Chapter 31
Jack
“I’m not even sure this Warren woman knows my father,” I say, thinking aloud as Laine and I continue chatting with Detective Han and Cheryl Fiske, even after Trish takes off. “Have you spoken to her? Could she create a deep fake like that?”
Detective Han shakes her head. “We haven’t spoken to her yet. We’re still trying to put the pieces together, but we’re not seeing evidence that she would have the skills to create something like a deep-fake video.”
“Then someone could be setting her up to make it look like Stephanie is behind this,” I say, trying hard not to show my disappointment. The only person who’d do that is my father. It’s getting harder to create a scenario where he’s not involved. I hate that he’d treat anyone like this.
“That’s true, but the way the emails were sent still points to someone in Laine’s social circle.” Detective Han turns to her. “Are you friendly with Stephanie?”
“I’ve only met her once, at a dinner party. Well, twice. I guess I saw her at Allison and Henry’s wedding.”
“Did you even talk to her?” Jack asks.
“No…” Laine thinks a moment. “Your dad wanted to know why I was at the wedding, but that was about it.”
I shake my head. I know my father did this. My gut sinks like a rock. How could he have gotten to this point?
Laine looks at me, and I can see on her face that she knows too.
“My father, John Drake, is behind this,” I tell them. “I don’t know how, but he is the CEO of Drake Logistics, and he has the means to do this and frame Stephanie or her mom.”
Laine puts her hands over her face. “What have I ever done to him? I know he doesn’t like me, but why?”
I put my arm around her. “You’ve done nothing except date me, and he’s decided he wants to control my life. I’m shocked that he would sink to this level, but it just makes sense with the information we have. And he hasn’t been himself since he lost my mother.”
The detective asks a few more questions and makes some notes. She promises the police are going to put the pieces together if they can, but I’m not optimistic. If my father is the one behind this, by now all traces of evidence will be erased. This is how he does business. He’s thorough, and he has the money to cover his tracks.
I put my arms around Laine again after the investigators leave. “I’m so sorry.”
She shakes her head. “You had nothing to do with this.”
“I feel like it’s all my fault.”
She looks up at me. “No, it’s not. What could you have done? Allow him to control you?” She shakes her head. “If your father did this, he’s the one who made that choice.”
Anger hardens in my chest. “I’m going to get him to confess. He needs to come clean.”
Laine gives me a sad smile. We both know he never will.
“I need to go to him and see if I can’t at least get him to admit it.”
“Just know that what you did today was enough. My heart overflows with love for you. Even if he is behind this, we will be fine.”
I hold her close. Laine knocks me over with her amazing resilience. I want to spend the rest of my life making this and everything I’ve done to put a wedge between us better. “I never want to let you go.”
Less than an hour later, I’m striding up to my father’s home, my fists clenched in anger. Ellen greets me at the door.
“Good afternoon, Jack,” she says as she steps aside and ushers me in. “This is a wonderful surprise. How are you today?”
I manage a polite smile. “I’m okay. I’m looking for my dad. Is he home?”
“Yes, he’s in his home office. But I don’t know what he’s doing.”
“Is Stephanie with him?”
Ellen shakes her head. “No. She’s gone shopping with some friends down in Seattle.”
I fight the urge to roll my eyes and take a minute to lower my blood pressure. If I go in hot, he’ll turn everything around on me. I take a deep breath and smile at Ellen. “How is Oscar doing?”
“He’s made me a beautiful garden. It’s going to produce good tomatoes if it kills us.”
Ellen and Oscar have been trying to grow tomatoes for years, but we don’t get a long enough summer for them to ripen very well. And hothouse tomatoes are not worth bothering with.
“When you do, please invite me over.”
She smiles. “You know I’ll cook for you any time. How is Laine?”
“She’s doing fine.” I lower my voice. “Have you heard Dad and Stephanie talking about Laine?”
She goes quiet but gives me a slight nod. Ellen is loyal to my father, but she’s also loyal to me. She was my mother’s confidant before she died.
“Have you heard them mention a sex tape or emails?”
Ellen’s eyes go wide, and she shakes her head.
“Thank you, Ellen. I appreciate it.”
I turn toward the hallway. Now, I’m ready. But the closer we get to my father’s home office, the more I have to work at my composure. Learning that Dad’s girlfriend is involved with the emails has me reeling. But she couldn’t have done this on her own.
Ellen knocks on the door gently and opens it for me before stepping aside. My father is seated at his desk with a pile of documents. He looks up as I enter.
“Jack!” he exclaims, standing. “What brings you here? Are you finally ready to take your place as the head of Drake Logistics?”
I shake my head. “I don’t know how many times I need to tell you, but I will never do that. No matter how many emails you send to your friends, my friends, and Laine’s bosses.” My mouth tightens with anger. “Did you know about it?”
Anger flashes through his eyes for a millisecond, and then his expression morphs to innocence. He’s full of shit. “What are you talking about?” he says. “The email? Is she still trying to tell you it wasn’t her? I mean really, Jack. How whipped can you be? You knew she was trouble from the very beginning, and you even managed to leave her once. Then she dragged you back in. Now, she’s stepped out on you and got caught.”
My face hardens as I step closer. “Who got you the video, Dad? Was it someone in security at Drake Logistics?” My voice is cold. “You can afford to make a deep fake and hire some kind of hacker to clone Laine’s email address.”
My father looks away, still feigning ignorance. “Is that what she’s selling you? You’re smarter than that. It doesn’t bother you that after all you’ve done for her, she’d fuck another man? How much emasculation do you need before you realize she’s only with you for your money?”
My blood boils. “VPD has opened an investigation. The emails were sent from Stephanie’s mother’s ISP.”
His eyes dilate. He didn’t expect that. “Why would someone frame Tammy?” he says, feigning shock.
But I don’t buy it. Not even for a second. “You know, one of the gifts of being a plastic surgeon is that I can tell when someone has had plastic surgery. When the police showed me a picture of Tamara Warren, I knew immediately that she was Stephanie’s mother.”
He scoffs. “She’s a retired grocery store cashier. How would she know how to do what you’re saying? I doubt she knows how to do much more than email.”
I nod. “I can only imagine. Which means not only does she not have the skills to make the fake video and photos, she also doesn’t have the means to pay someone to do it. But she knows you, doesn’t she?”
“I met her once.” He looks at his nails, as if he’s bored with our conversation. “I would bet the guy in the video could come forward and tell you all sorts of things he did with Laine. You may want to save her the embarrassment of all of this and let her be.”
I lean across his desk. “Is that a threat?”
“No, but I’m sure when that video makes it to the press, and she stands there denying it, he’ll come forward.”
Rage shoots through me, but it’s followed by an odd calm. I can’t let him win. “Funny thing is, Dad, the police have already talked to him. Facial recognition wasn’t that hard. He’s already admitted he wasn’t with Laine in that video.” The lie rolls off my tongue.
“How much are you paying him?” Dad snaps.
Got him! “Did you think I wouldn’t know what my girlfriend looks and sounds like in bed? And do you think after humiliating her in front of all our friends that we wouldn’t go to the police?”
“I had nothing to do with that video.” He slaps his hand on the table. “Did you say all the emails point to Tammy Warren’s home?”
I nod, not sure where he’s going with this.
“Stephanie was down in the U.S. when I got the video. If someone is trying to frame her, they’re doing a terrible job.”
I chortle. “I can’t believe you would stoop this low. What do you think Chip and Farzad are going to say when they find out you were behind this? They love Laine and have forwarded the emails they received to VPD. Stephanie will turn on you the minute she realizes you’ve framed her and her mother. I wouldn’t be surprised if she’s back at Traditions Lounge looking for her next daddy by the end of the day.”
My father meets my gaze, and our eyes lock. “I do not approve of the choices you’ve made,” he says. “You will leave that woman, quit your job in medicine, and come back to the family business. I am the retired CEO of a multibillion-dollar company and still own the majority of shares. It’s time for you to accept your responsibilities.”
I feel like I’m floating above my body. What is going on with him? “No,” I declare. “The police are already involved. They’ll be coming soon to knock on your door. You think you can get away with it because you’re a billionaire and one of the largest employers in all of Canada? You’re wrong.”
“I’m not getting away with anything.”
“Your lies come so easily,” I spit. “But you don’t understand anything. Laine has nothing to do with my refusal to do what you say. I never gave working for Drake Logistics a second thought. Mom always encouraged me to follow my heart, and I like practicing medicine and working with kids like Abdo. I’m never going to join the company. And now, you’ve destroyed our relationship. You can have as many Stephanies as you want.” I lean in close. “They can spend all your money, and the second you die, I’m going to sell Drake Logistics and give the rest of it away.”
My father looks close to explosion, but I don’t care. Because of the trust my great grandfather set up, Dad can’t sell off Drake Logistics without my permission or give it to someone like Stephanie.
I leave him standing in his office, a blank look on his face, and rush out of the house, barely waving to Ellen as I go.
On the drive back to Laine’s, my blood pressure begins to even out. My father fades into the background. The only person I want right now is Laine. I stop for chocolate ice cream, chocolate sauce, and whipped cream before I knock on her door.
When she answers, the sight of her takes my breath away. Her long hair falls gracefully over her shoulders, and her emerald-green eyes sparkle as she smiles. Her lips are plump and inviting, and I can’t resist leaning in to kiss her.
I hand her the ice cream and toppings. “I brought a little something to sweeten the night,” I say, winking at her.
She giggles, taking the items from my hands. “You’re too kind,” she says, her voice soft and low. “How did it go with your dad?”
“I definitely feel like it was him, but he didn’t exactly admit anything. He may have slipped up a little, though.” I’m not about to tell her he threatened to release the video to the press. “The police will have to find something more definitive.” I rushed out of here so quickly earlier that we didn’t discuss this much. “How did you know it was him?”
She shrugs. “He’s the only one who hates me. And I ruled everyone else out. I’ll show you.”
As we make our way to the kitchen, I watch her hips sway. She’s changed into a black dress that hugs her curves in all the right places. My desire for her grows with each passing moment.
She opens her journal and points me to a page that says Brain Dump . It lists the people who received the email, and she’s meticulously crossed them off. But my father’s name is circled and highlighted in bright pink. She’s also made notes about his previous behavior toward her. She takes down two bowls from her cabinet.
“When did you know?” I ask.
She doesn’t look at me as she places the bowls in front of her. “I guessed the day the video was released, but I wasn’t sure until today.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
She pulls out an ice cream scoop and runs it under the water. She doesn’t look at me. “I didn’t have any real proof, and if you felt differently, I worried it would cause a rift between us. That’s the last thing I want. I just hoped the police would do their job.”
I shake my head. “He lies way too easily. The police will have their work cut out for them.”
She scoops the ice cream into bowls, and I move up behind her, pressing my body firmly against hers. I lean down, my lips brushing against her ear. “I’m sorry.”
“Me too.”
“I will find a way to make him pay for this.”
She nods. “It’s okay if you can’t.”
“I want you,” I whisper, my voice husky.
She turns to face me, her eyes darkening with lust. “I want you too,” she breathes before crashing her lips onto mine.
I reach down, grabbing her ass and lifting her up onto the counter. She wraps her legs around my waist, pulling me closer.
I trail hot, wet kisses down her neck. “You drive me crazy,” I growl, my hands roaming her body.
She moans, arching her back and pushing her tits against my chest. “I want you inside me,” she whispers, fumbling with the zipper of my jeans. Pulling my cock from my pants, she strokes me.
“I choose you. I choose you now and always.” I want there to be no doubt.
Tears leak from her eyes.
“Don’t cry, sweetheart. It will be us against the world.” I kiss her hard, our tongues clashing, lips smashing.
I want so much to be within her velvety, hot heat. I push her dress up and slide my fingers over her panties. She’s already wet and ready for me. I push the fabric to the side and slide my cock into her, filling her completely.
She gasps, her fingers digging into my shoulders as she grinds against me. We move as one, our bodies in sync. She leans her head back, exposing her neck, and I attack her creamy skin, biting and kissing as I plunge into her tight pussy.
My pace quickens. Her breathing is coming faster, and I know she’s close. She holds on to my shoulder, and I look her in the eyes as I strum her clit.
Her mouth opens, and she moans as her soft insides hold me in a vise.
“It will be us,” I tell her. “Always and forever.”
She gasps, digging her fingernails into my thighs. I thrust hard, my pace fast and furious. I wrap my arm around her waist, pulling her up to the edge of the counter as I pound into her. She cries out, her entire body tensing as she orgasms. I press my thumb against her clit, rubbing in slow circles as I finish inside her.
I pull out, leaning against the counter beside her. I brush the hair from her eyes, staring deeply into her emerald depths. “I love you,” I say, stroking her cheek.
“I love you too,” she whispers, leaning in to kiss me.
As we pull apart, a smile spreads across my lips. I’ve never felt this way about anyone before. I want to hold her in my arms forever. I want to wake up to her smile every day.
“Let’s go to bed,” she whispers, kissing me once more.
I scoop her into my arms and carry her back to her room. I lay her gently on the bed before climbing in beside her. “We need sustenance. How does Chinese sound?”
“Perfect. And after that, we have the ice cream you brought—if it hasn’t all melted.”
I smile. “If it has, there’s always the whipped cream and chocolate sauce.”