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“I don’t hold your past against you with your background. You were probably desperate after your father squandered your family’s money and then hung himself.”
Lisbeth’s mouth dropped open, clamped shut, then popped open again.
“I . . . I think you should leave.” Her words came out in a halting staccato. Bad enough, she could barely talk about her father’s suicide, but hearing it from Edward’s patronizing mouth was too much.
Her bedroom door slammed, heavy footsteps filled the hallway, and Samson appeared, taking up the rest of the living room with his overall bulk.
“Who the fuck do you think you are?”
Edward’s eyes widened, his face showing emotion for the first time since he’d entered the apartment, and his lips twisted into a sneering grin. “I see how it is now.” He nodded at Samson. “Getting in one last fling before the wedding.”
“There isn’t gonna be a wedding, asshole,” Samson growled.
Edward’s gaze raked over Samson—taking in his disheveled hair, bare, tatted chest, and zipped but unbuttoned, low-slung jeans—then ended in a condescending glare. “How very chivalrous, defending a woman who cheats on her fiancé.”
Lisbeth found her voice. “For your information, nothing happened.”
“That’s why he came out of your bedroom half-dressed.”
“She doesn’t have to explain anything to you.” Samson closed the distance between him and Edward. “She tried to let you down easy, but you had to get all pissy, like a little bitch throwing her past in her face.”
“She should’ve been happy I still wanted to entertain marriage after everything I know.”
Lisbeth pushed Samson to the side. “If you had all the dirt on my past, why did you want to marry me?”
Edward expelled a heavy sigh filled with indignation. “After we started dating, I had our people do a complete workup of your bio, and it all fit into place. No family, no ties in California, and owning a very profitable business that could benefit ours. You were the best fit.”
“The best fit? Do you hear yourself?”
“Once we were married, we planned to consolidate Lifestyles with Nightlife Magic, giving us another outlet.”
“In other words”—Lisbeth anchored his hands on her hips”—you’d take a legitimate business and turn it into a money-washing machine for your less legal endeavors.”
“That sounds so harsh. Yet again, your naivety is tiresome.”
“I know all the bullshit you and your father are into.” Samson smirked at Edward. “You’re not fooling anybody.”
“That’s where you’re wrong because we’ve managed to fool many people, and as long as my father continues to throw money at certain political figures, no one gives a damn what we do. Once he’s elected into the Senate, we’ll be untouchable.”
Lisbeth heard his brash words and how he didn’t deny Samson’s claim. She couldn’t believe she’d planned to spend the rest of her life with this man.
“Please leave,” she repeated because there was nothing else left to say. Everything she believed to be true was a lie.
“I’m not going anywhere without you. I refuse to attend this function without my fiancé at my side.”
Samson stepped forward, angling Lisbeth behind him. “The lady asked you to leave, and you’re gonna have to go through me to get to her.”
As much as Lisbeth wanted to continue standing up for herself and demonstrate a show of force, she couldn’t. All the fight and carefully crafted wording left her mind and body with Edward’s blatant admission of his nefarious business dealings. She’d hoped against hope Samson’s accusations were wrong, but Edward actually bragged about paying off political connections.
“Either you step aside, and she comes with me, or you’ll never get Club Wicked opened again.”
“Your threats don’t scare me.” The thick vein on Samson’s neck pulsed with rage.
“Wait, what?” Lisbeth pushed to his side. She wouldn’t put Samson’s dream at risk, especially since she believed Edward could make anything happen at the flick of a finger, including shutting down Club Wicked. She refused to let Samson and all his employees suffer for her bad choices—namely, Edward Monroe.
“Fine.” Edward peered over Samson’s shoulder, zeroing in on Lisbeth. “I hope he doesn’t regret his decision.” His lips twisted into a mocking smile. “I’m just wondering if he’s told you about his involvement in the murder of his old girlfriend in Brooklyn.” Edward spun toward the door and pulled it open. “Poor girl never had a chance.” Then he slammed out of the apartment, leaving a deadly silence in his wake.
25
