Enemy's Secret - Ashlee Price Page 0,33

wonderful daughter.

"What's the matter, Mommy?" she says.

It's then that I realize I've been so caught up in myself that I haven't been hugging her back.

As I wrap my arms around her and hold her tight, it occurs to me, what I can't say: Mommy's keeping a secret, and it's wrong.

Chapter 13

Landon

What.

My eyes snap open. I don't remember falling asleep here.

I yawn, prop myself up partway. My gaze lands on the empty but ruffled other side of the bed.

OK, now I remember. But where's Kyra?

The door to the bathroom is open. Her dress is neatly folded on the white wooden dresser.

Gone?

I check my phone.

Nothing. Huh.

I get myself out of bed and take a shower. Even though the water pressure is just right, I don't stay in long.

As I brush my teeth, my reflection's wearing a scowl.

Something is up. Maybe.

After the Jacuzzi and wine - did I really drink three-quarters of the bottle? - my memory goes fuzzy.

At any rate, when I call her, she doesn't pick up. I get up and get going. I'm not about to sit around here moping about it.

I pack away my stuff, then get home.

Traffic's shitty and the radio is all sappy pop that makes me want to punch the steering wheel. Some punk would go nicely with my mood.

Back at my place, Nolan is waiting at my dinner table, somehow sprawled on two chairs. "Call me crazy, but I've heard a rumor."

"Not in the mood," I tell him.

I only feel like hitting the gym, really.

"Neither am I, honestly." Nolan chomps on some popcorn as he glares at me. "But when the one ex I actually have good rapport with calls me to tell me that she's seen you riding high with some girl who sounds suspiciously like our Kyra, then my brother card comes into play."

I open the fridge. No-thing. The sink has a mind-boggling number of dirty dishes piled in it, though. Jesus, how many dishes can one person create in a few hours? Then again, this is Nolan.

"Not a big deal," I mutter.

He rises, still popcorn-chomping away. "Why not tell me, then?"

"Because it isn't."

"Bullshit. You're getting involved again."

"What difference does it make?"

"What difference it makes is that this woman is employed by a company that is hell-bent on burning us to the ground. If they succeed, our company, our livelihoods are toast."

"Cool it," I tell him, "It's not about that with her."

"No?" He quirks an eyebrow. "You've never mentioned Dad when you two have been together?"

"He's come up, but it's not like that. She's not with me to fish for information."

"Maybe not. Still, you're being really fucking stupid. This girl almost messed up things for you one time - you gonna let her do it again?"

I spin around to glare at him. "That was on me, not her, and you know it."

"All I know is that you fucked up everything all those years ago. Just don't want you to go down that road again."

"Drop it, Nolan."

"No. You're being stupid. You know you are."

"Fuck off."

"Fine." He marches for the door, taking the bag of popcorn with him. "But don't say I didn't warn you. That woman is bad fucking news. How much do you even know about her, this time around?"

"Enough. What is that supposed to mean, anyway?"

"Nothing." He opens the door, waves. "Just that you're being a selfish prick. Have a nice day."

"You too," I yell after him, but he's already slammed the door behind him.

I sit there for a long time, glaring at the door.

Fucking Nolan. What the fuck does he know?

I go to the microwave and make myself a bag of popcorn too.

**

Monday comes, and there's another court date.

She strides into the courtroom with a black suit dress that gives me an instant erection. Her hard gaze and sure smile give no sign of what she did over the rest of the weekend. All she told me when I texted was: Sorry, busy.

If I have anything to say about it, she'll be busy tonight.

Over the next couple of hours, Kyra goes on to thrash us in court. Dirk does his part defending us valiantly, but it doesn't help that Goldtree actually has a decent case. Plus, they've got evidence that Collin met up with a Goldtree executive at the fundraiser for the new children's hospital a year and a half back, the one I remember him trying to make me go to. I didn't. Who knows what would've happened if I had? Would we still be dealing with this?

At any rate,