The Power Trip

car with Hammond, and there was the accident… Guilt overcame her.

‘Yeah,’ Flynn said with a rueful sigh. ‘Once again it really is me.’

‘I didn’t doubt it,’ she replied, thinking how much he would hate her if he unearthed the real truth.

‘You look lovely,’ he said, noting that she seemed a lot better than the previous night.

‘Thank you,’ she said, making a determined effort to pull herself together and not fall to pieces.

‘I was thinking that maybe we should talk,’ he said, clearing his throat, nervous for the first time in God knew how many years — which was odd, because he didn’t get nervous, it simply wasn’t on his agenda.

‘I think we should,’ she said, nodding her head, although she wasn’t sure if she wanted to talk to him. It wasn’t as if it would solve anything.

‘Well,’ he said, ‘since this seems like the perfect opportunity, why don’t we go up to the top deck. I don’t think there’s anyone around up there.’

She nodded again, feeling breathless and yet strangely excited at the same time.

Closure. It was exactly what she’d been waiting for all these years, and now that it was about to happen she wondered if she was capable of handling the situation. Thank God Hammond wasn’t present to get in her way. It was just herself and Flynn, exactly how it should be. So yes, she could handle it.

They headed upstairs and settled on comfortable chairs in the all-glass atrium. For a few minutes they made stilted conversation until he finally said, ‘So, Sierra, all these years later, here we are.’

‘Yes, here we are,’ she agreed, glancing out at the endless blue sea. ‘What a place to meet up — it’s so unbelievably breathtaking.’

‘Better than some of the places I’ve experienced,’ he said dryly.

‘I know about the places you’ve been,’ she blurted out. ‘I’ve followed your career on your website, read your newsletters.’

‘You did?’ he said, surprised and more than a little pleased.

‘Yes, Flynn,’ she sighed, thinking that getting older suited him. He was more handsome than ever with his intense blue eyes and strong jawline.

‘I’m flattered,’ he said.

‘In spite of what happened,’ she said softly, ‘I always had this crazy urge to keep you in my life.’

They exchanged a long intimate look.

‘Hey — I kept tabs on you too,’ he said at last, finally breaking the look. ‘But I was shocked when I read you’d married Hammond.’ He took a long steady beat. ‘I guess it must’ve started between you and him when I left for London, then I got the photos.’ He stared at her intently. ‘Tell me, Sierra, was that the only way you could think of breaking up with me? ’Cause it was pretty damn shitty.’

‘Excuse me?’ she said, frowning. What on earth was he talking about? It was he who’d broken up with her.

‘The photos,’ he said insistently. ‘Why’d you do it?’

‘Funny, that’s exactly what I was about to ask you,’ she said, her eyes burning bright. This was a crazy conversation and she didn’t like it.

‘Ask me what?’ he said, puzzled.

‘Look — I understand we were both kids back then,’ she said, desperately trying to stay in control of her emotions. ‘Only sending me those photos was such a cruel thing to do. I couldn’t believe you would do something like that.’

‘What are you talking about?’ he said, his temper rising. ‘You were the one who sent me photos.’

‘Oh come on, Flynn,’ she sighed. ‘I didn’t send you anything.’

‘Hey — somebody sent them. And while we’re on the subject,’ he said heatedly, ‘it might interest you to know that you broke my fucking heart.’

‘No, Flynn,’ she said, torn between tears, guilt and anger. ‘You broke mine.’

‘Oh yeah? Photos of you making out with other guys, including Ham—’

‘Are you serious? I never made out with anyone, especially not Hammond. He was there for me when I needed him, it was purely platonic, and let’s not forget that it was you who asked him to watch out for me.’

‘Yeah? Then how do you explain the photos?’ he said roughly. ‘What’s your story?’

‘How do you?’ she said indignantly. ‘You were the one with girls draped all over you.’

‘What girls?’ he said, perplexed.

‘The ones in the photos.’

‘Now hold on,’ he said, perceiving that they were definitely talking at cross-purposes. ‘Are you telling me that you got photos too?’

‘What do you mean, too?’

‘I mean that someone sent me photos of you with other men.’

‘And someone sent me photos of you with a whole bunch of naked girls.’

‘What? There were never any other girls after I met you — I swear it. And there sure as hell were never any photos.’

‘Then… what?’ she questioned, confused and upset, wishing she was somewhere else.

‘Fuck!’ he said, realization dawning. ‘Whoever sent the photos must’ve been out to break us up.’

‘Why would anyone want to do that?’

‘Jesus!’ he exclaimed, smacking his forehead. ‘And here’s the kicker — like a couple of morons we both fell for it. How stupid is that?’

‘I don’t understand,’ she said, her eyes widening.

‘No, but I’m beginning to,’ he said grimly, getting up and pacing around. ‘Don’t you get it? We were set up.’

‘How is that possible?’

‘Who knows? But whatever it takes, I’m going to figure it out. What did you do with the photos you were sent?’

‘I destroyed them.’

‘Yeah, that’s what I did — and you know something else? Whoever sent them knew that’s what we’d do.’

‘You think?’

‘I know, ’cause here’s the deal: they must’ve been fakes.’

‘You were in the photos, Flynn. I saw them.’

‘So were you, sweetheart. With several guys. Want to address that?’

‘It’s impossible.’

‘And in one of them you were with Ham…’

As soon as he said Hammond’s name, it suddenly all became clear. Ham had always been jealous of his relationship with Sierra; he’d often claimed that since he’d seen Sierra first, she should’ve been with him. When that logic didn’t get him anywhere, he’d taken to speaking badly about her at any opportunity, calling her all kind of sick names. It was college guys’ shit, but Flynn had made sure it had never gotten back to her.

Then when he’d left for London, Hammond had obviously moved right in and seized his opportunity, lying to her that Flynn had asked him to watch out for her. What a lowdown sneaky son of a bitch.

‘You’re not going to like this,’ Flynn said, trying to keep his anger under control, ‘but I think I’ve figured out exactly what happened.’

‘You have?’ she said tentatively. ‘Please share.’

‘You and I were taken for one big ride. And you know who was manipulating it all?’

‘Who?’

‘Your future husband.’

Sierra felt her heart accelerate. Hammond was responsible? Could this possibly be true?

She could only come up with one answer.