He waited until the receptionist had backed out of the room and closed the door before turning back to Lila. "I was a little surprised to see your name on my schedule. I take it you asked for me directly. I'm sure one of the partners or the older associates would have been willing to claim you as a client. A celebrity client really boosts the reputation."

  "I'm not a celebrity anymore."

  "You don't give yourself enough credit, Lila. You'll always have that title. No matter what you do the rest of your life. Being from our own hometown gives it an even sweeter bonus."

  She shook her head. "I don't know any of them. I don't even know if I'll hire you. This is just a consultation. I heard you give a free consultation."

  He reached across the desk to take her hand. "What's going on, Lila? I know you've been staying with your parents. I thought at first you weren't staying long enough for your own place. Then, Ashley told me you were teaching at her school. So, you're staying. If you need legal help, I would have figured you'd get it from a firm in the city. Why did you come here?"

  Tears pricked her eyes. Apparently her parents had made sure her situation didn't make it all the way into the town's gossip, or Brian didn't pay attention. Either could be true. "I know you." She took a deep breath. "I don't have money, Brian. I think he took it before I even filed for divorce. Mason said I should talk to you."

  Brian nodded. "He called me. Told me a little, but he didn't want to betray your confidence. Tell me."

  He took out a recorder and a pad of paper as she started talking. She was amazed by the man he'd become. The boy she remembered had sailed through school. She'd learned later from Ashley while he seemed carefree about classes and his grades, he actually did really well in school. He hadn't had to put in as much effort. He'd gone to college hoping to get away from his alcoholic father. Somehow, though, and Ashley hadn't explained it all to her, he'd ended up right back here.

  She watched as he took notes while she spoke. Of all the concerts she'd performed. Of the contracts Kyle had arranged that she had barely skimmed before signing. The fact she didn't make huge purchases without consulting him. She told him about the stories starting to appear in the tabloids. She'd brushed them off until they gained speed. Kyle had said he'd get a PR firm to handle it. The stories got worse, and none were true.

  "Then, I came home from a recording session and found him in bed with another woman." Tears stung her eyes again. "God, I was so stupid. I don't know how many other women there were, but he insinuated she wasn't the first. Things seemed good the first couple years. I didn't even notice over the last few years something was wrong. We were both busy. I never thought he'd be getting attention somewhere else. I filed for divorce the next day. He challenged it, and I went to hire a lawyer." She looked down at her hands in her lap. "That's when I found out I didn't have the money for one. I should have had more money. I went to the bank and found out he'd been there a couple weeks ago to make a withdrawal 'at my request'." She used her fingers to make quotes as she said the last three words. "He left barely a thousand dollars in there. There should have been more. I never saw any of the money he withdrew. I never asked him to do it. I tried to find the money he should have invested for me over the years with no sign he'd ever done it. I was so stupid. I never should have trusted him."

  Brian had put his pen down. "You know what you're accusing him of, right? Fraud at least. Embezzlement even? We could take him to court over this."

  She shook her head. "I don't want to go through that. I want what should be mine. I should have been strong enough to fight for it a year ago."

  "I'll look into it. I'll need the account numbers, or at least the bank where it was. The investment company he was supposed to have gone through. As well as any of the contracts you can get a copy of."

  "I kept copies of them after they were signed. Not that I understood the language they were written in."

  "Don't worry," he said, his trademark lazy smile taking over again, "I was schooled in that language. I'll take care of it."

  "Thank you, Brian. I-I can't pay you right now, but,-"

  He brushed that off. "Don't even think about it. We can worry about payment when you get your money back. If I can't do that for you, then we won't worry about it all." He came around the desk as she stood. "What he did was wrong. I'll do what I can to get your money back. If he won't do it on his own, we can take him to court. In fact, I'd advise you to file charges."

  She hesitated for a moment then shook her head. "I really don't want to. Everyone will think I'm a vengeful divorcée."

  "Not when they learn the truth. Why don't you go see Mason? I'm sure he'll make you feel better."

  Lila laughed, but she could hear the bitterness in it. "He doesn't want me, either. He realized I'm damaged goods."

  Brian shook his head. "That's not what he told me. He wants to be sure you're not going to make another choice. That he's your final one."

  "I tried telling him that. He won't believe me."

  "Make him believe then. I'll get right on this."

  "Thank you, Brian." She left the office, waving to the receptionist on her way out. Thoughts swirled through her mind as she headed back to her parents' house. She needed to figure out a way to let Mason know he was the only one she wanted to choose anymore.

  #

  Mason stood when Brian walked into the reception area. His friend's chest heaved with the breath he expelled. "What are you doing here? The farm is your father's business."

  Mason shook his head. "He has his mind set. There's nothing I can do about it."

  Brian sighed again, softer this time. "Lila then? You know I can't tell you anything. Whatever she's told me, what I've found for her, it stays between us."

  "I know. I just want to know she's okay."

  "She is, Mason. I'm taking care of her. I've read over her contracts, and he did breach them. That's all I'll tell you." He hesitated then asked, "Have you seen her?"

  "No," he said, shoving his hands in his pockets. "It's better to keep my distance. Let her figure this out."

  Brian shook his head. "You're such an idiot, my friend. She wants to figure it out with you. She's not going back to him. There's no way. Why don't you suck up your pride and admit she's the only one for you, too?"

  "Spoken like an old married man," Mason muttered, but his lips twitched.

  "Not so old, but happily married. I was an idiot once, too, if you remember."

  His body stiffened, and Mason turned to see what had upset him. His own hands clenched at his side when he saw his brother standing across the street, staring at the law office. "What the fuck?"

  "Stay here, Mason. I'll take care of it."

  "You really think that's a good idea, Mr. Sharrock?" the receptionist asked from the desk.

  Mason watched as Brian rested his hand on the door and turned to the woman with a smile. "Melissa, I've told you to call me Brian. Especially when there aren't any clients around." He smirked at Mason. "He doesn't count. And it sounds too…formal."

  She smiled back at him. "I thought that's what lawyers lived for, being formal."

  Mason snickered, but Brian said, "You know me, Melissa. I strive to be different." He glanced back to the window again. Mason knew Kyle still stood out there. "While it might not be a good idea, I need to go out and talk to him. We might be able to solve things for Ms. Corelli without an issue."

  "Let me talk to him."

  "No, Mason." Brian turned back to him. "Me defending you on assault charges is not going to help anything, especially as I've been getting out of trial work. Stay here while I talk to him."

  Mason trembled, the urge to run out there and punch his brother in the jaw almost too strong to ignore.

  "I remember him from school," Melissa said, and Mason turned to her. "Never cared for him much. He wasn't as charming as everyone thought when he didn't get what he wanted. I never did see what all those other girls swooned over when he walked by."

  Mason smiled. He knew Melissa and how practical she was. "I know the feeling." Brian approached Kyle on the other side of the street. "He shouldn't be doing that. It's my girl he's trying to take again."

  "Be careful," Melissa warned. "I never got the sense he was dangerous, but men like that can hide their true nature."

  Mason glanced back at her and smiled, although there was no humor in it. "I've known his true nature for a long time but thanks."

  Mason could hear them before he had reached the center of the street.

  "I'm not worried about calling the police. I'm worried about making sure you leave my client alone." Brian said, calm and professional.

  "Client? Is that what you call her?" Kyle asked, loud and accusing. Mason's hand balled into a fist.

  "I don't like what you're implying. There is nothing like that between Lila and me. I'm here to keep you from taking the rest of her money and to get back what you already took." How did Brian stay so calm? Mason wanted to punch the smirk off his brother's face.

  "My money by rights. Read our contract."

  "I have, many times over. You were supposed to invest that money." Brian took a step closer to him. "There are no investments. I've looked. The only thing you've invested in was your own pocket. That's embezzlement." Brian took another step, and from the fierce look on his face, Mason was sure he wouldn't want to face him in court. He couldn't let his friend fight his battle for him, though.

  He reached them as Brian said, "She can take you to court. I've advised her to if you don't settle."

  His brother had been ruffled, but that seemed to bring his confidence back, or he was good at faking it. "Lila wouldn't do that. She still loves me. She wouldn't take me to court."

  The words shook Mason. He still stepped up beside Brian. "Don't bet on it." Brian cast a glance at Mason and gave a slight shake to his head.

  "You'd be smarter to settle with her."

  "We did settle. I got everything I deserved for putting up with her for the last seven years."

  Mason couldn't take anymore. He stepped forward. "You deserve nothing." The words came out as a growl. "After everything you put her through, you don't even deserve to be breathing air."

  Kyle smirked. "I don't know what kind of stories she's been telling you, but it's not smart to threaten me in front of a lawyer. Of course, no one's ever accused you of being that, have they, farmboy?"

  "I didn't hear any threats," Brian muttered.

  Mason smiled even though his hand remained clenched in a fist. He put his other hand against Kyle's chest and pushed him back a step. He didn't go any farther at the warning tone in Brian's muttered, "Watch it."

  "You deserve nothing."

  "I helped get her where she is."

  "You destroyed her. You don't deserve a damn thing." He tried to hold onto his temper, but it slipped right through his fingers. Those assault charges were getting more likely.

  "She got what she deserved," Kyle said with a smirk then turned away from them. "Oh, and if you see my wife again," he added, looking over his shoulder at Brian, completely ignoring Mason, "tell her she won't get anything more from me. She might as well give up. Farmboy here won't want her when he realizes she's destitute."

  "You're wrong," Mason said, stepping forward, both hands in tight fists now. Kyle was already walking away. His stomach twisted. He hadn't been proving him wrong. He'd stayed away from her. He couldn't face her not choosing him this time.

  Brian set his hand on Mason's shoulder. "Let him go. You know he's wrong. We both do. Lila will not go back to that." They started back across the street. "Maybe you should go see Lila."

  He hesitated for a moment then shook his head. "It's better if I stay away right now."

  "Idiot. Fine, do whatever you want. Even if you're both miserable. I still have work to do today." Then, his voice softened. "I'll see you later."

  It would be to make sure he wasn't drowning himself in alcohol again, but he still appreciated it. "Yeah, see you."

  Chapter 27

  Before

  Mason's head pounded, but he rolled out of bed when the alarm went off. Morning chores wouldn't wait for a hangover. He needed to talk to Lila. Find out if she'd completely slipped away from him. God, he hoped he still had a chance. He'd do whatever it took to make it up to her.

  He grabbed his jeans from off his chair and pulled them on. He couldn't even remember taking them off the night before. Although, he honestly didn't remember a whole lot after getting in the truck with Brian. He wasn't even sure how the other boy had gotten back to the party.

  His father didn't even look up from his newspaper when he stumbled into the kitchen. He forgot about his distaste for coffee and poured himself a cup before heading over to the table. "You sure you can handle things this morning?" his father asked, still not taking his eyes from the paper.

  "Yeah, I'll deal." He grabbed the sugar bowl from the middle of the table and dumped spoonfuls of sugar into the dark liquid. He'd found it was the only way he could stomach the stuff. After taking the first sip, he looked up at his father. "Look, Dad, I'm sorry about last night."

  "I don't know why you're apologizing to me. There's only one person you were hurting. Why don't you go look in a mirror for that apology."

  There was a bite to the words, telling him his father wasn't being completely truthful. He was hurt, but he wouldn't admit it. "I should have come home. I shouldn't have gotten upset, but when I did, I should have come home instead of going out to the party."

  His father shook his head. "I don't know exactly what happened, but Lila called worried about you because of how you'd left. When you weren't here, we worried too. If you were upset, you have every right to be." His father remained silent for a moment, then he asked, "What did happen? You were happy to go to the fair when you left."

  "It was a good show. She always puts on a good one." He could hear the bitterness in his own voice. What was wrong with him? As far as he knew, Lila had done nothing wrong.

  "Then, what happened? I know Kyle was there, but it's not like you to disappear. You know your mom and I are okay with you making your own decisions, even if we don't agree with them. You could have let us know where you would be. You know that's all we ever ask."

  "I don't know what got it into me, Dad. I know it's not like me. I was just so angry. I couldn't even think clearly."

  "Why? You still haven't answered me. Did you and Lila fight? Did Kyle say something?"

  He shook his head and looked down at his coffee as he continued to stir it with a spoon. "No, we didn't fight. Kyle wasn't just there, Dad. He was with Lila. I told myself it was ridiculous. Then, she said I didn't need to take her home because she was going to get something to eat with him. Her father even let her stay out past her curfew. He never did when she went somewhere with me. Kyle said they'd gone out the night before, too. When she said she had to practice and couldn't see me."

  His father's curses were quiet, like he said them under his breath. When he finally looked up, he could see the pity in his father's eyes and wished he could erase the image from his mind, because it only cemented what he feared. "I've lost her."

  "You don't know that. She came back to you, Mason. She's not going to give that up now. You have to fight for her."

  "What are you and Mom going to do if I punch out my own brother?"

  His father's jaw clenched. "You don't know if it will come to that. Honestly, Mason," his father paused as he folded the paper. Then, he looked up at his younger son. "If your brother knew she was with you, and he's trying to take her away, he deserves anything you do to him."

  "Scott Akeley." His mother's voice was sharp as she stepped into the kitchen. "Don't you be encouraging our boys to fight. They certainly don't need it."

  "I wasn't encouraging anything, Mary. Just stating my opinion."

  They all heard the car pull up in the driveway, and Mary turned to the window. When she turned back, her eyes were guarded. "You all better behave yourselves."

  It instantly put his back up. His mother always took up for his brother. He should be used to it. He wanted to push his chair back, stride right out the door, and punch his brother in the face. He stayed where he was, one hand gripping the handle of his mug, the other clenched in his lap. He wouldn't even turn around, keeping his gaze fixed on the picture on the front page of the newspaper instead. A picture from Lila's concert the night before. A picture taken when everything was still right and perfect. Now, he couldn't be so sure.

  He was determined to stay right where he was, until he heard his brother's voice. His hand slipped away from the mug, but he stayed in his chair. "Hey, Mason. Had a good time with your girl last night." Heat flushed through him, almost like his blood boiled, at the mention of Lila. He didn't respond. "Had a good time after the concert. Got her home a little later than planned. At least her father likes me."

  "That's enough, Kyle," their father said from the other side of the table.

  It apparently wasn't enough for him. "She's quite the kisser. I see why you like her so much." He let out a little hum. "I can't wait until I can see her again. She certainly seemed to enjoy herself last night."

  Mason saw nothing but red. He lurched to his feet, a growl building in his throat as he turned. He barely saw the smirk on Kyle's face before his fist swung towards it. His knuckles burned, but the satisfaction of Kyle's head slamming back outweighed it. His mother screamed, but his father's more measured voice balanced that. None of it got through the dark cloud hanging over him. The only thing he could think of was to slam his fists into his brother's body until he couldn't taunt him any longer.

 

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