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She hesitated before speaking, and when she did, her eyes flickered with anger. “This man, my boyfriend... he works for my father. He’s in too deep, knows too much, and my father would never just let him leave. Believe me, I’d love to pack up and leave everyone far behind, but I can’t. I won’t leave without him.”
“And you can’t be with him now?”
“It’s all in secret. My job right now is to lure Evan into the fold, and a boyfriend complicates that in my father’s eyes.”
The pieces were finally falling into place, the intricacies of Rosalind’s predicament clearer. I took a risk and hoped my next words wouldn’t make her put her guard back up.
“What can we do to help you, Rosalind?”
She looked genuinely taken aback. “Why would you want to?”
This was it, the moment that would make or break our plan. I leaned forward. “It’s simple. Evan loves Sofia. He’ll do anything to keep her safe. To keep her with him. So, tell me,” I said, my tone firm, hoping she saw what I was offering. “What do you need to drop this lawsuit?”
Rosalind watched me a moment longer, her eyes widening as she realized what I was getting at. Her lips parted as if she wanted to say something, but then she snapped her mouth closed again.
Frustration threatened to creep up while I watched and waited, not wanting to push my luck. She mulled over my words, and a spark of hope flickered to life when she looked at me once more.
“Here’s what I need you to do…”
Chapter 5
Evan
I drummed my fingers on the tabletop of the chic indoor café across the wide hallway from the spa. Mason and I were supposed to be catching up on business, preparing for our meeting with the realtor this afternoon to check out a few potential properties for the new club, but I could barely focus on what he was saying. My eyes were glued to the spa entrance.
"Earth to Evan," Mason said, snapping his fingers in front of me. "Are you listening at all?"
"Uh, yeah, sounds good," I said. It felt like an eternity since Mariah had gone into the spa. Every minute that ticked by was torture. My dragon writhed beneath the surface, demanding I go find my mate and keep her safe, and if Mariah didn't come out soon, I might do just that.
"Look, I get how hard it is to let her go in there without you." Mason’s words were in a low, warning hiss, his eyes wary. "But you look like you're about to explode out of your goddamn skin. Get yourself under control.”
It was true. It was taking all my willpower to keep my dragon locked down tight. The last thing I needed was to lose control and shift here in public. Besides, breaking the law wouldn’t give me any bonus points in the custody case.
"The best thing you can do for her right now is to keep yourself under control. Let's focus on this." Mason tapped the image on his tablet. "What do you think about the location near the college?"
I nodded and exhaled hard. "You're right. Let's go over the details again." I forced myself to pay attention, but my heart wasn't in it, not when Mariah was off with the daughter of my mortal enemy.
The minutes crawled by, but I eventually spotted her stepping through the gilded doors of the spa.
"There she is," I breathed, shooting to my feet.
The Miami sun filtering in through the domed-glass ceiling highlighted the golden threads in her hair. Her face was flushed, a wide smile on her face, and she was practically glowing with an excitement that was palpable from where I stood.
Overwhelming relief surged through me, cutting through the nerves that’d gnawed at my insides since she disappeared behind those doors. The wait was grueling, and it felt like days had passed instead of just a couple hours.
Now that I could see she was safe, I grinned when I saw the sparkle in her eyes. Something had gone right.
I strode toward her, barely containing myself, and pulled her into my arms, holding her tightly.
"What happened?" I pulled back just enough to search her face. "It's good news? Tell me everything."
Laughter bubbled up as she reached up and rested a hand on my chest. "Easy, now." She glanced around at the people milling about the hotel. "Let's talk once we get back to the room. There's a lot to discuss."
Mason joined us before we hurried toward the glass elevators. It was clear she'd made some headway. My eagerness to hear what she'd discovered was only matched by the sense of relief that she was back by my side. I slipped my hand into hers as the elevator doors whooshed shut. I was more than a little impressed with how she'd handled the situation, remaining cool and collected the entire time. She’d been more composed than me, that was for sure.
The significance of what she’d done wasn't lost on me. If things went as well, as I’d hoped, this could potentially alter the trajectory of our lives.
I tugged Mariah closer to my side, a surge of pride coursing through me. She'd thrown herself into the midst of this, putting on a brave face and confronting Rosalind for the sake of our daughter, for our future.
