Cole

  It was only Cole and the sensations he had unearthed inside of me.

  We stayed in that box for half the night, just making out. And when we couldn’t hold back any longer, we went back to my hotel room.

  Cole woke me early in the morning with more kisses and touches, but he had to leave around six. He had more business to attend to, and the plane was waiting for me when I woke again later.

  On the flight home, I thought about the night. The entire thing had been like a daydream. I’d been transported into a different world—Cole’s world. I’d visited his life. Even for just a moment, and even if I didn’t know what life that was, it had been worth it. So worth it.

  I refused to think of any price I might pay, and once I got home, I went back to life as normal. Or I tried. Cole remained in the back of my mind, but the first thing: my meeting with Jake’s law firm.

  It went well. I gave them the paperwork they needed, and that was enough. They said they’d be surprised if Liam’s parents proceeded any further, especially since it was a “bullshit suit.” Those were Jake’s and his colleague’s words.

  I never told Sia that I’d left town for a night, but she must’ve noticed I was acting differently. She asked if everything was fine, and instead of believing me when I said it was, she invited me to attend an event with her.

  “The Gala is sponsoring the event, so I’m supposed to go, but I didn’t organize it so I don’t have a lot of work to do,” she explained. “I just need to talk to a few people—you know, network. But the event is going to be huge. It’s at the Haldorf, not the Gala. We’re just one of the sponsors. I’m sure a few celebrities will be there, and anyone influential in the city will be there. Do you want to come? You don’t have to. But I’m making Jake come, too.”

  Maybe it was because I didn’t want to be alone. Maybe it was because Cole had woken me up, and now I was restless. Things had been gray before, but the world was in color now. I wanted things to be in bright lights, neon like the club. I didn’t want everything to be dimmed anymore. And maybe it was for that reason that I found myself agreeing to go.

  Twenty-four hours later, I was back among beautiful people, crystal lights, and champagne. Lots and lots of champagne. Sia had said it would be bigger. She hadn’t lied. It was like one of her events, but on steroids, and multiplied by ten.

  I wanted to die. Well, almost. Not quite. See? Progress. I was only experiencing a mild form of irritation and regret. I clutched my champagne glass tightly in front of me like it was a shield against anyone who tried to talk to me.

  The Haldorf was one of the most prestigious hotels in Chicago, and the clientele for the evening was more diverse—star athletes and celebrities, as well as most of the usual socialites the Gala always invited. My corner view through the window gave me a look at the front entrance and the impressive lineup of people entering. It was my own private red carpet.

  “Hey.” Jake sidled up next to me, drink in hand. He turned his back to the window and surveyed the crowd behind me. “This is impressive. Did Sia have a lot to do with it?”

  “I’m not sure.”

  “She’s off flitting around.” He glanced down at me. “Is this what it’s like coming to a party as her date?”

  Patting his arm, I turned to watch the crowd inside with him. “Yes, yes, it is, my dear friend. You have joined the dark side. I call it Sia’s Neglected Entourage. For a while there, it was a sad club with only one member, but I welcome you, a new member now.”

  “Can I get a pin?”

  “I’ll buy you one of those things pageant winners wear.” I sobered. “Just so you know, she’s never brought a boyfriend to one of these events.”

  “Yeah?” He studied me.

  I nodded. “You’re the first. She never cared enough about the others.” I nudged him gently with my arm. “I think that says something.”

  His chest puffed up. “Damn straight. I’m awesome in bed.”

  I burst out laughing.

  “No way!”

  I looked up, distracted by Jake’s sudden proclamation. He stared at a crowd to our left, his mouth open. “It’s Mahler.”

  “Who?”

  I looked but saw only a bunch of black tuxedos and shiny dresses. No one stood out to me until a couple moved aside and I saw him. The lead attorney for my in-laws. I looked over to the couple beside him, and my blood ran cold. “Oh, no.”

  “That’s the piece of shit trying to sue you for your in-laws, or who tried. Biggest piece of crap lawsuit I’ve heard about in a long time.”

  Jake had no clue who was next to the piece of shit. “He’s not alone.”

  “Huh?” He followed my gaze. “No way. Are those—?”

  “Liam’s parents. In the flesh.”

  “They must’ve come on his ticket. What do you want to do?” Some of Jake’s heat faded. “I was ready to go over and pick a fight, but I’ll follow your lead. Avoid? Ignore? Laugh like we’re better than them? Walk by and accidentally knock my elbow into his dad? He doesn’t have a firm grip on his drink. We could go for the winner, see if he’d spill his drink on himself? I’m game. You choose.”

  “Pick a fight?”

  Jake shrugged. “Okay, but my style. The lawyer way. We fight differently than everyone else.”

  I was about to change my answer to avoid, but Mahler looked in our direction, and then it was too late. He saw us. His eyes got big, and a smarmy, smug look came over him. His face was red and sweaty, and when he waved us over, I noticed his eyes were glazed.

  “Look who we have here!” he said. “Jake Parker. Your office sent over papers today. How thoughtful and cooperative you all are being.”

  Jake groaned under his breath. “Come on. We have to go over now.”

  I didn’t move, but Carol and Hank both saw me, and Carol had visibly stiffened. I was distantly aware of Jake’s hand nudging me forward.

  “Mahler.” Jake sounded as stiff as Carol looked. “I could’ve saved money and delivered those papers tonight.”

  Mahler let out a deep laugh, clamping a hand on Jake’s shoulder. “None of that. Tonight’s for pleasure. We’re raising money for some cause—horse tails, maybe?” He tossed back a good portion of his champagne. “Where’s your drink? You, too, Ms. Sailer. Where’s your drink? You need to be enjoying yourselves with us—” Then he cut himself off and seemed to remember who he was standing with.

  The only satisfaction I got was that my in-laws looked as uncomfortable as I was.

  Carol looked down, lifting a tiny hand to pat her greying hair, which was pulled up in a diamond-encrusted barrette. She’d always been beautiful, and her aging had only made her more stunning. Liam got his looks from her. They had the same blue eyes, soft cheekbones, and heart-shaped face. Liam used to make fun of himself, saying he would’ve been a pretty girl, but I loved how he looked. And a lot of other ladies agreed with me. I was staring at the reason so many had tried their hands at catching him.

  “You look lovely, Carol.”

  I sensed Jake’s surprise, but she’d brought Liam into this world. I owed her that much.

  She seemed just as surprised as Jake. “Thank you, Addison.” She looked me up and down. “You as well. The black is beautiful on you.”

  I repressed a retort, pressing my lips together.

  “Really, Addison,” she’d said after the funeral. “You must stop wearing black. It’s depressing. I know most girls wear it because it’s slimming, but you’re all bones. You should be wearing white. That’ll make you look healthier. Trust me, most of the girls will be envious. I know Liam loved white. Wear it for him, or wear something else. Some color. Blue even. God forbid you wear something more lively than black.”

  The guilt in her gaze told me she remembered this as well. I forced my smile to hold, though my cheeks protested. I could’ve taken a cheap shot. Her silver sequins matched her greying hair, but that was another comment I suppressed.

  “Hank.” I nodded. That was all I said to him.

/>   Liam’s father was the same age as Mahler, but he did not have the same beauty regimen. While Mahler’s hair was dyed jet black, Hank’s was mostly grey, just like his wife’s. That was something I remembered about them. They believed in keeping chemicals and toxins out of their bodies as much as possible.

  Hank nodded back to me. “Addison.” His hand curved behind his wife’s arm, the same way Jake held on to me. “You’re dating a lawyer now?”

  “What?”

  “Oh.” Jake withdrew his hand, laughing. “No. We’re—”

  “—friends,” I finished, adding, “Jake’s a good friend. He helped me with the case.” I stressed the word helped because as far as I was concerned the case was over. I raised my chin, daring any of them to disagree.

  Hank put his hands in his pockets. Carol sighed and turned, raising her head to scan the rest of the room. She kept her fingers clasped together around her glass, like it was too heavy for her and she needed both hands to hold it up. I eyed her, noting a droop to her shoulders I hadn’t noticed before. Her makeup couldn’t hide the bags under her eyes either. They seemed larger than I’d ever noticed before.

  Jake was silent.

  Mahler let out another hearty laugh. “I’m still thinking we need drinks for you two. Where’s a damn waitress when you need one?” He scanned the room for a moment. “Holy shit!” Everyone turned to him with the change in his tone. “Talk about a ghost from the past.”

  He stepped backward and reached out as two men slipped by in the crowd. He tried to grab the first man’s arm, but he twisted at the last second and caught Mahler’s wrist. Mahler blinked a couple times before he burst out with another booming laugh.

  “Carter Reed. I couldn’t believe it, and I can barely believe it now.” He eased his arm out of the man’s grasp. “As quick as you ever were.” He lifted his hand as if to clasp him on the shoulder, but the man narrowed his eyes in warning. Mahler’s hand fell back to his side. He cleared his throat. “How are you, Reed? I didn’t know you came around these parts anymore.”

  “Fuck.”

  I was the only one who seemed to have heard Jake’s quiet curse, and I glanced at him. His eyes were wide and trained on this Carter Reed person.

  Reed had wolf-like blue eyes, dark blond hair, and a dangerous air. If Sia had been here, and not been with Jake, she would’ve been gushing over him like when she first saw Cole at Gianni’s. This man was powerful. That was obvious. Carol and Hank seemed frozen as well, their reactions close to Jake’s.

  Who is this guy?

  “I have to say, it’s not a good surprise to see you, Reed.” Mahler spoke again since the other man refused to respond. “Where you go, bodies tend to pile up.” When everyone else remained silent, he laughed at his own joke. He was the only one.

  Reed only watched him, an icy glint in his eyes. He didn’t seem annoyed or scared, just like he was waiting for the idiot to shut up.

  Carol jerked into motion. She reached for Mahler’s glass. “I think you’ve had one too many, Alfred.”

  “Oh, come on.” He was still laughing. “It’s funny. Besides, what are you nervous about? Reed’s out of the game. Right?” He reached for the man’s shoulder again, and he was evaded again.

  “If you try to touch me one more time, I will break your hand.”

  The soft threat shut him up. It was as if Mahler suddenly realized who he’d been poking, like a child pointing a stick at a cobra. His face became even more flushed.

  “Uh.” He took a step back, cramming his hands into his pockets as he tried to recover. “Who are you here with?” He craned his neck to see who had been standing behind the taller man. As he did, Reed’s companion moved forward, and Hank and Carol moved aside. They kept their eyes focused elsewhere.

  I should have, too.

  Reed’s associate came into view, and I felt punched in the diaphragm.

  It was Cole.

  I could only stand there and stare. I hadn’t thought he’d be here. I hadn’t thought he was even in the state. I’d just been with him a few nights before, and he’d said nothing. He’d texted a couple times since then, asking how I was, but he’d given no indication he was coming back to town. These thoughts were racing in my mind, but all I could do was swallow, feeling a knot moving up my throat.

  I tried to keep my mouth from falling open and gaping at him, but that was where my jaw should’ve been, on the damn floor. I couldn’t help noting how he looked and how my body was already leaning toward him, like it wanted to go into his arms, like that was the most natural thing in the world.

  Like that was where I was supposed to be, and why the hell was I still only standing here, not going to him?

  I knew that wasn’t rational, and I tried to shut off that side of my brain. Anger, annoyance, and some other sensations I didn’t want to identify churned in me. If I let myself feel them, it’d be a recipe for disaster. I would not make a scene here. I would not demand answers. That would be later, but not in front of my in-laws, or in front of anyone, for that matter.

  Instead, I took in how striking Cole looked. His friend was striking as well, but I preferred Cole. He was dark to his friend’s light. Each balanced the other, drawing attention from everyone around us and other groups beyond them. They had an animal magnetism. They were affecting the crowd. People grew restless, feeling a shift in the air.

  Both were deadly. Both knew it, and both gazed at Mahler like he was their next meal.

  Mahler was finally struck speechless. He could only stare at Cole, as could I. Cole narrowed his eyes at Mahler, then Jake, then swung his gaze to me. He lingered a moment before returning to Mahler.

  Complete silence settled over the group. What was going on? They couldn’t have known about us. Reed was staring at me now, and I froze for a beat. Curiosity mingled faintly with an amused look in his eyes before he shifted backward to stand shoulder to shoulder with Cole.

  “You were full of drunken stupidity when you saw me, Mahler,” Reed spoke. “Now you can’t say a word?” He glanced to Cole. “Or maybe you weren’t aware that Cole was in town?”

  Mahler sputtered out some words, but none made sense.

  My ex in-laws didn’t seem surprised to see him, or maybe they’d gotten over it faster. Both had their eyes trained on the floor, their shoulders slightly hunched forward. They were the vision of demure and timid.

  I tilted my head to the side. This didn’t make sense. Nothing was making sense. I turned to Jake, but he couldn’t look away from Cole. His jaw clenched, and his Adam’s apple swiftly jerked up and down.

  What…?

  “Well, I mean—” Mahler had found his ability to speak. Unfortunately. He coughed once, a deep burst of air that cleaned out his pipes. “I don’t think anyone was aware that Cole Mauricio was back in town.”

  Mauricio—I felt another kick to my stomach. The Mauricio. Cole Mauricio. He was the building’s owner. He had to be, and he’d been quiet about it the whole time. I stared at him, accusing. His eyes flicked to mine, and I caught a brief flash of amusement mixed with an apology before it disappeared and his face shifted back to an unreadable mask.

  I narrowed my eyes. I didn’t share the sentiment. I felt the opposite, and I still had to clamp down on the emotions twisting around me, like an angry tornado.

  Reed studied Hank and Carol. “I think your companions did.”

  Mahler glanced to them, then at Jake and me. “Oh. Well...” He shrugged. “Maybe they saw Cole earlier.”

  “We just arrived.”

  All eyes turned to Cole. His eyes darted to mine once before returning to Mahler. They narrowed, then swept over Carol and Hank, too. “Maybe they were aware for another reason.”

  I frowned. What was he talking about?

  Both Carol and Hank turned bright red, and my ex mother-in-law reached for her husband’s arm. “It’s been a wonderful event, but I’ve grown tired all the sudden.”

  Mahler snorted.

  She paused, shooting him a
dark look. “It’s been lovely, Alfred. And it was a pleasure to have met you, Mr. Reed. Mr. Mauricio.” She stopped, realizing who else she needed to address. She looked up, barely meeting my eyes. “And nice seeing you as well, Addison.”

  Liam’s mother was just as fake as she’d always been. I couldn’t muster up anything polite to say in return. So I said nothing. I just wanted them to go away.

  They turned to go just as Cole said, “Bea Bertal.”

  They stopped. But they didn’t look back, not at first. Two seconds passed before Carol turned back to Cole. She swallowed visibly. Her hand clutched Hank’s arm. “You knew my mother?”

  “Cole.” Mahler started forward, but Reed blocked him.