Chapter 83
“How much can I reveal?” I ask as Reese and I settle into the back seat of Royce’s SUV, both of us now in jeans and button-down shirts. “I need to call my editor.”
“Scoop it, baby,” I say, squeezing her. “It’s out tomorrow anyway.”
“Don’t name me as a source,” Royce says. “But otherwise, go for it.”
I grab my phone. “My editor is going to have an orgasm with no man present.”
Reese and Royce both laugh. I punch in my editor’s number and she answers immediately. “I was about to call you. Word is they’re searching houses.”
“And dismissing the charges against Dana tomorrow. I’m going to tell all. I’ll have my column to you in about an hour.” I think about Dana. “Actually, I need two.”
“We’ll make it work. Write it, baby!” She hangs up. I pull out my MacBook and I have a brief moment when I think of Reese in the hallway of our apartment earlier, worried about me and us. What I felt in him and from the experience with Debbie helps me connect to all the things Dana must be feeling. I start to type:
Lies never end well. People suffer. People hurt. In the end, though, we all hope that the truth wins. It has. The truth has won.
Reese leans close and studies my words. His lashes lower and there is this new torment in him that I don’t understand. I touch his cheek and give him a questioning look. “And we’re here,” Royce says. “I’m going to valet.”
Reese kisses my hand and my door is open by a hotel employee. Reluctantly, I shut my MacBook and suddenly wonder if Reese has guessed I’m pregnant and read something bad into my silence. Oh God. He has. I know him. I scoot out of the vehicle and before I can even speak to Reese, Royce is by our sides.
We head inside and I spy a seating area. “I’m going to park myself right there.” I push to my toes and kiss Reese, and stay right there, close to him. “Whatever is bothering you, you’re overthinking it. Be as confident in us as I am.”
He cups my head and despite the busy lobby and his preference for privacy, he kisses me. “I love you, Cat. I’ll be back soon.” He starts to move away and I catch his arm.
“I love you, too.”
His lips curve and he leans in and kisses me again before he joins Royce at the elevator. I watch him disappear into the car and then claim my seat to start typing, certain that every word will be motivated by the ironic way the lies that have attacked our lives, have attacked Dana and this trial.
“I think she’s pregnant,” I say when the elevator doors shut. “I think she’s pregnant, and she has regrets about it because of Debbie. I need that DNA test, Royce. Whatever it takes, however much it costs.”
Royce glances over at me. “You think she has regrets? Why?”
“She hasn’t told me. How can she want to be pregnant after another woman just claimed I fucked around on her?”
“I know people, and on top of that, your wife is close to my wife. Cat is not filled with any kind of regret.” The elevator halts and we step into the hallway, but we stop right there.
“I didn’t think so,” I say. “But why the hell hasn’t she told me?”
“Lauren and I had two pregnancies and one failed,” he says. “The second time she waited a few weeks to tell me because she knew I’d be crushed if we lost the baby. I guessed just like you seem to feel that you have and that’s when she told me. Maybe she just wanted out from under all of this before she told you.”
“Well,” I say. “I can’t blame her for that.” I think of her birthday surprise. Maybe that’s why she’s waiting, but I need to fucking know. “Let’s go deal with this.”
We head down the hallway and knock on the door. Savage answers quickly. “Bossman one and two,” he greets. “We have pizza. Come. Eat. Talk.”
We join him just inside the doorway, a hallway separating us from the living area where Dana is likely waiting. “She’s feeling thankful and reasonable,” Savage murmurs softly.
Royce glances at me. “We’ll stand outside. I’ll join you when you’re ready.”
I nod and round the corner to find Dana standing, now in sweats and a tee, her arms crossed in front of her. “Tomorrow in court the charges will be dropped.”
Her eyes go wide and she starts to cry. “Oh my God. Oh my God.” She races forward and hugs me. “Thank you. Thank you so much.” She pulls back to look at me. “Did Reginald do it?”
“Let’s sit,” I say and she claims a chair while I claim the couch.
“Well?” she asks, nervously.
“Martha is being arrested, but they aren’t ruling out Reginald. They could still re-charge you. This isn’t an acquittal. That means you can’t leave yourself exposed. Get on a plane and go somewhere where you and this case have distance. Keep me informed so I can reach you.”
“And don’t take Reginald,” she says.
“Distance yourself and let this play out. I don’t think Reginald will be charged but give this time to tie up. If he loves you, he’ll wait. If you love him, this is better for him, too.”
She presses her hands to her face and then looks at me. “I’m going to go to Paris. I have a friend there. Now that it’s over, I want it to stay over.”
“Good decision,” I say.
“When can I have Reginald join me? When is it safe?”
“When they clear him. I’ll let you know.” I then make an attempt to escape. “I’m going to have Royce update you with a few more details.”
“Can you please stay? I feel like I need your input on any question I might have.”
“I can’t. I need to take care of some things, which is why I’m going to let Royce answer your questions on his own.”
She ignores my reply and then proceeds to ask me a good forty minutes of questions before I’m finally standing. “Thank you, Reese,” she says. “You’re worth every penny you charge.”
I give her a nod. “I try to be.” I walk to the door and exit to the hallway. “She’s in a good place,” I say. “I just need to have you, Royce, give her a chance to ask questions. And then I need your team to make sure she gets on a plane out of the city once she’s released tomorrow.”
“Done,” Royce says, his eyes narrowing. “You’re not going to wait on me, are you?”
“No. I need some time with my wife.” I eye Savage, “Without you or your men.”
“Understood,” both men murmur, and they’ve barely spoken the word before I’m walking away.
I impatiently step onto the elevator and punch the lobby button. If my wife is pregnant, I not only need to know. I need to know that she’s happy. That’s not a conversation that can wait until my birthday, if that’s her plan.