Roman wasn’t so sure. “I lied to her.”
“You didn’t have a choice.”
No, but that still didn’t make it right. “I have to tell her the truth.”
“You will, when the time is right. And she’ll forgive you, and give you another chance. Because that’s who she is.”
Again, Roman wasn’t so sure about that.
“When you get home tonight, turn on the news.”
Sutton obviously knew something he didn’t. “Why?”
The old man’s smile was devious, and for an instant he looked like the Sutton he used to be. “As I said, I still have my connections.”
Without elaborating, Sutton closed his eyes, and in an instant he was asleep, leaving Roman to wonder if they had arrested Dax today, or were planning to.
He left Sutton sleeping and headed back to the ballroom, but Carson, on his way to the den, told him, “Roman, you have to see this.”
Roman followed him, joining a large group of the wedding guests gathered around the television. It was tuned to the news, and the banner across the screen screamed State Senator Arrested on Fraud Charges.
And sure enough, there was Dax on the screen being led away from his home in handcuffs. The relief Roman felt left him weak. He could finally talk to Gracie and tell her the truth. And he could stop worrying about her safety.
He saw Gracie standing over by the bar, a drink in her hand, and she waved him over.
“Is this really happening?” she said, looking dazed.
“It’s really happening.” And it was about time.
“I knew something was up, but I never expected this.”
Clearly no one had if the shocked expressions and low hum of incredulous chatter were any indication.
“Does this mean I’m safe now?” she asked Roman, looking so hopeful it made him feel about an inch tall.
“I hope so.” Things would be dicey, and he was sure that she would be getting a visit from the FBI. Which meant he had to tell her the truth, before she heard it from someone else. So he said, “We need to talk.”
She frowned. “Right now?”
“Yes, right now.”
Something in Roman’s voice, in his troubled expression, put her instantly on edge. Shouldn’t he be happy that this mess was finally going to be over and she could get her life back? And why did she get the feeling that he knew something she didn’t?
“We can go to my room,” she said. Like her sisters she still kept a room at the estate, so she led Roman there.
When they were inside with the door closed, she asked him, “What’s going on? I couldn’t help but notice that you didn’t seem at all surprised by the news report. Or relieved.”
“I knew this was coming,” he said. “I just didn’t know when.”
A feeling of dread started in her heart and trickled downward into her belly. “How did you know?”
He sat on the edge of the bed, wearing a look of pure misery, which only made her feel worse.
“I’ve been working with the FBI,” he said.
And he hadn’t told her. Her heart started to thump. “How long?”
“They contacted me the day before Dax came to your place. They knew that he wanted the backup flash drive, and they wanted to get their hands on it first.”
She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Oh no he didn’t. He couldn’t have. “You found something, didn’t you? In the files that first night.”
Eyes lowered, he nodded.
“So you lied to me.”
He nodded again.
She felt eerily calm as she asked him, “And where is the flash drive now?”
“I turned it over to the FBI last week.”
So he hadn’t really been going through the files looking for evidence. That was just another lie.
He could not be doing this to her again. Not now. Not after she had forgiven him, and given him her heart. He just couldn’t.
The dread grew exponentially, sucking her into a place so dark and foreboding she wanted to disappear.
“They didn’t give me a choice. You were going to be implicated in the case. I gave them the flash drive in exchange for your immunity.”
She blinked, then blinked again. “Because you thought I was guilty.”
His head shot up. “No! To protect you.”
“Why would you have to protect me, and make a deal for me, if you knew I hadn’t done anything wrong?”
“Gracie,” he said, reaching for her.
She stepped back, repulsed by the thought of his hands on her. It was seven years ago happening all over again. “Don’t touch me.”
“It wasn’t like that,” he said, standing. “You have to believe me. I was just trying to keep you safe.”
“I don’t,” she said, aware that she had started to tremble. “I don’t believe you. And I don’t trust you. I won’t trust you ever again.”
“If you’ll let me explain—”
She had only seen him look this crushed once before: the last time he’d betrayed her. “No. There’s no excuse you could give me that would justify you lying to me. You doubted me. Again. I’m finished.”
“Gracie, please—” He reached for her again, touched her arm and she ripped it away.
“Get out,” she said.
She could feel it coming on, the total collapse of her soul. She was crumbling from the inside out. She wanted to scream at him, and pound his chest with her fists, make him feel how much he’d hurt her. But at this point why bother? It was over. For good. And with that realization, the last of her will fizzled away. She just wanted to hide. She was so cold and empty she just wanted to curl up in bed, close her eyes and sleep until the ache in her heart went away. But she had the feeling that this time his deceit ran so deep, the pain would never go away. This was her so-called “gift” of seeing the best in everyone biting her in the ass again. She’d believed in Roman when he said he loved her, and had given him the benefit of the doubt when deep down she’d felt as if something wasn’t right. And once again she’d been burned.
“Gracie, please talk to me,” he said.
She shook her head. There was nothing to talk about. It was over. “Roman,” she said, her voice eerily calm, “I want you to leave, and I never want to see you again.”
Unable to even look at him any longer, she crossed the room and stepped into the bathroom, shutting the door and leaning against it, her heart pounding so hard and fast she felt light-headed and sick. So sick that she dashed to the commode, barely making it in time before she lost her dinner.
She sat on the floor, still in her gown, waiting for the tears to come, but she was so dead inside she just felt numb. The perpetual optimism was gone, and in its place something dark and cold took over, making her determined to hold on to and protect her heart, and never let another man hurt her again.
* * *
Gracie had an amazing dream. It was her and Roman’s wedding, and they were so happy and in love, but as she slowly woke