Highest Bidder Collection - Lauren Landish Page 0,342

“There won’t be a trial.”

I’m dumbfounded, still not understanding. “You aren’t the only one who didn’t like Daniel Brooks. And your Arianna wasn’t the first woman he struck.” My father shares a look with Goldman before continuing. “If you’d just been quiet, she would have gotten off.” Anger flashes in his eyes for a moment as he continues, “If you’d just listened to me and kept quiet-”

I rise from my seat, meeting my father eye to eye. “I couldn’t risk her,” my voice comes out firm and barely hiding a threat. I’ll never risk her. I won’t ever let her pay for my sins.

It’s quiet for a long moment. My chest rises and falls with sporadic breaths, remembering how she took the fall for me. I wish she hadn’t. I wish she’d never said a word.

“It doesn’t matter. You’re still my son. I’m not letting you sit behind bars.”

“It’ll be out in the papers.”

My father scoffs. “It’s already out!”

I lower my head, my blood heating. My reputation is ruined.

“Payments have been sent,” Goldman says softly from the far side of the cell.

“Right, right,” my father says, pacing the room. “We can romanticize it?” my father asks Goldman.

The lawyer nods once, his eyes flickering to my father’s before turning back to outside the cell.

“So what’s going to happen?” I ask, for the first time feeling as though there’s hope.

“You’ll be free from charges based on inconsistent evidence. And the papers will paint it as if it’s a tragedy and Daniel Brooks was a monster-”

“It’s the truth,” my voice is hard as I cut him off. “What he did to her,” I say and my hands shake as they clench into fists.

“What’s important is the fact that you’ll be fine,” my father says with a hard edge as he walks to the far wall, the wheels turning in his head. A bit of a breath leaves me, and I nearly fall forward.

“It’s done then?” I ask with disbelief.

My father turns sharply toward me and says, “So long as you fucking listen.” I stare into his eyes, but I don’t see a hint of anger, only fear. I nod my head once, swallowing the lump in my throat. I’m stunned; I’ve only ever felt a sense of competition between the two of us. But all I have for him in this moment is gratitude. He’s sending me back to her. The thought makes me close my eyes, and her beautiful smile comes back to me.

“You love her?” my father asks, taking me by surprise. I don’t answer him. I know with everything in me that I do. But a man like him wouldn’t understand.

“I loved your mother,” he says as if reading my mind.

My father motions toward Goldman.

“Just make sure she loves you back, Zander.” My father’s voice wavers as he starts to leave the cell.

“She does,” I answer him quickly, making him halt in his steps. I may be a fool in many ways. But there’s no doubt in my mind that she loves me as much as I love her.

My father turns to look at me, a genuine concern in his eyes.

“I know she does,” I tell him before he can say whatever’s on his mind. “I know she does,” I repeat and my voice is low, but the conviction is there. I don’t need to prove anything to anyone, but for whatever fucked up reason, I need my father to know that she does.

He nods his head once, his eyes on the floor of the cell. His lips part again, but no words come out. He pats his hand against the bars and Goldman gestures to whoever’s waiting. The sound of heavy boots coming closer down the cement hall echoes off the walls.

“I hope you’re right, son,” my father says in a low voice. A small bit of doubt creeps into the back of my mind. She’s never said the words. And neither have I. She has no idea. She’s never known.

“You’ll be out within the hour. Just don’t say anything,” Goldman tells me as the warden opens the cell and the two of them leave me alone. My thoughts are consumed with what will happen to Arianna now that Brooks is dead.

I have a contract to keep her, but she doesn’t have to stay.

I’ll do anything I can to keep her.

Chapter 36

Arianna

They look so happy. Standing in the hallway of Zander’s estate, I grip the picture frame in my hands, a solo tear rolling down my right cheek. They