She looked around for a pad of paper and a pencil but there was nothing on the desk top. After the first time she’d cleaned in here, Jackson had really been trying to keep it neat. His version of neat appeared to be shoving everything that used to be on the top of the desk into the drawers. She pulled out the closest drawer and rifled through the papers and folders in her way, lifting them one by one so she could see if there were any pencils or pens beneath.

DAVID RANDALL FINEMORE

RIDLEY ANNE WELLS

Ridley stopped and pulled out the two manila envelopes. She opened the one labeled with her name first. Her mouth fell open as she scanned the documents inside. It looked like a criminal background check along with personal information about her family, her friends and what she’d accomplished in college. There was even a copy of her driver’s license photo from Florida.

“He had me investigated,” she whispered. Disappointment crashed through her as she stuffed the pages back into the folder. With trembling fingers she opened the other envelope. This time she flipped straight to the picture.

“David.”

She scanned the criminal background check, sickened as she read the list of infractions. She closed the file and didn’t even bother to put the papers back into the desk. She left it all out on the top of the desk. Except for her file, which she tucked under her arm.

Part of her could understand why Jackson had done it but it still hurt that he hadn’t just asked her anything he wanted to know. He’d probably just wanted assurance that she wasn’t dangerous if she was going to be staying in his house but she couldn’t deny it felt like a violation. Much more so than it had with David.

Mainly because she hadn’t loved him.

“I love him. And he has a security file on me.” She chuckled bitterly. Why couldn’t it ever just be simple? Meet a guy. Fall in love. Live happily ever after. Instead, she got identity fraud, hateful brothers and a background check.

She walked out of the office and went down the hall to Jackson’s room. He stood next to the window gazing out.

“I don’t believe you. There has to be an explanation.” He put a hand to his forehead. “You have proof?”

Proof of what? Ridley wondered. She moved further into the room until Jackson looked up.

“I guess I should have learned my lesson about eavesdropping by now.”

*   *   *   *   *

RIDLEY STOOD IN the doorway watching him. When he turned to look at her, she held up an envelope. Jackson’s heart dropped. His brother’s voice in his ear suddenly seemed very small.

“Nick, I’ll call you back.” He hung up the phone, his brother’s voice cutting off abruptly.

“It’s not what it looks like.”

“That’s comforting because it looks a lot like you violated my privacy and did a background check on me. I’m so relieved.”

Jackson flinched. “I didn’t ask him to do a background check on you. Nick pulled your file mainly so we could find out about David.”

“I understand that part, Jackson.” She shook her head slowly. “You really don’t get it do you? I’m not mad that you have the information. I’m upset you didn’t tell me about it.”

Fury, white and hot, lanced through him. He crossed the room and got right in her face. The fact that she could be angry with him for breaking trust after what his brother had just told him was the epitome of hypocrisy.

“I can’t believe you’re lecturing me about honesty after what you did. How could you do it?” he stammered. “How could you steal from me?”

Ridley shoved him in the chest. He grunted and fell back a step. “I would never steal from you. Or anyone,” she fumed.

He yanked out his phone and pulled up his email. Elliott had told him he’d email over the bank information he’d found. When he found the email, he scrolled to the bottom and held it out to her. She took the phone and stared at it.

“But this is my bank account. This is not possible.” Ridley shook her head back and forth slowly. “I didn’t do this. It has to be the person who tried to kill me. I haven’t stolen anything.”

“What happened?” He smoothed her hair back from her face. “Did someone threaten you? If you needed money you know you could have just asked me.”

“I don’t understand any of this.” She grasped his arms. “Jackson, I don’t understand what’s happening.”

“We don’t have time to wait. Eli and Nick are on their way and knowing Nick, he’s out for blood. He knows I won’t press charges against you but that doesn’t mean he won’t go to the authorities with everything else he found.”

“You won’t press charges,” she whispered.

“No. I can’t see you hurt. Even after everything you’ve done. The lies. The theft. As angry as I am, I can’t see you in prison.”

“That’s because you know I wouldn’t do this,” she pleaded. She grasped his face. “Look at me, Jackson. You know I wouldn’t do this. You know me.”

“I don’t know anything,” he yelled. “Clearly, I don’t know anything because up until a few minutes ago I knew I was in love with you.”

Ridley stilled. “Don’t say that. Not now.”

He leaned his forehead against hers, his heart racing from his impromptu confession. “I definitely would have preferred to tell you that another way.”