AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“You didn’t call him about me,” I cut in. Relief floods through me. I’m so glad I didn’t storm out or make a scene, because I would have felt more than a little stupid. I would have ruined things between us over a silly misunderstanding.
He shakes his head. “You said you didn’t want my help. I don’t like it, but it’s your decision to make.” He pushes his chicken around his plate, and then looks up. “Fred is extremely well connected. He can open doors for you. I thought if you found work here, it might give you a reason to stay.” He grimaces. “My motivations weren’t entirely pure.”
“I don’t need a reason to stay,” I murmur. “The two of you are reason enough.”
“It’s going to happen again,” Carter says. Dominic raises an eyebrow, and Carter elaborates. “When we take our relationship public, people will either be scandalized, or they are going to be extremely interested in you. Or both. Fred Jefferson is well-connected, but so is Dominic. There’s no other choice, because the alternative is to keep our relationship hidden, and I don’t want to do that. I love you too much to treat you like a dirty little secret.”
He loves me.
“It’s true,” Dominic admits reluctantly. “Carter’s right. People are going to ask about you. And of course, we’re going to talk you up; we think you’re amazing.”
They want to make our relationship public. They think I’m amazing. My chest is tight with emotion.
This isn’t a black-and-white issue. There are shades of grey. “I want to succeed or fail on my own merit. I don’t want a handout. But if you recommend me to someone, I won’t freak out.” I think about that. “Well, I promise I’ll talk to you before freaking out.”
“No handouts,” Dominic promises. “And I will check with you before I recommend your work. Okay?”
“Okay.”
We don’t have all the answers today. There will be situations that we will disagree on. That’s okay. I care about them and they care about me. We’ll figure it out.
“Dominic said it to me the other day,” I whisper. “And Carter, you just said it. And I want to say it back. I love you too. Both of you. So very much.”
Their eyes light up. The air charges with promise. We finish our meal quickly. When we’re done and the table has been cleared and the leftovers have been put away in Dominic’s refrigerator, Carter fixes me with a meaningful glance. “It’s been a while, Gabby, and I want dessert.” The innuendo is crystal clear. “Move this to the bedroom?”
“Wait,” Dominic says. “I’ve reached a decision, and I want the two of you to be the first to know. I’m done fighting Mitchell. I’ve decided to sell him the Grand River.”
“What?” I gape at Dominic. “But you love your casino.”
“It doesn’t matter. Mitchell has been quiet for the last few days, but what happens next? I escalate, he escalates again, and screw the consequences?” He shakes his head soberly. “I can’t do that. The consequences matter. People are getting hurt because of me. If something were to happen to Noah…” His voice trails off.
He’s right. I know he is. But I don’t like it. Bad people shouldn’t win. It doesn’t seem fair. Mitchell is a thug and a bully. He should pay for his crimes, not walk away the victor. “There has to be another way.”
“Actually, I think there is.” Carter hands Dominic his phone. “Irina sent this to me an hour ago. I’ve been trying to figure out how we can use it.” He turns to me. “You said Vittoria seemed sad, so I had my team look into it. Mitchell is cheating on Vittoria. Irina photographed him with another woman in a motel. She emailed me the pictures.”
Dominic looks at the photos, and then hands me the phone. I look at the couple. A twinge of recognition goes through me, and I zoom in on the woman’s face. “She was at the poker game,” I tell them. “Her name is Ronnie. She’s a friend of Vittoria’s.”
“Not much of a friend, if she’s banging her husband,” Carter points out. “He was a bit player until he married Vittoria. She’s got all the power in the relationship. I can’t believe he’d be stupid enough to cheat on her.”
“You think we should send these to Vittoria?” Dominic looks unconvinced. “I don’t see how that will help. She’s not going to believe us over her husband.”
“She might not,” I agree, the thought crystallizing as I speak the words. “But she wants to be my friend. She invited me to brunch. She might believe me.” Excitement jolts down my spine. “There’s another poker game on Tuesday. She’s going to be there. I’ve been invited. I could show her the pictures—”
“No,” Dominic says flatly. “It’s too dangerous.”
“It’s a risk I’m willing to take.” The words come out in a rush. “I can be in and out of there in less than ten minutes. I care about you. I don’t want you to be forced into selling the casino, not if you don’t want to. Please let me help.”
They start to argue, and I dig in, lifting my chin in the air. This is a fight I intend to win.
