Page 122 of Truth

“What bank statements?” Ross rejoined the group as he took a seat on the couch next to Oscar.

Michael decided to answer him. “Mr. Coleman asked if I would look over some bank statements from a man named Ian Pierce.”

Ross’s gaze drifted to mine, and I nodded. “Please tell me you found something to nail that bastard.”

“And then some.”

Oscar leaned forward, clasping his hands together in front of him. “Good. Hopefully it will help.”

“Help with what exactly?” I could tell Ross’s patience was wearing thin.

Instead of answering Ross, however, Oscar focused on me. “You know, I’ve been doing this a long time, Stephan, and I hope that means you trust me.”

“You know I do.”

“That’s good, because I don’t think you’re going to like what I have to say.”

I braced myself as best I could.

“Jonathan Reeves strikes me as a person who has nothing to lose,” Oscar said. “From the little I got from the officer questioning Miss Reeves, her father isn’t holding back on what he knows.”

“Which means what exactly?”

“It means that before long, they are going to link you to Ian Pierce. With the information Reeves has regarding his part of things, at the very least your life is going to become difficult. At most, you are looking at the inside of a federal prison.”

I closed my eyes and breathed deep, taking in the scent and feel of the woman in my arms. My concern wasn’t for me. It was for her. “What do we need to do?”

He looked at me, then down at Brianna. “She needs to leave.”

I increased my hold on her. “No.”

“Stephan, it’s the only way. If this gets out, which I don’t foresee a way of preventing, her living here is going to look very bad. She needs to have some distance from you so that it doesn’t look like you’ve coerced her in any way. It needs to appear as if you bought her to help get her out of a horrid situation.”

“I did.”

He nodded and clasped his hands together in front of him. “I know that and you know that, but to an outside observer... to a federal prosecutor...”

“There has to be another way.”

Oscar looked me in the eye, his expression sad but resolved. “There’s not.”

It was suddenly difficult to swallow.

“She can stay with me.”

Everyone’s attention shifted to Ross. “What?” I wasn’t sure if I’d heard him right.

“She can move in with me. That would work, right?” he asked Oscar.

The thought of Brianna leaving me was abhorrent. Her moving in with Ross left me feeling as though my stomach had been ripped from my abdomen.

“You’re an old family friend, so yes, it would look much better if she were living with you. Are you here in the city?”

He shook his head. “Not anymore. That’s one of the reasons I was coming over today. Part of Brianna’s birthday present... I wanted to take her to see my new place. I moved in this weekend. It was supposed to be a surprise.”

I was about to open my mouth again when Brianna’s timid voice rose above the others. “I’ll go.”

Brianna

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