Easy Prey (Love-Inspired Suspense) (14 page)

Dom leaned back for his phone and pressed a bunch of buttons. Then he looked up at her. “My wife has done serious wrong to you in the past, but that is the reason she is going to be involved in this.”

“She doesn’t have anything to do with me being back here, or my working for this town.”

Dom’s eyes widened knowingly. “She doesn’t?”

“You hired me.”

He didn’t say anything. Elise was beyond caring what Bernadette intended to do. She wasn’t interested in her mother-in-law trying to “fix” things between them. “Did she hire me back with my husband’s money?”

Nathan reacted, but Elise couldn’t stop it now.

“With his death benefit? His life-insurance money that I should have been able to use to feed and clothe Martin’s son? Money that your wife—Nathan’s own grandmother, the richest person I know—
stole
from me?”

Dom sputtered.

The door flung open. Jonah stalked across the room. “You didn’t need to text me, Dom. Parker already did.” He turned his dark look toward her. “You’re done.”

“What?”

He hauled her up. Thankfully, using her good arm. His grip wasn’t painful, but she wasn’t getting out of it without a fight. As he dragged her by Nathan, Elise saw tears on her son’s face. He swiped them away, and she saw the look of disapproval on Parker’s face.

“I’ll stay with Nathan,” he said.

She turned back, still being pulled along by Jonah. Nathan wasn’t coming with her?

FIFTEEN

J
onah slammed the door to the SUV and strode around to Elise’s side. He flung the door open and waited for her to get out. He restrained himself, he didn’t even tap his foot.

Elise and his mom were going to get things straight once and for all.

It was part of protecting her—that was how he saw it. She was hurting enough, she didn’t need the stress of his mom’s lies on top of it. He was as mad as she was that his mom hadn’t given her money she was supposed to have had, but the look on Nathan’s face was what had put him over the edge.

After Parker had sent him that text, he’d rushed over from Fix’s house. The first thing he’d seen was Nathan, and the hurt in the teenager’s eyes was more than Jonah could take. So he did the thing he always did—he fixed the problem.

Jonah took Elise’s elbow, wondering if this was, in fact, a good idea. He stopped and turned to her, pointing at his mother’s front door. “If we go in there, you’re seeing this through to the end. You can’t chicken out in the middle of it. So if you’re not up to this, or if you want to regroup and do it later, then tell me now and we’ll walk away.”

Elise lifted her chin. “I want to know what she has to say for herself.”

The front door opened, and his mom stood there. Her dress was cut well to accentuate her slim figure, and around her neck was a string of pearls Dom had given her on their first anniversary. He supposed some might find her intimidating, with her expensive clothes and power haircut. Jonah saw her as “Mom.”

Sure, she’d always had the housekeeper clean up when he was sick as a kid. And the chef was the one to make him chicken soup. That wasn’t the point. She was the one who sat with him on his bed and watched cartoons with him when he didn’t feel well.

If Jonah and Martin were both sick, she’d let them sleep in her bed. His dad had joked about being kicked out to the guest room, but he’d understood. It wasn’t until Elise came into their lives that Jonah started to see a different side of his mother—a side he didn’t like.

His mom’s eyes were on the woman at his side. “Hello, Elise.”

No turning back now, he supposed. Elise was going to have to finish what she’d started in the office. She’d have to get all her facts—and her emotions—straight before they made sure Nathan was okay. Parker would keep him physically safe, but emotionally, who knew how he was doing?

“Can we talk to you, Mom?”

She smiled, a softness that he didn’t think he’d ever seen before. “Sure, honey.” His mom held the door wide, and then escorted them to one of the front sitting rooms. “Please have a seat.” Her gaze settled on Elise. “Are you okay, dear?”

Elise did not look well. Jonah sat beside her on a dainty couch that made him feel like he’d just walked through a muddy field. He took her hand because he wanted to. They were here so she could move past this and finally get some rest while he ran down the person trying to kill her.

Jonah pulled out his phone. No missed calls—as if he wouldn’t hear his ringtone. But his frustration had been loud in his ears. He didn’t even know if Elise had tried to say anything to him during the car ride to his mom’s house—he’d been that determined to get this over with.

Across from them, his mom wrung her hands together. “Do you want me to tell you why you’re back in town?”

Elise took a breath, like it was strength. “Yes, I would, Mrs. Rivers.” Elise had always been polite to his mom, even when Bernadette was tearing her down in front of her society friends.

His mom nodded, not even correcting Elise on the fact that she’d taken her husband’s name. “When Dom first mentioned the state of the zoo and its need for repair...well, I immediately thought of you. And Nathan.”

Jonah’s eyes widened. Beside him, Elise sucked in a breath. “You knew about Nathan?”

Bernadette smiled, but where it should have been calculating it was only amused. “Did you really think I would let you go off on your own and not keep track of you?”

“But you kept Martin’s death benefits and his life insurance—”

“And his trust fund.” Bernadette’s smile disappeared. “Let’s not forget about that small fortune.”

“You kept money I could have used to raise Nathan.” Elise shook her head. “Not that I wanted to live large, or for Nathan to be spoiled. I’m glad he knows how to work hard for what he wants, and the value of things you can’t buy with money. But I could have used it.”

“You did. Or rather, I did.”

Elise frowned, her shoulders sinking as though she didn’t have the energy to hold herself up. Jonah shifted so she was leaning against him. She said, “What do you mean?”

“I had a man keep track of you. He reported to me you were pregnant, so when you had Nathan, I paid off the hospital bill. Small things like that. But after several years I realized the extent of the wrong I’d done you. I knew I couldn’t approach you, you’d never have accepted the money when you felt like you were handling your life. And you would have kept Nathan from me if you could.”

His mom sighed. “The PI told me when you needed anything. Like when Nathan broke his leg, and the time the sanctuary couldn’t afford to pay you and your electricity bill was due, and suddenly paid off. All that was me. Trying to help.”

Having a financial guardian wasn’t something that went unnoticed. Elise had simply figured it was the help of her local church.

She lifted her chin. “Trying to pay off your guilt?”

His mom’s smile was small. “You could say that.”

“Is that why you had Dom hire me? So you could pay for Nathan’s college tuition?”

“Your job pays your salary. But the Martin Rivers Memorial Scholarship is a different story. His trust fund has helped more than forty young men and women go through college who otherwise would never have been able to afford it.” She sighed. “I’m sorry. I’m trying to make amends, to be a better person. This is my overbearing way of fixing what I’ve done.”

His mom was quiet for a moment, and then she said, “I’m asking for your forgiveness, Elise. No amount of money can buy it, I know that.”

“The old you would have done exactly that. Thrown money at the problem until you felt better about yourself.”

Jonah saw the joy brighten his mom’s eyes. “You could say I’ve seen the light.”

Elise stiffened. “You helped in your way, and I’m grateful for that. But the reality is you’ve always resented my presence in your life. Why would now be any different when I’m still the same me I always was? Nathan can’t fix what’s wrong with you.”

“I’m not asking him to.” Bernadette shook her head gently. “But I would love the opportunity to get to know my grandson.”

Jonah smiled. “He’s a great kid. And we should get back to him. He was pretty upset when we left.”

Elise stood, glancing between them. “If he’s upset, it’s because he’s been put through the wringer by the two of you.”

She took a step back, her attention zeroing in on his mom. “Thank you for your apology. It’s been a harrowing few days, and I need to get back to my family.”

Elise walked out, leaving Jonah with a sick feeling in his stomach.

He opened his mouth to tell his mom bye when his phone rang. The display said
Ames
.
Jonah clicked to answer the call. “Rivers.”

“Fix set the meet.”

* * *

Elise set the plates on the table. “I’d rather not talk about your mother right now.”

Wasn’t it obvious she was still processing that whole conversation? Or she was apparently supposed to swallow the mouthful of secrets Bernadette had kept, and simply move on. Either way, Jonah needed to catch on to the fact she couldn’t do that. She just wasn’t wired to roll with the punches. Elise had to reason things out.

Jonah pulled the store-bought lasagna from the oven and set it on the table. It smelled really good. If this was the extent of Jonah’s bachelor cooking abilities, it was fine with her. They’d be actually equal on something instead of her feeling, at every turn, like he had the upper hand.

He looked disappointed she didn’t want to talk, but she couldn’t take that on board along with everything else, so she focused on cutting the food and dishing it out. Nathan was at Parker’s house for the night, wherever that was. He’d texted to tell her the marshal had a
sick
gaming system, and he’d be
fine.
Like that was supposed to reassure her.

Jonah sat, and she prayed silently before she began eating. When she looked up, his eyes were fixed on her. “What?”

“You could have said grace, I wouldn’t have minded.”

“Oh, okay.” Since he was willing, and she needed it, Elise reached over and held his hand. His strong, warm hand.
Don’t think about that.

She said grace, asking for continued protection, and for God to reveal Himself to them. It was good to see what He was doing. When she wasn’t sure what else to say, Elise closed the prayer. There were things going on in her head Jonah just didn’t need to know.

He took a bite of food, his attention never leaving her. When he’d swallowed, he said, “Is there anything you want to ask, about the meet with Fix?”

Elise didn’t think he wanted to hear what she thought. Hailey had called her “mama bear” earlier, and the moniker wasn’t exactly inaccurate. Jonah didn’t need to know she’d taken that on board for him, too. He’d think she distrusted the fact he could be safe. He was a trained marshal. He could, and would, take care of himself.

Why did she care? It wasn’t like she was in love with him.

“I can see the wheels turning.” Jonah set his fork down and held her hand, much the same way she’d held his during the prayer. “This is the best way to find out who the trader is, and put a stop to these continued attempts on your life.”

“I know that.”

“Do you want to keep almost getting killed?”

“Of course not. How can you ask me that?”

“You need to let me do this, Elise.”

She bit her lip, and to her dismay, tears filled her eyes. Jonah pushed his chair back and crouched beside her. “Talk to me.”

She set her elbows on the table and put her head in her hands. Taking a deep breath was all she had the strength to do. Jonah’s hand rubbed up and down her back. “You can trust God that I’ll come through this, right?”

Because he didn’t think she could trust him? Or because he didn’t think God would make her suffer the death of someone she cared about...again.

Elise turned to him. “Do not get hurt.”

To his credit, he didn’t smile. “I wasn’t planning on it.”

“I know you aren’t, but—”

“Look.” He squeezed her shoulder. “Fix is meeting the trader and I’m going along for the ride. Fix will accept a shipment tomorrow night and I’ll be there under the guise of helping. We’ll catch them in the act, and as soon as I give the signal, my team will swoop in and arrest him. The end.”

Okay, so he knew how to make it sound simple. “I still don’t like you doing this. He killed the reporter. It could be a trap, you know.”

Jonah sat back in his seat. “Wow, Ms. Tanner. With all that concern, I might actually think you care about me.”

She didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. “I’ve always cared about you, Jonah. That was never the problem.”

His eyes darkened. “If that’s true, why did you never speak to me after I left?”

Did he really expect an answer that would satisfy him? “Maybe it was
because
you left.”

“Well, now I’m back, and so are you.”

As if that had fixed anything. “Lo and behold, everything’s the same. Your mom still thinks I’m the poor girl from the trailer park. The only reason she wants to make amends is because of Nathan.”

“She got saved.”

“And now I have to forgive her, or I’m the small one.” Elise pushed her plate away. “Why do I always have to be the one to bend for everyone else? My mom. Fix. Your mom. Martin.
You.
The only person in the world who doesn’t ask me for anything is Nathan. And he’s the only one who has a right to everything I am.”

“I’m sorry, Elise.” To his credit, he seemed genuine.

“Me, too.” She got up, moving to the door. “I’ll always be the poor girl you shouldn’t be with, and you’ll always be out of my league.”

“Elise—” He stood. “I need to tell you the real reason I left.”

The little dinner she’d eaten churned in her stomach. She needed sleep, but all she would probably get for the effort was restlessness, lingering pain. Nightmares. She sighed. “Let’s go sit in the living room.”

He nodded, relief washing over his features.

When he was settled beside her on the couch, Elise turned slightly toward him, bracing herself.

Jonah swallowed, his eyes on his hands clasped between his knees. “I knew I had to get space. To figure out who I was. All the usual ‘I’m twenty and I haven’t found myself yet’ stuff. But there was more to it than that. I needed space from you.”

She felt her eyes widen. “Me?”

“I couldn’t help how I felt about you. I knew you were special from the moment I met you, but there was nothing I could do about it. I was four years older and my dad warned me, over and over, not to do something that would get me in trouble.” He blew out a breath between his lips. “The marines seemed like a great way to experience life.” He looked at her. “And to give you the time you needed to grow up.”

How he felt about her?

As in, the same way she’d always felt about him? And he’d
left
? Elise squeezed her eyes shut.
God, I didn’t know that. I could have had everything I ever wanted, but I thought he walked away from me.

Elise had been right. Jonah would always and forever be out of her league. She straightened, realizing this was her one chance to say what she had to say before he found out what she’d done. “Thank you for protecting me.”

He’d protected himself, and he’d obeyed his father. But it was love for her that meant Jonah made the hard decision at an age when that was rare. As painful as it had been to go through, Elise knew now that he’d made the right decision. For both of them. They hadn’t been ready for a relationship. She hadn’t been. And yet it wasn’t long after that she let Martin persuade her into exactly that.