The Gold Digger’s Biggest Mistake

Chloe and I grew up in the same group home. Hope House was a gray place, and she was the one bright thing in it. I was in love with her before I understood the word, and I studied like my life depended on it just to stay near her.It paid off. The year we tested for placement, Hope House sent exactly two kids to Westbridge Academy.Her. And me.She was beautiful, she was at the top of every class, and she carried herself like she'd come from somewhere. Half the boys in our year were quietly in love with her.I understood her pride well enough to never tell a soul that I knew her, and she never said hello to me in the halls. Sometimes she'd smile at me in passing, and I'd live on it for a week.Then, in our last year, somebody dug up where she came from.The people who had admired her turned on her overnight. I was the only one who stayed. I took the punches meant for her and gave the insults back twice as hard, and I made sure she understood that there was one person on earth who

I shook my head.Whatever she'd done, I'd decided to let it stay in the past. She wanted me to have forgotten, so I'd forget."She and I are just friends," I said, and my voice didn't move at all. "There's nothing for her to be lying about.""And there was never any money to take." I gave him a tired smile. "I'm broke.""If you think a crime's been committed, talk to the police. I can't help you."He looked at me like I was beyond saving, then turned for the door, and on his way out he said one more thing."If I were you, I'd run while I still could."My head came up so fast the room swam.That cadence. That exact, unhurried delivery. I'd heard it once before, through a phone, from behind a black mask.Cold went straight down my spine and my hands started shaking.It couldn't be a coincidence.I got myself out of bed and followed him down the corridor with one hand on the wall, and he turned twice and stopped in the stairwell. I stayed around the corner and held my breath wh

She had her arm through Blake's and she was glowing. After all those years abroad, she was finally being brought home to meet the family, and she couldn't have hidden how pleased she was if she'd tried.I scanned the crowd for my passenger and started toward her, because this fare paid out a downtown tower worth north of a hundred million dollars, and I wasn't losing it over those two.Let them have a few more good days.Unfortunately, they were standing directly in my way."Well," Blake said. "Look who it is. Driving now?"He put a hand on my shoulder and shoved, and I didn't move. He'd never once been able to take me, and three years hadn't taught him anything.I looked at the pair of them and felt my jaw tighten. Then I stepped around them, because I'm a professional.Chloe caught my sleeve. "Wait, we need a ride into the city —"I pulled free. "Sorry. I've already got a customer."Blake laughed, loud enough for everyone in a twenty-foot radius. "How much are they paying yo

He looked thoroughly hopeful about it."If you tell this room you're the man everybody's been trying to put a name to, those two will be on their knees in front of you before the salad course."I drank my wine."There's no rush. Tonight isn't mine."Tonight was hers.Angie stood in the middle of the ballroom in a white gown, and the hem of it moved like something weightless. Her hair was down and her eyes were bright, and half the room had stopped talking to look at her.She spotted me, and her whole face changed into a smile that was both sweet and enormously pleased with itself.I inclined my head to her.The truth was that I wouldn't have come at all if she hadn't asked me to stay and watch the show.When the hour came, Howard took Angie's hand and led her up onto the stage."First, my thanks to all of you for coming. Let me raise a glass to my friends.""Not long ago, I found the granddaughter my family lost many years ago. Her name is Angie West.""And I am telling you