Free Unravel Me by Lynn Montagano Page B

Knowing you the way I do, all the facts have to be tied up in a neat little package before you attack. You should have been a prosecutor.”
    I wanted to burn the smile off his face with a blowtorch. “What do you want?”
    “Look, I know this situation hasn’t been pleasant for you. I’m afraid it’ll only get worse.”
    “How do you know that?”
    “There’s something that family doesn’t want the general public to know. His uncle went to great lengths to keep it hidden. From what I’ve learned it has something to do with your boyfriend and an incident from his early twenties. I don’t like where this is going, Lia. He’s not good for you.”
    The room spun violently. More secrets? An incident? I clasped my hands together and stared at Nathan. I needed to play this smart.
    “Stop being so dramatic. It’s not like you didn’t do stupid shit in your early twenties.”
    “Right. But my stupid shit isn’t sealed in a file. Something big happened. I want to know what and I want you to see the light about him.”
    Rage simmered deep within me, giving me a strange quiet calm. My focus sharpened along with my instincts. This was a game for Nathan, a battle of wills. I wouldn’t - couldn’t - let him win.
    “So much for you wanting to gain my trust, then.”
    He bristled at my tone, displaying an expression I’d seen a million times before - disgust. “Wake up, Lia. Whatever my faults were in our relationship at least I never hid anything from you.”
    “Yeah. You were a real keeper.”
    “What is it about him that’s so goddam special? He’s a womanizer sitting on a mountain of cash. You’re not a gold digger so his bank account means nothing to you. It certainly can’t be his sparkling personality.”
    I smiled slyly, holding his piercing stare. Frustrated, Nathan rested his forearms on the table. I folded my hands in front of me. There was a time when his look would frighten me or make me back down. The realization that I’d been so blinded by what I thought was love for him burned brightly. I’d never loved him. I was only trying to win his approval. In the process, I’d lost part of who I was deep down.
    “Jealousy has always been an ugly color on you,” I said with a smug smile.
    Nathan grabbed my hand, squeezing tightly. Determination flashed through his eyes like a building storm. “I don’t want things to be like this between us. I’m not your enemy.”
    We stared at one another, which made me slightly uncomfortable. Regardless of his envious outburst, nothing but sincerity bled from him.
    “I don’t know what you want me to say,” I said cautiously. “We don’t have the best history.”
    “That’s not true. Remember the first time we went away together?”
    The memory flooded me with unexpected warmth. A genuine, glowing smile bloomed across Nathan’s lips. He gently squeezed my hand.
    “You do remember. We went to Sanibel Island for Memorial Day weekend. I took you sailing and paragliding and snorkeling. I think it was the second day we were out on the Gulf, when you saw a dolphin. I’ll never forget the look on your face as long as I live. You were so excited and awed by it. I knew at that moment, you were the one.”
    The unsullied joy of that weekend away filled every fiber of my being. The recollection was so vivid I could almost smell the salty air. As much as I hated to admit it to myself, he was right. Not all of our history together sucked. Moments like that weekend in Sanibel were living proof.
    “Try to focus on those moments, Lia. I only have your best interest at heart.”
    My whole body vibrated, not knowing how to react to anything. I shouldn’t have had all that damn wine. I broke out into a cold sweat.
    “Let me handle this thing with Rachel,” he continued. “I’ll get her off your back and convince her to focus her interests on that baseball player who knocked up some college freshman. That’s more her speed anyway.”
    “But if she’s getting paid