The Winner Takes It All (A Something New Novel) (37 page)

She snatched back her hand mid-shake, as though she’d been burned. “You’re going to be at the wedding?”

His lips quirked. “Shane’s a good friend. I’ve known Maddie for years. Of course I’ll be at the wedding.”

She blinked. “But our . . . arrangement . . . it’s private. Confidential?”

His gaze narrowed. “You don’t want Shane to know.” It wasn’t a question.

She shook her head. “He
can’t
know.”

He crossed his arms over his broad chest, looking like an immovable object. “Can I ask why?”

“It’s a long story, but it’s for his own good.”

“We have a signed contract, and I wouldn’t be in business for long if I didn’t abide by the confidentiality clause in the agreement.”

A tiny easing of relief. “Then I have your word?”

“You do.”

She turned to leave, but stopped when he said, “Cecilia.”

She looked over her shoulder, asking the silent question.

“You know when he finds out he’s not going to be too happy about this.”

“I know.”

“Then I trust you have a good reason.”

The very best reason. “I do. I understand Shane is your friend, and I promise if I pull this off, he won’t stay angry for long.”

“Good,” he said with a sharp nod.

Down in the lobby, she sat on a bench and called Mitch. He picked up on the second ring. “What’s up?”

“He didn’t find anything on Miles.”

A pause over the line. “It’s still early.”

“I know, but he said he thinks Miles is clean. He’s almost certain.”

Mitch sighed. “Then you don’t really have a choice, do you?”

“No, I don’t.” She hung up.

She’d been dreading this moment. The reckoning. She’d hoped to deal with the situation through Miles, but in her heart she’d known it wouldn’t be that simple.

If she wanted to save herself, she’d have to turn on her father. She’d known it was coming, had been committed to the choice that day she’d talked with her mother in Gracie’s backyard. But now that it was here, the finality gave her pause. Once she did this there’d be no going back. Her relationship with him would be ruined. She’d have no career to fall back on. At thirty-three she’d start her life over from scratch.

She’d be starting her business without a safety net.

Her chest tightened. As much as she hated him, she’d still spent a lifetime adoring him. Working to make him proud. To prove she was worthy. It wasn’t simple like in the books or movies. One epiphany didn’t wipe out all those years of wanting him to love her.

All her life she’d chosen him.

And now, it was time to choose herself.

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Decision made, Cecilia didn’t waste any time calling Julie, her father’s admin.

“Where have you been?” Julie asked as soon as she picked up the phone.

Cecilia ignored the question. “I need on his schedule. Today. Now, if possible.”

In the background, her e-mail dinged and her heart leapt in her throat. Right on time.

“He’s got Paul in there.”

“Good. I’ll be right over.” She hung up, strode from the lobby and out onto the Chicago streets.

Fifteen minutes later, she walked into his office without knocking. Paul was still there. The two of them sat at the war table where Cecilia had spent years of her life.

The senator’s head lifted. “Cecilia.”

“Dad,” she said, and turned to Paul. “Please excuse us. I need to speak to my father alone.”

He looked at Nathaniel for confirmation.

He nodded, and Paul gathered his things and left.

“To what do I owe the pleasure of your company?” He looked old and tired, the skin under his eyes bagging. “Your mother already told me I’m not invited to the wedding, if that’s what this is about.”

“No, it’s not.” She sat down at the table. “I’m done being the liaison between the two of you.”

His skin turned pink, but she was pretty sure it was out of anger instead of embarrassment. “Fine. Is this about your campaign?”

“No, I’m not running for office.” Just saying the words brought a huge sense of relief. Like a thousand-pound weight lifted off her chest. “Oh, and by the way, I quit.”

The words brought her freedom. Like chains falling one by one from her body, leaving her naked and vulnerable, but alive.

He blinked, looking stunned, but then his face cleared. “I assume that makes sense, considering you’ll need to devote your time and energy to Miles and your life together.”

On a roll now, she scoffed. With every word she spoke, she grew stronger. Determined. Powerful. “I’m not going to be doing that either.”

“Then what?” he asked, his tone careful and controlled.

She tilted her head to the side. “I’m going to start a little PR firm that specializes in damage control. You’re the one who always said that’s my strength. You’re right. I like it and I’m good at it.”

Just saying the words out loud made them real, and she experienced a bolt of excitement. She could do this. She had contacts and connections. She could build it from scratch and it would be something to call her own.

His brows furrowed. “I’m not sure how Miles will feel about that. You’ll have to discuss it with him.”

She shook her head. “I don’t see why, since I won’t be marrying him. You two will have to make it to the White House without me.”

His expression turned to fury. “You may be my daughter, but I suggest you don’t force my hand.”

She folded her hands on the table. A stillness came over her, filling her with a calm sort of peace. He, not she, had drawn this line in the sand. “Is that what you’re calling it these days? Call it what it is: blackmail.”

“Incentive.”

She smiled and waved a hand. “Whatever.” She picked up her phone and pressed the e-mail app. The message from Mitch sat in her in-box and she pressed the icon to begin the download. “I went to the mayor’s office today.” She clucked her tongue. “It turns out the city planner has a schoolgirl fetish, so he’s going to be signing those contracts, regardless of any press releases.”

Nathaniel gaped at her.

She held up a finger. “One problem down, but what to do about you and Miles? I don’t trust you to not hurt Shane and, see, I’m not going to let that happen.”

His complexion turned florid with rage. “Cecilia, what have you done?”

“Incentive. Just remember,
Dad
,” she said, the word full of scorn, “you started this. I’m the woman you created. I fix messes, and I’m fixing this one.”

“I only want what’s best for you,” he said. “You can’t give this up to start a silly little consulting firm.”

It wasn’t going to work this time. She swiped through the first part of the download to find what she wanted. “I’m sure it’s hard to believe this right now, but I do love you. I believe there was a time you were a good man. I tried to find something on Miles. That’s proving difficult. Unfortunately, that leaves you.”

He held up a hand. “Are you doing this because of Shane Donovan?”

“You brought him into this, not me. I suggest you don’t say another word about him.”

He blew a hard, irritated breath.

“Now where was I? Ah yes, incentive.” She trembled a bit from anger and loss. The loss was there, and she let herself feel it, because it was true and honest. That was the woman she wanted to be now. Real. “I have the pictures. I don’t want to use them, but if I have to, I will.”

“What pictures?”

“Of you and the intern.”

His expression cleared and she could see the relief wash through him. “Everyone knows I was drugged. There were prescriptions to prove it. Their scheme was exposed, Cecilia. It poses no more threat to me.”

This was it. Once she did this, she’d be free. She swallowed and dove into the deep end. “No. I have the
other
pictures.”

A flicker crossed his face, but then it was gone. “I don’t know what you mean.”

Filled with disgust and sadness, she slid her phone across the table. “I must say, I’ve seen far too many dirty photos today.”

He looked at her phone, complexion paling to an ashy gray. The photos the blackmailer had sent to her father last year had been a warning. But Cecilia now had the real ones, the ones he’d been really worried about. Pictures that showed her father and the intern locked together in an embrace, his eyes open, his hands participating. Pictures her mother would never forgive.

Weariness settled into Cecilia’s bones. She shook her head. “I didn’t want to believe it. I wanted to trust you. Believe in you. Even though I’d seen you together and knew you slept with her.”

“Cecilia,” he said, his voice a croak. “Have you shown these to your mother?”

“No. Mitch and I agreed we wouldn’t show her unless we had no choice.” She wouldn’t ever hurt her mom like that. There was no need.

“Your brother?”

She nodded. “He’s had them all along. I think, like me, he hoped you’d do the right thing and redeem yourself.”

His fingers tightened on the phone, his knuckles going white. “How could you do this to me? Your own father?”

“I learned it from you. Never show weakness. Never break. Isn’t that what you always taught me?”

He dropped the phone and it clattered on the wood table, the sound seeming to echo in the silence of the room. “What do you want?”

“Nothing much, certainly nothing that means anything to you,” she said, feeling sad. “Just my freedom.”

She took her phone, closed the offending pictures, and tucked the cell into her purse. “I trust you’ll take care of Miles and any fallout from the engagement being called off?”

He nodded, then looked at her. He’d aged twenty years in the last few minutes. “I didn’t sleep with her.”

Even now he lied. Because with him, it was never about what was right, but about protecting his ass. Chest heavy, she gathered her things. “It doesn’t matter much, does it? As you’re fond of telling me, perception is reality.”

The bar where Mitch and Maddie met had been transformed for the rehearsal dinner and Shane barely recognized the dive. Sophie, Penelope, and Gracie had strung lights all over the place, casting the room in a golden glow. They’d pushed together several tables to form one big square, covered in white linens, filled with flowers and sparkling candles. The girls had gone over the top with decorations and the place looked incredible. A party befitting his baby sister.

As they milled around the bar, Maddie was radiant in a yellow sundress with her soon-to-be husband at her side.

At least he wouldn’t have to worry about her anymore.

Shane was happy for her. Everyone was having a great time.

Except for him.

Cecilia was still gone. Disappeared without a trace.

He’d wanted to ask where she’d run to, but had kept his mouth shut. These next couple of days were about Maddie and Mitch, so he’d put on a happy face and act as normal as possible. Because that’s what his sister deserved.

Sunday he’d be back home, and he’d go about forgetting Cecilia. In time, the memory of these two weeks would fade. When he saw her again, summer Cecilia would be gone, and she’d be back to being someone he might want, but could resist.

At least that’s the story he sold himself.

He couldn’t believe she hadn’t shown up. Nobody had even asked about her. It was like she’d vanished, only existing in his own mind.

Gracie let out a loud, abandoned laugh, startling him from his thoughts in time to watch Evan pull a tipsy Gracie into his lap. She tried to pull away, but Evan held her tight. She laughed, pushing at his arms. James shot them a dark, thunderous look before he got up from the table and walked away, disappearing down the hallway.

Shane shifted his attention back to Gracie, who smiled that dazzling smile at Evan, but her gaze lingered on where James had gone.

Shane sighed. Something would need to be done about that soon.

His mom, happy, her cheeks pink with pleasure, sat down next to him. She patted his hand, her eyes going bright. “You’re a good boy.”

He smiled, his throat feeling a touch tight. “Thanks, Mom.”

“Did I thank you for sending me to Ireland?” she asked, her tone almost girlish from all the champagne she’d drunk.

He grinned at her. “Only about a million times.”

“Your daddy would be so proud of you.” She leaned in conspiratorially. “He always said you were the right combination of smart and brave. That once you set your mind to it, you could do anything. And he was right. Look at you. Look at what you’ve become.”

His chest squeezed. “I didn’t know he said that. He always yelled at me for being a fuck-up.”

His mom slapped his arm. “Language! Well, sure he yelled at you for not applying yourself, but in private . . .” A smile ghosted her lips as if she was remembering something fond and wistful. “But in private he used to say, ‘Shannon, I know I should worry about that boy, but I don’t. He’s gonna be just fine.’”

Shane had never known that. Maybe Cecilia was right after all. Maybe he’d always had it in him. Maybe he didn’t need to feel guilty about only making something of himself on the back of his father’s death. “You don’t think I became like this because he died?”

Her brow furrowed, her expression turning puzzled. “Now why would you think a silly thing like that?”

He shrugged. “Because I was a fuck-up.”

She narrowed her gaze as though contemplating correcting him again, but then she grinned, a loopy, buzzed grin that shaved fifteen years from her face. “You were always as stubborn as a mule. Maybe it would have taken awhile longer for you to find your way, but once you latched on to something, you never let it go. That’s just the way you were made.”

He was going to have to let Cecilia go.

More than anything he wanted to go at her like a bulldozer, knocking some sense into her until she had no more fight in her and she was forced to agree with him. But he couldn’t do that, not this time. He needed her to be the one thing he didn’t have to beat into submission.

And that wasn’t going to happen.

He gave his mom’s hand a quick squeeze. “Dad taught me everything I know.”

She scoffed, waving a hand. “Except for money. Neither one of us was ever any good at that. I have no idea where you got your money sense.”