Even as I denied it, I knew I was lying.
“What happened?” Skye asked curiously. “Is it something I don’t already know? You can talk to me, Riley. For God’s sake, I was once married into the Mafia. I carried a hell of a lot of fear and pain during those years. But I’ve learned that it’s much better to talk about it instead of trying to bury it.”
“It’s a long story,” I said shortly.
“Not that long,” Penny drawled.
“Just remember I’m here if you want to talk,” Skye said gently. “I don’t want to push you to talk about anything you don’t want to share. When you’re ready, I’ll be here.”
“Oh, my God!” Penny exclaimed. “Were you really married to a Mafia guy, Skye?”
I was almost envious when Skye nodded and started to tell Penny about her history.
I wished that I could be that open, that secure.
Skye could talk about her past without really letting it affect her present or her future.
Unfortunately, I couldn’t. Not yet.
When Penny was done asking questions, and expressed her admiration for Skye’s bravery, they started to chat about Penny’s future.
“What’s your major going to be?” Skye asked her.
“Computer science,” Penny said, her voice animated.
“She’s talented,” I shared with Skye. “Penny taught herself to program, so she’s way ahead of the game.”
“Are your parents on board?” Skye queried.
Penny shook her head slowly. “No. They’re not. When I refused to have anything else to do with Nolan and left home, they paid me off with millions of dollars if I’d agree to not show my face in their world again. Which wasn’t exactly a sacrifice for me. I’m grateful to have the money to get my education, though. So that’s something.”
I had to blink back tears as I listened to Penny. I knew damn well she was still hurt that she’d been so easily dispensable.
Skye’s eyes looked troubled, but she didn’t push for more information. Through my budding friendship with Skye, I already knew she was incredibly intuitive and empathetic. I was thinking that she knew when there was nothing else to say.
Personally, I thought Penny would be better off in the end without her parents. Conditional. Everything was conditional in our world. She’d been through enough.
I opened my mouth to change the subject, and then slammed it shut when I heard a male voice I’d never wanted to listen to again sound behind me.
“Hello, Margaret. Fancy seeing you here. I was attending a little get-together down the beach. I was just taking a walk when I saw you three sitting here. And here you are. And Penelope, too. It’s nice to see you two again, I must say.”
The horrified look on Penny’s face was enough to make me stand up and put myself between her and the voice.
Meeting the stare of the brown-eyed man made me want to retch. But my protective instincts were too strong to turn away.
“Nolan,” I answered, my voice dripping with ice. “It’s not nice seeing you at all. Leave. Now.”
CHAPTER 16
RILEY
It was obvious that Nolan probably had been at a beach party. He was dressed in slacks and a polo shirt, attire he usually didn’t wear. But who was going to wear a tux to a beach affair?
“I’ve missed you and Penelope,” Nolan said in the irritating nasal tone that I despised.
“How did you really find us?” I demanded to know.
I didn’t buy the I-just-happened-to-be-in-the-area bullshit.
He shrugged nonchalantly. “My host may have mentioned that the Sinclairs looked like they were having a party. I’ve never had the pleasure of meeting any of them.”
I was fuming. He’d obviously been feeling slighted that he hadn’t made the acquaintance of the family who had more money than he did. So he’d decided to see if he could get into their good graces. Maybe the family didn’t attend any of the rich crowd’s parties, but nobody wanted to piss off a Sinclair, either.
Not now that they were filthy rich.
“You weren’t invited. Leave,” I said angrily.
The last thing Penny needed was to have this asshole show up. The frightened look on her face was enough to make me want to lay Nolan on the cement.
“Exactly how did you and Penelope get invited?” he asked casually.
I knew that voice. He was envious, which was pretty normal for Nolan. No matter how much he had, he always wanted more.
Skye stood. “They’re friends,” she said coldly. “And you’re not.”
“Oh, I’m definitely more than friends to both of these two women,” he said in a chilly tone. “I’ve missed them both. I’d like to see them . . . more often.”
Jesus! Did the bastard really think we were both going to do a threesome or be a couple of women in some kind of harem?
He’s out of his tiny mind.
“Neither one of us want to see you!” I snapped.
He started to move forward, but I stood my ground as he said, “Come on, Margaret. You can’t possibly be happy here. Your mother told me you have a shack on the beach, and that you rarely attend any events anymore. Do you really want to live as an old maid and close to pauper status any longer?”
“Yes. As a matter of fact, I do.” I didn’t owe him any further explanation.
My little “shack” had cost more than 99 percent of the population could afford, and the cottage was beautiful. But he was so obsessed with having “things” that it looked like poverty to him.
“You still want me, Margaret. And so does Penelope. You’re both too afraid of rejection to approach me. So I’m approaching you.” He made it sound like he was doing us a huge favor.
“You’re scum,” I said bluntly. “And I’m sure Penny and I are too old for you now, since you seemed to like your females young. Very young.”
His face was shocked, and then it turned to rage.
Maybe there were whispers about child abuse, but nobody ever really confronted Nolan about any of that.
“You’re a child molester, Nolan,” I continued, my anger burning way too hot now to stop. “A lowlife piece of crap who should be in prison right now. And maybe I don’t circulate in your group anymore, but believe me, I’m keeping track of you. If you ever end up with another underage girl, I’ll know it. I still know enough of the good people in your circle to get the news, and I’ll make damn sure you end up in jail.”
“Like your father ended up there?” he answered sarcastically. “Do you really think those rumors went unnoticed, Margaret? And he got away with it for years. Nobody could touch him. People have to press charges, and nobody will. Now, let’s talk about getting together. You, me, and Penelope.”
“You’ll touch her again over my dead body,” I growled.
Nolan lurched forward and slammed me against the brick wall of the patio.
For a moment, I saw stars, and then everything went dark, but it was momentary, and when I came to my senses, all I could feel was his slimy lips on mine.
“You’ve got to be fucking kidding me.” I heard the angry comment come from Seth, but I didn’t completely register it.