Page 26 of Finding Denver

The betrayal punches through my chest. I’m rendered speechless, gaping at Samuel, wondering if I heard him correctly. “That can’t be right.”

“Men don’t lie when their lives are on the line. And I doubt he’d give Ranger’s name, given what Ranger will likely do to him now I know.” He scans my face. “You didn’t know.”

“Of course I didn’t,” I say breathlessly and slowly take a seat. “I’ve put my life into this, Samuel. You know I have.”

I can only hope his silence means he believes me. If he doesn’t, I’m alone with a man who is very fucking angry with me and thinks I’ve cost him time and money.

Why would Ranger do this? He knows I wanted to make this the start of something all my own. He’s seen the hours I’ve put into this casino, the sleepless nights, anxiety and doubt.

The door to the office opens and closes as Samuel instructs his security to leave us alone, and Samuel takes the seat beside mine. “You really didn’t know.” I shake my head slowly, rerunning the last twenty-four hours in my mind. Ranger’s insistence that I take a break. God, he’d tried to suggest I’d made a mistake in this deal, knowing it was him all along.

“Are you sure?” I ask. “Absolutely sure?”

Samuel gives me a single nod. “I thought it didn’t make sense, either, so we pressed the mayor. Hard. It is a strange move from him. You were going to become very wealthy. That’s shared.”

But power isn’t.

I stand, itching to get out of this room and home. “Thank you for telling me. I just came by to tell you I’m going away for a few days and … ironically, I was going to apologize if this all went south because of me. I doubt this fixes anything, but I’ve been told about some land in New York that could do well. I don’t know the details, but I’ll check it out, and if it’s something usable, I’ll send you everything I know.”

“I appreciate that.” Samuel stands, too. “Are you sure you’re okay?”

Yes. Unfortunately, betrayal is commonplace in my marriage. I nod tightly, and with every step I take out of his office, my anger grows. It’s a heated knot in my chest, the temperature rising the closer I get to the car.

“Denver,” Lewis says carefully as I stride across the lobby. “You have that look.”

I almost shove the glass door open onto the street. “What look would that be?”

“One that makes me want to take your gun off you.”

My gun won’t be the issue. Not even close.

What I’m about to say to Ranger, on the other hand? He won’t take it well.

Once we’re in the car and Lewis starts toward the airport, I call my husband.

It rings twice. “Forget something?” he asks smoothly.

“Why would you fuck this deal for me?”

Silence rings down the line and I wait, my breathing slow and methodical, my rage reaching new heights.

“And what makes you think that, little bird?”

“Don’t fucking patronize me, Ranger. I’m already pissed off enough.”

He’s quiet for a moment. “Because you were doing too much, too fast.”

I can’t help the disgusted laugh that leaves my throat. “Oh, so you did this because you’re worried about my work–life balance?” He says nothing. “Do you have any idea what you’ve done? Samuel might never work with me again.”

“Good.” There’s venom in the word, but I won’t let itsink deep enough to kill me. “The moment he refused to cut me in, you should’ve shown me some respect and walked away.”

“If I refused to work with anyone who didn’t like you, I’d be doing nothing with my days!” I almost scream. “This was good for both of us, you selfish, self-centered prick!”

“Is that what I am? Selfish? For expecting you to be grateful?”

Another laugh escapes me. “Grateful?”

“Yes,” he spits. “You wouldn’t even have gotten close to the Laus without my name. No one would want meetings with you. No one would even know who the fuck you are.”