“We’re going to talk with my siblings and figure out how best to approach it. As a matter of fact, we’ve been waiting for you to come home so we can make sure you’ll be on board as well.”
“I’m fine with whatever you decide.” And I mean that. I trust Elliot will do what’s best.
Cradling my face, he kisses my forehead. “Thank you for your faith in me.”
“Let’s eat fast, if they’re waiting.”
But even as I smile for his benefit, I feel queasy. This is Annabelle Underhill’s second attempt to drag me through the mud. She promised she would. And I hate that her hatred of me is going to hurt Elliot and his family.
* * *
Elliot
It doesn’t take long to wrap up dinner. Neither of us has much appetite. We pack up the leftovers and put them in the fridge for later, then go to the couch in the living room. We have three minutes to the call, and I dial in.
Others hop on within seconds. Ryder, Paige and Elizabeth are the first to join, then Blake. His voice is cold and low, and that tells me he’s too furious to yell.
“Fucking Julian,” he says. “It’s gotta be him.”
“Annabelle Underhill knew we had to marry,” Paige points out. “She said as much at the charity dinner Elizabeth organized with Nate Sterling.”
“If it’s Annabelle Underhill, I’ll take care of it,” I say. Paddington sent me the recording. I’m forwarding it anonymously to Stanton Underhill, illegally made or not. After that, it’ll be up to the old man to decide what to do about his psychotic wife, but I doubt he’ll shrug it off. A man like him doesn’t get to be where he is by being overly understanding and forgiving.
“How about Mira? Didn’t she know?” Elizabeth says.
“She did,” Ryder says, “but she wouldn’t spill the beans. Her agent contract came with an ironclad NDA. She might be a backstabbing bitch, but she wouldn’t do something to make me an enemy for life.”
Suddenly the line beeps, alerting us to another person joining the call.
“How the fuck did you get this to leak?”
My wife’s eyes widen. I rub the back of my neck. “Hello, Lucas. I didn’t realize you were going to join us.”
“I wouldn’t normally, but did you have to fuck this shit up? What the hell is wrong with you guys?”
“Inbox bursting with marriage proposals?” Blake says sarcastically.
“No. I was on the verge of… Fuck!”
“Just tell her the truth and get her to sign an NDA and prenup,” Ryder suggests. “Women aren’t stupid. They’re gonna know if you’re faking affection.”
“Can’t. It’s Ava,” Lucas says.
My jaw slackens, and I feel my mouth part. Belle looks at me blankly, but doesn’t ask…for which I’m grateful, since I’m not sure how to explain Ava.
Ava Huss is Lucas’s ex. Or that’s the story from what I understand, but…
When Lucas had his accident—the one that left him scarred—Blake and I were the first people to show up at the hospital. She appeared, claiming to be Lucas’s girlfriend of sorts. That was news to us. None of us knew Lucas was dating anyone. To be honest, he isn’t the type to date anyone seriously. He fucks women. Not indiscriminately, of course, but he doesn’t get involved. Ava vanished soon after exchanging a few unpleasant words with Blake at the hospital, and I assumed she was one of those pathetic, parasitical exes looking for an opportunity to worm her way back into his life…and his sizable bank account.
“I’m so sorry about that,” Elizabeth says finally. “But we didn’t do anything.”
“Oh, I know you didn’t, Elizabeth,” Lucas says. “But Ryder and Elliot?”
“That’s not fair,” Ryder interjects. “You think I want this shit out there?”
“Don’t you? It gets you media attention.”
Ryder laughs. “‘Media attention.’ I’m already world famous, in case you’ve forgotten.”