The Lawman’s Blackmailed Bride (Billionaire Brothers 3): BBW Romance by Jenn Roseton
Authors: Jenn Roseton
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jerk.”
***
Phoebe’s heart thudded as they pulled up outside the store. The lights were on, although it was way past closing time.
Her finger traced the brown faux leather of her purse. “I need to confront him.” She raised her eyes to Cole. “I need to tell him I know who he really is.”
“I’ll be with you.”
Touched at the caring tone of his voice, she nodded. “Thanks.”
“Are you sure you want to do this?” He tilted her chin up, looking into her eyes. “I can take care of him.”
She stared at him, torn for a split-second. It would be a lot easier if she just left this to Cole. But she needed to do this - for herself. Her spine stiffened. “I’ve got this.”
He exhaled. “Okay. But I’ll be right by your side. If he tries anything, let me handle him.”
“ Okay.” Suddenly wishing she’d learned self-defense, Phoebe acquiesced to his demand.
Cole laced his fingers through hers as they approached the store. The screeching bell warned the occupant of their arrival.
“We’re closed,” a muffled voice echoed from the back room. A moment later, Victor emerged, looking just as dapper as the day Phoebe fled the store with the coin. But his eyes looked strained and his hair didn’t look quite as polished and pomaded as usual.
“ You!” The snarl in his voice almost made her jump. “I’m going to call the cops and have you arrested.” He reached for the phone.
“ Before you do.” Cole’s grim voice halted the other man’s movements. “You might be interested to know exactly what Phoebe did with the coin.” He nodded encouragingly at her.
She straightened her shoulders. “I acquired a proper, written valuation from a coin expert in South Dakota and I’ve already returned the coin and the valuation to Mrs. Miller.”
“South Dakota.” Victor scowled. “No wonder I couldn’t find you.”
“ You came after me?” Her heart rate accelerated.
“ You took something that belonged to a client. Of course I looked for you. Kurt and I scoured Cheyenne.”
“ Only Cheyenne?”
“ Yes. Why?”
“ Just checking.” Victor hadn’t been the man she’d overheard in the motel parking lot last night. S he drew in a deep breath. “You know I overheard you talking to Kurt about your plan to switch the coin with a practically worthless one. That’s why I took it. I wasn’t going to let you cheat that nice old lady.”
“ Prove it.” Victor curled his lip.
“ She doesn’t have to,” Cole informed him. “I’ve got contacts on the force and they’re already doing everything in their power to ensure you’re arrested for anything you’ve gotten up to in the past few years.”
Victor paled under his tanning bed tan.
“They already suspect you’ve used muscle to stop the people you’ve duped from pressing charges. The police will re-interview those people very carefully. It’s over, Blackwood,” Cole continued. “Your nice little sideline in swindling people out of valuable antiques has come to an end.”
“ Get out!” Victor shook with rage. “And don’t come back here again, either of you.”
“ I wouldn’t want to. I quit!” Phoebe tossed over her shoulder as Cole held the door open for her. She wasn’t sure what the future held, but right now she didn’t care. She felt empowered. And she’d never experience another morning feeling dread inside her when she woke up and realized she had to work at the store.
“ We did it!” She threw her arms around Cole, hugging him tight.
He hugged her back, his arms wrapped around her waist, then drew back to look into her upturned face. “ You did it. You trusted your instincts and went for it.” He kissed her deeply. “I was just the guy lucky enough to have you jump into my car.”
CHAPTER 8
Phoebe looked at herself in the mirror, noting the way her new peach dress flattered her curves instead of hiding them. Cole was coming over tonight, and she wanted to look perfect.
For the last three months,
***
Phoebe’s heart thudded as they pulled up outside the store. The lights were on, although it was way past closing time.
Her finger traced the brown faux leather of her purse. “I need to confront him.” She raised her eyes to Cole. “I need to tell him I know who he really is.”
“I’ll be with you.”
Touched at the caring tone of his voice, she nodded. “Thanks.”
“Are you sure you want to do this?” He tilted her chin up, looking into her eyes. “I can take care of him.”
She stared at him, torn for a split-second. It would be a lot easier if she just left this to Cole. But she needed to do this - for herself. Her spine stiffened. “I’ve got this.”
He exhaled. “Okay. But I’ll be right by your side. If he tries anything, let me handle him.”
“ Okay.” Suddenly wishing she’d learned self-defense, Phoebe acquiesced to his demand.
Cole laced his fingers through hers as they approached the store. The screeching bell warned the occupant of their arrival.
“We’re closed,” a muffled voice echoed from the back room. A moment later, Victor emerged, looking just as dapper as the day Phoebe fled the store with the coin. But his eyes looked strained and his hair didn’t look quite as polished and pomaded as usual.
“ You!” The snarl in his voice almost made her jump. “I’m going to call the cops and have you arrested.” He reached for the phone.
“ Before you do.” Cole’s grim voice halted the other man’s movements. “You might be interested to know exactly what Phoebe did with the coin.” He nodded encouragingly at her.
She straightened her shoulders. “I acquired a proper, written valuation from a coin expert in South Dakota and I’ve already returned the coin and the valuation to Mrs. Miller.”
“South Dakota.” Victor scowled. “No wonder I couldn’t find you.”
“ You came after me?” Her heart rate accelerated.
“ You took something that belonged to a client. Of course I looked for you. Kurt and I scoured Cheyenne.”
“ Only Cheyenne?”
“ Yes. Why?”
“ Just checking.” Victor hadn’t been the man she’d overheard in the motel parking lot last night. S he drew in a deep breath. “You know I overheard you talking to Kurt about your plan to switch the coin with a practically worthless one. That’s why I took it. I wasn’t going to let you cheat that nice old lady.”
“ Prove it.” Victor curled his lip.
“ She doesn’t have to,” Cole informed him. “I’ve got contacts on the force and they’re already doing everything in their power to ensure you’re arrested for anything you’ve gotten up to in the past few years.”
Victor paled under his tanning bed tan.
“They already suspect you’ve used muscle to stop the people you’ve duped from pressing charges. The police will re-interview those people very carefully. It’s over, Blackwood,” Cole continued. “Your nice little sideline in swindling people out of valuable antiques has come to an end.”
“ Get out!” Victor shook with rage. “And don’t come back here again, either of you.”
“ I wouldn’t want to. I quit!” Phoebe tossed over her shoulder as Cole held the door open for her. She wasn’t sure what the future held, but right now she didn’t care. She felt empowered. And she’d never experience another morning feeling dread inside her when she woke up and realized she had to work at the store.
“ We did it!” She threw her arms around Cole, hugging him tight.
He hugged her back, his arms wrapped around her waist, then drew back to look into her upturned face. “ You did it. You trusted your instincts and went for it.” He kissed her deeply. “I was just the guy lucky enough to have you jump into my car.”
CHAPTER 8
Phoebe looked at herself in the mirror, noting the way her new peach dress flattered her curves instead of hiding them. Cole was coming over tonight, and she wanted to look perfect.
For the last three months,
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