Page 2 of An Enchanted Spring

Her talents weren’t limited to her professional life, either. She was quite successful in ensuring no one knew anything about her cheating ex-fiancé, or his threats against her.

She gave her head a small shake to dislodge the bubble of fear, and her sleek, dark blond ponytail swung gently against her neck. She reminded herself that she was sitting in her office, perfectly safe. Benjamin MacDermott was currently hanging out in a ten-by-ten cell on an aggravated assault conviction. The attack on a bouncer in a nightclub was just one of many things she hadn’t been aware he was capable of…but she knew not to underestimate him anymore. Despite the fact that he’d been behind bars for five months, a shiver of dread raced up her spine whenever she saw, heard, or eventhoughthis name.

And now, she thought with that same shiver,here it is, staring me in the face.She looked at the envelope again and blew out a slow, shaky breath.

To:Emmaline MacDermott.

Whoever sent this envelope to her was playing a sick joke, to be sure.

Emma peeked inside the folder, and she had to swallow the bile back. Her heart sank. She grabbed the envelope and headed for the nearest conference room, her phone to her ear, giving the appearance of leaving to take an important client call. She carefully closed the door and drew the blinds, then dumped the contents onto the polished wood table.

She drew a sharp breath.

Her ex-fiancé, dressed in some very inventive bondage gear, was tied to a bed. A red-haired woman, dressed in a similar getup, was mid-strike with a whip and a ferocious look on her gorgeous features.

In a detached way, Emma thought the woman rather looked like something out of a movie. Perfectly placed action shot…Emma understood how the woman was such a huge star.

Emma would understand, of course, since the woman in the pictures was her biggest and most demanding client, Jenny Kincaid. The same Jenny Kincaid who had a romantic comedy releasing this week. A romantic comedy, it seemed prudent to remind herself, that costarred Jenny’s husband of ten years.

NotEmma’s ex.

Emma squinted at his face and couldn’t suppress the now-familiar shudder up her spine. Emma had long suspected Ben of cheating, but she always rationalized that she had no real proof. They were so far into the wedding plans. They’d been together for so long. They had been college sweethearts.

Her list of excuses seemed endless.

But almost seven months ago, Emma had arrived at the office only to realize she’d left some important papers behind. She texted Ben, hoping he hadn’t left for work, but it was close to ten in the morning and he didn’t respond, so she headed back to their apartment. She opened the door to see Ben and Jenny engaged in some very…experimentalpositions.

What ensued was a mess. Jenny didn’t even bat an eye. In fact, she asked Ben if they could meet at her hotel later, to finish the job, to which he agreed, and Jenny gave Emma a sickening girlfriend-to-girlfriend smile before reminding her of client confidentiality.

Emma was too shocked to respond. But, when she finally was able to react (and Ben had put some clothing on), Emmathrew him out of the apartment. He accepted it with minimal fuss.

Or so she thought.

A couple of weeks later, Ben was waiting for her when she got home.

“How did you get in here?” she demanded, stepping into the apartment.

“I can’t get my deposits for the wedding back.”

His voice was so controlled. Emma felt a frisson of fear, but this was Ben. She’d known him forever. He wouldn’t hurt her. Physically, anyway.

“Consider it payment for breaking my heart. Get out.” She held the door open and gestured at him to leave.

He casually walked toward her, then slammed the door shut and pinned her against it, making her cry out in surprise.

“I don’t think you heard me, Emmaline.I. Can’t. Get. My. Money. Back.” His eyes, once so warm and loving, were brittle and hard.

“You’re hurting me!” she squeaked, trying to twist from his grasp. He held firm.

“Don’t pretend you don’t know, Emmaline. I need that money. It’s mine. And I owe some very big people—veryimportantpeople—a lot of cash. Now, because you were so”—he slammed her against the door—“damn”—he slammed her again—“stingy”—another crash against the door—“with your bank accounts, I can’t pay them back. And they’ll kill me, Emmaline.”

Emma couldn’t breathe. This was Ben! He was an insurance agent, for crying out loud! Who could be trying to kill him?

He released her suddenly, then stepped back. “You’re going to give me the money. I want twenty thousand by Thursday.”

She gasped. “Ben, I don’t have—”

He was back on her in an instant, crushing her. “You havea very nice life insurance payout,” he sneered, his lips inches from hers. “Remember? I set it up myself. And I know I’m still your beneficiary, Emma.” His eyes turned to ice. “I’ll use it if I have to.”

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