turning into a gun-toting adventuress. I’m sure you’ll deny you had anything to do with it.”
“Leave Jordanna out of this!” her father snapped. “She’s a woman. No one would mistake her for anything else. Even when she’s carrying a rifle, she’s all woman.”
There was a sound of something being slammed onto a table top. “Why did you come in here, Fletcher? Was it just to start a quarrel before the party?” Olivia demanded. “You aren’t going to spoil my evening because I’m not going to let you!”
“Why? Is this evening special? Have you invited your current lover?” He was arrogantly sarcastic. “Is it anyone I know? I hope you introduce me to him.”
“If I did, what would you do?” Olivia challenged. “Do you think you might challenge him to a fight? Or would you look the other way and pretend you didn’t know he’s my lover?” Her mockery of him was deliberately cruel. Even Jordanna flinched at it.
“Who is it, Livvie?” Her father’s voice rumbled in a low, ominous threat.
“A man. A very special man. When he holds me, I actually forget that you even exist, Fletcher. It’s an extraordinarily pleasant sensation.”
The bitterness had accumulated to gargantuan proportions over the years of their marriage, until it was too high to be surmounted, too deep to be subverted, and too wide to be bridged. The ugliness was more than Jordanna could stomach. She retreated to her room and closed the door.
As a child, their venomous arguments had made her physically ill. They were no easier to take at twenty-four. Jordanna had no idea how long she had been sitting on the edge of her bed, hugging her arms around her stomach. There was a knock at her door, but she didn’t hear it.
The door opened. “Jordanna?” Her brother walked in and paused. “The guests are arriving. Aren’t you coming?” She glanced up, looking at him but not seeing him. A furrow formed between his dark brows as he walked toward her. “What’s the matter?”
“Why don’t they destroy each other and be done with it? Why do they keep tearing each other to pieces bit by bit? At Jordanna’s tortured questions, Christopher breathed in deeply, held it, and released it in a weary sigh. “She taunts him with her lovers, Kit. She brags about them as if they were trophies. Why doesn’t she leave him?”
“Do you think she hasn’t tried?” he murmured.
Her eyes widened. “But . . .” she began in confusion.
“Dad won’t give her a divorce, Jordanna,” he stated. “God knows you and I might have had a more pleasant childhood if he had, but . . .” There wasn’t any needto finish the rest. “You can’t let their problems become your burden, Jordanna Come on.” He extended a hand toward her. “No one will ever see that gown if you stay in this room.” His mouth quirked into a coaxing smile. Jordanna hesitated, then placed her hand in his. As a child, she could hide in her room; but she was an adult and life went on.
Chapter V
M AX WAS WAITING in the lobby as Brig stepped out of the elevator. Brig didn’t bother with the pleasantries of a meeting. His glance encompassed his cousin and the area immediately around him.
“Where’s your wife? Aren’t you taking her to the party?” Brig was irritable and he was taking it out on Max. Dressed in a tan suit and tie, he’d left his hat in the hotel room. He felt naked without it, but less conspicuous.
“Charlotte and I got a divorce five years ago, shortly after the kids were grown. I thought you knew.” Max started toward the entrance. “We’ll catch a cab outside.”
“I suppose she finally got tired of you stepping out on her all the time.” Brig was aware he was picking on Max, deliberately baiting him, and using him as a scapegoat for the decision that was eating him raw inside. But he couldn’t seem to stop himself. “I have often wondered if the only way you get any thrill out of sex is by doing it behind someone’s
“Leave Jordanna out of this!” her father snapped. “She’s a woman. No one would mistake her for anything else. Even when she’s carrying a rifle, she’s all woman.”
There was a sound of something being slammed onto a table top. “Why did you come in here, Fletcher? Was it just to start a quarrel before the party?” Olivia demanded. “You aren’t going to spoil my evening because I’m not going to let you!”
“Why? Is this evening special? Have you invited your current lover?” He was arrogantly sarcastic. “Is it anyone I know? I hope you introduce me to him.”
“If I did, what would you do?” Olivia challenged. “Do you think you might challenge him to a fight? Or would you look the other way and pretend you didn’t know he’s my lover?” Her mockery of him was deliberately cruel. Even Jordanna flinched at it.
“Who is it, Livvie?” Her father’s voice rumbled in a low, ominous threat.
“A man. A very special man. When he holds me, I actually forget that you even exist, Fletcher. It’s an extraordinarily pleasant sensation.”
The bitterness had accumulated to gargantuan proportions over the years of their marriage, until it was too high to be surmounted, too deep to be subverted, and too wide to be bridged. The ugliness was more than Jordanna could stomach. She retreated to her room and closed the door.
As a child, their venomous arguments had made her physically ill. They were no easier to take at twenty-four. Jordanna had no idea how long she had been sitting on the edge of her bed, hugging her arms around her stomach. There was a knock at her door, but she didn’t hear it.
The door opened. “Jordanna?” Her brother walked in and paused. “The guests are arriving. Aren’t you coming?” She glanced up, looking at him but not seeing him. A furrow formed between his dark brows as he walked toward her. “What’s the matter?”
“Why don’t they destroy each other and be done with it? Why do they keep tearing each other to pieces bit by bit? At Jordanna’s tortured questions, Christopher breathed in deeply, held it, and released it in a weary sigh. “She taunts him with her lovers, Kit. She brags about them as if they were trophies. Why doesn’t she leave him?”
“Do you think she hasn’t tried?” he murmured.
Her eyes widened. “But . . .” she began in confusion.
“Dad won’t give her a divorce, Jordanna,” he stated. “God knows you and I might have had a more pleasant childhood if he had, but . . .” There wasn’t any needto finish the rest. “You can’t let their problems become your burden, Jordanna Come on.” He extended a hand toward her. “No one will ever see that gown if you stay in this room.” His mouth quirked into a coaxing smile. Jordanna hesitated, then placed her hand in his. As a child, she could hide in her room; but she was an adult and life went on.
Chapter V
M AX WAS WAITING in the lobby as Brig stepped out of the elevator. Brig didn’t bother with the pleasantries of a meeting. His glance encompassed his cousin and the area immediately around him.
“Where’s your wife? Aren’t you taking her to the party?” Brig was irritable and he was taking it out on Max. Dressed in a tan suit and tie, he’d left his hat in the hotel room. He felt naked without it, but less conspicuous.
“Charlotte and I got a divorce five years ago, shortly after the kids were grown. I thought you knew.” Max started toward the entrance. “We’ll catch a cab outside.”
“I suppose she finally got tired of you stepping out on her all the time.” Brig was aware he was picking on Max, deliberately baiting him, and using him as a scapegoat for the decision that was eating him raw inside. But he couldn’t seem to stop himself. “I have often wondered if the only way you get any thrill out of sex is by doing it behind someone’s
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