Captivating You (How to Marry a Billionaire #2)

Episode 81

EPISODE 81

BETRAYAL AND BLACKMAIL

River

I’m pretty damned close to pulling out my hair in large clumps. First Brett and his secret love for Jake has morphed into some warped need to have Misty—Jake’s supposed half-sister—stay on the island. Second, there’s Emily and my incessant attraction to her. But she probably fucked Brett in the hot tub and has accused us of monitoring the women’s rooms. Third, Seb and his edicts. Who the fuck does he think he is?

But truly, what’s aching at me the most is all the secrets I’ve been forced to keep—we’ve all been forced to keep—because of Brett’s idea all those years ago.

Brett, who, as it turns out, I don’t fucking know at all. My trusted best friend.

Fuck it all.

I draw in a breath and attempt to calm down. Doesn’t work. I grit my teeth and storm out of my suite with my carry-on bag.

When I pass Evangeline’s door, I’m surprised to find it open. She’s standing inside her living area puffing on a cigarette—even though this is a non-smoking facility.

Yeah. Who the fuck cares? I could use a smoke right now myself. Either that or a bourbon. Or a fucking knock on the head with a mallet.

She motions me in. “River, there’s a problem,” she says. “Close the door.”

A problem? Shocking. What else could go wrong? This must be Murphy’s Law at its finest.

“What is it?” I throw my bag onto her plush carpeting and pace to the window.

“It’s Rachel and Ginger.”

Jesus fuck. Of course it is. I turn and meet Evangeline’s gaze. “What about them?”

She blows out the smoke she inhaled and gulps audibly. “They’re gone. They left the hospital overnight against medical advice. The hospital won’t give me any information except to say that they’re gone.”

“Of course they won’t give you any information,” he says. “Doctor-patient confidentiality and all.” I sift my fingers through my hair. “Fuck. How far could they get? Have you tried all their contact numbers?”

“Of course, I have. Nothing.”

“Maybe they’re on their way back to the States.”

She nods, her lips trembling as she takes another drag on her cigarette. “That’s my assumption. But Sebastian wants them back here. He told me to do whatever it took to make things right and get them back on the island. That’s why I called the hospital this morning.”

“You should have called anyway to check on them.”

“Yes, of course. That was the other reason. But I can’t check on them if they’re not there!”

“You have their addresses, right?”

Evie nods. “River, I can’t give you that information.”

“Can’t or won’t?” River demands.

“Can’t. They signed contracts with me as the matchmaker for this event. I’m allowed only to disclose the city and state they live in. Nothing else. This is for their protection. Do I have to remind you that all four of you gentlemen agreed to this?”

I stalk toward her. “I don’t care what any of us agreed to. Ginger is a doctor, for God’s sake. She wouldn’t allow Rachel to leave against medical advice.”

“Maybe that’s why they left. Ginger felt she could take care of Rachel.”

“Don’t make shit up, Evangeline. Ginger’s a dermatologist, not a neurologist. Now turn over their addresses. I can see Sienna safely to the mainland and get her on a plane home, and then I can hop a commercial flight to wherever the hell Ginger and Rachel went.”

“What if they didn’t go to either of their homes?” Evangeline asks.

“Where the hell else would they—” I stop, pursing my lips.

Fuck.

Fuck, fuck, fuck.

I breathe in, trying to stay calm.

“Besides,” Evangeline continues, “you need to be here. I need you more than I need them. We can replace two women. There’s no replacement for you.”

I shake my head slowly. “This is over, Evie. Face it.” The realization actually lifts a weight from my shoulders than I didn’t even know was there.

“River, please. I’m begging you.” Evangeline drops her cigarette butt into an ashtray and plunks into a chair. Her face is paler than usual. “What I’m about to tell you can’t leave this room.”

Finally, is someone going to level with me? She seems skittish, so I need to proceed with caution. “Whatever it is, you can trust me.”

Evangeline sighs. “Sebastian is right. Misty has some information about me. Information that is very, very sensitive. It has the potential to harm a lot of people. A lot. She swore to me that if I gave her a chance to come to this event that she’d keep my secret. River, you have to understand what’s at stake here is not just a job. My life—and others—could be in danger. Misty is harmless. I’m sure of that. She wouldn’t hurt anyone. She just wants something for herself, something that her rich father can’t control. This whole thing has gotten out of hand because I need Misty to keep my secret.”

I’m not moved by her pleas. “No dice. You have to level with me. The whole truth, Evie. I need to know what we’re dealing with here. What does Misty have on you, and how does she even know?”

Evangeline shakes her head, tears in her eyes. “I can’t tell you. Misty and I were friends before all this, and she guessed, River. It was bad luck. We were close, and we still are. Sort of. Misty doesn’t quite understand that friendship doesn’t include blackmail.”

Damn. And this is the woman who wants me? In Misty Holmes’s dreams.

Evangeline swallows again. “Misty and I have to keep a professional relationship so none of the other women accuse me of bias.”

“This is all very touching, but I’m a beef rancher, Evangeline. That means I know a lot about bullshit. I can smell it miles away, and frankly, your story reeks. I’m going to take Sienna to the mainland, and if I can’t chase down Rachel and Ginger, I’m going home. You still have three billionaires to work with.”

Evangeline jumps to her feet and sniffs back her falling tears. She grips my shoulders. “River, you don’t understand. It has to be you. I don’t know why—I really don’t—but Misty wants the chance to get to know you. You have to be here or our deal is off.”

I summon what little patience I have left and deftly remove Evangeline’s hands from me. “Listen to me. Any deal between you and Misty was not part of your deal with us. You and I both know that, and frankly, it isn’t my problem. Nor Brett’s, Seb’s, or Alex’s. That’s on you. If Misty was the friend you say she is, she’d keep your secret.”

Her lips tremble. “River, you don’t understand. She’s set on you.”

I furrow my brow, holding back the temptation to grab Evangeline’s shoulders as she did mine. None of this makes a lick of sense to me. Why in hell would Misty, who’s never met me before in this lifetime, decide I’m the one? And why in hell is Evangeline so set on it as well? I don’t like where this is going.

I inhale and exhale slowly. “Tell me the truth. Did you promise me to Misty? Because if you did, you had no right.”

“No, I swear.” Evangeline shakes her head, still sniffling. “I promised her two weeks. I said she’d have two weeks to get to know you and if at the end of that time you didn’t choose her, that she’d have to accept that.”

“So she got two days, not two weeks. What difference would it make if I didn’t fall for her during that time? What would happen if I fell for someone else in the first two weeks?” I can’t resist adding, “Who says I haven’t?”

Evangeline grabs a cigarette out of the pack sitting on her coffee table, lights up, and inhales a deep drag. “She would have accepted it, River, but you walking away and just leaving? With no one? She won’t accept that. Please. I’m begging you. You can’t leave.”

I gaze at the pack of cigarettes, tempted to take one. I hate smoking, but damn... “We gave you a break,” I say. “Brett found you, and we agreed. We did this to help you as much as we did it for ourselves. Any side deals you have that complicate your loyalties are all the more reason for me to get the fuck out.”

Evie rushes at me and grabs my shirt, her lit cigarette falling to the carpet.

I remove her hands from me once more, retrieve the cigarette, and place it in the ashtray. “No need to burn the place down,” I say.

“It wouldn’t matter.” She shakes her head.

“What the hell is that supposed to mean?” I demand.

She sniffles again, but this time, she meets my gaze with determination. “If you leave this island, they’ll kill me, River. I’m as good as dead.”