Play to Win (17 page)

A sob escaped and I clapped a hand over my mouth as I unlocked my apartment door and pushed it closed behind me. The ache inside my chest spread like tentacles until it felt like every part of me hurt. I didn't have to stand any longer and pretend, so I sank to the floor, my purse falling unheeded to the side.

I buried my face in my hands as deep, wrenching sobs tore from me. I'd trusted him. I'd trusted Parker that Natalie no longer held the same appeal she once had. Though physically I'd kept him at arm's length, I hadn't on the inside. I'd let myself think there was a future for us, that I might've found the man for me.

I just couldn't understand why he'd make such an about-face. Parker wasn't that much of a flake, not even in his relationships. He was acting more like a jerk with me than with any other woman I'd seen him with, but he'd professed to feeling more for me than for anyone else. So why would he just ditch everything without any kind of explanation?

Now that I'd gotten past the shock of it, my mind was twisting in confusion, trying to make sense of his actions. It was easier to believe he was an asshole, dumping me and taking up again with Natalie, but it just didn't ring true. But try as I might, I couldn't think of another reason other than the one he'd said.

I don't know how long I sat there, feeling sorry for myself, before I finally pulled myself together. You can only cry for so long before the headache becomes unbearable and the nausea in your stomach threatens to overwhelm you.

Even when your dreams fall apart, you still have to go to work.

I was a woman in sole charge of a multimillion dollar company, and my father was counting on me to keep it going. Even if he was in a coma, I wasn't about to disappoint him when he woke up…and he
would
wake up.

It's amazing what a change of clothes can do for your self-esteem. I pulled my hair up into a French twist, and wore a high-neck sleeveless silk blouse tucked into a pair of black slacks. The blouse had a thin gray pinstripe interwoven with a pink floral pattern, so I added a pink belt and pink sparkly earrings. Shrugging into a black blazer, I felt more like the businesswoman I was supposed to be rather than the ex-secretary who'd just gotten dumped. Again.

When I made it to the office, I had a surprise. Megan was waiting for me by the door, holding a grande Starbucks cup and a little brown bag.

“I thought you could use a donut and caffeine,” she said.

I gave her a tight hug. I really missed seeing her every day. “You're a lifesaver,” I said, heading inside. “I've had neither one yet today.” Megan followed me into the elevator.

“Figured as much.”

“Aren't you supposed to be at work?” I asked, taking a big bite of the cinnamon sugar cake donut. The elevator dinged and I led her toward my office.

“I'm taking a break,” she said with a shrug. She took a seat in one of the chairs in front of my desk.

I glanced up from sucking down way too big a gulp of caramel latte. “Is this a pity coffee?”

“It's a you've-got-a-friend coffee,” she said.

I swallowed, the latte swirling uneasily in my stomach. “What kind of offer did they make him? It had to be astronomical. He didn't need money. His job at KLP made him millions.”

My phone buzzed, interrupting me, and I hit the button to hear Carrie on the speaker. “Yeah?”

“Something bizarre just happened,” she said.

“What?”

“The lawyers just called. The inquiry has been put on hold indefinitely as they found no merit to continue at this time.”

Relief unknotted my stomach. “Seriously? This isn't just a bad joke?”

“Seriously. They're sending over e-mail confirmation now. I'll forward it to you.” She paused. “Looks like we dodged a bullet somehow.”

I shut off the intercom, looking at Megan with what I knew had to be an openmouthed expression of shock on my face.

“I didn't expect that,” I said. “That's…fantastic news. That was a criminal inquiry brought against us, orchestrated by that asshole Parker went to work for. Which is yet another reason I just don't get why he'd do that.”

Megan looked at me as if I'd grown two heads. “You're not serious, are you?”

Her reaction took me back. “Serious about what?”

“You really haven't figured it out?”

I just stared at her, the sick feeling in my stomach confirming that a shot of caffeine-loaded milk had been a bad idea.

“He took that job because of
you
, Sage. He had to have. It's obvious now. The inquiry was dropped? The
criminal
one where someone here might've gone to jail or you'd lose your business?”

My mouth was hanging open and I closed it with a snap. Megan just sat there, waiting for me to say something, a grim expression on her face.

“That-that's not possible,” I stammered. “Parker wouldn't do that. He wouldn't toss aside his whole career for me. And why would Shea want him, anyway?”

“Oh, gee,” Megan said, rolling her eyes. “Why in the world would he want the best investment banker in town, who also happens to be the same guy who handles all
this
company's assets and holdings? It's a real mystery.”

“But—” I cut myself off as the pieces fell into place—how
off
Parker's sudden betrayal had seemed, coming out of left field the way it had. Even if Megan was right and Parker's sudden job switch was a martyr's sacrifice on my behalf, that didn't explain why he'd hooked up with Natalie again.

“You take your time,” Megan said as she rose, glancing at her watch. “I've got to get back to work.”

“Thanks for coming by,” I said as she opened the door. Carrie was waiting on the other side, hand poised to knock.

“No problem. Talk soon.” Megan flicked a finger wave and was gone as Carrie stepped inside.

“Are we sure this has really gone away?” I asked, shoving thoughts of Parker to the back of my mind. I had to deal with the business first. Personal matters could come later.

“I set up a two o'clock with our attorneys,” Carrie replied. “You can all go over it then. I'm sure they'll have paperwork for you to sign and go over in your father's stead.”

“Has Mom called?”

She nodded. “Condition still the same, but the doctors say he's healing really well. They might be able to try and bring him out of the coma by next week.”

My heart leapt. Finally. Some good news.

“Thanks,” I said.

Carrie motioned to a stack of files on my desk. “Those reports need to be looked over and you have a four o'clock with Jane regarding seasonal inventory and a five o'clock weekly managers' meeting.”

“Got it.”

But Carrie was right and the lawyers confirmed it. The lawsuit had miraculously gone away. I didn't know who Shea had paid off to do what he'd done, but I knew in some way Parker had to be a part of it, just like Megan had said. The timing was too coincidental and there was no way he'd just up and quit his job without a very good reason.

I had to talk to him.

The thought kept reverberating in the back of my mind as I sat through the meetings. I had to do double-duty as both my dad and Charlie, as the latter was keeping the former company at the hospital. For someone who'd just started officially working there—even as the boss's daughter—it was a formidable challenge.

Finally, I was free. I had a pounding headache and lunch had been a long time ago, but I still asked Schultz to drive me over to SLS Enterprises. My stomach churned at the thought of seeing Steven the psycho again, but I had a feeling Parker would still be there. At least, I hoped he would be. I didn't think I could face showing up at his apartment again and seeing him with Natalie. Not like that.

Jealousy twisted inside, along with the sick sensation in my gut that hadn't gone away all day. My anger had faded as I tried to make sense of what he'd done and what had happened today. What didn't I know?

I had Shultz drive through the darkened parking lot as I searched the shadows for Parker's car. No way did I want Steven to see me and would definitely avoid that at all costs, but I could wait by Parker's car until he showed.

“Please still be here, please still be here,” I muttered over and over under my breath. Wait…there. I checked the plates. Yep, that was his all right. “I see it,” I said to Schultz. He dropped me off by Parker's car to wait and he parked several rows over, out of sight. I wanted privacy and the element of surprise.

I leaned against the spotless driver's side door and waited. It was getting late. Surely he'd leave soon. I wasn't sure what I'd say, but I hoped something would come to me.

Unfortunately, the butterflies in my stomach short-circuited my brain, because when he finally emerged about fifteen minutes later I still hadn't come up with a good opening line.

I watched him walk toward his car, his attention on the phone in one hand. In his other he carried his briefcase. God, he looked good.

Pushing myself away from the car, I lifted my chin and squared my shoulders. I didn't want to get emotional.

Parker spotted me when he was about ten feet away. Surprise flashed across his face, quickly replaced by an expression I knew well. He was pissed.

“What are you doing here?” he asked when he was close.

“I needed to talk to you,” I replied. I hated that he was angry, but so was I.

“So you came here? You could've met me at my apartment.”

“And see Natalie wearing your shirt again?” I shot back before I thought about it. “No thanks.”

His lips pressed together, his blue eyes hard to read in the dim light. A breeze ruffled his hair and I caught a hint of his cologne. The smell hit me like a fist in my gut, taking my breath away.

“The investigation went away,” I blurted, wanting to get this over with and get away as soon as possible. “I find that and your sudden change of employment highly coincidental. Not to mention that you don't seem concerned that Shea's about to off me anymore.”

Parker said nothing.

“So what was the deal you made?” I asked, pressing on. “Because that's what it was, right? Shea never wanted to put my dad's company out of business. He wanted you.”

“Let it go, Sage.”

His non-confirmation only infuriated me more. “No, I'm not going to
let it go
,” I retorted. “Your job was your life. I know how hard you worked to get there. Nothing is worth you giving that up—”

“You are.”

I stopped speaking, the words cut off in my throat. For a moment, I wasn't sure I'd heard him correctly.

“You and I both know your dad is guilty,” he said. “If they investigate, all that will come out. He'll go to jail and the fine they levy on him will probably put you out of business. This alleviates all of that…with some addendums I insisted on.”

Addendums?
I was confused for a moment, then realized. He'd bargained for my safety as well. I swallowed.

“You think it's acceptable, on any level, for you to trade your life for mine?”

Parker didn't reply to my question, not that I expected a response.

“It's not okay,” I said. “And I'm not going to let you do it.”

“You don't have a choice.” His voice was flat, that same tone he used when arguing was a very bad idea.

“So you're just taking my decision away from me? Just like that?”

His hand closed around my upper arm, hauling me toward him. “Do you think I'd do this if there was any other way?” he hissed. “I may have lost you, but at least you're still alive. And so is your business.”

Abruptly, he let me go. “Now go on and get out of here,” he ordered. “I don't want you anywhere near Shea.” He unlocked his door and tossed his briefcase inside.

“Wait,” I said, grabbing on to the door as he slid into the seat. “Are we over, Parker? Is this it for us?” I couldn't help asking. Part of me still hoped, no matter how much I'd been hurt.

Parker's gaze drank me in, lingering on my face before he met my eyes. It took him a moment to answer. “Part of the deal,” he said, his voice a harsh rasp of sound. “A part I couldn't renegotiate. Too much of a ‘conflict of interest.'” The Adam's apple in his throat moved as he swallowed. “Now go. Take care of yourself.”

I was too numb to protest, pain held in check by sheer force of will. Mutely, I took a few steps back so he could close his door. I watched his car back out of the space and drive away, his taillights blurring as tears swam in my vision.

I didn't know what to do or how to feel. Parker had done the unthinkable. I couldn't even process it as I walked numbly back to Schultz and climbed into the back of my family's car. Schultz must have known by the look on my face that things hadn't gone well.

He drove me home and I thanked him as I got out of the car and went in to my apartment. I sat on my couch, staring into space and thinking. I don't know how much time passed before I was startled from my thoughts by the ringing of my cell phone. I didn't recognize the number, but I answered it anyway.

“Um, is this Sage Muccino?” an unfamiliar female voice asked.

“Yes. Who is this?”

“You don't know me, but I think you know my sister, Natalie. My name's Jessie.”

I
sat nervously in the diner, waiting to meet the woman who said she was Natalie's little sister. She'd been adamant that I not tell anyone about her. Had said she couldn't trust anyone. Never having met her before, I didn't know if she should be taken seriously, or if she was merely being overly dramatic. But I kept my word regardless and sat waiting in the all-night diner per her instructions.

I'd finished a first cup of the diner's coffee and had started on my second, a brew so dark and strong I needed twice as much cream and sugar as usual. I stirred as I listened to Dolly Parton sing about Jolene and stared at the booth opposite me, where the torn vinyl seating was held together by duct tape. The glass door swung open and I glanced over to see a woman enter.

She looked young, younger than me, and I could tell immediately she was related to Natalie. They looked very similar, though Jessie was a brunette as opposed to Natalie's blond locks. Her face was heart-shaped with delicately arched brows and a nose that turned up slightly at the end. About Natalie's height and build, she wore jeans and a long-sleeved zip-up hoodie.

Spotting me, she hurried over. It wasn't hard to figure out who I was—I was the lone female customer. A group of three guys sat two booths down, laughing and putting away a frightening amount of greasy cheeseburgers and fries. Another two men sat by themselves at the Formica counter, one sipping coffee, the other working his way through a piece of chocolate cream pie that I'd been eyeing earlier.

Chocolate sounded like nirvana after the week I'd had, and I was all out of peanut M&Ms at home.

“Sage?”

I nodded. “You must be Jessie.”

Relief flashed across her face and she slid into the booth opposite me. “Thanks so much for meeting me.”

“I don't even know how you got my name,” I said. “Or my number.”

“That's kind of a long story,” she replied, ordering a cup of coffee for herself as the waitress stopped by to refill my cup.

“I've got all night.”

“Natalie's always been up to some scheme or another, all her life,” she began. “And I've always been the one to pick up the pieces. This time is no different.”

“No offense,” I interrupted, “but she said you'd been kidnapped. And she gave someone ten thousand dollars to get you back.”

Jessie winced. “I'm so sorry. I didn't know she'd gone through with it.”

“Gone through with what?”

“The plan that I was ‘kidnapped.'” She used quote-y fingers for
kidnapped
.

I knew it. I'd been suspicious of Natalie the whole time she'd been back. The story of Jessie having disappeared had been so convenient and far-fetched.

“So you obviously weren't kidnapped,” I said. “Why the story then? Why would she lie? Especially about something so serious.” Though it did explain why she hadn't wanted to get the police or FBI involved. I wasn't a cop, but I thought it was probably against the law to make up a story about someone being kidnapped.

“She needed a reason to find Dean again.”

I stiffened, instinctive protectiveness filling me at the thought of her hurting him again. “You know she lied to him,” I said. “She faked her own suicide and made him think it was all his fault. For years she let him think that.”

Jessie looked sad. “I know. Natalie is a compulsive liar, and she's a manipulator. I should know. She's been lying to and manipulating me for years.”

“How do I know you're not the same?” I asked. “Why should I trust you?”

“Because I'm here, telling you. She may have wanted to be back in Dean's life, but you're the one she's been obsessing about.”

“Me?” I was startled. “Why me? She just met me a few days ago.”

“You're Dean's girlfriend, right?”

“I was. Not anymore. We're just friends now.” There was a pang inside at that, but not as bad as it had been a couple of days ago. It was hard, moving on from someone, even when you knew it was the right thing to do.

“So you're with Parker?”

I pressed my lips together. For just meeting me, Jessie sure was nosey. Not to mention that I didn't want to answer the question. “You know a lot,” I said instead. “And I still don't know if I should trust you. Why come to me? Why not go straight to Ryker yourself?”

“Because I wanted to warn you,” she said, taking a sip of her coffee. “I think Natalie may do something really crazy this time.”

“You mean crazier than faking her own suicide or lying about her sister being kidnapped?” My sarcasm was as thick as the diner's coffee.

“If she found out I was here, telling you this, I don't know what she'd do.”

Okay, that gave me pause. I studied Jessie, looking hard into her eyes, and I saw fear there. My gut told me she wasn't lying, that she really was afraid of Natalie.

Shit.

“I think we need help.” Luckily for us, I'd already foreseen this possibility. I wasn't about to trust some unknown quantity—i.e., Jessie—when I had no idea who she was or what she wanted. I'd called Ryker before I came here. I knew he'd not only know what to do, he deserved to hear for himself what Jessie had to say. I knew he was still giving Natalie the benefit of the doubt, but he needed to protect himself from any more of her machinations.

Jessie didn't argue, just grimly sipped from her cup as I took out my cell and dialed, telling Ryker it was time to come in.

Ryker walked in wearing his usual beat-up jeans, T-shirt, and leather jacket. I could see the outline of his dog tags through the cotton as his heavy boots ate up the linoleum between us and him. He stopped at our booth, his gaze on Jessie.

She swallowed hard, a tentative smile on her face. “Hey, Dean. It's been a while.”

“Come here,” he said roughly, pulling her to her feet and into his arms for a tight hug. “I've been worried sick about you.”

Her whole body relaxed in his arms as she melted against him. Obviously, she'd been apprehensive at the kind of reception she'd receive.

“I'm sorry,” she said. “I couldn't let her lie to you like that. Not again.”

“What do you mean?” he asked, pulling back.

She sighed. “Sit down. I have a lot to tell you.”

Ryker slid into the booth next to me and Jessie started over again with all she'd told me.

“Why didn't you tell me before that she wasn't dead?” he asked once she'd finished. His face was a grim mask and I couldn't imagine how he must be feeling, hearing the truth about Natalie after idolizing her all this time.

Tears shined in Jessie's eyes, but she didn't cry. “I'm so sorry, Dean. I was fifteen. I didn't know what to do. She's my sister. I didn't even know the extent of her lie to you and Parker until recently.”

I believed her; the earnestness on her face couldn't be faked, as though she was desperate for him to know she was telling the truth. And after a moment, Ryker nodded.

“It's okay,” he said, reaching across the table to squeeze her hand. “It's not up to you to apologize for or try to fix Natalie's mistakes.”

I felt like an intruder between them, and the idol worship I saw in her eyes made me realize she saw Ryker as quite a bit more than just a big-brother/little-sister thing that he'd portrayed their relationship to be.

I cleared my throat. “So,” I said, feeling a vague twitch of regret for interrupting their Moment. “What do we do now? Go confront Natalie?” But Ryker shook his head.

“I don't think so. I have a gut feeling she did all this for something more than just coming back into our lives. Otherwise, she would've done it before. The question is, why now? Why concoct this elaborate plan now?”

“She got Parker's ten thousand dollars,” I said. “Maybe she just wanted the money.”

“Ten grand isn't a lot,” he replied. “If it was for money, I think she'd have asked for more.”

“She's been researching Sage,” Jessie offered. “I thought it was because of her involvement with you and Parker. But maybe it's more than that.”

“For now, Natalie is staying with Parker,” Ryker said. “I think we should keep you hidden and wait and see what she does next.”

“Hidden? Where am I going to hide?” Jessie asked.

“You can stay with me,” he replied.

Surprise flickered across Jessie's face, then her cheeks turned pink, making me wonder what she was thinking about staying with Ryker.

“I couldn't put you out like that,” she said, shaking her head.

“I think it's a good idea,” I interjected. “She has to finish this somehow, your supposed kidnapping. And I'd like to know what she wants with me.” Surely she wasn't just all
Fatal Attraction
on Ryker and Parker? There seemed like there should be more to the story, but I wasn't a manipulator or compulsive liar, so what did I know? Maybe getting Parker back was all she'd wanted. Either way, I wanted to know…and I wanted to finish her.

I wondered what Parker would have to say about Jessie's information on Natalie…or if he'd even care.

“Then it's settled,” Ryker said, pulling out his wallet and tossing some money on the table to cover our coffee. “You'll stay with me and we'll see what Natalie's next move is. I take it you're communicating with her?”

Jessie nodded. “She's supposed to call me today.”

“Then we'll wait and see.”

Ryker had come on his motorcycle and after making sure I didn't mind grabbing a cab, he and Jessie roared off into the night. Seeing another woman clinging to him on the back of his bike sent a spark of jealousy through me, which I immediately quashed. I wasn't going to be one of
those
women—begrudging Ryker finding someone else.

Parker was on my mind even more than everything else as I locked my apartment door and got ready for bed. The stitches in my hand itched, reminding me of how adept he'd been at taking my mind off what the doctor was doing when needles were involved.

I'd failed him. Well, maybe not me personally, but my father had done something illegal. Perhaps justifiable, considering the circumstances and Leo's ruthlessness, but still illegal. And now Parker, of all people, was having to pay the price.

An ache inside made me curl into a ball underneath the covers. I stared at the light seeping through the slats of the blinds on my bedroom window, wondering what he was doing…and if it was with Natalie. We'd been so close to being together, so close to being happy, that it was a physical pain to realize that chance was lost.

I couldn't sleep, my thoughts churning as the minutes and hours ticked slowly by. My cell phone buzzed and I glanced at it, wondering who could be texting me at two in the morning.

It was Parker.

I snatched up my phone and opened the text.

I quickly texted back.
Yes, I'm here.
I waited, the little ellipses telling me he was typing.

Tears stung my eyes and the screen blurred as I typed back.
I'm the one who's sorry. You shouldn't have done what you did.

It figured. Parker had to pick now to be all chivalrous and self-sacrificing. I sighed.
I don't want to argue. Why are you up so late?

A drink? At this hour and by the tone of his texting, he'd had more than one.

There was a long wait before he texted back.

That sick feeling was back in my stomach. I didn't understand. He'd willingly tie himself to a woman he didn't want, just to spare me and my dad?

Please don't do this
, I typed.
Go back to KLP. I'm a big girl. I can handle the fallout from my dad's mistakes.

Shit.
I huffed at my phone, staring at the one-word response. Chivalrous and stubborn plus drunk. A dreaded combination and one nearly impossible to reason with. Before I could think of how to reply, he'd sent more.

I grudgingly texted back.
Yes. Everything appears to be back to normal.
Except us, I wanted to add.

I sighed, pulling my knees to my chest as I stared at my phone. I wanted him so badly, it was eating me up inside. Not just physically, but I missed
him
—talking to him, looking at him, seeing his lips quirk in a smile, and the way his eyes softened when he looked at me.

I miss you
, I typed.

My heart thudded a bit harder at the endearment, and I wondered just how drunk Parker was.

I waited for a response, hoping I wasn't going too far.

A wave of relief swept through me. He hadn't slept with Natalie. She'd been lying about that part at least.

Considering how badly I thought Natalie wanted Parker, I had sincere doubts that she would just “go away” anytime soon.

I couldn't help myself, though I knew it would make me look needy.
Come see me.

I held my breath, hoping beyond hope he'd do it, he'd come to me.