The Texas Millionaire's Runaway Wife by Mary Malcolm Read Free Book Online Page B

has to be something more to it than protecting your name. I’m sorry I didn’t file, I should have. But why do you want me here?”
    He turned to the door and for a moment Cassie thought he might leave without giving her an answer. Then he turned back to her. “You hurt me, Cassandra. Let’s just call this my chance to repay the favor.”
    ****
    Jake’s Pub had been as much a part of the Sands family as anything else in Fort Worth. Stephen couldn’t think of a better place to meet his brothers. Nestled into the heart of the historic district, Jake’s held memories for each of the Sands brothers that could never be wiped away. A smaller bar, the staff always treated the boys like any other patrons coming in. A nice change from the catering and kowtowing they received everywhere else. Dimly lit and always loud, Stephen and his brothers could blend in and discuss their business without any interruption. And they had much to discuss. First and foremost, Cassie. Jordan Giles had to be dealt with, but at the moment he wasn’t as important as Cassie.
    Daniel was first to arrive, followed shortly by William and Andrew. The four gathered into their usual booth at the back of the pub and put their heads together over frosty drafts.
    “So you’re married,” William said, after Stephen recounted the whole story.
    He nodded. The music in Jake’s threatened to wash away their conversation, but he raised his voice for his brothers to hear. “I was with her almost a year,” he admitted.
    Andrew shook his head. “Fool. I can’t believe you would be such a fool. What kind of woman is this Cassie?”
    Not feeling generous, Stephen said, “She’s a shrew. Determined not to follow through with this thing, threatened to go to Dad. To the press, to anyone who will listen.”
    Daniel shook his head and took a swig of beer. “God, what have you gotten yourself into, Stephen? Can you imagine what’ll happen if this gets out? I mean, it’s one thing for me to have married Brenda, but I at least loved her.”
    Stephen thought for a moment how painful this must be for his brother and imagined his late wife. Brenda had been nearly an angel. She and Daniel might have married at an age many would consider far too young, but there was no one in the world who would doubt their love and devotion toward each other. It was nothing less than a tragedy for her to have died giving birth to their son, Matthew.
    Plus, Daniel had a point. Stephen knew exactly what would happen. No amount of berating by his brothers would make things any less difficult. He had to keep married to Cassie, had to keep their past as secret as possible. He also had to somehow finish out this acquisition and he only had one beer in him.
    He motioned for the waitress.
    Second beer in hand, he laid out the rest of the news. “So Giles doesn’t want to sell,” he finished. “This could mean bad press for us. I wanted to discuss the matter with you three before I move forward.”
    Daniel, the second oldest and most hotheaded, spoke first. “Take him down. Don’t let someone like this run the show. That man needs to be shown a thing or two about what it means to stand up against the Sands family. Hell, we own most of Fort Worth. What does he think he’s going to accomplish?”
    His black hair shook as he talked, blue eyes blazing with the passion of his words. Andrew laughed and clapped his brother on the back. Always the PR man, he said, “Look, Stephen. This isn’t about how we’ll be affected. If you want to finish this acquisition, you have to do it on your terms. What you’ll need to do is find out what this man wants and—”
    “Hold it against him,” William finished. The two always thought alike. William, older than Andrew by two minutes, didn’t care for confrontation. Instead, he believed in global domination. No need to fight when you own the world.
    Stephen felt as if he was getting nowhere. Giles had a point; he knew that. The bad press could look