“I can.” He laughs. “And I have.”
“Did I say that out loud?”
“You did. I don’t blame you; it can be overwhelming.”
“This is fantastic.”
“It has its perks, and it has its faults. Many people use me for what I can do.”
“I’m sorry.”
“I’m not talking about you. I’m talking about all the times I’ve helped people I don’t even know for reasons I don’t even want to know. For you, I do this willingly.”
I move to sit on his lap, and once perched, I kiss him on the lips. “Thank you.”
“So where should we start?” he asks.
“Now?”
“No better time than the present.” His fingers rest on the keyboard. “I’m going to start with the obvious, but often, that’s the biggest dead end. What is your husband’s full name?”
“Riley Smith.”
He looks at me when I tell him the generic last name, and I roll my eyes.
He types furiously. Things pop up on the screen. He’s in the DMV. He’s hacking the fucking DMV.
My heart races as his fingers continue to move, but when they stop, my heart really thumps in my chest.
“That’s not his name.”
A wave of feelings run through me. Anger, fear, confusion.
“I don’t understand.”
“His name is not Riley Smith. Well, it could be, if he was an eighty-year-old dead man. But there is no Riley Smith who fits your husband’s description.”
It feels like I’m lost at sea, holding on for dear life.
Everything was a lie.
Not just my marriage, but even his name.
Was nothing true?
Chapter Thirty-Six
Jaxson
We’ve spent the past week camped out in my warehouse. The holidays have come and gone, but this year, I don’t head uptown to be with my family, I spend it Willow.
It’s now a new year, and that means I have to go back to work. My heart isn’t there. Not at all. I would rather be helping Willow.
Unfortunately, since she’s not my only priority, I’ve had to go into the office today. When I step off the elevator, I stop dead in my tracks. Everyone is here. Worse, they are all in the conference room. Since the conference room is all glass, they see me right away. Addison is here, which I didn’t expect at all. I was sure they would be getting ready for the baby in London.
With quick steps, I make my way in. Swinging the door open and interrupting what appears to be a meeting that is in full swing.
“Nice of you to join us,” Grayson says as pleasant as ever.
“I didn’t know there was a meeting today.” Taking two steps, I pull out the nearest chair and sit down.
My sister is beside me, and when I look over at her, she’s smiling at me.
Here she is, married and happy, and Grayson is about to get married and still grumpy as can be.
“I’m back,” Grayson announces.
“So am I,” Addison says.
“I thought—” I look back and forth at both of them, not sure who to address first. So I pick Addison. “I thought you were going to have the baby in England.”
“Logistically, it didn’t work out.”
I cock my head to the side for her to continue.
“Apparently, there is a good chance I’ll need a C-section, and where the estate is, well, the nearest hospital is too far away, and Oliver . . .”
“Is being his normal neurotic self.”
“Yes, basically. He wants doctors on call. Which left having the baby in London or here. And since everyone is here . . .”
“New York won.”
“That’s the gist of it.” She nods.
“Well, I can’t say that doesn’t make me happy.” It does. As much as my siblings have been a pain to me over the past years, Addison has come full circle. I’m happy I’ll be able to be there for the birth of my niece or nephew.
With that settled, I turn to Grayson. “And you?” He shrugs, but I already know the answer. “You don’t trust me.”
“It’s not that . . .”
“It is that.” I take a deep breath and try to calm the emotions raging inside me. All these months when I worked my ass off to do my job on top of both their jobs, and it still wasn’t enough. I tap my foot on the floor and mentally count to ten. When I hit nine, I stand. “If there isn’t anything more to discuss . . .”
“Jax, it’s not like that.”
“It’s fine. Listen, if I don’t have to do your job anymore . . . I’m going to work from my satellite office. My equipment is better there for the jobs you make me do.” Sucker punch. That’s what it feels like, but I keep it down, not allowing anyone to see how badly I hurt.
“I understand.”
“On that note.” I start to walk to the door. “Text me if you need anything.”
“When will you be back?”
“Not sure.”
“We’re having a dinner, a baby shower of sorts,” Grayson mumbles. “River is throwing it.” He shrugs.