The By Request Collection. Kate HardyЧитать онлайн книгу.
“What are you doing snooping into my private life?”
Brooks stood firm. He could take Trace if it came to a fistfight. “Ruby deserves much better. So yeah, I hired an investigator and found out all your dirty little secrets.”
“You son of a bitch. I was going to tell her all about it. That’s why I needed to see her.”
“It’s too late to confess your sins, Evans. Just give up.”
“I have no plans of doing that. Ruby loves me.”
“Yeah, well, she’s been loving me lately.”
Evans’s free hand fisted, and his eyes hardened to stones. “I should knock you to hell and back.”
“I’m shaking in my boots.” Brooks shouldn’t have let the guy get to him. He would’ve never betrayed Ruby’s trust like that otherwise. He wasn’t a kiss-and-tell kind of guy. But hearing Evans say Ruby loved him was like a knife twisting in his gut.
“How much cash would it take for you to leave Ruby alone?” Brooks asked. “I want you out of her life, for good. Twenty-five thousand? It’s enough to cover your gambling debts. I’ll write you a check right now.”
“Asshole. You think everything can be settled with money.”
“Fifty grand?”
Evans’s brows rose in interest. “You bartering for Ruby?”
“I’m trying to protect her.” The man’s pride was keeping him from grabbing the brass ring. Brooks had to press him. “I’ll make it a hundred grand. You want the deal or not?”
A loud gasp came from behind them, and his stomach clenched in dread as he pivoted around. Ruby stood just five feet away, her arms tight around her middle and her eyes spitting red-hot fire. The burn seared through him like a scorching poker. “Ruby, how long have you been out here?”
“Long enough to hear you both acting like jerks.”
“Hey, he was the one trying to buy me off,” Evans shouted.
“And you were about to accept my offer.”
“Don’t listen to him, Ruby.” Evans took a step toward her.
She put up a halting hand that said, Don’t you dare come close. Unfortunately, the gesture was meant for Brooks, too. “I. Am. Not. Going. To. Listen. To. This. I’m done with both of you. You can go straight to hell.” With that, she spun on her heel and marched away, her shoulders ramrod stiff but the rest of her body trembling.
Brooks watched helplessly as she walked away. Her words cut deep, but nothing hurt as much as seeing the disappointment and accusation on her face.
“Looks like you blew it, Newport.”
“Screw you, Evans.”
Brooks took off after her, following her to the steps of the house. “Ruby, wait!”
She spun around instantly. The big, fat tears welling in her eyes stopped him in his tracks. “Leave me alone, Brooks.”
Serena and Eve stepped out of the house just then and, noting Ruby’s upset state, immediately ushered her into the house, flanking her like a human fortress. With a turn of their heads, the two women shot him glares that could have downed an F-16.
He ran his hands over his face, pulling the skin taut. Then he punched the air out of frustration. He should’ve known Ruby was enough of her own woman not to need his interference. Had he learned nothing from the past?
Now she was hurt and furious.
It was the last thing he wanted.
And yet somehow, he ended up being the bad guy in all of this.
* * *
In black spandex and her comfy Horses Are a Woman’s Best Friend sweatshirt, Ruby sat on her sofa, going over the events from last night in her head. Her emotions had been on a high after spending the better part of the evening with Brooks, but when she walked outside and found him in a bidding war over her with Trace, she couldn’t believe her ears. Brooks had been trying to pay her ex off to stop pursuing her, as if Ruby couldn’t make that decision on her own. As if he had the right to decide for her. The worst of it was facing the fact that she really didn’t know Brooks Newport at all. Was he the ruthless manipulator that she’d read and heard about? Was he trying to control her? Or had he really believed he was protecting her?
Her phone buzzed and she glanced at the text. It was Brooks again. He’d called and texted her last night until after midnight, apologizing in every way imaginable. She’d refused to answer any of his messages, but in each he’d called himself an imbecile, a jerk or a fool for hurting her, and that had put a smile on her face. The lofty, self-confident man was trying. She had to give him that.
But today’s text was different. Today he wrote,
I’m going to Chicago today to make all things right in my life. And then I’m coming back...for you.
A warm shiver ran up and down her body. “Oh, Galahad.”
Her doorbell chimed and she rose, checking the peephole before opening the door. Eve had called earlier to check up on her and invited herself over. Ruby was grateful she had. She needed a good friend today, and Eve was quickly becoming that. “Good morning.”
Eve’s warm smile immediately faded. “Oh, Ruby. You look exhausted. I bet you didn’t get a wink of sleep.”
“Maybe an hour or two. Come in.”
“Are you sure? I can come back later if you want to rest.”
“Heavens, no. Moping around isn’t my thing. I could use the company.”
Eve entered and wrapped her arms around Ruby, pulling her in tight. The hug was exactly what she needed at the moment. “I’m sorry you’re upset.”
“I’m...yeah. I guess upset is the right word. My emotions are all over the place.”
“I’m here if you want to talk,” Eve said.
Spilling her heart out wasn’t easy, but Eve was a thoughtful listener and someone Ruby knew she could trust. They entered the living room and took seats on the sofa next to each other.
Ruby faced Eve and didn’t hold back. She told Eve everything about Trace, how she’d fallen for him and waited for him like a fool all those months. She explained how he’d returned to Cool Springs and laid his heart on the line, trying his best to make up with her, offering her everything she’d wanted from him, a life...a future. None of the things Brooks had ever hinted at. She explained about meeting Brooks for the first time at the C’mon Inn and how they’d hit it off from the start. How surprised she’d been the next day to find out that he was one of Beau’s long lost sons.
Last night, after dancing with Brooks, she’d finally come to realize she wasn’t in love with Trace anymore. And that was before she’d heard about his indiscretions. That was before she’d learned he was trying to use her to bail him out of a financial jam.
“As painful as it is, Ruby, at least you know the truth about Trace Evans,” Eve said. “You can cross him off your list. I’m sorry he hurt you, but you dodged a bullet. And don’t be mad at me for saying this—Brooks did you a service by exposing him.”
Ruby lowered her head and rubbed at her temples. “My brain knows you’re right, Eve. But my heart...isn’t so sure.”
“According to Graham, Brooks is crazy about you. Believe me when I say this. He wouldn’t have gone to this extreme with Trace unless he was all in with you. Brooks has his flaws when it comes to confronting adversaries, but he’s passionate in what he believes and a really good guy.”
“Do good guys take off at the first sign of trouble?” She searched Eve’s earnest face, hoping to gain better perspective.
Eve took