Page 50 of Claim Me

It was obvious she had something on her mind. “No, we need to talk.” I closed the file, taking a moment to eject the flash drive. Since I’d need to leave the house, I wouldn’t put it past her to snoop. If she did, she’d get the wrong idea.

“Talk. Yes. I wondered when you’d come clean.”

“What are you talking about?” I moved around the desk, the instant chill between us palpable.

“The family attorney called. As you might imagine, my brother left a will.”

“Yes. I know. He mentioned that before his death.” I walked closer, ensuring she could hear me.

“I’m curious about something.” She walked closer, folding her arms. She was signing at the same time. Maybe when she was nervous or angry, she resorted to her usual method of communicating. And she was definitely angry. “How did you manage to coerce him into signing over my father’s business, everything he’d worked to achieve over to you? I mean, I know you’re a killer. You admitted that without any remorse, so certainly blackmail, extortions, threats, they must be child’s play to you.”

Admittedly, I was shocked. I hadn’t intended on monitoring her phone. Maybe I should have. My mistake had been to keep anything from her. I’d been caught up in watching her hands, the fluency in which she signed amazing me. “That’s not what happened, Marissa. I had no idea Charlie was going to leave methe resort. We hadn’t talked in years. Trust me. I don’t want it, but he knew you wouldn’t.”

“You expect me to believe that? You’re a wealthy man. Why not expand.” Her body jerked from the adamancy of her actions. She was fired up, the venom in her eyes worse than I’d seen at the hospital. What the fuck had the attorney said to her?

Where was this coming from? “Did your attorney try and convince you that I had Charlie killed?”

She appeared uncomfortable, even looking away briefly. Her lower lip was quivering. “Charlie changed his will a week ago. One week. Doesn’t that seem odd to you?”

Well, fuck. This wasn’t going to be easy. “Yes, it does.”

“The attorney, or maybe I should say my attorney thought so as well. He tried to talk Charlie out of making the changes. I was left the sole heir as it should be. Why would Charlie do something like that unless he was forced to?”

I walked closer and I’ll be damned if she didn’t take a step away. “Listen to me. Everything I’ve told you is true. Charlie called and told me he’d been shot. I left within thirty minutes on a plane. I hadn’t talked to him in years. Years. If I had, I would have offered advice and provided protection if asked. He chose to handle the situation himself.”

“What situation?”

“Your father took out a loan from a very brutal man.”

She absorbed the information. “Interesting.”

“That doesn’t seem to surprise you.”

“No, it doesn’t. I’d seen the letters from banks turning down requested loans. Suddenly, the renovations started and my father wasn’t interested in answering anyone’s questions.”

“If I’d known, things would be different,” I admitted.

“I wish I could believe you, but I don’t.” She turned away, ready to leave the conversation the way it was.

I tugged on her arm, yanking her around to face me. “What do you think happened?”

“I think you killed Charlie after forcing him to sign over control of the resort.”

Holy fuck. I could tell by her eyes that at least a portion of her mind bought into what she was saying.

“Think logically for a second, Marissa. If I’d really done something so horrible, why would I have him leave a portion of the resort to you?”

“Maybe he did that on his own, which was why you had him killed. Now, leave me alone. I want you out of my house. I need to handle arrangements for Charlie’s private celebration of life, which you’re not invited to. I need to sort this through and you will give me time to do so. I don’t need your help with anything.” She jerked away from me and I sensed she’d all but shut me down.

Did she actually think she was dismissing me?

I understood her swinging emotions, but I’d need to find a way to help her understand her only recourse was to place her full trust in me. There was a bounty on her pretty head. Shit. I wasn’t good with this.

Hissing, I moved closer, instinctively wrapping my hand around her throat and pushing her against the wall. “You need to listen to me.”

“No.”

“You will.” I raised my voice, which I hadn’t intended.