Dangerous Relations (6 page)

"After he choked me, I realized things would never get better, only worse. So I left. Took a
midnight bus from Thornedale to the city. A close friend who was going to Columbia put me up for a
few days, till I could figure out what to do with my life."

Brett stared at her in obvious shock. "Wasn't there anyone here you could turn to? What
about your mother?"

Ardin snorted. "She was drying out in the hospital the day of my wedding. Although she did
warn me not to marry Corey. She said he has shifty eyes. I thought it was her grudge against Frank,
but now I wonder."

Brett reached across the table. His thumb caressed the back of her hand. She found the
gesture soothing yet erotic. "You had a hard time of it, but you seem to have come out ahead."

Ardin stiffened. He still didn't understand. "That's what Frank had the nerve to tell me this
morning."

She looked up, saw their waiter standing patiently beside their table. Now that he had their
attention, he said, "Hello, my name is Tim. I'm your server tonight. Would you like to hear the
specials?"

They ordered the tuna steaks medium rare, Caesar salads, and a bottle of Pinot Grigio. Tim
uncorked their wine with great aplomb and poured. Ardin reached for her glass and gulped half of it
down. Not very refined, but for once in her life she wanted to feel tipsy enough to block out the
memory of having exposed the sordid details of her life. Now Brett would see her as a pathetic
weirdo from a dysfunctional family instead of a woman he could make love to.

This last thought came as a bolt from the blue. Her hand jerked, and she nearly spilled what
remained of her wine.

Such a ridiculous idea. Brett had no designs on her. He was giving her the royal
treatment in hopes that she would convince Aunt Julia to let him adopt Leonie. She had
better keep her lusty urges to herself.

Brett held up his glass. "To a happy future. For you, for me, and for Leonie."

Flustered, Ardin added, "Here's to finding Suziette's murderer ASAP."

"Definitely. Let's find Suziette's murderer, so we can get on with our lives."

They clinked glasses. Ardin took a sip, and realized she liked what she was drinking. "Fine
wine."

"Good company." He winked.

Relieved, she leaned back in her seat. Clearly, Brett hadn't been put off by her true
confessions. Then it dawned on her. He hadn't been put off because he wasn't romantically
interested.
Stay in reality,
she advised herself.
It's all you have. All you can count
on.

He was a sympathetic person, and he liked her as a friend. Yes, he liked her as a friend, and
she'd have to be content with that.

"Earth to Ardin."

She gave a start. "Sorry."

"I spoke to Bill Presley today. He said Suziette's will will be probated early next week."

"Ten days after the date of death," Ardin said mechanically.

Brett nodded. "I like Bill. When I said I planned to go ahead with the custody suit, he
wished me luck."

"He's great. We were friends back in high school."

"Did you two date?"

"Never. But he and Suziette had a bit of a thing back then." She wanted to call back her
words as soon as they left her mouth.

Brett gripped his fork in his fist. "So Bill's one of Suziette's ex-lovers."

"That was years ago." Ardin waved her hand dismissively. "Besides, his wife is
drop-dead gorgeous. You know Vivie. My mother calls her the red-headed Nicole
Kidman."

"I'm glad you can vouch for someone who wasn't fooling around with Suziette before she
died."

Ardin reached out and touched his cheek. It felt surprisingly soft, like the skin of a child.
"Brett, I know she's hurt you, but don't give her the power to turn you into a bitter man."

He gave her a thoughtful look. "You're right. I've too much in the works to let that happen."
He set down his fork, now bent and misshapen, and beckoned the waiter to bring him another.

Enough talk about Suziette, Ardin decided as their salads arrived. She asked how the new
strip mall was coming along, and Brett answered in detail. She was glad his natural enthusiasm had
returned, the tension had eased from his face. They chatted with the ease of old friends, tacitly
avoiding painful and provocative subjects.

Half-intoxicated and secure in the knowledge that Brett didn't think of her that way, she
allowed herself to bask in the glowing heat of his masculinity. They laughed and bantered across
the table. Once, in the flickering candlelight, she caught him smiling at her with loving tenderness. A
quiet joy filled her heart. She quickly reminded herself it was his affectionate nature responding to
the pleasure of the moment.

They ordered dessert and coffee. Ardin lounged back in her chair, taking delight in the
changing expressions on Brett's face as he related an amusing childhood story.

Suddenly he stopped. His eyes cut across the room to whatever it was that had caught his
attention.

"What's wrong?"

His voice turned flat. "Corey MacAllister just came in."

"With Tiffany?"

When he didn't answer, she turned to watch the ma�tre d' usher Corey and his wife, a
stunning, petite blonde, to their table.

The sight of him made her breath quicken. She forced herself to relax.
Corey can't
hurt you. He won't hurt you.
She repeated the mantra while she ransacked her mind for
something ordinary to say. "That's Tiffany. Frank said they were back together again."

"I'd like to go over and sock him one in the gut."

Alarmed, she put her hand on his arm. "You won't, will you?"

Brett snorted. "And screw up my chances to adopt Leonie? Not on your life. Still, I hate the
slimy creep. For sneaking around with Suziette. For what he did to you."

Now that she was assured there'd be no scene, Ardin felt gratified some of his fury was on
her behalf. "If you feel this way about Corey, how can you even consider doing business with
Frank?"

Brett shrugged. "Corey's not involved in the deal. Besides, I don't hold Frank responsible
for his son's behavior. Especially after he told me how much he regretted Corey's affair with
Suziette."

"So you're heeding the voice of reason."

"And decided not to buy my next car from Corey's dealership."

A waiter was reciting the evening's specials to Corey and his wife. "They live half an hour's
drive from here," Ardin said. "I wish they'd stay in Pembroke."

"Maybe they will," Brett mused, "after tonight."

She sipped her coffee and poked at her chocolate cake. Brett resumed his interrupted story,
but she couldn't take in one word. Corey was here in the restaurant. He acted as though he hadn't
seen her, but he always knew exactly where she was. Always found her when she'd hidden to get
away from him. Even yesterday at the funeral, he'd watched as she helped Aunt Julia into the
limo.

What if he walked over and struck her? Her breathing turned ragged as the horrible
possibility filled her mind.

"I won't be bitter if you won't be frightened."

Brett's hand on her arm made her jump, but his look of concern brought her back to reality.
She was here with Brett. Corey sat with his new wife. She told herself she was safe, and listened to
the rest of his story.

She visited the Ladies' Room while Brett settled the bill. She hummed as she combed her
hair, and then stepped into the narrow hallway, eager to return to Brett.

The sight of Corey approaching froze her where she stood.

"Hello, Ardin. Always nice to get a warm greeting from your ex-wife."

The narrow hallway gave their forced proximity an unpleasant intimacy.
Run!
Run back to the dining room where you're safe
.

Ardin took a deep breath, remembered her two years of therapy, and held her ground.

"Maybe you don't deserve any greeting. Excuse me." She moved to pass him.

"But you don't mind eating dinner with a murderer."

His words were like a lasso. They squeezed tight, wouldn't let her go. She turned to face
him. "I wouldn't go around saying that, unless you want to be slapped with a suit for slander."

Corey stepped closer. "You can't get sued for telling the truth."

The smell of liquor on his breath made her cringe. Liquor always set him off. But
she refused to give in to her fear. She thrust back her shoulders, glared into his face. "Give
me a break. We both know lies are more your style."

She strode away. Shuddered when he chased after her.

"Ardin!"

His smirk was gone. "Suziette was scared stiff of her handsome hubby. And
that,
I swear, is the truth."

She hadn't realized how high the evening out with Brett had raised her spirits until they
came crashing down. Surely Corey was lying.

Against her will, her suspicions about Brett flared back to life. Suziette's infidelities
had set off a raging anger inside him. Still, she told herself, that didn't mean he was a wife
beater. It didn't mean he'd killed Suziette.

"Could be Suziette got upset because Brett made it clear he didn't like her screwing
around," she said. "Did you ever think of that?"

Corey's flush spread from his forehead to his throat. "She showed me the black and blue
marks on her arms."

The dark humor of that brought on a burst of uncontrollable laughter. "She showed
you the marks? Now that's really funny."

"Ardin, listen!" Corey called, but this time Ardin kept right on going.

* * * *

Brett hummed as he paid the bill, adding a generous tip for Tim. The food, the service, and
especially Ardin's company had been top rate. He considered the evening a success.

He'd followed his instincts, and this time they'd led him in the right direction--to
Ardin. She was intelligent and clear-sighted, and as good as admitted that Leonie would be
best off in his care. His next step was to help her overcome her misguided sense of loyalty
to her aunt and take action on behalf of Leonie's best interests. Julia would follow her lead.
With both Ardin and Julia on his side, the court had to grant him the guardianship.

"Brett, can we leave now?"

The tension in her voice grabbed his attention. She stood before him, clearly desperate.
Why was her face so wan, all expression shut down?

"What's wrong?"

"I ran into Corey outside the bathrooms."

"Unlucky you." Brett watched Corey take his seat and lean across the table to clasp his
wife's hand. But the tilt of his head told him Corey knew damn well they were talking about
him.

He clenched his fists. "Someone needs to teach him a lesson."

"Brett!" Her voice came out strangled.

Now he was embarrassing her. "Let's get out of here!" He took her elbow, felt her balk, and
then acquiesce. He led her outside.

The April air was chilly now, as frosty as the ice maiden at his side. He wanted Ardin back,
the Ardin whose company he'd so thoroughly enjoyed. He was a man of action, and so--not knowing
what else to do--tried to make light of the situation. "I suppose we have to get used to Corey being
part of the Thornedale scenery."

"I don't have to get used to anything," she said. "Friday morning, I'm out of
here."

Her words sent his mood plummeting. "I wish you weren't leaving."

"Don't worry. I'll cross the Hudson River whenever my mother or aunt needs me."

"That's not what I mean." They got into the Jeep. He slammed his door harder than he'd
intended and headed for her mother's apartment.

They went the first block without speaking. Brett felt a tweak of annoyance. Why were
women so temperamental? So easily upset? What could Corey have said that had the power to drain
Ardin of all joy?

Idiot! His hand flew to his forehead. It didn't much matter what Corey said. He used to beat
her, for God's sake.

He wanted to put his arm around her and draw her close, let her know that he'd never treat
her badly. But he knew better than to even take her hand. She was feeling miserable and vulnerable
right now.

Damn Corey for upsetting her this way. For ruining the most enjoyable evening he'd had in
months.

"I'm meeting with my lawyer tomorrow," he said, for something to say.

"Good." Ardin blinked, and then pursed her lips. He watched her shift gears into attorney
mode. "Best to move on it as soon as possible. There are strategies to plan, more forms to be filled
out and filed."

She was blowing him off and slipping away, and he didn't like it one bit. "Why don't you
come out with Leonie and me tomorrow?"

Ardin shook her head. "I don't think so, Brett. I'd be intruding."

"No you wouldn't." He toned down the urgency in his voice, but he had to convince
her to come. "We'll spend some time in the park, then have a bite to eat."

He watched her nibble at her lips in the most adorable way as she thought it over. "I know
Leonie would want you to come."

"How do you know that?"

"She likes her Cousin Ardin. She's told me so plenty of times."

"I bet." She looked pleased.

Brett pulled into a spot in front of the apartment building and gave her his full attention.
"So-o-o-o, Ardin. Is that a yes?"

A long minute passed before she said, "I suppose it is."

A blast of joy shot through his body. He reached over to hug her. Then, without planning or
thinking, he kissed her.

Her lips were as soft as velvet. Pliant, yielding. A Roman candle went off inside his body. He
used his tongue to explore her mouth.

Ardin moaned and moved closer into his embrace.

He combed his fingers through her long, silky hair. God, she was luscious, every bit of her
sensuous and beautiful.

She turned her head and the kiss ended. When he tried to revive it, she pressed her hands
against his chest--hard. The separation was painful. His breath came in gasps, as though he'd been
cut off from his vital source of oxygen.

"Good night, Brett." Thank God she was smiling.