Tears shimmered in her eyes, and the sight hit Sam in the gut.
Sympathy flashed in Tyler’s expression. “Well, I just found out too. And I have many of the same questions you do.”
“Nice mess,” Sam muttered. “Do you think your father sent those men to hurt Nicole?”
Tyler shook his head, then stopped himself and shrugged. “I hope not. I want to believe he intended to make a statement to me, to get me to step things up. I have to believe that hurting Nicole is a line my father wouldn’t cross. Threaten to, maybe, but not cross.”
“What if they don’t have any such boundaries?” Sam asked, meaning the Russians.
“I’m hoping they don’t know everything, that they’re just doing my father a favor,” Tyler muttered.
Nicole wrapped her arms around her waist, and Tyler swore. “I have to go home and find out what my father told them,” he said.
“What about my father?” Nicole asked.
“I’ll see what I can uncover.”
Sam nodded. “That’s the right place to start.”
Tyler inclined his head. “But I have to talk to Macy before I go. I can’t just disappear without an explanation,” he said, not meeting Nicole’s gaze.
Sam wasn’t surprised that Tyler had feelings of some kind for Macy Donovan. He’d seen Macy’s interest and Tyler had quickly fallen in line, from changing his style of dress to following her around town.
But he’d been sent here to corral Nicole into going home with him, and he stood to watch his father go to prison while the family business he was due to take over was destroyed by greed. Sam didn’t envy Tyler. But his only concern was Nicole.
“Tyler, don’t you dare hurt Macy,” Nicole said. “You have commitments in New York, and she’s not a city girl who can slip into the role of society wife.”
“Like you did?” Tyler asked, unable to hide his obvious hurt.
Sam swallowed a groan, knowing exactly how Stanton felt being dumped by the woman he thought he’d spend the rest of his life with.
Nicole’s eyes softened in sympathy. “I’m sorry. But I ended things as soon as I realized I wouldn’t be happy. I didn’t lead you on. And I just don’t want you to set Macy up for a fall by making her believe she has a chance with you when all you want or can give her is a fling.”
Tyler straightened his shoulders. “Don’t take this the wrong way, but my love life is none of your business. Not anymore.”
Sam had to admit, he liked these two at odds much more than Tyler chasing after her.
“Before you go, leave me names,” Sam instructed Tyler. “I want to have Mike run a check on these Russian guys. Meanwhile, head home and try to get a handle on things there. I’m taking Nicole out of town for the rest of the weekend. I want the Russians gone and Serendipity back to people I know and recognize before we return.” He pinned Nicole with his gaze, daring her to argue with him.
To his amazement, she didn’t.
Apparently, having the mob show up in town had scared her into easy cooperation. That would help for now. Sam didn’t have any delusions that she’d keep following his directions, especially when he informed her that their next step had to involve the authorities. His brother, Mike, or Cole and his contacts, Sam wasn’t sure which yet. First step was keeping Nicole out of sight until the festival ended and strangers left town. After that? All bets were off because he’d do anything to keep her safe.
Sam waited until Tyler left and he had Nicole alone before changing the focus of the conversation to them. She sat in the club chair her ex had vacated, her entire body stiff. He wasn’t sure if she was upset about the Russians being in town today or the fact that he was still vibrating with anger. If she were smart, she’d go with the latter.
Although they’d agreed on casual, he was still hurt over the fact that she’d kept all this inside her from the minute they’d hooked up. He was a cop. Didn’t she think he could help her? Protect her?
“How—”
“I wanted to tell you,” she said, cutting off his question.
He flexed his fingers, his tension still high. “Then why didn’t you?”
She rose from the chair and walked over. He couldn’t tear his gaze from the long legs protruding from her white lace skirt. “You’re a cop.”
He raised his eyebrows. “My point exactly. Who better to look out for you? To help you figure out what to do?”
She braced her hands on his waist, and his frustration began to recede at her soft touch. He didn’t understand his reaction, but he focused on her face and her sincere expression.