CHAPTER 28

Keira’s lawyer was a shark, complete with big white teeth and fleshy lips large enough to hold them all. Deib T. Ramirez smiled with evil glee as he pushed duplicate copies of Keira’s new demands to Ares and his lawyer across the wide expanse of the conference table.

She was dressed for performance in a couture suit, her lips painted a deep red that would leave marks on a man’s skin. Just the way her nails would. And her lies.

She dabbed at the corner of her eye with a small silk handkerchief that Ares was sure Deib T. Ramirez had provided for just this

purpose. He also noticed a lipstick stain on her teeth. She’d be horrified, so he didn’t tell her. It was petty but liberating.

“Due to Mrs. Lowells’ emotional distress after learning of her husband’s perfidy—” Ares could barely hold back an eye roll at Deib’s

description. “—my client is asking for damages in addition to her rightful fifty percent. We believe one hundred percent would be

just recompense. After all, Mr. Lowells has been sleeping with her sister.” Deib infused as much shock and horror as he could into

the word. “Probably for years.”

Ares’s lawyer, Christopher Waltz, was the best of the best in divorce court. Miles better than Keira’s lawyer would ever be.

Christopher hadn’t been thrilled to find out that Ares and Kelsey had begun a relationship, even if it hadn’t started until New Year’s

Eve, long after the divorce papers had already been filed. Knowing his lawyer would need to be armed with all the information, Ares

had explained everything, from the wedding weekend at Sally and George’s, to Keira spying on them at Kelsey’s condo.

Ares knew what Christopher would have said if he’d asked for advice. That Ares should leave Kelsey alone until the divorce was

final. That it was the only way to keep her safe from the ugliness.

Ares hadn’t asked, and Christopher hadn’t offered. Likely because even the lawyer could see it was way too late for that. Ares

couldn’t stay away.

Kelsey made him feel too good. And not just because of their incredible lovemaking, but simply being with her.

Yes, he’d had wickedly sexy dreams about Kelsey. But he never would have acted on those dreams, not in a million years. Not until

Keira blew up their marriage.

He’d be damned if he’d let her mess with his life or his happiness again. He’d already given her too many years. Now he wanted to

be with Kelsey. And if their relationship fell apart, it for damn sure wouldn’t be because of Keira.

It would be because Ares screwed it up.

God help him, he didn’t want to mess up. Not with Kelsey. Not this time.

At least where Keira was concerned, Ares would—finally—make all the right moves. Last night, he’d gone through his inventory of

artwork and valuables and determined everything she’d taken. If Keira wanted a fight—and she obviously did—she was on.

“Do not bring your sister into this.” His words and demeanor were calm, despite the fury burning in his gut over the way Keira dared

to hurt Kelsey.

“You brought her into this,” Keira snapped. “I saw you kissing her. You disappeared into her condo and came back out with that look

you get after sex.”

They both knew he’d never had that look with her when they were married. What he shared with Kelsey was miles beyond simple

physical release. “Long before I ever kissed Kelsey, I found out you’d lied about three miscarriages and a tubal ligation you never

even bothered to discuss with me.”

Keira would never get one hundred percent of his holdings. She wouldn’t even get fifty. He’d meant it when he told Kelsey that he’d

hand over every penny just to protect her—but he knew Keira, and even if he gave her everything he had, she would still stop at

nothing to destroy her sister.

Keira sniffed, affecting the injured party again, just as her lawyer said, “We could argue about this all day, but there is an alternative.

Mrs. Lowells will forgive everything you have done and you will agree to forget all your alleged claims against her—if you

reconcile.” He spread his hands. “Problem solved.”

Ares shouldn’t have felt like the floor had opened up and his chair had plunged eighteen floors to the marble lobby of Huert, Moon,

and Waltz. He should have known this was coming. That Keira would think of the most devious way to play this out.

Not to mention the most hurtful to Kelsey.

“We could start fresh, Ares.” Keira looked at him with watery eyes. “The past would all be erased. Wouldn’t you like that? To go

back to the way we were in the beginning? Before Kelsey came between us? We were so in love. We can have all that again. That’s

what I really want. And I know, in your heart, you do too.”

At long last, the shock wore off and his brain started working again. He licked his own teeth, then pointed at hers. “You’ve got some

lipstick on your teeth.”

Looking horrified, she reached for her mouth to rub it off.

He could have gotten nastier. He could have told her to go screw herself. He could have said that she was the last woman on planet

Earth that he would ever consider touching again. He could have made it clear that he’d rather be celibate for the rest of his life than

get back together with her.

But he was a Baddrick. And he knew better than anyone how to control a negotiation.

Even when he was sitting across from the devil.

“I’m going to pass.”

She stared at him a moment, as if she couldn’t even begin to fathom that he would turn her down. It was her turn to plunge eighteen floors.

Her eyes narrowed, and her lips pressed into a thin line as the real Keira came out to play. “Then I will drag your lover, my sister—”

She stabbed her chest with a pointed finger. “—who you’ve been screwing behind my back, through the mud. I will ruin her career. I

will destroy her.”

It was his worst nightmare. That Keira would hurt Kelsey again. And that she would annihilate anything he and Kelsey could have

together.

His hands were starting to tense when he stopped. Breathed. Thought of Kelsey.

Kelsey, who was as caring as Sally.

Kelsey, who’d only ever tried to help him.

Kelsey, who had remained his friend through everything.

Kelsey, who had risked opening her heart to him completely.

Kelsey, who was fearless. Magnificent.

And who loved him.

“Two can sling mud,” he said in a deliberately soft voice. “Do you really want your friends and all of San Diego high society to

know why I left you? The gossip magazines would have a field day with that.”

She eyed him like he was a rattler she’d suddenly found coiled at her feet. “It’s your word against mine,” she said, but her tone

wasn’t quite so haughty anymore.

Keeping his gaze on her, he held his hand out. “Christopher, the folder, please.”

Christopher was perfectly professional as he fished a folder out of the stack in front of him and laid it in Ares hand. Still, his lawyer

couldn’t quite contain the gleam of victory in his eyes.

“You really shouldn’t have left a paper trail.” Ares set the closed folder on the table in front of him. “And you shouldn’t piss off

people who might later be willing to testify against you.”

Her face turned a sickly shade of pale.

“While I was out of the country, Christopher was hard at work on my behalf. It’s amazing how much documentation he found

regarding the little lies you told.”

“Now just a minute,” Deib T. Ramirez started to bluster. Not so much of a shark anymore, was he?

Ares put his finger to his lips. Then he turned back to Keira. “The divorce settlement is already more than generous. I’ve even

decided to throw in the Atherton house in exchange for the San Diego flat. You can keep all the artwork you stole while I was away,

except the Dali. I suggest you take this offer. Or you won’t have anything left when you lose. Nothing at all.” He gave her a long

look. “Because, make no mistake, Keira, if you want to fight, I will fight.”

Her lawyer looked like he was about to have a coronary as he said, “Mrs. Lowells—”

She held up a hand. “Let me think.”

“Go ahead and think, Keira.” Ares voice was deadly. “Think of your reputation in this town when all your lies come out. Think of all

the parties you won’t be invited to. Think of how everyone will laugh. About you.”

She drew in a deep breath, glared at him, then let her breath hiss between her teeth. Teeth that still had a smear of red across the front. “All right.”

“I also want a nondisclosure agreement. You say one word about Kelsey, and it’s all over.”

“I said all right,” she snapped through clenched teeth, her voice louder, sharper. “The nondisclosure applies to you too.”

He could live with that. “Agreed.”

“When do I get the house?”

“After everything is final.”

“What about the Martinez?”

“They don’t belong to the house.”

She huffed out a breath, then waved her hand. “All right, fine.”

He felt the urge to laugh. Kelsey hated that word. Fine. So did he. Although, right now, he’d happily take it from his ex.

“I’ll make the agreed upon amendments to the settlement immediately,” Christopher said, “and have them sent over by courier this

afternoon.”

Keira stood, shaking off her lawyer’s touch as he put an assisting hand on her elbow. On her mile-high heels, she stalked out ahead