“Do some work.” My tone was angry. “Go through her credit card bills, see who saw her in the street, check every neighborhood bar around you with photos, do whatever it takes. But get me that information.”
“Sure,” he sighed.
“I want it by tonight.”
“But I was planning on—” He started and I coldly interrupted him.
“I don’t care what your plans were. I need this information by tonight.”
“You only care about yourself,” he muttered with a bitter tone.
“Don’t forget who got you the job at the Wall Street Journal,” I hissed. “And don’t forget who’s looking after your sister.”
“How is Maria, by the way?” His voice was glib. “Should I reserve a date on my calendar for the wedding?”
“Funny.” My tone was anything but humorous.
“I dare say she wouldn’t mind being a part of some sort of sister wives marriage,” he joked. “Seeing as you like the group stuff anyways.”
My blood boiled over at his comment. I knew that he was sending me a warning, not just idly joking. But he had no idea who he was messing with.
“Matt, just get me the information.” I hung up the phone and rubbed my temples. That was the problem with having too many people in your business. Will was the only other person who knew what had gone down with Denise and me that night. And now it seemed that Matt knew as well. I knew then and there that it was over for him as well as for Maria. I’d done as much as I could to help them and honor their father’s wishes, but I could take them no further. I didn’t care how cruel I had to be.
I called Katie’s number and waited with bated breath to see if she was going to answer.
“Hello?” Her voice was standoffish, but she answered after one ring.
“Sorry I had to leave early this morning.”
“You did?” Her voice faked surprise. “I didn’t even notice you weren’t here when I woke up.”
“I didn’t want to leave.” I wished my words could convey the depth of my feelings for her.
“Whatever. You hit it and quit it. That’s your usual M.O.” Her voice sounded harsh. “Nothing unusual.”
“Katie.” I was getting angry. “That’s not what happened.”
“What do you want, Brandon?” she sighed.
“To talk,” I said softly, though I really wanted to say, “You. I want you.”
“Well, talk then.” She sounded irritated. “I have to go.”
“Don’t quit.”
“Maybe you shouldn’t have hired your fiancée’s brother to date me.” She was angry. “And what exactly does his dad do for you?”
“I don’t want to talk about it. I told you. Not now.” I gripped the phone. I hadn’t been completely honest with Katie when she had asked how I knew Matt. I’d been in shock when she asked me, on the point of orgasm, and my brain wasn’t able to comprehend the depth of how scared I had been. If she’d stayed around to hear more of Matt’s conversation with me, she would have figured out that he was now working for me instead of his dad. There was silence on the phone and my heart dropped. “Katie.” I talked into the phone, but I knew she had hung up on me.
I called her back, but this time she didn’t answer. I wanted to throw the phone into the wall when I heard the call go to voicemail. I was so angry and worried. What if I had lost her? After everything that had happened, I knew there was a high possibility that she was done with me. And what did I expect? I was forty-two, and she was twenty-five. I’d always wanted to give her space so she could make her own decisions. I’d always known it was a risk and that things might not work out as I hoped. But it had been seven years. I’d sacrificed everything for this moment and opportunity, and it looked like my worst fears were coming true.
“Dad, you coming?” Harry shouted from the living room, and I put my phone in my pocket. I’d try calling Katie again later. Now I needed to be with my son.
***
"I was thinking we should set a date." Maria walked into my study with a tight smile. She had asked me to talk while Harry and I were playing Mario Kart, and I’d told her to come and see me later. Now I wished that I hadn’t.
"A date?" I looked up at her blankly.
"For the wedding." She walked behind the desk and sat on my lap. "Silly."
"What are you talking about?" I sat back, uncomfortable with the way she was moving against me.
"I'm ready to get married and make this real." She leaned in toward me and I jumped up.
"This isn't real, Maria." I shook my head as I felt my heart pounding.
"It wasn't at first, but now now it is." She stood up and grabbed my shirt. "I know at first you only started dating me as a favor to my dad, but we're in love now."
“Maria, we never dated." I tried to keep my voice gentle, as I knew how fragile she was. "And we aren't in love."
"I love you, Brandon." Her eyes looked upset. "We're a family."
"We're not a family, Maria." I shook my head, fear forming in my stomach.
"I spoke to Matt last night." Her voice changed. "I know that Katie's done with you. She's quitting and wants nothing to do with you. It's time to move on now, Brandon," she pleaded with me and her fingers ran down my arm. "It's time to give that dream up."
"That's none of your business, Maria." My voice was hard.
"I'll tell her the truth if you don't marry me." Maria looked up at me with ice in her blue eyes. "I will tell her the truth and that would ruin everything."
"You don't know what you're talking about." I called her bluff.
"My dad told me everything that he did for you." Her fingers ran down the front of my pants, but my c**k remained frozen and still. "I know everything." She tilted her head and looked up at me. "What time of year would you like the wedding to take place?"
"Your father would be ashamed of you if he knew what you were doing." I grabbed ahold of her wrist and pulled her hand away from me. "You're disgracing the family name."
"What do I care?" She looked at me with anger in her eyes. "They didn't care about me when they pawned me off to you."
"I've tried to help you."
"Because you love me." Her voice softened and her eyes looked at me adoringly. "You've taken me in because you love me." She rested her head against my chest and I stood there, immobile. I hadn't counted on Maria trying to make this difficult. I decided to save my breakup talk for the next day; I couldn't afford for Maria to go rogue on me—not now. Not when everything was still so precarious with Katie. If Maria really knew everything, then I was in big trouble. She would have the power to topple my deck of cards and have everything come crumbling down around me.