Kate needed it for her fall tuition.
“Okay.”
She let out a sharp breath. Okay? “I’ll be in touch once I’ve—”
“You do that. In the meantime, I have an appointment with a news reporter at WWGN in an hour.”
Her heart pounded. “No. I told you—”
He laughed. “You don’t tell me what to do. I tell you. Either you give me the ten thousand now or I meet with the reporter and give the photos to him. It’s your choice.”
Her shoulders sagged. Choice? There wasn’t any if she wanted to keep him quiet. He’d tell her secret to anyone who would listen. “I’ll be there in ten minutes.”
Chapter 14
The next morning, Nicole glared at her reflection in the bathroom mirror. Fool! Only an idiot would fall into the trap Carlo set . Imbecile! How could you be so stupid?
He’d sent the photos to upset her and scared the crap out of her by mentioning the police, upping the ante with threats of involving the press, then moved in for the kill.
He’d manipulated her into giving him all of her savings. His goal all along, and she’d fallen for his game hook, line, and sinker.
“Nicole?”
She whipped around and found Kate behind her. “How long have you been standing there?”
Kate wrung her hands together and shifted from side-to-side. “Not long. Can I talk to you for a minute?”
The uncertainty on her face had Nicole leaning back against the sink and giving Kate her full attention. “Sure, what do you need?”
“I’ve been meaning to ask you about this for a while, but you’ve been so busy and—”
“Sounds serious. What’s up?”
Kate took a deep breath. “I have an opportunity to do my next semester for school abroad—in Italy. Rome to be exact. I realize money is tight but I got a partial scholarship, and a job bartending at the pub down the street. With the scholarship, the job and the money you’ve already set aside for next semester, I think this is doable and it’s such a fantastic opportunity. There’s even an internship that goes along with it.”
Nicole flinched.
Kate’s face fell. “Forget it. I shouldn’t have asked.”
I won’t let her suffer because of my mistakes. “When do you need to make a commitment?”
“I have to put a five thousand dollar deposit down by Friday. The rest isn’t due until August.”
Four days. How could she come up with that amount of money in such a short time frame?
This wouldn’t have been a problem if you hadn’t been such an idiot and given the money to Carlo , the voice inside her sneered.
There was only one choice. Sell her mother’s diamond pendant, even though every fiber of her being rebelled against the idea. She took a deep breath and hardened her resolve. “You’ll have the money.”
A hesitant smile formed on Kate’s face. “So I can go?”
Nicole nodded. “Yes.”
“Oh my God,” Kate shrieked. She threw her arms around Nicole and hugged her tightly. “You’re the best sister in the world. I’m so excited. I can’t wait.”
Nicole closed her eyes and prayed she wouldn’t disappoint her. The two-carat pendant had been appraised at just over seven thousand dollars. She hoped the jeweler would give her at least five for the gently used piece.
Later in the day, Nicole grabbed a sandwich from the deli around the corner from her office building and walked the short distance to the bank. Her cell phone rang just before she entered. She snagged the iPhone from her coat where she’d pocketed it on the way out the door. “Hi, Kate. What’s up?”
“Can I use the car tonight? My study group is meeting at the library and then we’re going out for some dinner.”
“No problem.” She didn’t have to work at the restaurant and had planned to spend the evening working on Ashley’s wedding dress anyway.
“Thanks, Nik. I gotta go. I’m late for class.”
The call disconnected. Nicole shoved the phone back in her pocket and pulled open the door.
Once inside, she accessed the safety deposit box
“Okay.”
She let out a sharp breath. Okay? “I’ll be in touch once I’ve—”
“You do that. In the meantime, I have an appointment with a news reporter at WWGN in an hour.”
Her heart pounded. “No. I told you—”
He laughed. “You don’t tell me what to do. I tell you. Either you give me the ten thousand now or I meet with the reporter and give the photos to him. It’s your choice.”
Her shoulders sagged. Choice? There wasn’t any if she wanted to keep him quiet. He’d tell her secret to anyone who would listen. “I’ll be there in ten minutes.”
Chapter 14
The next morning, Nicole glared at her reflection in the bathroom mirror. Fool! Only an idiot would fall into the trap Carlo set . Imbecile! How could you be so stupid?
He’d sent the photos to upset her and scared the crap out of her by mentioning the police, upping the ante with threats of involving the press, then moved in for the kill.
He’d manipulated her into giving him all of her savings. His goal all along, and she’d fallen for his game hook, line, and sinker.
“Nicole?”
She whipped around and found Kate behind her. “How long have you been standing there?”
Kate wrung her hands together and shifted from side-to-side. “Not long. Can I talk to you for a minute?”
The uncertainty on her face had Nicole leaning back against the sink and giving Kate her full attention. “Sure, what do you need?”
“I’ve been meaning to ask you about this for a while, but you’ve been so busy and—”
“Sounds serious. What’s up?”
Kate took a deep breath. “I have an opportunity to do my next semester for school abroad—in Italy. Rome to be exact. I realize money is tight but I got a partial scholarship, and a job bartending at the pub down the street. With the scholarship, the job and the money you’ve already set aside for next semester, I think this is doable and it’s such a fantastic opportunity. There’s even an internship that goes along with it.”
Nicole flinched.
Kate’s face fell. “Forget it. I shouldn’t have asked.”
I won’t let her suffer because of my mistakes. “When do you need to make a commitment?”
“I have to put a five thousand dollar deposit down by Friday. The rest isn’t due until August.”
Four days. How could she come up with that amount of money in such a short time frame?
This wouldn’t have been a problem if you hadn’t been such an idiot and given the money to Carlo , the voice inside her sneered.
There was only one choice. Sell her mother’s diamond pendant, even though every fiber of her being rebelled against the idea. She took a deep breath and hardened her resolve. “You’ll have the money.”
A hesitant smile formed on Kate’s face. “So I can go?”
Nicole nodded. “Yes.”
“Oh my God,” Kate shrieked. She threw her arms around Nicole and hugged her tightly. “You’re the best sister in the world. I’m so excited. I can’t wait.”
Nicole closed her eyes and prayed she wouldn’t disappoint her. The two-carat pendant had been appraised at just over seven thousand dollars. She hoped the jeweler would give her at least five for the gently used piece.
Later in the day, Nicole grabbed a sandwich from the deli around the corner from her office building and walked the short distance to the bank. Her cell phone rang just before she entered. She snagged the iPhone from her coat where she’d pocketed it on the way out the door. “Hi, Kate. What’s up?”
“Can I use the car tonight? My study group is meeting at the library and then we’re going out for some dinner.”
“No problem.” She didn’t have to work at the restaurant and had planned to spend the evening working on Ashley’s wedding dress anyway.
“Thanks, Nik. I gotta go. I’m late for class.”
The call disconnected. Nicole shoved the phone back in her pocket and pulled open the door.
Once inside, she accessed the safety deposit box
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