Chapter 12
“We might have even more wiggle room than you thought.”
Sitting back, Ronan gave his brother his full attention. “What are you talking about?”
Jules grinned and stepped deeper into the room. “The licensing agreement with Cross Industries for the Vidal brand. Clearly, it was written under the assumption that Vidal Records would always be in family hands.”
Ronan considered that. “We don’t want to stray into any gray areas. Black and white, no room for interpretation.”
“But the gray is where we can have some fun,” his brother said, his dark eyes lit with mischief.
“Where you’ll have fun,” Ronan corrected with a fond smile. “You enjoy arguing and locking horns with other attorneys. Cross has the means to get into a protracted, years-long legal battle. Vidal is in the red, and I don’t think you want to work for free.”
Slouching in one of the visitors’ chairs, Jules waved a careless hand. “Depends on the opposing counsel. It’s not often that I get a worthy opponent.”
Ronan’s phone rattled atop the glass desk as it vibrated, and he glanced at it. Ireland’s contact photo immediately caught his attention, and he snatched it up. “Cher, how are you feeling?”
“Hey, gorgeous. Tired, achy, but still stoned, so it’s not totally terrible. I’m home now. Listen, the detectives working my case stopped by the hospital. They seem a little too interested in you, and I’m worried about it.”
Leaning back in his chair, the beat of his heart quickened. He released his breath in a rush. “You don’t need to worry about me. You have more important things to do, like getting better.”
“Yeah, yeah. But they’re coming at this as if I were specifically targeted.”
“Isn’t that a possibility?” he queried, puzzled.
“I wouldn’t have left through the lobby entrance if I weren’t going to meet you. That’s raising questions.”
Startled, Ronan reconsidered the events of Friday evening. He straightened and rolled his chair closer to the desk. “Can we switch this to video?”
An instant later, Ireland’s gorgeous face filled his screen. Her bruises spurred a dark, hot rage inside him. Her worried frown upset him further. She looked pale and drawn, her eyes heavy-lidded over constricted irises.
“Leave us, please,” he told Jules.
“Non, merci,” his brother shot back. “I need to see how ridiculous you’ve become.”
“Is that Jules?” Ireland asked.
“Who else?” Ronan gave her a wide, warm smile. “How breathtaking you are, cher. It’s so good to see you.”
Jules’ derisive snort earned a sharp glance of rebuke.
A faint smile curved Ireland’s lush lips, and the furrow between her brows smoothed a little.
She walked to her sofa and sat with care, propping her phone on the coffee table so that she could lean back gingerly.
The sling she wore was a further indicator of how badly she’d suffered, and the simmering fury he felt heated further.
She gave a relieved sigh. “I’m glad you have a lawyer with you.”
“Why does he need a lawyer?” Jules demanded, uncrossing his legs and leaning forward.
“Hey, Jules,” she called out, raising her voice.
“The police are wondering why I was snatched from the front drive of the hotel when the masquerade entrance was separate. Since I was heading out to meet Ronan, and my family told them about the situation with Vidal Records, the police are asking questions about your brother.”
Jules’ face hardened. “Maudit. I knew this idiocy would lead to trouble.”
Ronan shot him another quelling glance, then focused his attention on Ireland. “It’s Jules’ nature to overreact, so let’s leave that to him. You’re worried because they’re asking questions none of us have answers for. That’s their job, and I’m glad they’re doing it.”
“I’m worried they’re going to dig into your past and get hung up on it,” she pointed out. “And maybe your father’s, too.”
He was briefly startled that she knew about Lucas’s conviction. Had her father finally disclosed his lies? Was that the reason for her ease with him now, compared to just a few short days ago when she’d ended things between them?
“There’s nothing to be done about that. Worrying won’t help.” He studied her expression. “Are you debating whether you can trust your judgment about me since we’re dating?”
Her blue eyes were suddenly dark and turbulent. “I wouldn’t be calling you if I thought for even a second that you could’ve done this to me.”
“I could not. Je t'adore.” His fingertips touched her lips on the screen before he looked at his brother again. “Va te cacher, Jules.”
His brother stood with a scowl. “If you care about him at all, Lizzie,” Jules said with his voice raised, taunting her with the name she’d introduced herself with initially, “you’ll send him back home where he belongs.”
“I’ve tried that, Jules,” she shot back.
Jules looked at him. “And that only made you want her more, non?” he said quietly, his mouth a hard line. He left the room, shutting the door with a little more force than necessary.
Ronan returned his focus to the woman who’d upended his life. “Pay him no mind. He thinks he knows what’s best for me.”
Her smile was wry as Blizzard appeared on the couch beside her and insinuated himself into her lap. She winced as the heavy cat settled onto her thighs. “My family isn’t any friendlier toward you, so I can’t and won’t complain.”
“You’re telling yourself you don’t doubt me, but you’ve been talked into believing that you’re a bad judge of character when it comes to men you date. You’ve repeated the same to me many times. So has damn near everyone around you that I’ve met.”
“My track record speaks for itself, Ronan.”
He held her gaze through the screen. “It does, but not in the way you’ve been told.
You don’t make bad choices, Ireland—you give people the benefit of the doubt.
And your instincts are exceptionally good, and you listen to them.
Which is why you quickly end relationships that aren’t working for you. ”
Her throat worked on a hard swallow, and her eyes took on a luminous sheen. “I wish I were as amazing as you seem to think I am.”
“Give me time, I’ll make you believe it. Until then, your instincts will tell you if I’m a threat or the man you need. Just keep listening to your intuition. Trust it.”
She looked down at Blizzard thoughtfully for a moment, her hand petting his glorious white fur in long strokes, then she glanced back at Ronan. “Do you think I need you?”
“Only you can decide that, cher. What I know is that I’ll never be threatened by your success and will do what I can to help you achieve it.
I feel nothing but pride when I’m made invisible beside your beauty.
I will never leave you wanting. And I need nothing from you but your time and attention, and the pleasure of your body. ”
Ireland briefly caught her lower lip between her teeth. When she finally spoke, her voice was husky. “Promise me you’ll be careful when you talk to the police. Make sure Jules is with you. Don’t cooperate or say anything if you’re alone.”
“I’m more aware than most that there are miscarriages of justice. I won’t be careless.” He was so eager to see her in person that he knew waiting until the end of the day would be a hard-fought battle. “Still so protective of me, tigress. I’ve never been more flattered.”
“I want you to come over as soon as you can. Bring your luggage. Or not. I like you best naked.”
“I’ll make dinner. With my clothes on.” He gave her a wry look. “And keep them on until you’ve fully recovered.”
Blizzard turned his head and looked directly at the phone, his low purrs picking up volume.
“He’s missing you,” Ireland said. “He gave me the stink eye when I got home, like I made you leave or something.”
Ronan smiled. “I’m certain he’s missed you nearly as much as I have.”
“It’s awfully neat around here.” She looked around. “And it looks like a florist moved in. Did you buy every bouquet in Manhattan?”
“Mais non.” He feigned being affronted by the question. He’d filled her apartment with floral arrangements and potted plants before leaving, wanting her to come home to some color, cheer, and fragrance. “Only the freshest, biggest, and most expensive ones.”
Her laugh was music for his soul.
Ireland tucked her dark hair behind her unbandaged ear.
“Just so you’re aware, I asked Gideon to come over, but I don’t know when that will be.
I’m going to talk to him about the direction the detectives are taking.
If they’re wasting time looking at you and your family, they’re not looking for the one who’s still at large. ”
Ronan went still. “I thought all of the kidnappers were dead? Is that not the case?”
“No.” She caught her lower lip briefly between her teeth. “There’s at least one more. But I’m thinking if it was a trafficking ring, there could be a lot more out there.”
“Merde,” he breathed, his pulse racing with a sudden burst of disquiet. “You don’t have any plans to leave your apartment, do you?”
He had no idea what Cross might be doing to increase security at the building where he and Ireland lived, but Ronan had already contacted the security firm responsible for Vidal Records and added a second layer of armed guards to their existing security personnel.
If Cross hadn’t already arranged a private detail for her, Ronan would, and he would find a way to make her amenable if she balked. It was nonnegotiable.
“I’m not going anywhere,” Ireland assured him. “I just want to lie on the couch with you and Blizzard, watch some stupid action movie with tons of plot holes, and not think about anything.”
He worked to inject some lightness into his tone. “Sounds delightful. I’ll bring the sparkling apple juice.”
They both heard the knock at her front door. She froze, staring at him with unfocused eyes, her face losing color so quickly that Ronan found himself half-rising from his chair.
“Who is it?” he demanded, hating that he was too far away to be there quickly enough.
“I don’t know. The doorman didn’t call me.”