Inside

pressure, and you’ve been without a romantic relationship almost as long as I’ve known you. I can’t blame you for taking what’s right there, what’s easy.” Especially because he hadn’t been available to give her a better option— until now.

He thought she’d be relieved to hear this. It was a pretty generous response, in his opinion, but she didn’t seem to appreciate it. “That’s not how it was.”

He stepped closer. Knowing she’d been with Virgil made him jealous on one level, but it also turned him on because it convinced him there was a sexual side to Peyton he hadn’t seen. Maybe he’d never wanted to acknowledge this before, but she was everything Mercedes was not—attractive, successful in her own right, a woman he could respect and someone who could create a little more excitement in the bedroom. “Then how was it?”

“I don’t want to talk about it.” She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “I should never have told you.”

“I’m glad you did.”

“Why would you be glad?” She seemed appalled by his reaction, but she didn’t understand that everything had changed.

“Because it shows that you trust me. And that prodded me into making a decision I should’ve made when I first met you.”

When he took her arm, she glanced at his hand as if ready to bolt. “What decision?”

“I split with my wife today.”

He couldn’t help hoping she’d act excited about the news. But she didn’t. She pulled away, looking shocked, upset. He had to admit the breakup of his marriage had been sudden. He’d never indicated to anyone that he might take such drastic action, almost couldn’t believe it himself. If Peyton hadn’t told him about her and Virgil, he might’ve struggled along with Mercedes indefinitely, but the knowledge that she’d slept with another man, especially a man so unworthy of her, had galvanized him into action. If he couldn’t fix his marriage, why was he hanging on? It was better to toss out what was already ruined and start fresh with someone who wasn’t angry and bitter and run-down. Someone who understood his work—who was part of it. With his support, her star could continue to rise, too. Getting together would be perfect for both of them.

“What did you say?” she whispered.

“I left my wife.”

“Why?”

“Because it wasn’t working. I didn’t even realize how miserable I’d become until this morning, when I suddenly understood how…different my life could be.” Peyton’s, too, but he didn’t say that.

“What about your kids?”

“We’ll share custody, like millions of other divorced parents. It’s not what I wanted for them, but they’ll survive. Hell, I survived, didn’t I? And no divorce could’ve been more acrimonious than my parents’. Mercedes and I won’t make it that hard.”

Fortunately, she didn’t point out that he couldn’t control Mercedes, that he might not have a choice about the level of difficulty. He was counting on his wife’s love for their children, but she’d grown so depressed in recent years he wasn’t entirely sure what she might do. He didn’t like the financial repercussions of divorce, either, but he figured it was preferable to get that over with and start rebuilding rather than let the marriage drag on until he had even more to lose. Peyton made a nice living. If they got together, her income would help compensate for the money he’d have to forfeit.

“But…” She seemed at a loss. “I didn’t even know you were having problems.”

“It’s not something I wanted to face. But now that I’ve made the break, I feel like a new man.”

She said nothing.

“And it’s been coming for a long time,” he added. When he’d gone home and broken the news to Mercedes she didn’t even cry. She’d acted relieved, and that was how he felt, too.

Peyton set her purse and briefcase on the picnic table as if they’d become too heavy. “Rick, I’m getting some weird vibes here. Please tell me this has nothing to do with me.”

“You didn’t cause it. You just showed me it doesn’t have to be the way it is.”

When she hugged herself, he nearly repeated his suggestion that they go inside. She was cold. And if he could have a few minutes to explain everything in the warmth and quiet of her house, he felt confident she’d understand.

But if he pushed her to go in she’d just tell him to find Skinner. She was set on making that happen, and she was right to be anxious about it. Today he’d let his personal problems intrude, but that wasn’t like him, not when he had so much riding on this investigation. He was counting on the goodwill and gratitude that would be generated among his superiors when he made it possible to curtail the criminal activities of the Hells Fury.

“How?” she said. “I don’t understand the sudden switch.”

“Like I said, it’s not as sudden as it seems.”

“I’m not only talking about your divorce. It’s…your attitude toward me. Where is this coming from?”

“I’m attracted to you, Peyton. I have been for a few years.”

“But…”

“I just never let myself consider it. Thinking about it scared me because I knew I’d feel too unsatisfied with Mercedes.”

“Rick, don’t do this—”

He had to stop her before she made up her mind. She was exhausted, stressed, preoccupied, wasn’t really taking in what he was telling her. “I realize it’s a lot to grasp with everything else that’s going on. Just…know that I’m interested, okay? You don’t have to settle for someone like Virgil. You have options.”

“Options? You’re my boss!”

“I don’t work at the prison. That should alleviate the department’s potential concerns. It’s not as if the director would ever encourage a relationship, but you and I both know it happens and it doesn’t necessarily mean a loss of employment. I think we can get Tillamont’s blessing to at least start dating. After that, we’ll take it one day at a time.”

She covered her face. “This can’t be happening.”

“Just think about it.”

“Fine.” She dropped her hands. “I’ll think about it if you’ll make me a promise.”

“What’s that?”

“You’ll keep what I told you to yourself and wait until this investigation is over before we deal with anything between us. Operation Inside is all I can focus on right now. It scares me, as you know. So will you go get Virgil?”

That she kept going back to Virgil brought a fresh twinge of jealousy. She could act a little grateful that he was willing to speak to the director so they could see each other, couldn’t she?

But maybe he was expecting too much. She was as ragged as he was. So he tamped down the negative emotion. “If it’ll make you happy, I’ll go and grab him.”

“You might want to drop him off here, then go to the motel for his bag. I don’t think he should show up there at all, do you?”

He’d be leaving them alone together; that registered immediately. But he was crazy to worry. Peyton wouldn’t want someone like Virgil now that he’d let her know she could hope for so much better. “You’re probably right,” he said, and strode off.

“God, if I hang on to my job, it’ll be a miracle,” Peyton muttered as she stood on the deck listening to the sound of Wallace’s car growing fainter. She was so shocked by what he’d told her she hadn’t known how to respond. She wasn’t interested in him. She’d never be interested in him. But there was no reason to make that as clear as she wanted to. Not right now. They were all in a very tenuous position. She needed to keep Rick on her side for Virgil’s sake, if for no other reason. It would be smarter to get through the coming weeks without defining anything that might upset the delicate balance of ego, desire, jealousy, pride, ambition— even survival instinct—ebbing and flowing between the three of them. If she kept Rick mollified, she’d have a greater chance of retaining control of the situation at Pelican Bay, and that meant Virgil would have a greater chance of surviving his experience there.