, Everly studied the fuzzy pictures, wishing the faces were clearer. From their body language this wasn’t a first-time event.
Moments later the lights went dark and Everly tracked the pair as they headed for Patty Joyce’s car. Disappointed that she hadn’t done a better job documenting Jefferson Kirby’s infidelity, Everly started her car and put it in gear, following the couple.
Their destination turned out to be a motel a mere ten-minute drive from the campaign office with access to the room off the parking lot. With no hallway to walk, they ran less of a chance of being seen. Only, they hadn’t counted on Everly.
Thanks to the couple’s preoccupation with each other, neither one noticed as Everly parked close enough to capture the whole sordid scene as they kissed their way to the door. The entire spectacle lasted less than thirty seconds, but Everly recorded every instant.
She’d been hoping for dirt on Susannah Dailey-Kirby but, like her brother, the candidate had proved squeaky-clean. Never had Everly expected anything like Jefferson Kirby’s affair to fall into her lap, but now that it had, she needed to figure out the best way to capitalize on what she’d uncovered.
Nine
Zoe was picking up lunch for Eva and Jessica at the coffee shop down the street when her phone chimed, indicating an incoming email. With two people ahead of her in line, she’d been scrolling through her social media feed liking cute pictures of cats and sharing photos of the store’s newest inventory. The number of people who followed Second Chance Treasures on social media had tripled in the weeks since Susannah had thrown her support behind the store and Zoe was humbled and grateful. If not for Ryan and his sister, Zoe would’ve had to close the boutique. She owed them an incredible debt.
With so many things going her way, Zoe should’ve been floating, but she couldn’t stop looking over her shoulder at odd moments, expecting to see Everly lurking around every corner. That the other woman hadn’t been in contact brought Zoe no peace. Everly’s fanatic determination to get revenge on Ryan wasn’t going to just vanish because Zoe was no longer participating in the plot and it troubled her that she might now be a target of Everly’s vindictiveness.
Zoe glanced at the email that had popped into her inbox, noting the unfamiliar address before the subject line snagged her attention. She read the single word several times while her heart rate skyrocketed.
Busted.
What did that mean? Apprehension surged through her. The only way for her to know for sure was to open the email.
A video file waited below the message Watch this—E. What could Everly possibly be up to now? Bracing herself, Zoe clicked on the attachment and watched in horror as Jefferson Kirby entered a hotel room with his wife’s deputy campaign manager, Patty Joyce.
