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“This is a great party,” Anne finally offered. “You must be super proud of Eliza for starting her own company. I know I am.”
Roman gave a soft snort. “I’m not sure she had a choice. She was fired from her last job.”
“I didn’t realize that.”
“I’m surprised she didn’t tell you. It seems she shares the rest of her secrets with you.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Eliza must have told you about the private investigator she hired to follow me around. You didn’t find Luke on your own.”
“N-no.” Anne choked on the lie. “Roman, it’s not—”
Roman pressed a finger to his lips to shush her. “I don’t care about all that. And before you ask, don’t worry. I haven’t mentioned a word to Mark, though I did consider it. I think a husband has a right to know when he’s being followed. From experience.”
Anne felt the color drain from her face. Her fingers trembled. She had blown everything. The only scenario worse than Anne confronting her husband about the affair, about the PI and the stalking and everything else, was someone else beating her to the punch. Especially someone like Roman.
It was with a slow dawning of realization that Anne saw there was more to Roman than she had anticipated. His silences weren’t accidentally awkward—they were planned, manipulative devices. He had a way with words, the ability to twist them, stretching and expanding and shrinking them until they were mere remnants of their former selves, like a stretched-out rubber band left to curl in on itself after the elasticity had tired.
Anne was also certain that Roman was aware of his looks and the effect they had on women. However, this evening, Roman didn’t need to use his looks or his cunning or his twisted silences to spark fear in Anne. He was using pure, old-fashioned techniques. Blackmail.
“What do you want me to say?” Anne’s body quivered as she hovered in the chasm between anger and terror. “Whatever Mark and I discuss—or don’t discuss—is our personal business.”
“Fair enough, but I’ve gone and made it my business.” Roman eased back in his seat. “But this doesn’t need to be difficult, Anne. I need something, and you can get it. Look at it like a business arrangement.”
Anne glanced down at her feet. The urge to leave the room built up, bubbling just beneath the surface. She had half a mind to swing her purse over her shoulder and stomp the half mile back to her car. But Roman had her pinned to the chair, and he knew it.
“I knew when Eliza fired the maid, even though she tried to keep the place clean herself. I knew she funneled chunks of money into my account every month like an allowance. It’s like she thinks I’m her little puppy dog on a leash—cute, playful, but too stupid to manage my own life. Do you know how humiliating that is for a man?”
“I swear I didn’t know any of that.”
“You didn’t, but I did,” Roman said. “That’s the thing, Anne. I know everything.”
“I don’t see how this has anything to do with Mark or me.”
“We can make this quick.” Roman was watching her with pity in his gaze. “Luke is a buddy of mine. We didn’t start out that way, but when I suspected he was following me, I turned the tables on Eliza. It’s sad, really. Our marriage wasn’t always doomed. I loved her. Still do, even.”
“I think you should talk to Eliza. You guys can sort it out, I’m sure. Eliza is crazy about you.”
“She was, maybe still is in her own strange way. But I can’t trust her anymore.”
“She only hired a PI because she thought you were having an affair.”
“After all we’ve been through, she should trust me. I married her so she could stay in the country.”
“You married her because you knew she’d provide a comfy, cozy life for you,” Anne retorted, unable to help herself. “You’re no saint, Roman.”
“No, I don’t think I am,” Roman said. “In fact, that’s why we’re here tonight.”
“Where exactly is here?”
“I know your secrets. Better yet, I know Mark’s. And you’ll do everything in your power to protect him, which is where I come in. That’s the beauty of a marriage like yours, Anne—it’s not over yet. You two can make things work.”
“What do you mean?”
“I paid Luke Hamilton more than Eliza was offering.” Roman gave a thin smile. “I bought the information your private investigator was supposed to be providing to you.”
Anne felt her stomach sink. “That’s not ethical of Luke.”
