A Brother's Honor (Grangers) - By Brenda Jackson Page 0,113
useful. And I needed someone to have another pair of ears and eyes focused on what’s going on.”
“Okay,” Caden said, understanding now that it had been explained.
Jace studied his brother. “So, how are things going since you’ve been back, Caden?”
“Okay, I guess. I’m still reeling about what that FBI agent told us yesterday. Got any updates?”
“Not since late yesterday,” Jace said. “Last report is that Melissa is holding out for a plea deal and Arrington still isn’t talking. And I have no word yet on Freeman’s whereabouts.”
Jace didn’t say anything else for a few minutes, and he could tell his brother had gotten lost in his thoughts since he was sitting there and studying the floor. “I understand you had a visitor last night, Caden.”
Caden raised his head and met Jace’s gaze. There was no need to wonder how Jace knew. Hannah. She’d always liked Shiloh. “Yes. Shiloh dropped by.”
Jace nodded. “Is there something going on that I don’t know about? And if it’s none of my business, just say so.”
“Like you’ve all but told me what’s going on with you and Shana is none of mine,” Caden couldn’t help countering. Then he chuckled and said, “Don’t get uptight, Jace. I don’t have a problem answering your question. There isn’t anything going on with Shiloh and me. At least not now.”
“But there had been?” Jace asked quietly.
“Yes. We ran into each other again a few years ago. Four to be exact. She showed up one night at one of my concerts. I was glad to see her. It had been years since I’d seen her. We got together after the concert, and it was as if we’d never parted. It was so easy to pick up our friendship. She came to several more concerts after that, and then I realized how much I loved her...and that I’d always loved her. She claimed she felt the same way and wanted to be with me.”
Caden paused for a minute and then continued, “We made plans. She had graduated from college and was no longer under her father’s thumb, or so she claimed. So we set a date to marry in Vegas. We hadn’t planned to tell anyone about it until after the deed was done.”
“What happened?” Jace asked, hearing the pain in his brother’s voice.
“She never showed up. I stayed in that hotel room for three days waiting on her. I didn’t get a phone call or any message from her. I tried calling her cell phone and discovered the number had been changed. I called her parents’ house, and the old man blasted me out for calling and said Shiloh was on vacation somewhere. I didn’t believe him, and the next day I got a special delivery package. Inside was a newspaper clipping of Shiloh on the beach with another man. From what the article said, the guy was a business client of her father’s. I never heard from her or saw her again until Granddad’s funeral.”
Jace drew in a deep breath. “I’m sorry.”
“I’m not. I found out the truth about her. She came by last night saying she needed to explain what happened four years ago, but I didn’t want to hear it. It was four years too late.”
Jace leaned back in his chair. What his brother said explained a lot of things. Now he knew...and understood. He checked his watch. He hadn’t had lunch yet because he was hoping to get a chance to talk to Shana. “Have you eaten lunch yet?”
“No. Dalton and I were leaving to grab something at McQueen’s. We’ve both agreed there has been too much action for us these last two days. Yesterday it was the FBI, and today it was Eve. I don’t want any shockers tomorrow.”
Jace stood and reached for his jacket. “Neither do I. And I think I’ll join you guys for lunch.”
* * *
Eve came down the escalator, smiling as she glanced around. Jace knew her taste and had put her in a gorgeous hotel for a week. And her suite was simply to die for. She knew he was paying a lot for her comfort and wouldn’t be doing so if he didn’t still care about her well-being. He hadn’t been happy to see her, but she planned on changing that.
When it came to men, she knew how to work them. And she intended to work Jace. No doubt he would put up some resistance, but once she got him in bed and showed him what he was missing,