Page 240 of Handsome Devil
Silence.
“Dane… Would you ever consider just giving her some of the family money? I mean, maybe your grandmother will never recognize her or Lex. But maybe you could give her something?”
I wasn’t sure if that was an answer, really. But I did kind of feeling sorry for her. As much as I also wanted to hate her for trying to hurt Dane.
I believed her when she said she loved him.
“I don’t know, Devi. My mom… Christiana… always said, you don’t make deals with people who would blackmail you or threaten you. You don’t give people like that money to go away. Once you open up that door, they’ll just come back for more.” He laughed bitterly. “But I guess she said a lot of shit to me.”
“I’m sorry, Dane,” I said again. I didn’t know what else to say. This was heavy shit. I couldn’t imagine him dealing with it alone out there in Toronto.
“I know this is a shock to you,” I said. “And you trusted Rolf.”
“I paid him, Devi. That doesn’t always assure loyalty. Unfortunately.”
“You trusted her,” I said gently. “Laurinda. She’s family. And that should’ve assured loyalty. You love her. And I know you don’t trust many people.”
“It’s okay,” he grunted. “I’m used to it. Like I told you. I’ve been a target for betrayal all my life. Who’s ever been unfailingly honest with me? Other than you and Lex, I seriously can’t count anyone. Even my own mother. Or… aunt, or whoever she is.”
Yeah. He was definitely in shock.
“She’s your mother, Dane. She raised you.”
He said nothing.
“Dane…” I felt so sad for him right now. I wished I could give him a hug or something. “Lex wanted to talk to you about all of this. I asked him to give me the night, to tell you. But you two need to talk.”
“Yeah. We do.Fuck… I just never would’ve thought Laurinda would be willing to hurt me. Even if she hoped to get money out of it.” He hesitated. “She was planning to leak that recording of us? Or… trying to scare you? Ruin our marriage or something?”
“She was trying to ruin you,” I said gently. “In your grandmother’s eyes.” God, I didn’t want to tell him all this shit. But someone had to. Better that it come from someone who actually loved him, maybe… “She said she sent that woman from the sex tape to warn me about you. She fed her everything to say. Her description of the penthouse… She paid both of those girls, Dane. From the tape. She told them to seduce you and make the tape. It was all her.”
Dane was utterly silent again.
Then he said in a small voice, “I can’t fucking believe this. That woman in the article? The one who said I grabbed her at a party…?”
“Yes,” I said.
Fuck.
I put my head in my hands. I really didn’t want to tell himallof that over the phone. But I just couldn’t stand to keep anything from him. I did not want to be just another one of the people who lied to him.
“After she got cut back in,” I told him, “she said she was going to tell you everything. I think… she thought she was really doing something for the greater good. I think she really thought she was hurting your grandmother and your mom, not you, in some warped way. I think… she thought she could still win your love somehow. Your forgiveness. And be your mom.”
His voice was quiet and cold when he said, “That is insane.”
“She loves you, Dane.”
“Right.” He swore again. “Jesus Christ.Lex is my brother,” he breathed, like he was just now realizing that part.
“Yes,” I said. “Your half-brother.”
He said nothing else.
“No wonder you’re so tight,” I said softly. “You should know, he made Laurinda accountable, as soon as he found out. It took mere hours. He made her tell me everything. You have a true brother there.”
“I wish I could be happier about it right now.”
“It’s kind of beautiful in a way,” I offered.
