Greg opens his phone and hands it to his partner in crime. Curtis shoves it in my face. “Watch the time stamps,” he snaps, scrolling through the videos and photos and texts.
I squint as I home in on the time stamps, and an icy chill creeps up my spine as I read the dates. They are all stamped two to three years ago. Slowly, the pieces are slotting into the puzzle, and I feel like I’m going to be sick. “What did you do?”
“I represent some clients with very particular interests,” Greg says, taking back his phone and flicking through it. “I scratch their back, and they scratch mine. They can make just about anything go away or make anything happen, so I called in a favor. Doctoring files is like child’s play to them. I sent them the recordings from Vander’s apartment, the texts from your cell, and the photos the PI took last month in Connecticut. They had them back to me in less than forty-eight hours.” He thrusts one in my face. “These guys are professionals. They didn’t just alter the time stamps. They made sure the photos were appropriate for that time.” He zooms in on the image of Vander, pointing at his neck and arms.
“They wiped his tattoos,” I whisper as the true extent of my predicament becomes clear.
“They also used age software to wind back time. We just had to give them an image of both of you from a couple of years ago, and they worked their magic.”
As I glance again at the photos, I see they have altered the settings too. While the video footage is from Vander’s new apartment, they have superimposed it so it looks like it took place at the carriage house. “We’ll tell the police the truth and no one will believe you. The hotel will confirm we stayed there recently, and I’ll find an expert who can prove those images were doctored.”
Both men laugh, and my cheeks inflame. “The hotel records have already been altered, and of course you’d both deny it. The cops will be expecting that,” Curtis says.
“Don’t consider bringing Viola or June or those thugs at the boxing gym into this,” Greg warns. “Not unless you want to see all of them meet an untimely death.” He folds his arms across his chest and grins. “And no one will go up against one of the biggest criminal organizations in Colorado. Anyone who attempts to discredit the evidence will be sent a clear message to back down.”
I swing my gaze around to Curtis. “What are you even doing aligning yourself with him? You’ll end up in jail, and your kids will hate you for life.”
“The kids will hate you for life if this comes out.” Curtis trails his fingers down the side of my face. “Imagine the abuse they’ll endure in school if kids find out West’s mom was fucking his best friend for years behind his back. Look how he’s reacted to me, and I’m not fucking one of his school friends. He’ll cut you out of his life in a heartbeat.”
Pain tightens my chest, but I can’t think about that now. I’ve got to stay in the present and try to find a way out of this nightmare. “He won’t believe it,” I whisper, twisting my head from side to side to shake off his vile touch. “I’ll tell them what you’ve done. How you’ve set us up.”
“You’ve been lying to them, Kendall. A part of me actually wants you to stubbornly refuse so you’ll be arrested. You’ll be the new villain, and I’ll be the hero who swoops in to rescue them. It would be an easier path for me to tread. Even if you’re not charged or you get off, the damage will be done. The kids won’t want you. No court will give you custody or the house if you’ve been arrested for raping a minor. You’ll lose your job, and no law firm will hire you. You’ll be spat at in the street, and Vander won’t want anything to do with you because you’ll have ruined his life too. I could do that to you, but I’m giving you a way out because you’re the mother of my children, and we both know they need you.”
“Don’t pretend you are doing this for anyone but yourself! Your new baby mama doesn’t want to raise my kids. That’s why you won’t report me.” We have come full circle, and I’ve called their bluff. They don’t want to report me because it doesn’t serve their aims. This is a threat to make me do things their way.
“West is off to Oklahoma in a few months, and Stella only has one more year before she’ll fly the nest too. That only leaves Ridge. Ingrid will love Ridge because she loves me.”
Laughter bubbles up my throat. “She loves your money, you dumb fuck, and as soon as she has bled you dry, she’ll leave you for a younger model, and I’ll be cheering her on.”
Curtis slaps me again. “You don’t know her.”
“I know enough to know you won’t make a false report about me.” I cock my head to the side. “You do know that’s a crime, right?”
“I’ll report you,” Greg says. “If you won’t agree to our terms, I’ll do it, and I have the connections to make it stick. This only works for me if you break Vander’s heart. I was going to go the Yale route first until I realized how obsessed he is with you. He’ll be upset if I pull his place in the art program, but he’d get over it. He’ll continue to deny me as long as he has you.” He brushes his thumb against my lips, and I fight a fresh wave of nausea. “You’re the key to all of this, Kendall. You’re the only one who can give me what I want. Vander will never get over losing you.”
“His soul mate.” Curtis makes a gagging sound. “That boy would say anything to get into your panties.”
“I don’t expect a philistine to understand, or maybe it’s your lower level of intelligence that means it all goes over your head. Either way, I couldn’t care less what you think or what you believe. What Vander and I share is something neither of you will ever experience.”
“What Vander and you share is dead in the water, honey.” Greg pinches my lips. “You are going to break it off with him, I am going to drag that disloyal drunken slut of a wife home from Europe and chain her in my basement until Vander drops the art program and accepts a place at Yale Law.”
Shock splays across my face as I realize he must have known where Diana is all along. Everything he has done, even turning up at Vander’s apartment and making threats, has all been part of his play, and he was holding back, waiting to time it to perfection. I wouldn’t be surprised if he has someone lined up to quash the restraining orders, but I don’t see how he can make the domestic abuse stuff go away, not with the evidence Diana already submitted. If she retracts it, surely the state can still prosecute him? I don’t know enough to say it with confidence though, and if anyone knows his way around the law, it’s Gregory Henley.
Pressure settles on my chest as the reality of the situation dawns on me. Vander is never going to be free of this man. Not unless we kill him, and that’s becoming more of a viable option. Right now, I need to buy myself some time because my brain is overloaded, and I can’t think clearly. “You can’t expect me to agree on the spot. I need time to think about it.”
“I’m glad you see it our way,” Greg says, grinning like the psychopath he is. I recoil as he kisses me, withdrawing his revolting mouth before I have time to bite his lip like I did with Curtis.