Secrets and Lace (Lonely Lace #2) (14 page)

“So, why not live with Ronan? Give him what he wants?” Robbie tried not staring hard at her. She’d have to admit how she felt before he’d choke down his own pride.

Amelia huffed. “Is that what you want? Do you want me out of here? So I’m not in the way? Hell, Robbie, me being here didn’t keep you from screwing your sister-in-law, did it?”

Gross. When she put it that way, she had a point. “I hadn’t realized you had married me against my will. I guess technically you’re married to Slate.” They both stopped talking, their breathing shallow and uneven as they held in so many things they wanted to say.

Slate tapped his fingers on the counter. “I have no idea what you’re talking about, but it would take a whole helluva lot of… I don’t know… something powerful to make me sleep with Ronan’s wife. She’s not from around here, you know?”

Deep in thought, Robbie stared unseeing at his brother and wife-by-proxy. When he’d found out about Mac he couldn’t believe he’d ever feel more betrayed. And then this happened. And now… Robbie wondered if he’d ever be able to trust anyone again.

Slate glanced at Amelia then back at Robbie. “Look, Robbie, this wasn’t planned. We did what we could to save Amelia and Mac as well as Lonely Rivers. We’ve noticed an uptick in clientele over the last three summers, but with the snow, this season is taking longer to get us money. Frankly, I’m worried the vacationers will have already gone somewhere else by the time we get thawed out and ready to camp.” He rubbed his face with one hand, careful to go around the swollen, purple flesh puckering around his eye and down his jaw.

His brother’s injuries fed Robbie’s guilt. He should’ve been the one to marry Amelia since she’d been pregnant with his kid – even if he didn’t know. He had to do what he could to fix his mistakes. Maybe then he could convince Amelia to give him another shot… maybe he could convince himself that he deserved another chance.

All of the information was a lot to take in, but he needed the reality check, something that would help him act, help him do what was needed.

~~~

“MacAllister. I didn’t expect to see you here.” Ronan wiped his mouth with a linen napkin, resting his wrist on the gleaming mahogany dining table. “What do you want?”

Robbie strode forward, dropping the unopened manila envelope onto the table beside Ronan’s half-filled dinner plate. “I want to work out a deal.”

Leaning into the high-backed cushioned seat like a king in his castle, Ronan considered Robbie with narrowed eyes and lips pressed into a thin line. He prodded the package. “What makes you think you have anything I’d be interested in?”

“You’re not interested in the money? It’s a lot of dough, R.J.” Robbie used the nickname from when they’d been friends way back before adulthood had taught them to be wary of each other. “You’re telling me you’re seriously not interested in that?”

Ronan shrugged, his face tight. “I have more money than even my soon-to-be-ex-wife can spend. Your little offering is more like a slap in the face. What do you want anyway? You earned the cash to get out of debt. What else do you want?”

Heat flushed Robbie’s face and neck. He wanted Amelia and Mac, but Ronan played life like poker. And Robbie gambled with the best of them. Shit, he usually lost, but this was more than money on the line. This was a chance at having what he’d only ever dreamt about. And he’d be damned if Ronan would spit on it.

“I want the loan forgiven on Lonely Rivers. I want you to leave Mac alone. I want you to leave Amelia alone. But most of all, I want to see you
happy
. Settled.” Throughout his list, Ronan’s jaw had tightened, but on the last one, his mouth fell open and he stared wide-eyed at Robbie who desperately wanted to smirk.

But smirking would take the sincerity out of his words.

Robbie braced his good arm on the table and pretended to do the same with the other. The pain had heightened and when he had a chance to sit down, he’d probably pass out from it, but right then, he had so much to fight for. “I know you don’t like me. I’m sure it’s because of Slate and Kelsey. Maybe it’s because I knocked up your sister, married her, and left. Maybe you don’t really have a reason. I’m not sure.” Robbie poked his finger down onto the table. “But, R.J., you and I used to be close, man. And I have information that will help you get the freedom you want without having to go through any ugly courtroom battles and save you all the money you owe Bethany… as well as take the pressure off about the heir.”

Skepticism marred Ronan’s face. He clearly didn’t believe Robbie had anything to offer him, even after hearing the vague promises.

Robbie waited for his words to sink in, giving Ronan a second to be tempted. “If you don’t take me up on my offer, however, I will help Bethany screw you over. I’ll fight you for ownership of Lacey Caverns. And I’ll make sure you’re broke before the year is out.” He waited. It wasn’t a bluff, but it’d be damned hard to pull off. 

Chin lifted, mouth closed tight, Ronan jerked his chin up in something of a nod. “Go on.”

“Here are my terms. I’m going to give you the evidence you need to get an annulment from Bethany – not a divorce – an annulment. For that evidence, you’re going to give me a signed statement that you paid me to sleep with her, but that I didn’t do it. You know I drugged her, don’t you.” The last wasn’t a question. Robbie continued. “You’re also going to give me in writing a paid-in-full or loan closed or whatever statement for Slate to take to the bank tomorrow so we will no longer be in debt to you.” He raised his hand to stop Ronan from balking. “All of the debt will be gone.”

Ronan nodded slowly. “What else?”

“I think it’s important this next one stay between us. Do you understand? No one else will know about it. I’ll accept a gentleman’s handshake on it after I declare the terms so there isn’t any evidence.” Robbie sucked in a deep breath. “I will forfeit Mac’s share of the property to you, if you give an honest effort in the next month to get married. I don’t care who she is. I don’t care if you love her or not. But the annulment will go through in the next week or so. That will give you enough time in the remainder of the month to get married. Once you’re married and can prove pregnancy, I’ll sign over all of the shares – including Amelia’s. However, you won’t get the caverns rights. Those will be split between our children.”

“That’s Amelia’s inheritance. You can’t just give her rights away.” Ronan shook his head.

“Amelia is my wife and we don’t need Lacey Caverns to be happy.” Robbie hoped he wasn’t just speaking off the cuff. He wished desperately for his words to be true. So he faked the hell out of it.

Irritation marred Ronan’s calm expression. “If I could do an annulment, I’d have it done tomorrow. But that’s impossible. Bethany hasn’t done anything heinous enough for that. All she’s done is screw half of Montana. She’s not the first.” He opened his hands and offered a downturned grimace. “Only grounds for divorce, I’m afraid.”

Hope that he had Ronan’s attention fueled Robbie. He pulled out the chair next to Ronan and sat down. “But if I could give you information even the way to prove it, would you do it? Would you agree to everything?”

“Yeah, tell me. I’ll do all that other stuff.” Ronan waved his hand as if pushing everything away from him.

Robbie’s hands shook slightly. The adrenaline racing through him increased his heart rate and he tried not letting Ronan see his nerves. He produced a pad of paper and pen from the large inner pocket of his duster. “Write it down. Everything I’ve asked you for. And then you hold it, until I’ve given you the information you need. Once I tell you, I’ll expect the paperwork. Got it?”

Ronan held Robbie’s gaze with his own, as if seeking some sign that he was being tricked or worse, that maybe it was the truth. He slowly nodded and bent over the pad, pen in hand. He wrote in a scrawling script words that Robbie couldn’t read from his angle. Ronan then placed his hands over it, and nodded. “Okay, let’s hear it.”

“Bethany isn’t sterile.” There he’d said it. At least a large portion of it.

Ronan chuckled. “You think that’s enough for everything you asked for? Not even close. Yes, she is. She can’t have children. I’ve tried more times than I know. I’ve been checked and I’m fine. So, it has to be her.” He hung his head, and then looked up. “I’m not proud to say this, but I’ve even turned my head when she’s gone out and screwed around because I hoped she’d come back pregnant. The kid would still be mine. Even if
I
couldn’t get her pregnant.” He glanced at the papers, pushing his chair away from the table. “Well, I’m sorry to say you’ve wasted —”

“I’m not done.” Robbie cleared his throat. He waited for Ronan to sit back in his seat. Robbie folded his hands and spoke very deliberately. “When I was getting Bethany a drink last night, she tossed me a condom. I asked what it was for and she proceeded to tell me about three pregnancies she’d lost since being married you.”

The blood drained from Ronan’s face, his skin ashen under the golden hair combed just so. “She miscarried?” His whisper demanded it be true, refused to accept anything else, but the question itself had to know.

Robbie paused, how far did he go? He didn’t want to shatter Ronan, but the man needed the information, needed the freedom attached to the knowledge. “No. She aborted the babies, all three. Your insurance covered it. You can most likely get statements from them on the procedures covered. If I remember correctly, your prenuptial stated plainly that any attempts to get in the way of producing an heir would null and void the marriage consummation and would result in an annulment. Right?”

Staring at the tabletop, Ronan nodded very slowly.

“Then I suggest you break free of her. I also suggest you take me up on my offer. Don’t think of it as extortion or anything, think more along the lines of a trade. Lacey Caverns for Lonely Rivers. And we continue to share the mining rights.” Robbie leaned forward and clasped Ronan’s shoulder, shaking him enough to get his attention. “Ronan, we need to work together. Caracus will be back and he’s going to want what’s in those mines. If we don’t unite at least on the front lines, we’re going to have a fight on our hands. Who knows if we both survive, you know?”

“The rights are tied up in legal tape since Slate owes – owed – me so much money. I’ll see what I can do to get them back to us.” He didn’t look higher than Robbie’s chin, focusing instead on items around the room. Ronan shoved the papers to Robbie. “Here. I… I don’t know what to say. But since I can check the insurance, it must be true. Right? She killed my children?” He shook his head. “I need some time to figure this out. This is… well, I…” He stood abruptly, holding out his hand. “Thanks for coming this way. I’ll take you up on your offer for trade as well as the month contract to get married. Can you come into the bank tomorrow with Slate so we can work out the finite details?”

Ronan didn’t wait for Robbie’s agreement. He left the room.

Robbie watched him go. He didn’t try to stop him. Unfortunately, Robbie might have broken R.J. that night with information meant to help not hurt.

He read over the admission and froze. Jumping to his feet, he ignored the toppled over chair as he rushed from the house to get to Revenge.

One more deal and maybe, just maybe, Robbie’s future would be built on a more solid foundation.

Chapter 17

“You don’t have to go, Ames.” Slate hugged his nephew with tears streaming down both their faces. “Please. Don’t let him run you off.”

Thrusting her cosmetics bag into the back seat of Ronan’s four-door rig along with the rest of her custom-made Italian leather luggage, Amelia turned and forced a smile. “It’s okay. Robbie’s right. He and I aren’t married. I should be at my own home.” But the dichotomy of the statement with how she felt nearly choked her. She was home. At Lonely Rivers, she was home. She was so pissed that Robbie was running her off. But…

She blinked back her tears, resolving to stop crying over Robbie. No more. “Come on, Mac. We need to get going. Uncle Ronan doesn’t even know we’re coming yet.”

But could she bring herself to go to Ronan for a place to live? She didn’t have anywhere else. Living with Robbie wasn’t an option. Not when every time she saw his face, she’d see him naked with Bethany James. The mental image triggered her gag reflex and she desperately longed to lean over and throw up on the heated driveway.

Slate lifted Mac into the booster seat Amelia had transferred from her car to the truck. “Do you want me to drive the car over tomorrow? I’d hate for you to be dependent on Ronan for transportation.”

She smiled at the man she considered more a brother than her flesh and blood sibling. “That’s okay. I’ll make Ronan do it. He won’t mind. I can only imagine how ecstatic he’s going to be that we’re moving back.” He’d probably rub it in her face for the next decade how he’d told her Robbie was no good and just a heart breaker.

Slate grabbed her shoulder, desperation in his tight grip. “Don’t go, Amelia. You guys are my family. Please.”

In a sudden burst of vulnerability, Amelia stood and wrapped her arms around his neck. “I feel the same way.” Immense sadness brought more tears.

She pulled away and wiped her cheeks, laughing to cover her need to cry. “It’s not like I’m moving across the country, Slate. I’m going to Ronan’s.”

“It might as well be across the world.” He offered her a side smile. “If you change your mind, you come right back. I’m serious. No questions asked.”

She nodded fast and climbed into the truck. Revving the engine after turning it over gave her a sense of power, even if it was an illusion. She waved cheerily at Slate through the tinted glass and shushed Mac as he cried in the back.

But the tears started when she passed the end of the driveway, and soon she and Mac were crying in unison. Forget resolve, her heart was breaking.

Hitting the beginning of the curve that would take them to Lacey Caverns’s drive, Amelia decided to turn back. She didn’t give a damn about Robbie and his actions. Not if leaving Slate and the only home Mac had ever known was going to rip them apart so terribly. They were each other’s family and Slate helped round that out.

And who knew how long Robbie would be around anyway?

She slowed the truck to a stop. Rummaging through the dash compartment and the console for a tissue to wipe her face, Amelia murmured to Mac. “Just a second, honey. I’ll fix it. Hold on. Mommy can’t see.” Not through all the tears anyway. Relief at her new plan that didn’t hurt quite so bad, helped the tears abate.

Sitting up, Amelia glanced out the windshield and screamed. Then she closed her eyes and leaned her forehead on the steering wheel, rolling from side to side.

Robbie astride the mountainous horse looked like a villain from an old western with his dark duster and even darker Stetson pulled low over his eyes. The breeze ruffled the black tendrils of hair at his neck. And even with his constant betrayal, Amelia’s insides quivered at his nearness. Damn girl parts anyway.

His horse shifted to the side, closer to the driver door. Amelia rolled down her window. “Can you move please?”

“Where are you going?” His deep voice sent chills down her spine. Like the day they’d first met and every moment together since.

She thumped her hand on the seat. “None of your business, MacAllister.”

“Mommy, I didn’t do anything.” Mac sniffed in the backseat, sounding as if he might lose it altogether.

Turning to him, Amelia put on a soft smile. “No honey, not you. You’re being an angel.”

“It is my business, Amelia. You and that boy are my business and nobody else’s.” He nudged his horse closer to the window until he was right on level with it. The horse calmly held his spot. “You’re more my business than you realize.”

“Really? When did you decide this? When you were busy…” She glanced over her shoulder then back to him. “…
entertaining
that woman? Or when you left me four years ago without even a goodbye?” Her anger wilted with her tirade. “Your actions argue with what your words say, Robbie.”

Robbie nodded and pulled his hat from his head, running his fingers through his thick hair. He raised his blue eyes to hers. “What happened so long ago didn’t play out how either of us thought.”

“Don’t even try to turn this around. I know you weren’t there all of a sudden and I was pregnant and alone.” Tears tracked down her cheeks again. Finally, she had the guts to tell him off like she’d planned so many times. And it was in her brother’s truck. “And I was labeled the harlot. Even my own parents were disappointed in me. Did you know that’s how they died? They were on their way to see me in the hospital after having Mac. Died in a damn car crash. Did anyone tell you that? I dealt with that alone, too, because it was a while before Ronan forgave me for
that
.” The pain from that time resurfaced, soldering together the loss of her parents, the birth of her son alone, and the constant rejection from Robbie.

She lifted her shoulders, exasperation with herself slowly pushing through the pain. “How many times do you need to turn me away before I’ll learn, right?”

“Hey,” He reached through the window and brushed the backs of his fingers over her cheeks, wiping away her tears. “I didn’t leave you. Ronan drove me to the bus station and gave me the promise ring I’d given you.” Robbie’s vulnerability added credence to his claim. “He said you couldn’t do it in person because it hurt too bad. And that your parents were right and you were going to go along with their ultimatum.” He closed his eyes and lowered his arm to rest on the car. “I can still see Ronan’s damn hand outstretched to me, holding that double twisted rose ring.”

Amelia had loved that ring. Two tones, one white gold and the other yellow, the metals entwined to look like one specially created vine. “Don’t you dare lie to me. I lost that ring… around the time you left. I couldn’t find it. I wanted to throw it in the damn river, I was so mad and hurt.” She clenched her teeth against begging him to love her anyway. She had to be through letting him in just so he could leave again.

“You swore you’d never take it off, remember? So I believed him when he told me you didn’t want me. Why would you? You’re so… pure. And I’m just…
me
.” He reached into his jacket and withdrew some paper. “Here, read this.”

Amelia stared at the planes of his face for the space of ten heartbeats before taking the paper. “What’s this?”

“It won’t take you long to read, go ahead. I’ll wait.” He adjusted in the stirrups, standing, and then sitting again on the saddle.

Looking down, Amelia recognized Ronan’s scrawl with confident loops and strong straight lines. And confessing script. Holy crap. Each truth – paying Robbie to appear to have slept with Bethany, knowing that he’d tranquilized her, and having Amelia meet him so that she would want a divorce, too, and then, at the bottom, his admission of guilt to having lied to them both and sending Robbie away before Ronan knew Amelia had been pregnant.

The truth. Unadulterated and pure. Simple. And so easy to write down.

But the weight it lifted from Amelia’s soul couldn’t be measured. She couldn’t cry or laugh. She didn’t have a way to physically define the emotions dancing within her. She glanced at Robbie and there it was in his outstretched hand – the beautiful circular rose forged of two tone gold could not be mistaken. 

“I thought for sure the only way Ronan had gotten your ring was if you’d taken it off and given it to him. I loved you.” He clenched his jaw, swallowing. “No, dammit, Amelia, I love you still. And you had my boy when you didn’t have to. And you still chose me over that family of yours. Even when I abandoned you.”

A sob broke from Amelia as she tried to form the words. “But according to this, you didn’t abandon me.” And she’d never told him about Mac. She was such a fool. “I’m so sorry.”

“No. I’m sorry. I should’ve known better than to believe anything —”

“— Ronan says. He’s heartless. I’m just sick right now.” She returned the paper to Robbie, debating whether or not to continue her drive to Ronan’s house and giving him a piece of her mind or not.

“Look, I don’t know him well anymore, but after what Bethany did to him, I think he deserves a break. He’s going to work with us against the Caracus gang. And what you didn’t read was the release of the land debt, freeing Lonely Rivers for our use, permanently.” Robbie studied her face intently enough to bring a blush to Amelia’s cheeks.

Could it be a new beginning? Could they start over? “So, does this mean maybe we can start over? Or…” Amelia bit the inside of her lip. She’d never stopped loving him. Would never be able to completely get over him, if he wanted them to go their separate ways.

He shook his head, his eyes trained on her. “No. We can’t start over. How could we?”

Her heart dropped into her stomach and burned. She’d almost had their first date planned as a family, but he wasn’t interested. They’d—

“Marry me. We have a lot of time to make up for. I don’t want to waste any by starting over.” Robbie reached for her hand, pulling her fingers into the heat of his palm. “I want all of you now, you and my boy, and more if we can have them. I want our family together immediately.”

Tears stung at her lids again, but not from sadness. More from a happiness she’d never understood. “What? Really?”

“Is that a yes or do you need to think about it?” He winked. “Don’t think long, that’s my son in the back I need to hug along with his mother.”

Amelia smiled. “First, can we agree to no more secrets?”

Robbie nudged his horse forward, out of the way of the door. He slid off the saddle and climbed onto the runner, pulling open the door. Wrapping his arm around her waist, he pulled her against his chest. “Amelia, if you marry me, I’ll make sure you’re too busy and too loved for either of us to ever have time for secrets.” He slid the ring on her finger and it fit like it’d never come off.

They paused in their movement toward one another, their lips centimeters away. Robbie’s eyes sought permission and Amelia didn’t know how to give it.

“Kiss her, Dad. Kiss Mom.” Mac’s laughter and squeals filled the truck, acting as the perfect catalyst to the rest of their lives.

Happiness… the best way to start a family.

The end of Book #2,
Secrets and Lace

Read more of Ronan and Kelsey’s story in
Sorrows and Lace
,
Lonely Lace Series
book #3 and find out just what keys Kelsey holds for the town of Colby and the man who rules Lacey Caverns like a kingdom.

From the Author:

Hello awesome Reader!

Thank you so much for joining me on the second book in this western journey.

I couldn’t have done this without my amazing husband and his support and editing skills, or Kammie Roylance who always has my back. Of course, M.R. Polish and her awesome critique skills. Thank you so much!

Robbie, sigh, Robbie. He’s so much fun. I just love a wounded hero, don’t you? Well, we started with Slate who is almost perfect, right? And now we see his twin, Robbie, and how he has handled things in his life. If you’ve made it through book #2, you know what I’m talking about!

What do you think of the amazing horses so far? Pig and Revenge. Wait ‘til you meet Ronan’s horse. She’s a special breed and very feisty.

Stay tuned, my friend. I’ll be seeing you soon.

I look forward to hearing from you and I hope you’ll follow me on Facebook or subscribe to my newsletter, Bonnie’s Inside Track, to keep up on what’s happening in my world.