This time, it was Michael’s shoulder Scarlet slept against. She hadn’t thought she could curb all of her rampant ruminations and concerns in order to rest, but she was mentally and physically fatigued and was out almost immediately. She woke briefly when the helicopter landed and they filed into the limo. Then she cozied up next to Michael once more and dozed all the way to his apartment.
Sam cooked them a late dinner and awkward silence ensued. Scarlet only picked at her food, her stomach too twisted in knots to take on the mahi-mahi Sam had prepared. Both men quietly urged her to eat, though they knew the reason for her lack of appetite. While they cleared the table, Scarlet poured herself a glass of scotch and sipped as she stood at the tall windows, gazing out at the glittery Manhattan skyline.
Eventually, Michael joined her. He slid his arms around her waist from behind and said, “Sam and I both know you’re in a bad position.”
“It’s a horrific position,” she corrected. Then sipped.
“It’s not your doing, Scarlet. You’re not the one who committed the crime.”
She cringed. “But I am the one who brought it to light. In front of all of you. I hurt your stepmother and your father. I hurt you and Sam.” She wiggled out of Michael’s embrace and turned to face him. “I damaged your family.”
“No.” His hands gingerly cupped her face. “Wyatt Hill and Dylan Reed damaged our family.”
Scarlet’s gaze narrowed. “You don’t blame Karina?”
He blew out a soft breath. “It’s complicated. I don’t condone her actions. Of course not. But I can respect how fiercely she tried to protect everyone. She was resourceful and even courageous in fending off her adversaries. In truth, I’m mostly relieved that this didn’t turn out to be a case of her insinuating herself into my father’s life with the intention of robbing him. I still believe that she’s deeply in love with him and that everything she did was because of that love. And to keep any threat away from her son. And me. Now it’s all over.”
“Hardly,” Scarlet scoffed. She stepped away from Michael, out of his reach. Drained her cocktail. The liquid burning down her throat was actually a welcomed sensation to the pain and uncertainty slicing through her. She set the glass aside and said, “I will forever be known as the woman who turned Sam’s mother in. Your stepmother. Mitcham Vandenberg’s wife. Sam’s not going to forgive me. I’m not even sure you’ll be able to forgive me. And, Jesus, your father … That man will gladly squash me like a bug the first chance he gets.”
Her heart hurt. This really was the beginning of the end.
But Michael didn’t exacerbate her worries. Instead, he gently gripped her upper arms and stared deep into her eyes. “Sweetheart, you did what you had to do by investigating and pressing Karina until she told the truth. And it was the right thing to do. Not to mention, I’m fairly sure she can breathe easier now that her darkest deed has been revealed and she no longer has to fear discovery. In fact, chances are damn good she’s glad to be free of all the secrecy.”
Michael pulled Scarlet to him and held her tight. Tears stung her eyes and she wanted to give in to them and have a really good cry. But she still had work to do.
“I need to talk to Sam,” she said. “Doesn’t have to be alone. In actuality, I’d prefer it if you were with me.”
“He’s in the den.”
Michael released her and followed her through the apartment. They found Sam sprawled in an oversized leather chair, scotch in hand. He was staring out the windows as Scarlet had done when Michael had comforted her. Her hand slid over Sam’s shoulder as she rounded the chair.
“Mind if I sit?” she asked.
“No.”
She eased into his lap. Bold of her, but she needed to be close to him. And he didn’t balk.
He did, however, inquire, “Make your phone call?”
“Not yet. It can wait until the morning. Give Karina some time to adjust. Talk to Mitcham. Figure out how she’s going to pay back the money if she chooses to do it on her own, or if she’ll let him help her.”
“He won’t turn his back on her,” Michael said. “Money’s not the issue. What’ll be most difficult for him to digest is that she didn’t immediately turn to him when Wyatt first showed up. That she would take on something this huge by herself. He’ll understand why she felt it was necessary, but he’ll still be upset about it. That’s one thing I noted when it came to my mother’s cancer. They went through it together and he wouldn’t have had it any other way. He was the one with the connections to get her the best care and he wouldn’t leave it in anyone else’s hands, not even hers.”
“Karina was too vulnerable from the beginning,” Scarlet mused. “Too conflicted by her past and her bleak present to deal with an attack of this magnitude. Yet she did her best. And I can appreciate that. Makes it all the more difficult to hand her over to the insurance company.” Scarlet’s fingertips grazed Sam’s furrowed brow. “I’m not really sure how I’m going to bring myself to do it.”
“You have no choice,” Sam said. Not at all accusatory. He simply stated a fact.
Tears welled in her eyes and crested the rims.
Sam whisked them away, saying, “Don’t cry. This isn’t your fault. You didn’t create this problem; you solved it.”
“Yet I feel villainous,” she admitted. “For what I’ve done to all of you.”
“Scarlet.” Sam gathered her close. Held her to him. His warm breath teased strands of her hair at her temple as he told her, “No one’s blaming you for anything.”
“It changes everything between the three of us.”
“No.”
She pulled slightly away and she stared into his sky-blue eyes. “I—”
“It changes nothing, Scarlet,” he said with conviction.
Her pulse hitched. She gazed at him a few seconds more, then turned to Michael.
He gave a half grin. “Told you.”
“You’ll really forgive me?” she asked.
“Nothing to forgive,” Michael said. “Again … this wasn’t your doing.”
Her attention returned to Sam. “And you?”
“He’s right.” Sam kissed her softly and added, “I’ve been to hell, remember? And what did I learn?”
She stared quizzically at him.
He said, “You can come back. That’s what I learned.”
Her fingers swept through his hair. She gave a shaky smile. “You are the real deal, Sam Reed.” She kissed him. Then she looked over at Michael again. “And you are so much more than a silver-tongued devil.”
“Shh,” he said as he pressed a finger to his lips. “Don’t tell anyone.”
Scarlet laughed quietly. “That’s one secret I’ll keep, if you insist.”
“Better for business.”
“Ah, yes,” she teased. “The Wolf of Wall Street.”
Michael leaned in and whisked his lips over hers, murmuring, “A much better image to perpetuate outside these walls.”
He straightened.
Scarlet gazed into Sam’s eyes and said, “And my huntsman?”
“Happy to be all manly for you, darlin’.”
Her toes curled. “Then why don’t you take me to the bedroom?”
“To sleep,” Michael insisted. “You need to take it easy, sweetheart. Your body can’t be feeling all that refreshed.”
“I’m sore as hell,” she confessed. “And I need more ibuprofen for my head.”
Michael carefully lifted her into his arms. “Bed it is.”
She glanced back at Sam. “And you’ll join us?”
He hauled himself up. Kissed her, then said, “Yes.”
Scarlet had no delusions that all was well. That they were cured of all that ailed them.
Because she still had that damn phone call to make in the morning.
Scarlet slept soundly enough, nestled between Michael and Sam. The second day following her accident was pretty much equivalent to the two-day pain of a really hard workout. Her neck ached, her head still throbbed, and her legs were toast. She limped to the bathroom and soaked in the tub while Michael and Sam went about their business. Eventually, she smelled food, her stomach grumbled, and she finished up and joined the men at the breakfast table.
Michael’s apartment was opulent, with endless black marble and modern artwork and sculptures. Panoramic views.
Scarlet literally dragged out the meal as long as possible, dreading the task that lay ahead.
She was in no particular hurry to destroy Karina’s reputation. Or taint the rest of the family’s.
It kind of surprised Scarlet that Michael hadn’t made a plea for her to turn a blind eye to all she’d learned. After all, it wasn’t the FBI she was reporting to. And Michael had been so sensitive from the get-go about anyone poking around in family business. Then she recalled what he’d told her that night in the near-impossible-to-locate club. That her ethics would be his undoing.
An interesting premonition to have come true.
Sam wasn’t making any appeals to her, either. That perplexed Scarlet in that Sam was incredibly protective and his emotions ran deep. He had to be reeling from the recent events. From knowing all the lies his mother had told and the secrets she’d kept.
Conversely, he was a straight shooter and stalwart. So Scarlet really couldn’t imagine him asking her to bend the truth or make blatant omissions—not even for his mother’s sake. Apparently, he wouldn’t put Scarlet in that position any more than Michael would.
In addition, she surmised that both men likely felt it was all best left in Mitcham’s care. He was Karina’s husband. It appeared he intended to stand by her, so probably the greatest defense she could have in surviving all of this was for him to help her through.
That did not free Michael and Sam from their own guilt. Scarlet could see that quite clearly, could sense it as the grave undertone permeated the apartment. Karina had taken it upon herself to protect her children. Her household. And Scarlet suspected two strong men such as Michael and Sam would have sympathy for Karina for that ever having to be the case. That she had to go to such drastic measures to thwart whatever Wyatt might have planned for the family.
All of this left Scarlet with even more extreme difficulty in phoning her client. She watched the snow fall on New York City as she tapped the business card for her contact at the insurance agency against her fingertips. Her cell was on an end table not far away. She just couldn’t bring herself to reach for it.
The do-gooder was flailing miserably.
Maybe it’d be better if Michael and Sam had put some pressure on her to not rat out Karina. That might have compelled Scarlet to spring into action. To pull the whole “justice will prevail” card on them.
But no.
As best as she could tell at the moment, they accepted her position.
Scarlet let out a long-suffering sigh. Right now they accepted her position. But when the shit really hit the fan…? This was no petty crime they were talking about here. No misdemeanor that only warranted a slap on the hand. Insurance fraud, particularly of this magnitude, was a felony. Plain and simple. Whether the statute of limitations for prosecution had run out or not.
The Hamptons “ladies who lunch” would no doubt be deleting Karina Vandenberg from their contact lists. She’d become a social pariah. One of her biggest fears come to life.
“Fuck,” Scarlet mumbled.
“Not until you’re fully healed,” Sam whispered in her ear.
She laughed softly, despite her dismay and melancholy. “Wrong context. But it’s nice to see you still have your sense of humor.”
“Hanging on by a thread,” he admitted. He shoved his hands into the front pockets of his Levi’s and heaved a sigh.
Scarlet studied him, thinking he was so damn hunky and sweet … and probably all messed up on the inside over the current state of affairs.
“You have a visitor, sweetheart.” This from Michael as he came up behind her.
Scarlet turned. And gasped.
“Mr. Vandenberg.” She gazed up at the imposing man, her stomach knotting at the sight of him.
“May I speak with you alone, Miss Drake?”
She swallowed hard. Said, “Certainly.” She’d contended all along that in order to do her job she had to take her lumps.
But neither Michael nor Sam made a move to leave her side.
Mitcham’s dark brow rose.
Scarlet ventured, “I suppose they’re thinking that whatever you have to say to me you can say to them.”
“I’m thinking we don’t need to rack up more secrets,” Sam said.
Mitcham gave a slow nod. “Fair enough.” To Scarlet, he said, “I came because it’s nearly one o’clock and you have yet to alert the insurance company of my fraudulent claim. Why is that?”
Scarlet’s head started to pound again. She told him, “Seems I’m suffering my own moral dilemma. Making that call will hurt Michael and Sam. I know it’s inevitable, but I’m not looking forward to it.”
“They don’t appear to be trying to coerce you differently,” Mitcham pointed out.
“No. They’re much more stand-up than that.”
Mitcham’s jaw briefly clenched. He said, “I’m not here to coerce you, either. Both Karina and I deduced you’d have a difficult time following through when there could be an impact on Michael’s and Sam’s lives or reputations.”
She nodded.
“You care that much about them?”
“I wouldn’t still be here if I didn’t. I achieved what I set out to do,” she reminded him. “I gathered the information I needed and I discerned who the culprits were. Case closed, right?”
“Hmm.” He crossed his arms over his massive chest and said, “You don’t concur with your own statement. Your own rationale.”
“Hard to do when you’re … in love.” She gave Mitcham a pointed look, because Scarlet was pretty sure that he was a man who’d do whatever he had to for Karina no matter the trouble she’d gotten herself into.
Michael snickered. “Don’t anyone say anything about me not being loveable.”
Sam gave a half snort.
Scarlet said, “Don’t get all cocky on me, Michael.”
“No promises, sweetheart.” He leaned in and kissed her cheek. Murmured, “For the record, the feeling’s mutual.”
He stepped away.
Scarlet’s heart flipped. Her gaze slid to Sam. He wore a deathly serious look that made tears prickle the backs of her eyes.
“I couldn’t get to you fast enough when you were in that accident,” he said. “Makes me want to keep you by my side twenty-four-seven so nothing will ever happen to you again.”
She sucked in a sharp breath.
“And yeah,” he added. “Feelin’s mutual.”
Mitcham handed over the handkerchief from his impeccably tailored navy-colored suit as fat drops rolled down her cheeks. She told him, “I know what I have to do, but I also wanted to give you and Karina a little more time.”
“We appreciate that. And I suspected as much. So did she.” He inhaled deeply. Exhaled slowly. “Which is why she turned herself in.”
Scarlet’s eyes popped. “What?”
“She wanted to do it first thing this morning, so that you wouldn’t have to. Out of respect for Michael and Sam … and the fact that my wife genuinely likes you. But then she feared if she was too hasty it might cause problems for you. So she waited. We heard nothing from the insurance agency, and that was when she decided it had to be done. I’m here right now so that you know and can make your own calls. Explain you were detained. Whatever. Bottom line is that Karina didn’t want you to be the one to break the news that Sam’s mother, Michael’s stepmother, committed a crime.”
Scarlet sank into a chair. Not just because her legs were so sore, but holy hell, she hadn’t seen this coming. And maybe it didn’t exonerate her completely—since she’d wholeheartedly gone after the Vandenbergs when it came to this case. But Karina had just spared her a world of hurt. She’d made a huge sacrifice for Scarlet.
“I owe her for that one.”
“You don’t,” Mitcham assured her. “We owe you our gratitude for giving us some time to work through how we’re going to make amends. Talk to my legal and PR teams. Figure out what direction we’ll take when it comes to Wyatt Hill and Dylan Reed. We want to go directly to the FBI. Be completely transparent. Hopefully keep Wyatt in prison and make damn sure Dylan doesn’t get away with what he did to you, Miss Drake.”
She lifted her head from where she’d been staring at the handkerchief in her lap. Told him, “That’s commendable. Thank you, Mr. Vandenberg.”
He gave a slight nod and said, “You might want to think about calling me Mitcham.”
She let out a semi-hysterical laugh. “And he has a sense of humor.” She wiped away the last of her tears and said, “Please call me Scarlet, Mitcham.”
“Of course.” His attention shifted to Michael. He said, “I know we’ve had our differences. I never explained this before, but one of the reasons I made it so that you didn’t have access to your trust fund, or you to yours, Sam,” he said as he acknowledged his step-son, “is because I wanted you to build your own lives. No rules, no boundaries. But I also wanted to ensure that those fortunes were never sacrificed for the wrong causes. Handsome young men with access to family money can unwittingly invite false affection into their lives. I’ve been lucky. I’ve had two great loves. I wanted both of you to find someone who possesses as much scruples as she does beauty. Someone who will love you for what you’ve achieved. For who you are as a person, not for your last name. Someone worthy of you.”
“Would it have killed you to tell us that when we were sixteen?” Michael quipped.
Mitcham shrugged a broad shoulder. “I’m not so sure you would have grasped the concept back then. But today … Well. I’m not going to lie and say I fully understand what’s going on with the three of you or how it’s all going to pan out, but I can’t dispute that you do seem to work as a cohesive unit. And that’s what matters most.”
Scarlet stood. “Sorry it’s so unconventional. But make no mistake. I do love your sons. And it has nothing to do with money or status. Well … there is the matter of a puppy, but that’s another story.”
Sam smirked.
Scarlet said, “I don’t want to crush this family. I want it to thrive. And if there’s anything I can do to help Karina, I’ll do it. I knows she’s earnest about paying her debt to the insurance company and society, and I’m behind her one hundred percent.”
“She’ll be pleased to hear that. Now,” Mitcham said. “I have to get back to her. She’s put on a brave face, as always, but now that I know the full extent of her struggles, I want to make sure she’s no longer battling them alone.”
He turned to go.
Michael called out, “Dad…!”
Mitcham glanced over his shoulder.
Michael grinned. And simply said, “Thank you.”
Mitcham nodded once more. Then left.
Scarlet had no doubt that Michael’s note of gratitude was for Mitcham finally coming around and expressing himself. Not keeping all of his thoughts and emotions to himself for Michael to guess at.
She hugged him tight. “It’s crazy to say this because of what Karina faces, but this family is taking a positive turn in the right direction.”
“You do have a way of finding the upside.”
She released him and walked into Sam’s embrace. “I meant what I said,” she told him. “I’ll do whatever I can to help her in this situation.”
“I know. But remember … it’s not your burden or your fault, darlin’.”
“I just want this all to work out.”
“Me and Michael, too. Don’t doubt that.” Sam pulled away and stared her in the eyes. “I do love you.”
She smiled. Kissed him.
Michael joined them. “Goes for me, too.”
“Because it would torture you so to say the actual words,” she jested.
He laughed. “Fine. I love you, Scarlet Drake.”
“Hmm.” She kissed him.
He let out a hearty laugh. “Now who’s the pain in the ass?”
She wrapped her arms around his neck and said, “I love you, too, Michael Vandenberg.”
“Now, about our weekend in Montana?” Sam prompted.
Scarlet told them, “I’m all in.”
Michael grunted. “Really, Montana? Why don’t we just stay here in the city?”
“Because Sam has work to do. Competitions to prepare for. And I want to watch.”
“Figures.”
“Stop grumbling,” she chided Michael as she untangled herself from him. “We’ve spent plenty of time in New York. It’s only fair to make the rounds.”
“If it’s what you want,” he conceded, albeit reluctantly. “I’ll have my assistant arrange everything.”
“Aw, look at you,” Scarlet teased as she gazed into his smoky eyes, “compromising.”
He tapped the tip of her nose with his finger and told her, “Don’t make me regret this.”
“Brother,” Sam said, “you have a lot to learn about women.”
“Particularly how willing this one is to reward you for good behavior.” Scarlet’s lips glided over Michael’s. Then she nipped at the corner of his mouth. “So play nice.”
“Only for you.”
“That’s all I’m asking.”
“Well,” Sam said, pleased. “Montana it is.”