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“And he’d prefer to be the guy who learns everyone else’s secrets, instead of the other way around. Whoever gets their hands on that diary will own the district.”
“That all sounds like the Charles we know and love.”
Sawyer silently agreed. He’d never had much time for the games played in D.C. politics, but Charles lived and breathed it. And he’d certainly done well by the family by being tapped in.
“This Niki might have plans of her own,” Dylan noted.
“I expect she does. If she’s anything like Gabriella, there’s every chance she’s planning some sophisticated blackmail scheme.”
“So, here you sit,” said Dylan. “Her brand-new, innocuous, cowboy neighbor, without a single, visible tie to D.C.”
“That’s the plan. Though we’ve hit a snag.”
“Already?” Dylan glanced pointedly at his watch. “Is that a record?”
Sawyer ignored the man’s sarcasm. “Those Terrell brothers I mentioned? Caleb and Reed. Successful men, smart from what I can see, a reasonable level of power on their own, particularly Caleb. It turns out, they really are her brothers, her half brothers, Gabriella was sleeping with more than just D.C. power brokers.”
“Do the brothers know she’s in hiding?”
“Haven’t yet figured that out,” Sawyer admitted. Though he was leaning toward them not knowing. “They didn’t seem particularly suspicious or jumpy. They were happy to welcome me, feed me a burger.”
Dylan rested one booted ankle on the opposite one. “So, what’s your next move?”
Sawyer took another mouthful of the crisp beer, letting it slide its way down his throat. “Get to know them. See if I can find a way in. Getting her to confide in me would be best.”
“Is she plain? Is she mousy?” Dylan gave him a critical once-over. “You’re a decent-looking guy, maybe you can romance the information out of her.”
“She’s a bombshell. At least, she was in D.C. She’s downplaying it out here. But I’m sure she still has plenty of offers.” It occurred to Sawyer that one of the resident Colorado cowboys might already have his eye on her. That would add yet another barrier.
“Might be your best bet,” said Dylan.
Sawyer frowned at his friend. Romancing a woman to get information from her? “That’s pretty callous, even for a guy with my genetic make-up.”
“Plus, if she’s a knockout, what chance would you have?”
Sawyer gave a snort. “I can get dates.”
“Sure, in D.C., where they know you’re a Layton. I’m talkin’ about out here, on your own, where women don’t know you’re a rich, connected guy.”
“I’m not worried.”
Not that he had any immediate interest in testing the theory with Niki or anyone else. His only goal was the diary. That would be his laser focus.
Niki knew she had to come clean with her brothers. She couldn’t fool herself any longer, pretending it was okay to keep such an important secret. Though her mother would turn over in her grave at the thought of Niki taking such an unnecessary risk. In fact, Niki could actually hear Gabriella’s voice inside her head, calling her a fool for giving up her advantage.
“Shut up,” she said out loud, briskly rubbing her freshly washed hair with a towel.
She tossed the towel on a chair in the corner of the bedroom, then ran a comb through her short hair, scrutinizing herself in the mirror above the dresser as she worked. She had to admit, this was the easiest cut she’d ever worn. A quick comb through, and it dried on its own. It was just wavy enough to have body, but stayed pretty much in place through humidity or rain showers.
She stepped into a pair of comfortable jeans, then slipped her arms into a flannel shirt. She didn’t even bother with a bra or socks. The lifestyle in Lyndon Valley was exceedingly casual.
The weather was sultry warm tonight, so she knew she’d find Caleb, Mandy, Reed and Katrina relaxing on the back deck.
If Caleb and Mandy were lucky, little Asher would be asleep, and there’d be time for an iced tea and some adult conversation. The river would rush by, and the crickets would chirp, and the scent of pine would flow down from the hillsides. On nights like this, Niki couldn’t seem to imagine going home.
As the picture bloomed in her mind, her resolve to come clean began to waver. Maybe the confession could wait. After all, it had been three months already, what was another few days or weeks?
She had a deep-down fear of being rejected by her brothers, and she hadn’t formulated a plan of what she’d do if Reed and Caleb kicked her out. Returning to D.C. and resuming her studies at GW was out of the question.
She was genuinely afraid of the men who saw her as a potential blackmailer. Not that she’d even think of blackmailing anyone. Even if she needed the money, she’d never commit a crime. And she would have happily told them all that—if she’d had any earthly idea of who they were. She remembered a few first names, but otherwise her mother had kept her romantic entanglements to herself and never shared the details with Niki. Perhaps her mom had been trying to protect her even then?
Yes, Niki was safest if she kept silent. But on the other hand, she shouldn’t take the easy way out. Reed and Caleb had been so kind and so generous, they deserved to know exactly who they were helping.
She squared her shoulders in determination, leaving the bedroom and making her way to the staircase that led to the main floor. She tried to imagine how the conversation would go. Reed was a big, imposing man, but he was unfailingly fair and gentle. Certainly he’d been sympathetic to Niki so far, and she’d never once seen him raise his voice at Katrina or anyone else. Caleb was thoughtful, smart and doggedly determined. He worked hard and expected the same of the people around him.
Both of her brothers had high standards for themselves and everyone else. And she was fairly certain her behavior wouldn’t have met those high standards. Would they merely be disappointed? Would they understand on any level? Would they be angry?
She shuddered at the thought of making either of them angry. Nor did she want to disappoint them, either. But their understanding might be too much to hope for under the circumstances.
Maybe if she’d been honest with them from the start. But back then they’d been strangers to her. And she hadn’t dared share her secret with anyone in the world.
Now, as she cut the corner on the living room, she tried desperately to muster her courage. But as she pulled open the glass door to the deck, a heavy weight settled over her chest. Her heart struggled through deep beats, and her palms turned moist.
It was almost anticlimactic to find Katrina alone outside. She was lounging in one of the comfortable, padded chairs that overlooked a few lighted staff cabins near the river. The hills were black, and a million stars were scattered in the sky.
“Where is everybody?” Niki asked, half relieved, half distressed at having to wait even longer to bare her soul.
“In the barn. Lame horse. The vet’s out there.”
“Is everything okay?”
“It’s not serious,” said Katrina. “Just interesting.” She paused. “For them.”
Despite herself, Niki couldn’t help but smile at Katrina’s grimace. It was no secret that while the rest of the Terrell and Jacobs families were horse crazy, Katrina was afraid of the animals.
Katrina pointed to a bottle of merlot on the table in front of her. “Join me? I’m on Asher duty.” She glanced up at an open, second-floor window.
“Sure.” Alcohol sounded like a good idea. Maybe putting off the confession wasn’t the worst thing in the world. There was every chance it would be easier after a glass of wine.
Katrina rose, selecting a second glass from the table and pouring the deep, red liquid.
Then she turned and paused on Niki’s expression. “Everything okay?”
Niki’s stomach tightened. “It’s fine. Why?”
Katrina handed her the glass. “For a second there, you reminded me of Reed.”
“You think I look like Reed?” Niki sure hoped not. While Reed was a ruggedly handsome man, he was all male, totally masculine.
“Every once in a while, I can see it around the eyes, and the way you purse your lips. He does that when he’s worried.” Katrina considered her for a long moment. “It reminds me that he inherited some things from his father.”
“I really don’t see a resemblance between us,” Niki responded honestly.
She’d searched each of her brothers’ features on more than one occasion, and she’d never been able to identify any similarities.
Katrina eased back down into her chair, gesturing for Niki to take the seat next to her. “It’s more an expression than a specific feature. But don’t tell Reed he looks anything like his father.” She tossed back her hair and took a sip of her wine.
Niki followed suit, letting the warmth of the alcohol flow through her stomach and send an almost instant shot of relaxation into her veins.
“I doubt I’d get the chance,” said Niki. “They never say much about Wilton.”
She hadn’t wanted to pry, and aside from pointing their father out in a couple of pictures, and having initially expressed their complete and utter disbelief that he might have cheated on their mother, both Reed and Caleb had kept their thoughts to themselves.
“They never will,” Katrina said softly, her eyes clouding.
“I take it you know why?”
“I do. It’s complicated. They had a very strained relationship.”
Niki was sorry, if not completely surprised to hear it. There was obvious tension whenever Wilton was mentioned.
“Does it hurt them to have me here?” she couldn’t help but ask.
“What?” Katrina seemed surprised by the question. “No. Of course not. This is your home.”
Niki gave a sad smile at the irony. “It’s not my home. I’m little more than a stranger to you all.”
“No more a stranger than I am,” said Katrina.
“You were born here,” Niki returned. “Your sisters and brothers are here.”
“So are yours.”
“It’s not the same thing.”
The idea that Katrina could ever be considered a stranger to the Jacobs and Terrell families was preposterous. Even if she had spent many years at boarding school in New York City, Katrina had been the youngest Jacobs daughter her entire life. Everybody knew her. Everybody loved her.
“I spend most of my life away from here,” said Katrina, continuing to sip her way through the glass of wine.
Niki was grateful, but she wasn’t buying it. “I appreciate you trying to make me feel better.”
“That’s not what I’m doing. Well, maybe a little bit. It’s obvious something’s wrong. Are you feeling bad because you don’t know much about Wilton?”
“I don’t need to know much.” Niki downplayed her curiosity. She desperately wished she knew more about her father, good or bad.
“The negativity and complexity have nothing to do with you.”
“Whatever it is, I can handle it.” The assertion was out of Niki’s mouth before she realized it put Katrina in an awkward position.
“I’m sorry,” she quickly added. “I didn’t mean—”
“He was a cold, brutal man,” Katrina told her. Her expression somber.
Brutal? “He beat them?”
“By today’s standards, absolutely. But mostly, he was just plain nasty. He worked them into the ground, no empathy, no sympathy. Because of his temper, their mother died of pneumonia.”
Niki had learned earlier that Sasha had died when Reed and Caleb were seventeen.
“The poor woman was so utterly afraid of Wilton, that she never told anyone how sick she was feeling.”
Niki swallowed.
“Reed and Caleb both blamed Wilton for her death. To this day, they say he killed her. Back then, Caleb walked out, while Reed stayed to fight.”
“I had no idea,” Niki whispered, feeling a little numb.
Katrina topped up their glasses. “Of course you didn’t.”
Niki gazed at the dark liquid. She couldn’t help thinking about her own mother, Gabriella’s rather calculating, manipulative character. “Nice genetics I’ve got going here.”
Katrina tossed her blond hair. “The genetics haven’t done Reed any harm, nor Caleb, nor you.”
Niki fought against the urge to confess who she was and what she was doing here. She might not beat anyone, but she certainly wasn’t a very good person.
“My opinion,” said Katrina. “Wilton was a phenomenon. All that bad blood running through his system, but he produced terrific kids. And you’re part of the living proof.”
“I wish I was,” said Niki, her stomach cramping with guilt.
Katrina touched her hand. “You’re looking like Reed again.”
Niki struggled to smooth out her features, but the compassion in Katrina’s eyes was more than she could bear. She had to tell her. She opened her mouth to speak.
“I’m going to make it better,” Katrina vowed, carrying on before Niki had a chance to explain. “Here’s what we’re going to do. I was planning to go through the attic soon, to pick out some of Reed’s things for the new house. You can help me. Who knows what we’ll find out about your heritage up there.”
Niki closed her mouth. It was tempting, so incredibly tempting to learn more about her biological family. But to do that, she’d have to postpone her confession. And that meant Gabriella won again—always a dangerous thing.
Niki gave her better principles one final effort. “I don’t want to invade Reed and Caleb’s privacy. If they’d rather I didn’t—”
“That’s not going to be a problem.” Katrina waved a dismissive hand.
“They don’t seem to want me to know,” Niki added.
“They don’t want to talk about it,” said Katrina. “That doesn’t mean they don’t want you to know. Trust me on this.”
“Trust you on what?” came Reed’s voice as he opened the sliding door.
“Girl talk,” Katrina responded easily. “Niki’s going to help me in the attic.”
