Chapter 3
“Paigey Cakes!” Paige’s father wrapped her in a huge hug and swung her around. He was good, she’d have to give him that. She wondered if he’d come up with the nickname on the spot, or if he’d rehearsed it. Impressive either way, considering he probably didn’t know she”d changed her name to Paige until last week. She was going to kill Lola.
She patted his shoulder awkwardly. “Hello, Dad. Can you put me down?”
“Yes, Richard, give her to her mama.” Her mother dug her blood-red nails into Paige’s arm as she squeezed a little too hard.
As quickly as she could, she extricated herself from her mother’s black-widow embrace. “Mom. You look good.”
It was true. Both her parents wore the past ten years well. They were the absolute picture of class and respectability. Of course they were. The proper look for the proper occasion. And any good con artist worth their salt would tell you that blending in was the key.
“Sissy, you look really pretty,” said her sister Angelique perfectly demure and loving.
Oh, brother. Those five words must’ve tasted like acid leaving her sister’s mouth. She and Angelique were never close—they’d taken sibling rivalry to a whole new level. In fact, it had been that constant one-upmanship that convinced her to escape her former life. It would only have been a matter of time before she was goaded into doing something truly awful.
“Thank you, Angelique. You look very pretty too.”
“Hey there, troublemaker.” Her brother held his arms open wide.
The familiar scent of sandalwood and cigarette smoke enveloped her as she walked into his embrace. “Hey, Rick.”
“You’re in soooo much trouble, baby girl,” he murmured into her ear.
Her counterfeit smile nearly slid from her lips, but then she caught sight of Will’s happy gaze and plastered it back into place. She would not let him know what a clusterfuck he’d set into motion.
She was back at Will’s steady side as soon as her brother freed her. There was an uncomfortable beat of silence, then the best man she’d ever known extended his arm toward her father.
“Will Sinclair.”
Her father shook Will’s hand. “Richard White. This is my wife Gloria, my son Rick, and Paige’s younger sister, Angelique.”
He was masterful. Her new last name rolled off his tongue liked it was tattooed on his ass, with no hesitation and complete sincerity.
“Nice to meet—umph.” Paige body checked Will out of the path of Angelique’s advancing embrace, and positioned herself between the two of them.
No way would she let her sister put her hands on her fiancé. Angelique was an expert pickpocket. If she got close enough, Will would leave here with nothing but the clothes on his back.
“Sorry, sister. He’s all mine.” Her tone was flirtatious, but hopefully the well-practiced glare would communicate the ass-kicking coming Angelique’s way if she tried to touch her man again.
Her sibling gave Will a saucy pout. “Sissy’s never been a good sharer.”
“Angelique.” Her mother put just the right amount of censure in her voice. She was good. So damn good.
“Paige, is this your mama?” Honey Jenkins, one of the volunteers at the Zachsville Women’s Center where Paige was the director joined the group. Honey’s arm snaked around Paige’s waist. “You two could be sisters.”
Oh, good Lord. She loved this woman, but she had the absolute worst timing. Paige slung her arm over Honey’s shoulder and returned the hug. “Yes, Honey, this is my mom, Gloria, my dad, Richard, and my brother and sister, Rick and Angelique.”
Honey moved to greet the family. “It is so good—Paige, darlin’ are we huggin’ or wrestlin’? You’ve got a death grip on me.”
She did and she couldn’t seem to release the woman. Instead of letting go she tightened her hold. “Mmmm, I just love you so much.”
Honey peeled Paige’s arm from her shoulder. “Will, you might want to get this girl a drink, she’s wound tighter than my girdle at an all-you-can-eat Buffett.”
Will flashed a killer grin. “I’ll do that, Honey.”
Paige laughed too loud and too long. Damn it, she was losing it. “Oh, Honey, you’re crazy.”
Before Paige could stop her, Angelique moved in and took Honey’s hand in a two-handed greeting. A sapphire and ruby bracelet flashed on the older woman’s wrist like the lights on a police cruiser. “It’s nice to meet you, Honey.”
“Well, darlin’ it is nice to meet you too. Any family of Paige’s is our family too. We sure do love that girl.”
Angelique released Honey’s hand and moved back to her mother’s side. “So do we, Honey, so do we.”
The sickening smile Angelique shot Paige told a different story.
Paige threw her arms around Angelique and swayed side to side. “I love you too,” she said out loud, but in her sister’s ear she whispered, “Give me that bracelet, or I’ll tell dad that you use to keep some of the take for yourself.” The threat hit its mark. Her sibling tensed in her arms.
Angelique stepped out of the embrace and held Paige’s hands. “You’re the best big sister ever.” Tears glistened in Angelique’s eyes as she transferred the piece of jewelry to Paige’s hand.
“Isn’t that the sweetest thing you’ve ever seen.” Honey rested her palm over her heart. “So much love.”
Paige gave Angelique and her family a tight-lipped smile. They all adopted their most casual poses so as not to draw attention to their hot-handed partner in crime.
“Well, it was lovely to meet y’all, but I need to find my family,” Honey said.
“Wait, Honey.” Paige bent over and pretended to pick up the diamond bangle. “Isn’t this yours?”
Honey glanced at her wrist then at the jewels Paige held. “Oh, my word, it is. How did that happen?”
Paige shot her family a look. “Just bad luck.”
“You’re so right. That was my mama’s bracelet. I’ll have to take it to Smitty’s Jewelry Monday to get the clasp checked. “Honey squeezed Paige’s arm. “Thank you, darlin’.”
After Honey walked away, Will slapped his hands together. “Well, let’s get you all some drinks and then I’ll introduce you to my parents.”
“No!” The whole group jumped at Paige’s outburst. “What I mean…um….why don’t you go find your family and we’ll meet you back at our table?”
“Alright. It might take me a few minutes. Judge Cotten had them cornered a few minutes ago.”
A quick peck on the cheek and he left to rescue his parents.
Once he was out of earshot, she ushered her family onto the balcony so they could speak privately. They looked like the criminals they were being led on a perp walk.
The autumn breeze cooled her overheated skin, but the syrupy-sweet, purple bubble gum scent of the Texas mountain laurel only intensified the churning in her stomach. “What are you doing here?”
Her father pushed his jacket back and slipped his hands into the front pockets of his slacks. “Our daughter’s getting married, and we’re here to celebrate with her.”
“Bullshit.”
“Language, dear,” her mother chided. “Women of your, soon-to-be, social standing don’t speak that way.”
“Yeah.” The sneer Angelique wore made Paige want to slap her stupid face.
“Shut up, Angie.” She deliberately spoke the nickname Angelique hated so much.
Her brother leaned against the balcony railing and gave a low whistle. “I have to tell you, sis. You’ve run this con exactly right. You’ve got that guy eating out of your hands. What’s the long game?”
Nausea rolled in on her like a thunderstorm. She had to play this as cool as possible. Show fear and they would show no mercy. She flipped her hair over her shoulder and adopted her haughtiest tone. “There is no con. I’m out. I thought that would’ve been made clear ten years ago, when I disappeared without a trace.”
“Bullshit,” Rick said. “There’s always a con.”
She didn’t answer. They didn’t understand the kind of love she and Will shared and never would. Better to keep them guessing anyway. She balled her hands into fists to hide her shaking fingers and rested them on her hips. “By the way, you can tell Lola she’s dead to me.”
Her father clucked his tongue. “Now Paige, family always comes first. You know that. Your cousin had an obligation to tell us. She might’ve shared your high-minded ideas at one time, but a lot changes in ten years.” He narrowed his eyes at her. “And you have an obligation to us too.”
All the saliva dried up in her mouth. She’d been afraid of this since the moment she’d seen them walk into the country club. “I know I left you in a bad spot with the Lovells, but I wasn’t going to let you sell me to the highest bidder.”
“Bite your tongue, Raven.” Her mother folded her delicate arms over her store-bought breasts and used her birth name. “We would never sell you. Arranged marriages are the Romany way. The fact that the Lovells owned distribution rights for all the alcohol on the East Coast had nothing to do with it.”
“Yeah, right. And let me remind you that I was seventeen and Alex Lovell was forty-five. He was a dirty old man.” A shiver raced over her skin at the thought of what might’ve happened if she hadn’t gotten away.
Angelique dropped into a patio chair and crossed her legs. “You still owe us.”
Her father slung an arm around Paige’s shoulders. “Yes. And I can think of a lot of things we could do with a senator and a DA in our pocket.”
“What?” She couldn’t possibly be hearing him correctly.
“You heard me.” The big kiss he planted on the top of her head was more threat than affection.
The threads of her life began to unravel, and there was no way to rein them in. But if she let them know how upset she was they’d double down on their efforts to bring her back into the fold.
She eased out of her father’s hold and, with a confidence she didn’t feel, crossed her arms over her less impressive chest. They were all about to see if she’d lost her touch or not. Could she still lie like the con artist she’d been raised to be? “Oh, this is great. I do all the work and you think you can just swoop in and take advantage of the benefits? Seriously, that’s bad form, Dad.”
Her father relaxed his stance. “True, but you do have a debt to pay.”
She waved his comment away. “Fine. I’ll cut you in, but it’s still my operation. Give me tonight to figure out how I can play it to include all of us.”
Rick pushed away from the railing. “How do we know you’re telling the truth?”
“You don’t, but what choice do you have? You either want in or not.” She took a step in his direction, raised a brow in challenge, and hoped they couldn’t tell her knees were shaking. “I’m not a kid anymore, Rick, which means I can’t be intimidated. I’ve been on my own for a long time now. How do you think I’ve not only survived, but thrived? I know what I’m doing, and if you want a piece of this pie, then you’ll do what I say.”
A sickening smile slithered across her father’s face. “We’re in. Just tell us what you want us to do.”
Her wobbly legs threatened to give out as relief rushed through her. “Okay, then. No funny business tonight.” She pointed a finger at Angelique and Rick. “These people trust me, and I don’t need you guys doing anything to change that.”
Angelique raised her hands in assent, and Rick nodded.
“Now if you’ll excuse me, I have something I need to take care of. Get a drink and find Will. I’ll catch up in a minute.”
She left her family and any hope of a future with Will on the balcony.