Married in Name Only
Lucas listened as he eased her to the sofa beside him. He took one of her hands in his and squeezed it for silent reassurance.
“That was all via email, mind you,” she went on. “Each call I’ve tried to make has gone unanswered, my messages ignored. I spent this evening after I closed calling the bridesmaids that came in with her and ordered their dresses, but none of them was any help...other than the fact they had actually paid in full for theirs. Apparently the groom chose one of the bridesmaids, so they’re all arguing.”
And here he’d been getting irritated because she wasn’t home when all she’d been doing was trying to save her business. He certainly couldn’t fault her for that and he’d be a complete ass if he tried. Just because this marriage was based on revenge and blackmail didn’t mean he was heartless. Lucas cared for her once, and he cared for her now, but in a completely different way.
Now he had his eyes open and his heart shut. He was well aware of what this was and what it wasn’t.
Still, he’d vowed to help her with her business and he wasn’t going to sit by and just let her be taken advantage of.
“Give me all of the information you have,” he told her.
Paisley jerked her focus to him, her brows drawn in. “Why?”
“Because I track people down for a living. What do you mean why?”
“This isn’t your battle to fight,” she explained, pulling her hand from his. “I’m not asking for your help. I just told you all of that because you asked why I was crying. I tend to cry when I’m mad.”
“I remember,” he murmured, recalling a moment someone had stolen her purse when they’d gone to the movie theater. She’d burst into tears because her favorite lip gloss had been inside. “But I’m offering to help because that’s what I told you I would do. I’m not going to let your business take this financial hit. When that woman ordered the dress, I’m sure you had her sign a contract, so she’s liable. If you want, you could sue her. Just the threat might scare her into paying.”
Paisley swiped beneath her eyes and came to her feet. “The financial hit you’re helping me with is the blow I took from the Ponzi scheme, not only from jilted brides.”
She paced to the wall of windows and crossed her arms as she glanced out onto the city. Lucas remained on the sofa, watching her from across the room. Something churned in his gut, something he didn’t want to put a finger on, didn’t want to recognize.
The emotions he’d had for Paisley in the past hadn’t completely died. A bond that strong couldn’t, no matter how abrupt and shocking the ending had been.
That didn’t mean he’d let himself get wrapped all around her again. Paisley didn’t deserve some of the things that had happened to her, though. He wasn’t about to just sit back and watch her livelihood destruct. That was one thing they still had in common—their drive to be the best at their careers.
She’d always wanted a bridal boutique. She’d always fantasized about their wedding when they’d been dating. He used to buy her hordes of bridal magazines back in the day and she would pore over them for hours.
“I just want her to pay,” she finally stated, turning back to face him. “I’ll give you her name and the contract she signed when she ordered the dress. Threaten legal action if necessary. I just want my thirty-five thousand dollars.”
Lucas jerked. “For a dress? What the hell is it made of? Gold blocks?”
Paisley smoothed her hair over one shoulder and rolled her eyes. “Actually, it was hand sewn and the beading is from Italy. The designer is quite popular among celebrities and only a select clientele can even think about purchasing a Bella gown.”
“Is that why you went with scraps of lace?”
Paisley’s eyes narrowed. “Don’t think it didn’t cross my mind to stick you with a giant bill for a Bella gown. She’s my favorite designer, but I opted to be spiteful in another way.”
Lucas came to his feet and slowly crossed to her. Those eyes remained locked on him and the way she looked at him, like she used to seconds before she ripped his clothes off, had his body already stirring to life.