Page 13 of Impulse (Infinitus Billionaire #1)

Jillian wasn’t sure how much of her one-sided conversation Lex had heard. She picked up her jacket and shrugged it on.

“A bunch of local thugs broke into my father’s house. He’s recovering from a heart attack and now…”

Her voice broke. She wished she could tell him everything.

“I have to go.”

“Talk to me, Jillian,” he said.

“There’s nothing to talk about.”

She sucked at lying and couldn’t meet his eyes. She stared at his throat instead.

“Can I, uh, borrow the Low Rider?”

He shook his head, and her eyes flew to his. Anger brewed in the depths of his gray eyes, and she flinched. Was he angry with her? She wouldn’t blame him. He was paying her to be his girlfriend and make their relationship look real, and here she was leaving.

“Look, I know you have a right to be angry because I’m supposed to spend today with you, but I didn’t plan this. I’ll call my brother—”

“You don’t need to do that. And no, Jillian. I’m not angry because you have to go. I wish you’d trust me. That’s all. I’m not letting you ride because you’re in no state to do so. I’m taking you.”

“Oh. Okay. Thanks.”

She reached for her bag, aware that he was still watching her. She glanced up, and their eyes met.

“Uh, could I also take the money with me?”

“Sure.”

He turned and brought his phone to his ear.

“I need Mathews on the helipad. Not now, Paula. Thank you.”

Jillian watched him like a hawk, waiting for him to leave. She didn’t know the layout of his penthouse, just the kitchen, living room, and how to get in and out of Douglas’ place. But since he occupied the entire floor and the rooms were humongous, she hoped he’d be gone long enough for her to make a call.

As soon as he disappeared around the corner, she called Chris.

“Dad is selling everything to pay off those thugs and disbanding the troupe,”

she said, moving toward the deck.

“What? When?”

“Ricky just called me. The Armenians went to the house again and vandalized it. Sophia was at home, Chris. Can you imagine how scared she was? I want to hurt those bastards.”

“Don’t do anything stupid, Jillian.”

“Dad didn’t deserve this, Chris. Yes, he made a bad decision. And yes, he should give back the money he owes plus interest, but these ass-hats victimize people. Sophia will probably need therapy to deal with this. Ricky is so pissed. Cian didn’t want me called in, but I’m going anyway and taking the money to them.”

“No, Jillian. Talk to Fitzgerald.”

“This is not his problem. He doesn’t interact with thugs, Chris.”

She didn’t want him to look at her like she was trash. Then something else occurred to her and her heart dropped.

“Worse, if they know of our connections, they could easily go after him. I couldn’t live with myself if they did that.”

Chris sighed.

“You’re overthinking this. My suggestion is a business transaction, and he has people who do these things for him. Talk to him, Jill.”

Footsteps alerted her before Lex entered the living room with a duffel bag.

“I have to go, Chris.”

“Trust him,”

Chris added.

Jillian hung up and started for the foyer, but Lex cupped her elbow and directed her toward the deck.

“We’re taking the helicopter.”

“We don’t have a helipad near my house,”

she protested.

He chuckled.

“Mathews can land anywhere. Your backyard. Front yard. The driveway.”

“Is that legal?”

“If I have your permission to land, yes,” he said.

She frowned. Her backyard had enough space. Then there was the street in front of her house. The entire neighborhood would come out if he landed there, which might not be a bad idea. She’d put up with enough snarky questions from smart-alecky kids and their judgmental mothers about what she did in Hollywood.

“What movies are you in, Jillian?”

“How come we haven’t seen you in a movie, Jillian?”

“Is it true you stand in for the actresses when they’re tired and they need to rest?”

Finally, she’d show them.

“Yes. The front of my house is wide enough for a helicopter.”

“Good.”

Lex punched in a code, and the gate leading to the helipad opened. Mathews was already checking the dials inside the chopper when they reached the helipad. Jillian gave him the address, and like this morning, he punched it in the GPS before they took off.

Lex was quiet during the ride, lost in thought. Jillian wondered what he was thinking about. Probably wondering about her family. Maybe he regretted choosing her for his fake wife project.

Jillian sat back and stared straight ahead, her mind going in circles. How was she going to convince her father to accept the money? There was no democracy in their family. Whatever their father decided, everyone went along with it. Even Uncle Rowan, his younger brother, often went along with their father’s suggestions. Since he didn’t want her involved, everyone was going to take his side.

The closer they got to her place, the tenser she became. A large, warm hand covered hers, and Jillian looked up at Lex.

“I’m sure your father is okay.”

She gave him a tiny smile, wishing she could confide in him.

Neighbors poured out of their homes before they landed. School was already out for the day, so kids left their parents on the patios and driveways, walked onto the street, and stared. By the time the helicopter landed on their front lawn, they were running toward their house.

“Do you want me to wait?”

Lex asked.

Jillian glanced at her house. The living room curtain moved, and Sophia’s pretty face pressed on the window. All of a sudden, Jillian wasn’t too sure about challenging her father. Daniel Finnegan was larger than life. He wasn’t just the head of the Fearless Finnegan Troupe; he was also the MC of Bay Area Circus, working closely with the owner. On stage or at home, he ruled with a firm hand. He wasn’t cruel or anything like that. He just didn’t like to be contradicted, so his word tended to be the law.

When he’d said Jillian couldn’t be part of the troupe, no one in the family had said a peep. Their lack of support had hurt, and she’d headed to Hollywood vowing to return in glory. She’d imagined her father begging her to rejoin their act, asking for her forgiveness for sending her way. Never happened. Yet here she was eleven years later, ready to ask him not to disband the troupe. She was insane.

She looked at Lex.

“Can you come with me?”

Surprise flickered in his gray eyes.

“Are you sure?”

“Yes.”

She couldn’t explain it, but knowing he was with her made her feel a lot more confident.

“But if you’d rather not, that’s okay.”

Lex smiled reassuringly.

“I want to.”

He followed her down and exchanged a nod with Mathews. Already the neighbors’ kids were climbing over the low-lying fence and inching closer to the helicopter. There were no boundaries when she was growing up, and that hadn’t changed. The parents watched from the comfort of their stoops, and some even waved when she made eye contact.

Jillian led the way to her front door, the warmth of Lex’s hand on the small of her back reassuring. The other gripped the moneybag. The door flew open before they reached it, and a bundle in pink and purple shot out and straight into Jillian’s arms. If Lex wasn’t there, she would have tipped backward.

“You’re here… You’re here… You’re here…”

Four-year-old Sophia Finnegan was the actress in the family. She was a precocious, totally adorable kid with riotous brown curls and the greenest eyes in the family. Greg wanted to rep her and hadn’t given up on convincing Ricky that she was destined for fame.

“Hey, munchkin,”

Jillian cooed, rubbing her back.

“I missed you, too.”

Sophia leaned back and said.

“Bad people came to see Grampa. Two”—she counted her fingers—“three men. One had a shiny head with no hair.”

Jillian’s first thought was to distract her. She carried her into the house.

“That’s terrible, sweetie. Where’s Mommy?”

“They were mean to Grampa, Jill,”

Sophia continued without answering Jillian’s question.

“I told them to stop being mean to my grampa, but the man with no hair said Grampa was a bad man. Grampa’s face was red. He yelled, ‘Get Out! Get Out of my house!’”

Jillian closed her eyes and groaned, completely mortified.

“Well, I hope Grandpa is okay,”

she said weakly, wishing Sophia would shut up. Instead, the imp peeked at Lex and ducked her head.

He’d followed them inside the house. Directly ahead was a pile of broken furniture and picture frames. Worse, sounds came from the back of the house where her father’s bedroom was located. Sounded like an argument. Were the others finally standing up to their father?

She led Lex to the living room and frowned at the changes. Pictures were missing from the fireplace and the wall. The men must have broken them.

“Then Mom grabbed me, and we hid in the closet and covered our ears,”

Sophia added and sniffled. Jillian focused on her. Sophia’s green eyes swam with tears.

Jillian hugged her tiny body and fought tears, not caring anymore that Lex was hearing the sordid details.

“They made a big mess,”

Sophia continued, sniffling and hiccupping, tears rolling down her cheeks. Jillian wiped them.

“And Mommy was so mad. She wanted to call the police, but Grampa said no. So she called Daddy and Uncle Cian. The bad men touched Daddy’s special ball. No one is supposed to touch Daddy’s special ball.”

The “special”

ball was Ricky’s most prized sports memorabilia. He had caught it during the playoffs and even had it signed by the hitter. Jillian tried to put Sophia down, but the little imp clung to her neck and wrapped her legs tightly around her waist.

“There’s glass on the floor, Aunt Jillian. That’s why Mommy said to stay in my room, but Lucy was jumping and pointing at the sky and I wanted to see what she was pointing at. Then the heli… heli… plane came down.”

Jillian adored her niece, but she could try the patience of a saint. Someone had already swept the glass away.

“Sophia Angelique Finnegan! There’s no glass on the floor and you have shoes on.”

Sophia shook her head, curls whipping every which way, her tiny legs tightening around Jillian. Then the little imp glanced at Lex and stage whispered.

“He’s a stranger.”

Jillian groaned and lifted her up. Of course, after the fiasco with the thugs, she’d be leery of strangers.

“Sophia, this is my friend Lex. Lex, my niece Sophia.”

Sophia studied his face then whispered.

“Your friend, Aunt Jillian?”

“Yes. I know where he lives, and I know his mommy.”

“He has a mommy?”

“Hard to believe, isn’t it?”

Sophia frowned, not getting it.

“Daddy doesn’t have a mommy. You don’t have a mommy.”

“Some grown-ups do. I also know his best friend, Douglas.”

Lex made a sound like he was trying not to laugh. Jillian glared at him. Let’s see how he likes being held hostage by an impossible four-year-old.

“And you know what, hun? He’s going to show you his heli-plane.”

That got Sophia’s attention.

“It is really cool. Would you like that?”

Sophia nodded and wiggled out of Jillian’s arms.

“Can Lucy see the inside too, Aunt Jillian?”

“Oh yes. Besties are invited.”

“And Jessie?”

Sophia asked.

Jillian looked at Lex.

“Can Jessie see inside the heli-plane, too?”

Lex nodded, his expression hard to read. He’d probably heard the plea in her voice.

“Absolutely.”

He bowed to Sophia.

“I always wanted to escort three little princesses.”

Sophia giggled.

“I’m not a princess. I’m Sophia Angelique Finnegan.”

“Really? You look just like Princess Sophia,”

Lex said and offered her his hand.

“May I have the honor of escorting you to my heli-plane?”

Sophia giggled.

“Who is Princess Sophia?”

“A princess I met from far, far away,” Lex said.

Jillian watched as he charmed her niece. Just before he walked through the door, he glanced back and gave her a reassuring smile. Knowing he’d be around if she needed him was enough. She nodded. Her glance went to the duffel bag with the money when the door closed behind them. Refusing to second-guess herself, she grabbed it and headed toward the back of the house.

Her heart pounded louder as she got closer to her father’s bedroom, and so did the raised voices. She hesitated one last time, but mentally slapped herself, blew out a breath, and knocked.

Silence followed from behind the door. Then it was jerked open.

“Sophia, I told you…”

Ginger’s voice faded when she realized her daughter wasn’t the one knocking. “Jillian?”

“Hey.”

Jillian stepped forward, but Ginger didn’t move aside. Instead she glanced behind her.

“Uh, excuse me? I’d like to come inside.”

She blinked nervously, then stepped back. She’d always been skittish and scared of her father-in-law. Jillian glanced around. The entire gang was there, including Elena, Cian’s wife. Aunt Molly, Uncle Rowan’s wife, was the only one missing, but then again, she wasn’t part of the business. She was a librarian at a local elementary school.

“Hi, guys,”

Jillian said, eyes staying on her father who managed to look in charge despite being bedridden. He must hate that. She went to his side.

“You’re looking better, Dad.”

“What are you doing here?”

he asked coldly before she reached him. A different person would have stopped. He had a gruff voice and a presence that could be intimidating, but Jillian had learned to ignore both.

“Visiting.”

Jillian planted a kiss on his cheek.

“This is still my home.”

She glanced at the others who watched her with varied expressions. Ricky looked worried, Ginger relieved, Cian pissed, while Elena smiled smugly. Her cousins, Des and Aiden, stared at their hands.

Uncle Rowan looked more tired than usual. He murmured.

“Hey, kiddo.”

“No, it’s not!”

Her father’s voice whipped out and cut across the room.

Jillian turned to face him.

“What is not?”

“This is not your home. Not anymore. You should not be here, Jillian.”

Jillian flinched and glanced around, but no one was looking at her now. She couldn’t remember the last time her father had called her Jillian. It was always Jilly. She wasn’t even sure why that mattered now after what he’d just said.

“Okay. I do have my own place, Dad, but—”

“There’s no but, young lady,”

he barked.

“We’re having a family meeting about a family business, and you cannot be involved. You’re no longer part of the Fearless Finnegan Troupe. You have your life away from this. Go back to it.”

It was obvious the others hadn’t told him.

“I want back in, Dad. These years in Hollywood haven’t been easy. I belong here with you and the rest of the family. Finnegans stay together, you always say. I’m older, smarter, and I don’t take chances anymore.”

He shook his head.

“Damn it, Jillian. Only a Finnegan can be in the troupe, and you are not a Finnegan.”

If he’d reached out and punched her, the pain would not have been as swift or piercing. Her throat tightened, but she refused to back down.

“That doesn’t even make sense, Dad. If you’re talking about blood, Elena and Ginger are Finnegans by marriage, yet they’re part of the act. I’m your daughter. If the business is in trouble, I should be told about it. If people are chipping in, I want to help too.”

“We don’t need your help.”

He looked at Ricky and ground out.

“Get her out of here.”

Ricky moved to Jillian’s side and reached for her arm. She stepped back.

“Fine. I’ll leave, but here’s three hundred and fifty thousand you can use to keep things going.”

She placed the duffel bag on the bed.

“If you need more…”

“We don’t need your money, Jillian,”

her father said and nudged the bag with his knee.

“Dad, please,”

Ricky protested.

“Stay out of this, Ricky. You shouldn’t have called her. She didn’t need to know about this.”

“I haven’t told her anything, except that you want to sell the business,”

Ricky yelled back.

“And she does have a right to know. She’s our sister. If we all helped, maybe we could get enough money to pay the Armenians enough to back off.”

Silence followed, but her father was not looking at Ricky. His eyes were narrowed on Jillian. She swallowed.

“You’re not my daughter,”

her father said, cutting her off.

“I never officially adopted you. You mother was a sweet woman, but very na?ve. I wanted her to be part of the troupe, so I married her. I wanted her to stop asking me to adopt you, so I printed some papers off the Internet and filled them out. Wendell showed me how to forge things. Half of the Bay Area employees don’t have real papers.”

This time the silence was spooky. Jillian tried to speak, but her throat muscles had seized up.

“Why are you…? You’re lying,”

she whispered.

“No, I’m not,”

her father said.

“You’re no more my daughter than a child I’d picked up off the street and offered room and board while she worked for her upkeep in my troupe.”

Someone made a mewling noise behind me. Probably Ginger.

“I did right by your mother and raised you, but enough is enough. Why do you think I sent you away when you turned eighteen, huh? I’d hoped you’d never know the truth. You’re forcing my hand by insisting on being here. You’re not a Finnegan, Jillian. You never were.”

Blood roared past her ears, but his words were clear. Still, she refused to believe him. Everything he’d ever done and said to her couldn’t be a lie. This was some practical joke. An attempt to stop her from rejoining the troupe.

Dizziness washed over Jillian, and she realized why. She’d stopped breathing. A bad habit she’d perfected as a child when she couldn’t get her way. She sucked in air as memories from the past zipped through her head. Children on their street and those they’d meet at the performances asking her what it felt like to be a Finnegan.

“Great! I have the best family in the world,”

she’d say with pride.

All lies? She didn’t think so. How many noses had she bloodied when some kid dared to say she wasn’t really a Finnegan because she was adopted? How many times had she been sent to the principal because she’d threatened to beat up someone? Even Ricky had sucker punched a few A-holes for messing with his sister.

She was a Finnegan and proud of it.

Tears burned the back of Jillian’s eyes, but she refused to let them fall. She glanced at the others. Except for Uncle Rowan, they all stared at her father in horror. Daniel Finnegan was not her father? No, she refused to believe it. This was something he’d cooked up for some twisted reason.

“Cian? Ricky?”

She needed just one person to tell her it was a lie or a joke. Maybe stand up to her father and call him a liar.

Her brothers shook their heads. From their expressions, this was news to them.

Jillian whipped around and faced her uncle.

“Uncle Rowan?”

she asked.

“Is this true?”

He nodded.

“Sorry, kiddo.”

A knife twisted in her gut would have been less painful. Jillian tried to swallow, but her mouth had turned into sandpaper.

“Why didn’t you tell me bef—”

Her voice shook to a stop. “Before?”

she whispered.

He father glared, eyes icy, his hands clenched on top of the covers, but he didn’t speak.

“Why?”

Jillian shouted.

“Because I made a promise to your mother,”

her father, or the man she’d believed was Dad, snapped.

“Take your money and leave,”

he growled.

“We don’t need it. And don’t ever come back here again.”

Hysteria bubbled to the surface, and Jillian laughed harshly.

“Don’t worry, Da… Mr. Finnegan. I won’t dirty your doorsteps again.”

She reached for the duffel bag, unzipped it, and turned it upside down. The wads of bills fell onto the bed, a few landing on the floor.

“Keep the money. It should make up for what you spent on my clothes, food, dance and gymnastic lessons.”

She turned to leave.

“I don’t want your money,”

he called out, and Jillian paused. She bit her lower lip to stop herself from saying something she’d regret. Exhaling, she continued toward the door.

Ricky reached for her arm. “Jill—”

“Don’t, Ricky.”

She yanked opened the door and carefully closed it behind her when she wanted to slam it. Old habits died hard. Tears welled in her eyes. Another old habit. She always cried after a confrontation, not during.

She stopped, lifted her chin, and blinked rapidly. The door opened behind her and she took off, not wanting to see or talk to a Finnegan. Ever. Again.

*

Thugs and money were a terrible combination. No matter how Lex looked at it, something bad was going on with Jillian’s family. He should be inside by her side, not dealing with gawking neighborhood kids. They kept inching closer and closer until they surrounded the helicopter.

Sophia had decided she didn’t want her friends to join them after all and was seated with Mathews at the front, asking questions and waving to her friends. A star in the making.

“Mister, is this your helicopter?”

one boy asked.

“How fast does it go?”

another asked.

“Can you do tricks in the air? My Uncle Jimmy has a plane and he can make it do loop-de-loops in the air. But his plane is this small.”

The boy indicated with his pudgy hands.

Yeah, toy planes. Lex smiled at the boy and explained why his helicopter couldn’t do that. Question after question, but he still didn’t let them get on board. You allowed one on, you had to allow them all.

His eyes went to the front entrance of Jillian’s home. He didn’t want to worry about her, but he couldn’t help it. Coming from a large family, he knew how one incident by a single member could affect everyone. The Fitzgeralds had their share of scandals, so he was used to family crises.

Lex was beginning to lose his patience when the door opened and Jillian stepped out. From the way she gripped the duffel bag to her pale face, he knew something was wrong.

“Okay, boys and girls, we are about to take off. Go back to your mommies and daddies,”

Lex said as he pushed away from the helicopter and went to meet Jillian. Her eyes were empty, yet her chin trembled. She bit hard on her lower lip.

“Are you—?”

“Don’t ask, please,”

she whispered, her voice shaking.

“Let’s just go.”

He rushed her into the helicopter. Her niece called Jillian’s name several times, but Lex doubted Jillian heard her. Instead, she stared at her hands and twisted the straps of the duffel bag. Lex lifted Sophia from the front seat and forced the little girl to focus on him.

“I’m going to set you down now, princess, and I want you to run to the house,” he said.

“Why?”

Sophia asked, her eyes volleying between his face and Jillian’s.

“Because the blades of the helicopter are very dangerous and they whip up everything in the air, even little girls.

Her eyes widened.

“Is Aunt Jillian sick?”

“She’s not feeling too good, but she’ll be okay after I take her home.”

Their front door opened, and a man around Jillian’s age stepped out. He wore the same shell-shocked expression as Jillian. He stared at Lex and Sophia, then the helicopter and saw Jillian. Determination settled on his face as he cut across the lawn.

“Daddy, Aunt Jillian is sick,”

Sophia said, wiggling from Lex’s arms and running to the man.

Her father scooped her up, his tortured eyes going back to Jillian, who stared straight ahead. Lex cleared his throat, drawing the man’s attention.

“Oh, hey,”

the man said, but he didn’t make an effort to introduce himself or focus on him.

“I’m Lex, Jillian’s friend,” Lex said.

Once again, the man spared him a brief glance before his eyes sought Jillian. Lex wasn’t used to being ignored. Something bad had happened inside the house to make brother and sister look like their world was falling apart.

“Jilly,”

he said tentatively, and she flinched. She didn’t even look at him.

Okay, time to go.

“We have to leave,”

Lex said firmly and slid beside Jillian. Sophia’s father finally looked at him, his eyes narrowing. While Jillian was fair in complexion, this man was dark-haired with tanned skin and piercing green eyes his daughter had inherited.

“You’re the dude with my sister in the papers?”

he asked, stressing the words my sister.

Jillian stiffened beside Lex. Lex nodded. “Yes.”

The younger man swallowed, his eyes begging.

“She deserves the best, so treat her right.”

“I intend to. It’s been nice meeting you…”

“Patrick Finnegan,”

the man said and shifted so he could see past Lex to Jillian before adding.

“Jillian’s brother.”

“Let’s go, Lex,”

Jillian whispered. She leaned forward and glared at Sophia’s father.

“Ricky, we have to go.”

Her brother scowled.

“I’ll come visit—”

“Don’t bother,”

Jillian snapped.

“As soon as we’re done here,”

Ricky finished as though she hadn’t spoken.

“I mean it, Jillian. I’ll come find you.”

He waited expectantly for her response, but she had leaned back in her seat and closed her eyes.

Ricky shook his head and stepped back, then turned and carried Sophia to the safety of their porch. Just before they took off, several men and women joined them. The Finnegan family must have had one hell of a meeting, because from the look on their faces, it hadn’t gone well.

Jillian was tense, her knuckles white on the strap of the bag. Lex reached out and covered her hand. She cringed, but he didn’t let go. Tremors shot through her body, making him want to gather her in his arms. Halfway back to L.A., her hand opened and gripped his. He angled his body in case she wanted to rest her head on his shoulder. Her body stayed stiff and unyielding despite their clasped hands.

“Can Mathews drop me at home?”

she asked.

“No.”

There was no way he was letting her out of his sight.

“You promised me the weekend, except Friday when you’re doing something with your brothers.”

“That’s been canceled.”

“So I get Friday, too?” he asked.

She didn’t smile at his attempt to lighten things. Instead, she sighed.

“Lex, I just want to wash all the gunk off me, crawl into bed, and sleep for days.”

She’d showered before they left the set. Why shower again? What the hell had happened at her house?

“I have a big tub and an even a bigger bed,” he said.

Earlier, she would have laughed or made a sassy retort. Now, she rested her head on his shoulder and closed her eyes. Different scenarios popped into his head, but he couldn’t reach any based on what Sophia had revealed and Jillian’s behavior. All he knew was that she was in pain and he was going to do everything in his power to make it go away.

By the time Mathews landed on the helipad, Lex had a plan.

Inside the house, he showed her the bedroom and the bathroom. The look in her eyes made his chest ache. There was so much pain and despair. Did she need more money? It was obvious they must owe quite a lot for the guys to come to their house and threaten her father. And earlier she’d said it was her fault. How?

He rubbed her arms.

“What happened at your place?”

Her eyes narrowed.

“It’s not my place. Not anymore.”

“What do you mean?”

She shook her head.

“Talk to me, Jillian.”

“I, uh…”

She sighed.

“There’s nothing to talk about. I have my own home now, and it’s not with them.”

She wiggled out of his grip and started for the bathroom. He watched her go, then heard the water running. The door was still open, and he caught her reflection as she undressed.

Heat shot to his groin.

Lex ignored his raging libido. He needed to focus on Jillian. Of course, that didn’t negate the fact that she could look like road kill and he’d still want her.

He left the bedroom. Their lunch was still on the table. He threw the rest away and was about to go check on her when a ding came from Jillian’s jacket. He fished her cell phone from the pocket. She had several messages from her brother Ricky and someone named Cian. The other brother? Possibly.

He took the phone to the bathroom, but the room was empty. Where the hell was she?

“Jillian?”

The water in the tub rolled, and he realized she was completely submerged under the bubbles. He swept the bubbles out of the way, a bad feeling washing over him. Her eyes were closed, and there were no bubbles floating from her nose. No! He dropped to his knees, dove inside the water, and dragged her out.

She came up fighting. Water sloshed over the side of the tub.

“What are you doing?”

she yelled.

“I thought…”

Of course, she couldn’t kill herself by drowning in the damn tub.

“You okay?”

She started to nod, then shook her head.

Her grief seemed to have deepened.

“Your brothers texted you.”

She took her phone, dropped it in the water, and leaned back against the tub pillow. Okay, this went beyond thugs and money. She was angry with her family.

He stayed seated on the edge of the tub, but she ignored him. Whatever happened, she’d tell him when she was ready. She’d have to before the anger hit her. He knew about the grieving process. He reached out and stroked the wet strands flowing to her shoulder.

“I’m here when you need to talk.”

She closed her eyes, shutting him out.

“Do you want remote control for the TV?”

Her eyes opened.

“That’s nice, but I just want to be alone, Lex.”

He got up, picked up the remote control from the rack under the TV, and placed it by the soaps and conditioner. She watched him without saying anything.

“I’m going to pick up a few things from the office, but I’ll be back in a few minutes.”

“Uh, Lex. Maybe I should check into a hotel or something. I’m not going to be good company.”

“We’ve already closed that subject. You’re staying here.”

“Why do you care? I’m nothing to you.”

But she could be everything to him, if she gave them a chance.

“I always keep an eye on my investments.”

Her eyes narrowed.

“You know I can walk right out of here, and there’s nothing you can do about it. I mean, you can’t force me to stay.”

He cocked his eyebrows.

“You want to bet?”

“Ass.”

She splashed him. “Go away.”

“I’ll be back. Don’t do something you’ll regret.”

A glimpse of the old Jillian appeared as amusement flickered in her eyes.

“Like what? Ignore your arrogance and leave? Possibly. Drown myself? Not over them.”

Them who? Her family or the thugs?