“He’s sure the hell not fit to be in Josie’s life,” Carter said. His voice was firm and harsh. More than she’d heard before.

  “Absolutely not,” she said.

  “No,” Griffin said. “You won’t know his plan unless you ask. Or you wait. Offense is always the best defense. Control your narrative. But that’s up to you.”

  She nodded her head. “I’ll think about it. I can’t jump. That isn’t how I live my life.”

  “Understood,” Griffin said. “If I can get your number, I’ll let you know if he leaves the casino. Not sure that means he’ll seek you out, but it could. There are cameras at the docks. I’ll know when he’s gone from the island.”

  She gave Griffin her number. “I’ll let you know soon what I’m going to do.”

  She and Carter left the casino, but he didn’t pull out of the parking garage. “What are you going to do?”

  “I don’t know. I have to think about this.”

  “Are you going to tell me at least when you figure it out?”

  Avery turned to look at him. She’d never seen him look unsure of himself before. “I want to say no. That I’ll handle it on my own, but you pointed out enough times that I’m not alone and shouldn’t do that.”

  “I’m going to point it out again too,” he said.

  “I’ll let you know when I decide,” she said. She waited for a second and then added, “I can buy him off. I’ve got access to the funds for that. It’s all I can think of. That he wants money. Why not give it to him to make sure he stays gone?”

  “Because no one ever stays away, Avery. That isn’t how the world works. Men like him, he’ll come back again for more. He’ll know you’ve got it to give to him and he’ll fight to say he has the right to it all.”

  “He doesn’t know what I’ve got though,” she argued.

  “An undisclosed lawsuit normally means at least a million or more. You know that. But as you said, there was a life insurance policy and then social security. To a man down on his luck, ten dollars is a lot.”

  “I suppose you’re right,” she said.

  “I know I am. I’m not going to tell you what to do. Don’t think that. I want you to tell me what you decide.”

  “Really?” she asked.

  “Yes. It’s not my decision. I get that. But I’m going to support you and be by your side either way.”

  “Thank you for that,” she said. “Let’s go get Josie now.”

  He looked at his watch. “I’m sure she’s still baking with my mother. My mom was taking her to dinner too. You haven’t eaten. Why don’t we go get something fast first? I’ll stay tonight.”

  He didn’t ask if he could. Just said he was going to. She wanted to argue, but the truth was, she did feel safer having Carter in the house.

  As hard as it was to let someone else in, she realized the comfort it brought made up for it.

  “Why do you think Griffin showed me what he did today? That room. You didn’t know it was there, did you?”

  “No,” he said. “I didn’t. But I’m not surprised either. And he showed you because he trusts you.”

  “He doesn’t know me,” she said.

  “He knows me. I’d never lose my heart to someone that couldn’t be trusted,” he said.

  Carter sure knew how to take the wind out of her anger sails.

  37

  Has To Be Done

  “Are you sure about this?” Laine asked her quietly the next night. She’d dropped Josie off for her private lesson at five thirty and then was going to meet Carter back at her house.

  “I’m not sure about much,” she whispered. “But this has to be done. I can’t live in fear of when he’ll show up again.”

  “I told you before, do what you think Colleen would,” Laine said, then paused when Josie moved closer. “Josie, if you are ready now, you can go back and start painting. I’ll be there in a minute.”

  She watched as Josie went to the room in back once her smock was on.

  “That is why I’m doing this. I got thinking that Colleen would do anything to protect Josie. She made sure that Mike was out of Josie’s life. There has to be a reason and I’m going to honor it.”

  “You never knew?” Laine asked.

  “I knew he treated Colleen like crap. He took advantage of her. They hadn’t been dating long, but he was always borrowing money or needed something. One day he was nice and sorry if he’d come off like a jerk, saying he was under stress; the other days he was a different man.”

  “Mental health issues?” Laine asked.

  “No. I don’t think so.” At least she figured if there was a way for that to be found Griffin would have. “I think it’s the gambling. When he was winning or needed money he was nice and tried to sweeten her up. When he was losing or someone was breathing down his neck, then he was the ass.”

  “Then you will do what you think is the right thing. Carter is going with you, right? You’re not going alone?” Laine asked. Her friend was staring her down.

  “Yes, he’s going.”

  “But you’d rather he didn’t?” Laine asked.

  “I don’t know what I want. I’m still annoyed with him. I don’t need him to stand in front of me.”

  Laine laughed. “A strong man that loves you and wants to be there for you. Oh no. One not afraid to stand in front of you and take the burn of the fire in your place. Get me a sword, we need to cut him down.”

  “Very funny,” she said to Laine.

  “Hey,” Laine said. “I would have loved to have some man do that for me in my life. I would have loved my father to do it.”

  “Your dad would have if he could have,” she said.

  Laine’s father was in a wheelchair. There was money there, but Avery never heard much of where it came from. Only that her father was a sweetheart when he’d visited Laine in college.

  “No,” Laine said. “My father would have hired someone to do it for him. Even if he could stand in front of me, he wouldn’t. I get it. It wasn’t his thing.”

  “But he got it done his way,” she said.

  “Yes,” Laine said. “And so will you. Keep me posted. If you’re late, no worries. I’ll keep her here until you’re ready. I’ll make something up.”

  “Thanks,” she said. “But I don’t think it will be long. The longest part will be me and Carter having our talk.”

  “Go gentle on the guy,” Laine said. “He has a heart of gold and remember that is where it’s all coming from.”

  She didn’t need the reminder.

  She drove home and Carter was already waiting there for her. His truck in the driveway. She got out of her SUV and climbed into his.

  “Ready?” he asked.

  “Yes,” she said. “Let’s get this over with.”

  “Do you know what you’re doing?” he asked.

  She hadn’t talked to him much. Just texted him this morning and said that after work she wanted to meet with Mike. That Griffin was right and it was best to catch Mike unaware rather than wait for Mike to make the move.

  She believed beyond a doubt Mike knew she and Josie were on this island and she wasn’t going to live her life in fear or waiting.

  “Sort of,” she said. There was some silence as he started his truck and they pulled out. She appreciated he wasn’t pushing her. “I want to see how it plays out.”

  “Okay,” he said.

  “I was going to offer him money to go away, but you’re right. I’m not.”

  “Good,” he said.

  “I want to ask him why he wants Josie. I think that is a fair question,” she said.

  “What if he says he wants to get to know his daughter?” he asked. “That he made a mistake signing his rights away.”

  “I don’t think he’ll say that. And if he does, then I’ll know if he’s telling the truth or lying.”

  “How is that?” he asked.

  “I remembered last night. Actually it was a dream I had of Colleen. It was something she’d said and I woke up and it occurred to me. She said she always knew when Mike was lying to her about something. He’d rub his thumb with his finger. Like a nervous movement of sorts.”

  “Do you believe he wants to be in Josie’s life?” he asked.

  “No. But I want him to look me in the eye and lie. Then I can call him out on it.”

  Not that she thought it’d make much of a difference, but she wanted to see how this all played out, as she’d said.

  They’d be in a public place. She knew she was safe. Not only because Carter was with her, but Griffin would be close by too.

  She’d tried to tell herself she could do this alone, but the truth was, she realized that she didn’t need to.

  That was a hard pill for her to swallow. She’d make sure Carter understood this all too.

  They drove to the casino in silence after that. She was used to it with Carter. There were plenty of times he was at the house and they didn’t talk. Just watched TV or played a game with Josie.

  She didn’t expect him to be someone he wasn’t and she was going to make damn sure he got that too.

  They pulled into the casino, parked and got out. She’d already texted Griffin they were on the way.

  “He’s in the casino,” Griffin said when she walked in the door after Carter had opened and held it for her.

  “Okay,” she said. “I want to go up and sit by him. See if he recognizes me.”

  “Do you think he won’t?” Carter asked. “I don’t like this.”

  “I’m not sure he’ll remember me. He knows my name, but he’d only met me a few times. He’s not going to do anything to me with you two there.”

  “Let’s go,” Griffin said. “And don’t worry, Carter. Avery is right. He won’t cause a scene. I’ve been watching him for the past two days.”

  “Has he been drinking today?” Carter asked.

  “Yes, but not much. He’s been winning today. He’s feeling lucky and maybe cocky.”

  “This could be a mistake then,” Carter said.

  “Nope,” she said. “Because I’m feeling lucky and cocky too. I want him to push my buttons.”

  She walked right past the two men with her head held high and into the casino and then realized she had no idea where she was going.

  Griffin tapped her arm and nodded his head and she followed him to a table in the back. A little after six on a Thursday at the end of February didn’t bring a lot of people out yet.

  There were only two at the table Mike was at. She took the seat to his right, Carter to the left. Griffin was standing behind them. The guy had nowhere to go.

  “Hello, Mike,” she said when he was dealt his cards.

  He turned his head sharply, frowned and then said, “Avery?”

  “Yes,” she said. “You remember me.”

  “How did you know I was here?” Mike asked. He put his cards down, then tapped the table for the hit.

  “The bigger question is—why you are here? You and I both know it has nothing to do with wanting to gamble here so far from home.”

  Mike turned his head and looked at Carter on the other side of him. Noticing the dealer’s eyes shift behind, Mike turned to see Griffin standing there in his suit, his hands in his pockets looking calm and at ease, but she sensed internally that wasn’t the case.

  “Deal him out after this hand,” Griffin said. “We’ll take this somewhere private.”

  She was glad Griffin did that.

  “Maybe I’m on a winning streak and don’t want to leave. Let me see the owner,” Mike said, turning to look at Griffin again.

  “He’s going to tell you the same thing I did,” Griffin said. “But sure.” Griffin nodded his head and she turned to see Eli walking closer to them dressed very similar to Griffin. The hired muscle and the owner, though Griffin looked as if he could have owned the place too.

  “You need me for something?” Eli said to Griffin.

  “Are you the owner?” Mike asked.

  “Eli Bond,” Eli said, putting his hand out. Avery could see Eli was squeezing it a little harder than normal. “Deal him out and we’ll take this somewhere private as you were told. Just doing a service to my cousin.”

  “Cousin?” Mike asked, looking at her.

  “Me,” Carter said from the other side. “Let’s go.”

  Avery was losing her patience. But she wouldn’t put on a scene here. Good lord, she’d never had a man stand up for her in her life and yet here was Carter’s family all but circling the wagons to make sure she came out on top and didn’t even get a speck of dust on her from the storm.

  Carter and she stood up; Mike tossed his cards down and pulled in his chips. There was a pile in front of him, but that meant nothing to her in terms of value.

  No one said a word and they were brought down a hall into a private conference room.

  Griffin and Eli took their leave, but something told her they’d be waiting outside the door.

  “What’s this all about?” Mike asked.

  “You know what it’s about,” Avery said, “but I’m going to give you a chance to tell me. Two months ago you threatened me that you wanted Josie. No word since, and now, you’re here on the island. Why?”

  “I didn’t threaten you,” Mike argued.

  Colleen’s ex wasn’t a big guy. Maybe five foot seven, a hundred and seventy pounds. Next to Carter who was over six foot and two hundred pounds of muscle, there was no comparison.

  Then there was the fact Carter wasn’t saying a word. He wasn’t cracking a grin. He was showing no expression at all.

  It was intimidating as all hell.

  “We beg to differ,” she said, crossing her arms. “Why do you want to see Josie?”

  “I said I wanted my daughter,” Mike said.

  He couldn’t even say he wanted to see her first. To meet her. To get to know her.

  If he cared about his child that he’d never met, he’d do all those things first.

  “Why?” she asked again.

  “I want to get to know her,” Mike said. Her eyes went to his hand. He was rubbing his finger over his thumb even when he was staring her in the eye. He’d caught her gaze there and stopped the movement, crossing his arms this time in front of his chest like she was doing.

  “No,” she said. “You had a chance for all of that and signed it over easily enough to get out of having to support her.”

  “It was a mistake,” Mike said.

  “Then where have you been the past eight years?” Carter asked.

  “That’s none of your business,” Mike said, turning to Carter. “I’m not sure why you’re even here.”

  “Not that it’s any of your concern, but Carter and I are in a relationship. He loves Josie as much as I do. Like his daughter.”

  “I’ll be there for her and protect her,” Carter said. “That means from you.”

  Carter’s arms were crossed like Mike’s.

  “You haven’t been here that long,” Mike said.

  “That means nothing to you,” Avery said. “What I’m going to tell you is that you’ve got no claim on Josie at all. If you think you want to try, you’re going to have to find some damn good lawyers because mine are out of Hailey Bond’s office. If you don’t know the firm, you can look it up. As you can tell, it’s kind of a close-knit family and community here.”

  “We watch out for our own,” Carter said.

  “I need money,” Mike said. “If you gave me some, I’d go away. I’ll sign whatever you want me to and never come back.”

  It was exactly what she thought it’d be and it’d be easy to say sure, but it wouldn’t solve anything.

  “I don’t need to give you any money or have you sign any papers. I’ve got them all.” She pulled an envelope out of her large purse and slapped it on the table. “Copies for you. The ones where you signed your paternal rights away are with it. If you think you can find a lawyer to fight that, go ahead.” She turned to leave on that note, but then stopped. “And I’ll know if you’re back on this island again. Just like I knew now. Remember that the next time you want to mess with me.”

  She opened the door and stormed out, Carter behind her.

  Griffin and Eli went into the room with Mike and she didn’t care what was said to him then. She needed to get out of there before she passed out.

  38

  Show of Confidence

  Carter was trying to gather his thoughts after he’d witnessed that spectacular show of confidence and authority from Avery.

  He wasn’t sure she had it in her but should have never doubted it.

  She didn’t say a word to him as she marched to his truck, him almost running to keep up with her.

  She got inside of it and all but collapsed, putting her head between her knees.

  “What the fuck?” he said, jumping out and running to the other side and opening the door. “What’s wrong?”

  “Get me home,” she said. “My heart is racing, but it’s adrenaline. I’ll be fine. I’ve faced much worse. It will pass.”

  “I’m not sure,” he said. “I’m going to carry you back inside to get medical help.”

  “No!” she said. Her head was still down. “Take me home. I’m fine. I mean it. Just do it.”

  She’d never snapped at him like that before, but he took a step back and would have to trust her.

  By the time they got back to her house, she was sitting up and breathing in and out with her eyes shut.

  He parked in her driveway and went around to the door to help her, but she got out on her own and was steady on her feet as she walked up the front porch, unlocked the door and then sat on the couch after taking her jacket off.

  “Want to tell me what that was about?” he asked.

  He’d seen Eli’s and Griffin’s faces when she stormed out. The grins they had that they were as impressed as him by what they’d heard.

  “What?” she asked. “I’m sure you understood what I said in there.”

  “We’ll get to that in a minute. I meant your reaction in the truck.”

  “Panic attack,” she said. “Or adrenaline. Not sure. The same thing happened to me after I found out about Colleen. I’ve never had it happen before that and not since.”