Page 28 of The Villain

“We haven’t talked to your…Rich yet. We’ve been…ahh…more focused on your ex.”

Brandon?

“I can’t imagine Brandon would be angry about Rich—or how he would know. It’s only been a few dinners,” I insisted, giving my head a small shake.

Even with everything he’d put me through for the divorce, deep down, I knew it wasn’t because my ex still wanted me—wanted to be with me. He just didn’t want to feel like he’d lost. Brandon always had an incessant, obsessive need to win.

“Athena…”The low gravel of Dare’s voice made me shiver, like a rumble strip that brought the conversation to a heavy pause.“Were you aware your ex-husband took out a two-million-dollar life insurance policy on you last year?”

Two million…

The world didn’t tilt this time, it washed out from underneath me.

I stepped back in shock—and right onto something that was uneven. A rock—a branch—whatever it was rolled my ankle. I let out a cry and started to topple backward. But gravity didn’t have a chance. Not against this man.

“Shit.” His low curse dissolved as he grasped my arms andsteadied me against him, an anchor in the storm.“You okay?”

“Yeah.” Physically, at least, but even my voice didn’t sound like my own. “Are you…sure?” I gave my head a shake.What an idiotic question.“Of course, you’re sure. This is your job.” I let out a quick breath. “No…I had no idea he had a life insurance policy on me.”

Two million dollars.

It was insane. So insane, I still didn’t want to believe it—couldn’t believe it. Why so much? Why right when I told him Iwanted the divorce? It wasn’t like he was going to leave me with anything anyway.

“I’m sorry, I just can’t believe Brandon…I can’t imagine why…”

I couldn’t finish the thought—I couldn’t get farther than the audible breath Dare took. It wasn’t from the exertion of catching me…it was abracingbreath. And I felt that familiar black hole in my chest—like some part of me knew there was more to this.

“What is it?” My heart stumbled and slowed, preparing for whatever the other shoe was that was about to drop.

“Were you aware that he liked to gamble?”

At least Dare was already holding me this time when my knees gave way.

“I…yes, Brandon liked to gamble, but he wasn’t…he hadn’t…” I trailed off, taking a second to pull apart the stitches of my past in order to tell him the whole truth. “It started when we were in college. Frat party games. Sometimes the stakes were decent, but nothing too crazy.”

It was college. There were people doing crazier things on campus than a backroom game of poker once a week. It was how Brandon relaxed, and sure, sometimes he lost more than he was expecting and asked to borrow money from me, but I didn’t think twice about it. By that point, the number of times I’d leaned on him for support after my mom…they were countless. Priceless.

“I didn’t realize it was a problem—or, I guess, how big of a problem it was for him—until we went to Vegas for our honeymoon. He couldn’t…I couldn’t pull him away.” My cheeks felt on fire. I shouldn’t be embarrassed—I wasn’t the one with the addiction—but I guess I still had a ways to go in breaking the habit of blaming myself for all my ex-husband’s faults. “We had to come home halfway through our trip because we couldn’t afford to stay. He’d lost all the money we’d brought with us and maxed out his credit cards.”

Dare released my shoulders, but not before I felt the jolt of anger that went through him. But after anger would come pity, and I didn’t want pity. I’d gotten out. I’d lost almost everything in the process, but I’d gotten out, and that was something to be proud of.

“It stopped after that,” I continued. “I was so hurt and he felt so guilty that we agreed to no more casinos.”That was back when Brandon was agreeable.Time had changed him slowly, the way a weed creeps up around the trunk of a tree in slow suffocation.

And then the pressure in my chest started again.

“I’m guessing by your line of questioning that that was a lie, too.”

I’d never not notice the way Dare hesitated before telling me something he knew was going to hurt me. The kind of care this stranger took with me was something that could easily overwhelm me to the sweetest of tears if I dared to let it.

“From what we’ve uncovered, your ex-husband is significantly in debt. Some on online gambling sites, but we’re pretty confident he owes a significant sum to a loan shark in Sacramento.”

A year ago, the news would’ve brought me to my hands and knees. To know the man I thought I was going to spend my life with—the man who promised he’d forever pick me over the thrill of a card game—betrayed me would’ve broken my already breaking heart. But now…I wished I was surprised.

I wished…but I wasn’t.

“What is significant?”

“Well, the biggest online site blocked his account fifteen months ago and started pursuing legal action for debts owed.”

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