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Emily stopped in her tracks. Her mother never called the shelter. She should have known it was her mother, but never expected her to sink this low. Dalton was right. She’d been foolish to keep paying her mother’s bills and bending over backward for her. This was too far, though.
Once she was alone in the office, she called her mother.
“You called the shelter and said it was urgent. What’s so important?”
“I tried your cell but it kept going to voice mail. I was wondering if I could borrow fifty dollars. There’s this thing…”
Emily rubbed her temples. Her mother never paid back money, but that wasn’t the issue right now. Emily wanted to know if she was blackmailing her, trying to destroy Dalton.
“Fifty dollars or fifty thousand?”
“What?”
She sounded confused but Emily wasn’t buying it. “Did you leave a letter on my car this morning?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“You know where I’ve been staying lately, don’t you?” Emily asked.
Her mother must have come early in the morning or even during the night to put the note on the SUV. She’d been held at the house by Dalton’s security before for stealing, so her mother had a grudge. A grudge and a blind desire for wealth.
“Everyone does. I mean the whole town knows you’ve shacked up with your millionaire boyfriend. What does this have to do with lending me fifty dollars? I know you have it.”
“Look, I just got to work two minutes ago.” She wasn’t one hundred percent sure her mother was the blackmailer so didn’t want to accuse her falsely and create more headaches for herself. And even though she felt used, she still found it too hard to say no to her mother. “I’ll run it by on my lunch hour.”
She sat alone in the office, the silence settling around her. Her thoughts were loud. Her mother was probably jealous. Emily had what her mother had been striving for since she was a child—a rich man. But Dalton’s wealth was the last reason she was with him.
She’d fallen in the love with the man, the one hidden under all the layers of hurt and pain. Even if he didn’t have a penny, she’d be with him.
The phone rang again, making her jerk to attention. Her nerves were shot.
Emily scrubbed her hand over her face, knowing it was her mother again. She probably wanted her to drop everything and rush over to her trailer immediately.
“Hello?”
The voice wasn’t human. It was deep and robotic. “I see you got the letter. I hope you’re taking it seriously. I’d hate to see your boy toy in prison and your dog shelter up for auction.”
“What do you want from me?”
Her hand began to shake so she held the phone to her ear with two hands.
“I’m watching you. I want the money in large bills this Thursday. I’ll let you know the time and place tomorrow.”
“That’s only two days,” she said. “I don’t have—”
“This isn’t a game. And all those puppies need a place to stay. I suggest you comply.”
Then the call ended.
Emily froze in place. She held her breath, the hot tears filling her eyes. Who would do this to her? Nobody knew to use the dog shelter against her except Dalton. Was this another game? Had she misread their entire relationship?
Maybe he wasn’t the man she thought he was at all. A month wasn’t long in the big picture. He could be a psychopath. Emily had nowhere to turn and no one to trust.
****
“You’ve hardly touched your food,” he said.
Emily had been pushing her vegetables around her plate with the fork since they sat down to eat dinner. She’d been quiet, distant, and it was doing a number on his insecurities.
