And just like that, my time in the limelight was over.

Back to prison I go.

Chapter Thirty-Eight

Elle

LARRY AND I stood on the steps of the courthouse.

Fleur waited ahead with Stewie, bribing his attention with a stick of chewing gum.

I’d asked her to. I needed Larry on his own because I had a plan.

After the disaster in the courtroom, I couldn’t leave things to chance anymore. I couldn’t let my heart gallop and my stomach sizzle with fear that Greg would be utterly vindictive and testify against Penn with every viciousness he had in him.

I couldn’t watch Penn be handcuffed and marched back to prison like this afternoon. I couldn’t survive with one conjugal visit a year and weekly phone calls.

Penn was innocent.

Greg was wrong.

He had to be stopped.

Threats wouldn’t work.

But I knew something that would.

“You have to get me a meeting with him, Larry. Tonight.”

Larry slammed to a stop. “Penn? No can do. He’ll be under lock-down now.”

“No, not him. Greg.”

His eyebrows disappeared into his salt and pepper hair. “What?”

“I want to speak to Greg.”

“I don’t—” He pursed his lips. “Why?”

“I need to try something. Before his turn to testify tomorrow.”

Soon, it would be my turn to testify against Greg. I still had that trump card over him, but I doubted that would make him change. He was too naïve to understand what life in prison would do to him. He was too used to being the spoiled little rich boy and given everything he wanted.

He believed he was untouchable.

I didn’t have the time or power to show him otherwise, but I could dangle a carrot he valued more than his own life to change his mind about Penn.

“What are you thinking?” Larry’s eyes narrowed. “Don’t tamper with things you don’t understand, Elle.”

In the past few months of working late and getting to know Larry, I had great affection for this man who had saved Penn. Who had given him money, a home, kindness, a family. A true benefactor in every sense of the word—offering security after a lifetime of none.

But he was also nosy, and I didn’t have time to satisfy that curiosity.

“Can you do it or not?”

He shrugged. “I can’t promise anything. He’s probably been transferred back to corrections.”

“Can you try?”

He frowned but nodded. “I’ll do my best.” Gripping my hand, he squeezed kindly then marched back into the courthouse.

* * * * *

“Greg?”

I clutched the phone tight.

Larry hadn’t been able to work his magic and get me a face-to-face meeting, but he had managed a two-minute phone call.

No more.

No less.

I had one hundred and twenty seconds to make Greg an offer he couldn’t refuse. And do it in a way that didn’t sound like bribery, blackmail, or any other illegal action that could end up with me taking his place in lock-up.

I didn’t care it would be recorded.

I didn’t care it could backfire if they decided to pull the records and use it against me.

Penn’s life was on me. I would do anything I could to save it. Did that make me stupid? Most likely. Did that make me reckless? Most definitely.

But I was done playing nice, and Greg endangered everything I held as priceless.

“Elle?” Greg snapped. “What the hell do you want?”

I didn’t waste time. “Tell the truth.”

I wanted to barter with him. To say if he dropped his statement, I’d drop mine. That I wouldn’t press charges because I didn’t care about justice for me, just freedom for Penn.

But I couldn’t—not on the phone.

Every word was a damn minefield. “Tell the truth, Greg, and I’ll change your life.”

A long pause then he finally bit. “How? How can you change my life?”

“I’ll give you fifteen million. I’ll put it into an account that will earn interest until you’re released. You’ll never have to work again.”

“Is this some sort of joke?”

“No joke.” My fingers turned white around the phone. “All you have to do is tell the truth.”

Retract that Penn was trying to kill you. Stop saying I loved you. Be a man for once in your damn life.

“Be honest, Greg. And I’ll send you the bank account number the moment court is adjourned.”

My heart raced, bucking for his reply.

Finally, the words I feared I’d never hear came back.

“Twenty and you’ve got yourself a deal.”

I didn’t even hesitate. “Deal.”

Chapter Thirty-Nine

Penn

GREG TOOK THE stand the next day, his gaze glaring into mine.

Freedom practically slapped me on the back and said ‘see ya later, buddy.’

The way he licked his lips—rubbing his jaw with deliberate poise as if he couldn’t wait to get my ass thrown into jail where I’d never see Elle again.

His lawyer stalked in front of him like a rickety stick insect, her red lips barely moving as she asked him clipped questions.

“Did you love Ms. Charlston?”

“Did you have a happy childhood growing up together?”

“Did you get along with her father?”

“Did you kidnap and rape with the intention of forced marriage and company takeover?”