Once Upon a Marriage

She knew him well.

“But I know a different side to him and I wouldn’t put it past him to follow me around at the benefit, and then catch up with me afterward, refusing to take no for an answer. He seems convinced that he’s going to have the same fun time with me that others have had. He thinks I was holding out on him, that I owe him or something...

“I need you to go with me next week, Elliott. As my bodyguard, but posing as my boyfriend. Terrence never saw you that night. From what I hear, he has a definite code. Maybe just to keep his reputation sterling, or maybe because he’s not a horrible guy. But from what I hear, if he thinks I’m taken, he’ll leave me alone. Hopefully after that Metcalf will have gotten the message and leave me alone, period. If not I’ll figure out something else when I get home. Right now I’m just going crazy about next week’s gig. It’s a private affair. No press, so it’s not like your face would be plastered on a tabloid or anything. Please, Elliott. Help me out here. I already promised my father I’d call you or he was going to do so himself. Just like he always does when I’m in Denver. I just don’t want him to know about Terrence...”

He got the picture. Problem was, he understood. And felt as though he owed her.

He also felt as though he owed her father. Whether Rod knew what was going on or not. He’d hired Elliott to keep his daughter safe that night a few weeks ago.

Clearly he hadn’t done the job well enough.

And could now fix that.

“And I’m paying you because I pay my own way these days.”

He took his exit.

“I’ll pick you up at the airport,” he said. “I’m assuming you’re flying in on your father’s jet?”

“Yes. But only because he’s feeling hurt that I’m not letting him do more for me.”

She didn’t have to convince him anymore. He got it.

Just as he knew that he’d helped get her into this.

And was going to help her get out.

CHAPTER NINETEEN

SO THE NEWS wasn’t good.

“The sports drink was spiked with cyanide,” Elliott said. He’d been the one to suggest Chinese takeout after picking up Liam and Gabi from work. But none of them were eating very much.

Sitting at her own table, instead of Liam’s, while her husband told her and Liam and Gabi what he’d found out that day, Marie said, “So, if he drank it, it would have made him sick?”

“It would have killed him.” Gabi’s cheeks were white. She’d set her fork down.

“He knew I wouldn’t drink it,” Liam piped in, shoving food in his mouth, but chewing a lot more slowly than normal. “The seal was broken. If he’d wanted me to drink it, he’d have found a way to inject the stuff into the bottle without breaking the seal. He also wouldn’t have left the note on the label, clearly warning me that something was amiss.”

Elliott nodded. He wasn’t eating much, either. Which was really unusual. Danger was his business. And he’d been protecting Liam from this creep for months without losing his appetite.

“So he’s upped his tactics because it wouldn’t be any fun if Liam grew bored and started to ignore him.” It made sense to her.

“Possibly.” Elliott nudged her arm with his elbow. And when she looked at him, he leaned over and kissed her.

A reminder. That he was there. That they were going to be fine.

Or maybe just because he loved her and wanted to kiss her.

Then, his face serious, he looked back at Liam and Gabi. “There were no usable fingerprints on the box. And none on the bottle or the letter stickers. The guy’s wearing gloves. Probably some kind of medical glove, based on the powder they found on both the bottle and the Bubble Wrap inside the box.”

“They sent the Bubble Wrap to the lab?” Gabi’s question was more indication that the situation they were dealing with was more serious than anyone had first believed.

“With the other various warnings that have been arriving over the past couple of months. Things are clearly escalating and because Connelly Investments is involved they’re giving this a lot of attention.”

“And?” The question was Liam’s.

“The same type of powder was on all of the letters that have come.”