The Mistaken (10 page)

Ty stepped toward his brother. “Nick,” he replied as
a warning.

Nick raised his arms up in mock surrender.
“Apologies. Didn’t mean to offend,” he said, but there was a sulky
twist to his lips, and mischief twinkled in his eyes.

Tyler turned toward me. “Jillian, what the hell is
going on here?”

He had a short fuse when it came to Nick, always
distrustful of his brother’s motives. I opened my mouth to speak,
but Nick interrupted, his eyes darting from me to Ty.

“Relax, old man. Jilly’s just been filling me in on
the house hunting, that’s all. No worries. Sorry to hear it’s
gotten so...complicated.”

Tyler stared at him for a moment before raising his
chin in understanding. He was instantly in Nick’s face, pointing
his finger in warning.

“You stay out of it, Nick. I mean it. This is none
of your business or your concern.”

Nick pushed his brother’s hand away. “I’d be careful
if I were you, brother. I’m no longer that weak boy who followed
you around like a lost puppy.”

Tyler reacted swiftly, surging forward and pushing
Nick back against the wall. His lips were pressed together in an
angry line and he spoke through clenched teeth.

“You stay the fuck out of my affairs, you hear me?
And stay away from my wife! She doesn’t need your kind of
help.”

They stood facing each other, nose-to-nose. Ty’s
face twisted in anger, but Nick looked unfazed, even amused, a
smirk pulling up along one side of his mouth.

“Funny, Jillian doesn’t seem to agree with you,” he
countered. There was a defiant challenge in his eyes as he stared
unafraid at his older brother, a new level of confidence for him. A
reward of standing toe-to-toe with the Russians, I would bet.

“Nick, Tyler, please. Stop this!” I squeezed my
hands between their bodies and tried to separate them.

After a long, tense moment with Nick still pressed
against the wall, Ty took a step back and held his arm out toward
the door. “Nick was just leaving. Weren’t you, Nick?” he said, his
eyes still locked with his brother’s and his jaw ticking in
agitation.

“Yeah, right.” Nick stood still, his eyes unwavering
and locked onto Ty. Finally, he stepped away and gave me a quick
peck on the cheek. “G’day, sweetheart. We’ll talk soon.” he said,
his voice sweet once again. “Remember what I told you,” he added in
a soft whisper. He took another step and glared hard over his
shoulder before he walked out the door.

Tyler turned toward me, his face red and his eyes
blazing with anger. “You keep him out of this, Jillian. Do you
understand me? Under no circumstances is Nick to be involved.
Everything he touches turns to shit and you know it.” He pointed
his finger at me, just as he had done to Nick. “You let this go,
once and for all, you hear me? You let it go.”

He stared at me for a few seconds more then walked
past me into the den. He retrieved some building plans and left the
house without another word, slamming the garage door behind
him.

I clenched my hands into fists and heaved a sigh,
trying in vain to cleanse the frustration from my head and the
acrid burn from my stomach.

“Oh well,” I murmured in resignation, “Guess I’ll be
taking care of this one on my own.”

Chapter Ten

Jillian

Tyler and I didn’t talk about Erin Anderson again.
Nor did we discuss Nick, the police, or the District Attorney. My
case was off limits now. He thought a warning was all I needed to
let the whole thing go, to accept what fate had decided best. But
as he slept beside me later that night, I continued to lay awake,
silently working on how best to approach Erin.

The following evening, we had another huge blowout,
and I spent the night alone while Tyler slept on the sofa. During
those long hours apart, I decided I would just go ahead and do what
Nick had been planning. I would talk to Erin, scare her a little.
I’d tell her the cops knew about her and were going to arrest her
soon, and if she just confessed, they would go easier on her.

Better yet, I would tell her about Uncle Joey and
even Nick and his Russian friends, explaining that there were many
who wouldn’t mind putting the screws to her if she didn’t step up
on her own. It wasn’t altogether a lie. And the message would be
the same, just a different messenger, since there was no way Nick
would ever cross his brother now.

I had no intention of telling Tyler. He’d just
worry. What’s worse, he’d be pissed. He’d never allow it, and I
really hated when he’d try to control me in his self-righteous,
paternal way. I could handle him even if he did find out. I’d take
care of everything on my own and be back before Ty came home from
work. I worked through all the things I would say to that woman
during the hour-long drive up to Napa. If I confronted her at the
spa where there were other people—guests and fellow employees—I
could use the threat of embarrassment to keep her calm and force
her to listen. It seemed like the best plan, for now anyway. I
didn’t know what else to do, but I did know I couldn’t just let it
go, no matter what Ty had ordered.

I parked out front of the spa and entered the
spacious lobby. Erin wasn’t at the concierge or reception desks
where I had seen her on my last visit. I walked up to the check-in
counter and smiled a pleasant greeting.

“Excuse me. Do you know where I can find Erin
Anderson?”

“Oh, you just missed her. She left on her break,”
the young woman said, but then she glanced at her watch. “But it’s
only been maybe five minutes. You might be able to catch her out
back in the employee parking lot.” She swung her head toward the
rear doors.

I hooked my thumb over my shoulder. “Back that
way?”

She nodded as she answered a phone call. I waved a
silent thank you and took off.

I returned to my car and drove around back until I
located the lot designated for employees. I was lucky and found
Erin as she was unlocking her car door. I pulled into the empty
spot next to her car, rolled my window down, and called out her
name.

“Ms. Anderson? I’m sorry. May I speak with you for a
moment, please?” I shut off my engine, climbed out, and walked in
her direction.

She narrowed her green eyes as she tried to figure
out who I was. It disgusted me that she couldn’t even remember her
victim’s face, and the rage started to boil up inside me again. I
clenched both my teeth and fists to keep myself from clawing her
clueless eyes out.

“Do I know you?” she asked, one finely groomed
eyebrow cocked up at an angle.

I took a deep breath to chase away the butterflies
and ease my fury. “Yes, you do.
Very
well.” I looked her in
the eye, willing her to recall my face, but all I got back was a
blank stare, both auburn-tinted brows now raised in question.

“I’m sorry, I don’t recognize you. Are you a guest
here at the spa?”

I slipped in between the cars and stood in front of
her with my hands placed on the vehicles on either side of me,
corralling her as best I could. I bit my lip to keep myself from
hurling names and accusations at her. Though her mystified demeanor
rankled me, it would all come out in good time.

“I was here, a couple of months ago,” I admitted.
“You might recall my name if not my face. I’m Jillian Karras.
Jillian
Demetrio
Karras. Do you recall that name, Ms.
Anderson?”

An uncomfortable flash of recognition sparked within
her eyes before she smoothed it over with a false smile. “No, I’m
sorry, I don’t. Now you’ll have to excuse me. I have an appointment
I’m already late for, so if you don’t mind...” She turned to open
her car door.

I took a step closer, forcing her to retreat a step.
“Well, I do mind, Erin. You see, I know what you’ve done, and the
police do, as well. And you’re about to face the consequences for
it.” I smiled to punctuate the threat.

Her jaw dropped. “I don’t know what you’re talking
about. Now please, get out of my way.” She advanced and pushed me,
but I held my ground and shoved her right back. “You’d better get
out of my way before I call security,” she warned.

I swung my arm wide and gestured toward the building
behind us. “Oh, please, by all means, call security. I’d love for
them to know what you’ve been up to while in their employ.”

“I’ve done nothing, you crazy bitch, now back
off!”

“No,
you’re
the bitch. You’ve cost me
everything. I lost the home I was trying to buy, all because of you
and your sleazy greed! But you’re going to pay, even if I have to
drag you to the cops myself.”

I reached for her arm, but she pushed me backwards
again, hard. I stumbled. With both arms wrapped around my belly, I
fell in between the cars. I knocked my elbows against the hot metal
then rolled onto my side, my arm grinding into the gravel and
asphalt while Erin maneuvered forward and opened her car door.

“Watch it, you lunatic! Can’t you see I’m
pregnant?”

Erin jumped into her car and looked down at me as I
lay on the pavement. “Well then, you better get the fuck out of my
way before I run you
both
over.”

She slammed the door shut as I scrambled to get out
of her way. She started her car and raced the engine in warning,
glaring at me through the closed window. I pounded on the glass as
she pulled out in reverse. I jumped back so my toes wouldn’t be
flattened by her tires.

“You won’t get away with it!” I screamed. “I’ll make
damned sure of it.”

She gave me one last sneer, flipped me off with her
French-manicured finger, and threw the car into drive. Her tires
squealed against the pavement, spraying me with loose gravel. While
she sped away, I scrambled back into my car and took off after
her.

Erin drove like a mad woman with me hot on her tail.
I could see her glaring back at me in her rear view mirror, her
mouth spewing what I could only assume were obscenities. I hurled
them right back. She gunned her engine and pulled away, barreling
at breakneck speed down the country roads toward the busier city
streets with me still close behind. As she entered the downtown
area, Erin turned from one street onto another in an attempt to
shake me. She hardly slowed for stop signs or red lights.

My fear grew at her recklessness, but my fury
overrode any instinct that told me to slow down and back off. I
drove onward, pushing the car even harder so I wouldn’t lose sight
of her. I turned left and swerved sharply to avoid other cars and
pedestrians. I pulled back when my car fishtailed, barely missing
an older couple who’d entered the crosswalk. They called out after
me as I squealed past, their fists raised in anger.

I glanced back over my shoulder to make sure they
were unhurt, but kept my foot on the gas. As I turned back around,
I saw Erin run through a red light. I didn’t even have time to slam
on the brakes before I pushed into the busy intersection. I barely
caught sight of the large SUV as it slammed into me from my
left.

Glass shattered and metal screamed. The air bags
exploded in my face. My thoughts flew to my baby and Ty as the heat
from the SUV’s engine rushed against my side. My breath was
expelled violently from my body in a loud whoosh, and I felt myself
snap from within.

Then everything went quiet. And all I could see was
black.

Chapter Eleven

Tyler

With an active business to run, my mobile phone rang
often during the day, and I answered every call, even if I didn’t
have time to talk. I didn’t want to miss a call from Jillian,
especially after our last argument and the scene with Nick at the
house. I’d been waiting all day for that call, the one where Jill
would say how sorry she was. Every call that came in I answered
hoping it would be her, knowing just from the number alone that it
wasn’t. But it was already mid-afternoon, and I hadn’t heard from
her yet.

Jillian and I hadn’t spoken much in the last two
days, though when we had, we sparred in anger. When I returned home
from work last night, she stood in front of me with her arms
crossed over her chest, obviously still stewing. She was upset that
I had intervened with Nick, and embarrassed that I’d found out
about their plans. The calm had ended, and the storm was about to
be unleashed.

“I’m not angry at you, Jill. I’m just worried. You
must realize that,” I explained as I reached for her, but she
stepped nimbly out of reach. I rested my hands on my hips and
turned around after her.

She shook her head and narrowed her eyes, a sure
sign she was about to have one of her tantrums. She never saw
reason when she was angry, and her pregnancy seemed to make matters
worse.

“You could’ve fooled me,” she said then pointed her
finger in my face. “
‘You let this go. You hear me?’
” she
mimicked. “I don’t know about you, Ty, but to me that sounded an
awful lot like you trying to control me, and you know damn well I
hate that.”

“Oh, come on, Jillian, stop twisting this around.
Yes, I am angry that you went behind my back, but this is about
Nick. After everything that’s happened, you still don’t seem to
understand how serious it is to get involved with him and his
friends. How dangerous it is to be indebted to his boss, even
through a tenuous connection. For God’s sake, don’t you remember
what they did to me? You know better.
You
were the one to
warn
me
off.”

“Well, I can take care of myself. And besides, this
was something between Nick and me. Not his boss
or
his
friends. He would never let anything happen to me.”

“That’s bullshit! Nick can hardly take care of
himself, let alone you, especially where those people are
concerned. What, you don’t think they’d love to have another reason
to keep Nick under their thumb? Or me, for that matter? For God’s
sake, Jillian. What the hell are you thinking? You’re pregnant. You
have a responsibility. How could you even consider taking that
chance? This is not just about you any longer. You’re putting our
baby at risk. Do you even get that?”