“Get in,” he grumbled.
“It’s important,” Selina repeated, as they settled into their seats, an apology in her tone.
“It’s always important,” said Reed. “That’s the problem with my life. If I was deciding between Elizabeth and the things that weren’t important, I wouldn’t have a problem, would I?” He didn’t wait for an answer. “But every day, nearly every hour, something that is vitally important grabs my time and attention. I spend my evenings with you two and with Gage and Trent, because if we don’t work this out, I might be going to jail. A blackmailer might extort money. Somebody might even die.
“And so I do my part,” Reed continued. “But you know what? It stops here. I’m going home to Elizabeth. You two tell me what I need to do to make that happen.”
Selina glanced at Collin. “Do you want to tell him or shall I?”
Collin gestured that Selina should go ahead.
“It’s the Hammond and Pysanski connection.”
“Don’t tell me. It’s getting worse?” Reed absolutely could not get a break.
“I spent the last two days in Washington,” said Selina. “I found out that each of Hammond and Pysanski’s purchases were made in the forty-eight hours following the committee’s shortlisting of the project in question.”
“How many companies on the shortlist?” Reed couldn’t help asking. Had Hammond and Pysanski bought into the shortlisted companies on spec?
“Usually three to five,” said Selina. “But it looks like the unofficial decision coincided with the shortlist. Because they bought into the right company each and every time.”
Reed was dumbfounded. “So, Kendrick is guilty.”
“At first I thought it was Kendrick, too. But then I found this.” Selina pulled a sheet of paper out of her briefcase. “One of the senator’s aides, Clive Neville. With each transaction, the day after the Hammond and Pysanski stock purchase, ten thousand dollars was deposited to Clive Neville’s account.”
“A payoff?” asked Reed.
Selina nodded. “But you and Gage bought your shares a week before Hammond and Pysanski,” she said. “
“So it’s over?” Reed asked.
Collin slapped him on the shoulder. “It’s over.”
The limo came to a halt in front of 721 Park Avenue.
Reed handed the bank printout back to Selina. “Well done, team. I hope you don’t take this the wrong way. But, goodbye.” Reed beat the driver to the door handle and stepped out into the rain.
“You know,” said Hanna, topping up their wineglasses with a merlot, “there
“No, there’s not.” Elizabeth was out of options to save her marriage. All that was left was to save herself. Reed was never going to change. That’s why she was taking such drastic action.
Hanna set the empty bottle on the coffee table and leaned back at the opposite end of the sofa. “You could tell him you were wrong, that you love him, and that you want your marriage to work out.”
“Yeah,” came a deep, male voice, and Elizabeth nearly dropped her wine into her lap. Hanna’s eyes went wide, and she twisted toward the penthouse foyer.
“You could do that,” said Reed, dropping his keys and sauntering into the room.
“Reed.” Hanna swallowed around a dry rasp.
“Hello, Hanna.”
“I am
Reed shook his head. “Don’t be sorry. If I thought you’d convince her, I’d leave and let you go at it.”
“She won’t convince me,” said Elizabeth with conviction. It was nearly ten o’clock, and today was just another example of Reed’s hectic schedule. He’d flown to Chicago for a meeting. Clearly, he’d spent the entire day there. Just as clearly, he’d had more important things to do than tuck Lucas into bed.
Maybe it was her own fault. Maybe she simply wasn’t interesting enough to come home to. Maybe she should have gotten a job years ago and become a more interesting wife for him.
Then again, how would he know whether she was interesting or not? The man wouldn’t even show up for a conversation.
Reed picked up the wine bottle, raising his eyebrows when he saw it was empty. “Shall I open another?”
Hanna struggled to get to her feet. “I should really go, and let you two-”
He forestalled her with his palm. “Stay put. You’re obviously on my side. It looks like you two have a head start, but I’d love to joint the party.”
Hanna gave Elizabeth a questioning look, which Elizabeth answered with a shrug. It wasn’t like she and Reed had any big plans for being alone. In fact, it was probably better to have Hanna here as a foil until bedtime, or at least until Elizabeth got slightly intoxicated.
“Bring on another bottle,” she told him.
Reed gave her a genuine smile, and the force of it shot all the way to her toes. She immediately rethought her strategy on getting intoxicated. It could be dangerous to be around him without all her faculties intact. She set her wineglass down on the table.
Reed headed for the wine rack in the dining room.
With him out of the room, Hanna hit Elizabeth with an expression of stark curiosity.
Elizabeth held her palms up in a gesture of confusion. She’d never seen Reed in a mood like this.
He strode back into the living room with an open bottle of wine and three fresh glasses. “The eighty-two Chateau Saint Gaston,” he announced with satisfaction.
Elizabeth blinked.
Hanna choked. “Did you just open a ten thousand dollar bottle of wine?”
Reed pretended to study the label. “I do believe I did.” He poured them each a glass of the Saint Gaston.
Still standing, he held his glass aloft. “A toast,” he said.
“Please don’t,” begged Elizabeth. She didn’t know what he had in mind, but she didn’t like the reckless look in his eyes nor the cocky set to his mouth.
“A toast,” he said in a softer voice, looking straight into her eyes. “To my gorgeous, gracious, intelligent wife.”
“Reed,” she pleaded.
“I lied to you today.”
So what else was new?
“I wasn’t in Chicago.”
Something shriveled up inside Elizabeth. The man lied recreationally. She couldn’t have cared less whether he was in Chicago.
She waved a dismissive hand. “Whatever. Salute.” She lifted her glass to take a drink.
“Uh, uh, uh,” he tisked. “This is a ten thousand dollar bottle of wine. Let’s have a little respect.”
She heaved a frustrated sigh. Maybe she should just go to bed, get to sleep before he decided to join her there. Maybe, just maybe, she’d feel stronger in the morning.
“I was in California,” he continued.
Elizabeth waited for the point.
“Ironically, on the advice of my dear father, I went to see the Vances.”
She froze. “No.” He hadn’t compromised their case. He wouldn’t.
“And while I was there,” he said, “I realized that you, dear Elizabeth, are absolutely right, and I am completely wrong.”
He perched himself on the armchair cornerwise to her. “I promise I will never lie to you again.”
Elizabeth searched his eyes. They were warm and soft and loving, but she didn’t know what to say. “Thank you,” she tried.
His lips stretched into a smile before he tipped his glass and took a sip.
Elizabeth followed suit, but she couldn’t taste a thing.
“I love you,” Reed said to her.
“Hey,” Hanna put in, coming to her feet. “I really think I’d better-”
