Billionaire Baby Dilemma

Eight

Devin couldn’t pick locks, so Konrad’s room was out of the question. But, she figured there were two people involved in this conspiracy. And if Lucas felt it necessary to lock Konrad’s door, that meant there was something for Devin to find. If there was something to find in Konrad’s room, there might also be something to find in Lucas’s room the next day. So, the next day she set another plan in motion.

There were only a couple of weeks until the custody hearing, and she hadn’t found anything in the rest of the house. Staff were either loyal to Konrad, or they had genuinely loved the man. Nobody had a bad word to say, and they all seemed to think Monica had been happy back then.

Devin waited until Lucas had left the mansion, and until Lexi, her stalwart partner in crime, had Byron’s attention again at the pool. He’d put on a bathing suit today and joined her in the water. Devin was sure she’d get an earful about that from Lexi later tonight.

But, for now, she had Lucas’s room in her crosshairs. Teresa turned out to be a godsend. She’d offered to take Amelia out in her stroller, up to the stable area where they could watch the horses. Amelia seemed fascinated by anything that moved.

The hallway was quiet outside Lucas’s room.

Devin gingerly grasped the door handle, holding her breath as she gave it a turn. But the mechanism clicked, and the latch gave way. The wide door swung open in front of her.

She gazed inside his inner sanctum, squelching the surge of guilt that washed through her stomach. This was even harder than it had been yesterday in Konrad’s room. But there might be evidence in here that could help Amelia.

She forced herself to take a giant step inside. She pushed the door firmly shut, hearing the latch click back into place. Then she leaned back against the cool, solid wood while she gazed around the room.

It was rectangular. The ceiling was high, and the windows numerous, giving the room a light, airy feel. Leafy, dark green plants bracketed a set of glass doors that led to a balcony. A cream-colored sofa provided a centerpiece to a sitting area. The floor was polished maple, while the curtains and bedding shimmered with gold and emerald-green threads.

Devin was surprised to find the pale green wall panels lined with family portraits. For a few minutes, her attention was distracted as she peered at an old photo of a couple who were obviously Lucas and Konrad’s parents. There were photos of Lucas and Konrad as young boys, and one of an older man that she strongly suspected was the grandfather who’d willed Amelia his shares in the company.

There was a portrait of Konrad and Monica that Devin had never seen. Monica was sitting in an elegant chair, wearing a low-cut, frosted pink, satin evening gown. Konrad stood behind her, a hand on her shoulder. He wore a tux with a pocket kerchief that matched the dress. It took a confident man to pull off pink satin.

Devin couldn’t help wondering why they’d dressed up. Was it a party? One of the charity balls? Had Konrad written a large check that night to a worthy cause? Monica would have liked that about the Demarco family.

Devin found her fingertips going to the picture. They did look happy in this. It occurred to her for the first time that Konrad might have fooled Lucas along with everyone else.

But then she remembered the conversation her sister had overheard. There’d been no doubt that Lucas was aware of Konrad’s plot to get Monica pregnant. He’d called it brilliant, laughed at how they’d thwarted their cousin Steve. Not that Devin blamed them for wanting to thwart cousin Steve. But they didn’t get to do it at the expense of Monica or any other unsuspecting woman.

Her gaze caught a photo of Konrad and Amelia. He was dressed casually, in jeans and T-shirt and, unlike the posed pictures, he was obviously unaware of the camera. Baby Amelia was asleep in her father’s arms, her little hand wrapped around his index finger, mouth pursed and eyes closed. The expression of reverence on Konrad’s face told Devin that he’d loved Amelia. Dearly.

Devin armed herself against the unexpected onslaught of emotion. Konrad loving Amelia didn’t change the current circumstances.

Next to the picture, in a bay-windowed alcove, she spotted a computer sitting on a small desk and immediately she realized the potential. The brothers could easily have communicated by email. And, here in his bedroom, Lucas might not have protected his computer with a password.

If the messages went back far enough, she might find exactly what she was looking for.

She quickly sat down at the desk, swiveled the chair and pressed a key.

The screen came to life, and it was already on Lucas’s email account.

Devin’s heart thudded in excitement, and she rubbed her hands together. She scrolled down his folder list, easily finding a directory called Konrad. She clicked it and found hundreds of messages. It was a gold mine.

All she had to do was find the right date range, the time when Konrad first met Monica. Once there, she found a message labeled “date.” It seemed promising, so she double-clicked to open it.

Remember that girl? the text read. I’ll be late tonight. You’re going to love her.

Devin sat back.

The girl was likely Monica. And Lucas was going to love her because she was the perfect patsy.

Devin opened the response from Lucas.

Go for it, this one read. Remember, I’m counting on you.

That was it. The smoking gun. Lucas was counting on Konrad to con Monica into marrying him and having his baby.

Devin opened the next message in the thread.

Start without me, Konrad had written. I’m staying until she kicks me out.

Start without him? What did that mean?

Devin glanced around for a printer, knowing she needed to print a copy of these. There it was. On top of a wooden file cabinet. She left the computer to turn it on.

Then she returned, clicking the final message in the thread that was labeled “date.”

The Legion called about the estate was Lucas’s response. They’re thrilled to help with the scholarship. God, I miss him already.

Devin blinked. Scholarship? Legion? Lucas had to be talking about his grandfather’s estate. They’d obviously set up-

A sick feeling hit Devin square in the pit of her stomach, and she staggered to her feet, backing away from the computer.

What was the matter with her? She was sitting here reading Lucas’s private mail. No matter what the justification, her behavior was appalling. She couldn’t do this. She couldn’t use this information.

“-ready to head back in ten minutes,” Lucas’s voice sounded from the hallway.

Pure panic engulfed Devin.

She was about to be caught. Again. By Lucas.

She glanced wildly around the big room, searching for somewhere to hide.

“I’ll meet you out front,” Lucas continued, his voice closer now.

Devin’s ears rang, her heart contracted and sweat burst out on her palms. Seconds from now he was going to walk in and catch her invading his privacy. She had no explanation, no defense. He’d be furious, and he’d be right.

The big four-poster bed had her trapped. It blocked her path to the closet, to the bathroom, even to where she could duck behind the couch.

In a split-second decision, she leaped to the bed, laid back on the pillows and crossed her bare legs in front of her.

Lucas opened the door and froze.

“Hi, there,” she breathed. She batted her lashes in what she hoped was a come hither expression.

“What the…”

“I heard you come in,” she bluffed, hoping against hope that it wouldn’t twig on him she was dressed in a cotton tank top and shorts, hardly an outfit designed for seduction.

“Devin?” His gaze darted curiously around the room.

“Amelia’s with Teresa,” she continued. “And, I thought…” She let her voice trail off meaningfully, patting the bed beside her, hoping she didn’t look like a complete idiot.

She’d never done anything remotely like this before in her life. And she was mortified to be doing it now. She smoothed back her hair and moistened her lips.

Lucas shut the door behind himself, taking a few steps forward. “I don’t understand.”

“I missed you,” she lied.

“I’ve only been gone an hour.”

“I mean, I missed you.” She slid one bare leg up against the other, pointing her toe.

“Are you all right?”

Okay, she was starting to get insulted here. “Am I not doing this right?”

“Depends on what you’re doing.”

She held her palms out to the sides. “Grab a clue.”

He moved closer still, cocking his head while he considered her. “Let me see. You’re in my bedroom. You’re lying on my bed. You’re telling me the baby is otherwise occupied.”

“Gold star so far.”

He stopped at the edge of the bed. “Devin, are you trying to seduce me?”

“I’m obviously not doing it well.” She told her ego to get over it. She didn’t want to succeed here. She wanted to fail.

She wanted him to politely tell her he had work to do and he’d see her later. At which time, she would be completely occupied with Amelia. Or maybe she’d go out. Maybe she’d stay out all night, or at least late enough that he’d have to be asleep before she showed up.

“You’re doing just fine,” he told her. “I’m surprised is all.”

“Good,” she lied, forcing herself to relax as she gave him another bright smile.

He perched on the edge of the bed. “Was this a spontaneous decision?”

“Yes,” she answered honestly.

He reached out to smooth back her hair. “You heard me come home and thought I’d like to…?”

His touch sent a lightning bolt of sexual charged energy down the length of her body. She sat up straight. “If you’re too busy-”

“I’m not too busy.” He shrugged out of his jacket.

Devin swallowed. “I mean, you know, this probably isn’t the best-”

“Second thoughts?” He loosened his tie.

“No. Of course not. I, uh, want this.” Oh, no. What now?

“I want it, too,” he told her huskily, tossing the tie and stretching out beside her on the bed.

“Lucas-”

He pulled her down, wrapping her in his arms, looking straight into her eyes. “It’s a very nice surprise,” he told her. Then he dipped his head, and his lips touched hers, and her body ignited with white-hot arousal.

His arm wrapped around the small of her back, tugging her body against his own. Her lips automatically parted, and his kiss seemed achingly familiar. In the dim recesses of her mind, she knew she had to bring this to a halt. But reason quickly disappeared, and she wrapped her arms around his neck, surrendering to passion.

His hand slipped beneath the hem of her tank top, trailing up her side, his palm surrounding her breast. Her nipple peaked beneath his touch, and her body reflexively arched against him.

He stripped her shirt over her head and feasted his eyes on her white bra. His gaze was searing, taking in every inch of her body, while his hand went to the button on his dress shirt.

After a moment’s fumbling, he swore beneath his breath and ripped off the buttons, tugging off his shirt. Her bra went next, and they were skin-to-skin, kissing their way to another plane of desire.

She found her hands going to his belt, releasing the buckle, popping the button, pulling down the zipper, even while his kisses roamed from her mouth to her neck and down to the peaks of her breasts. He stripped off her shorts in a heartbeat, then dispatched the rest of his clothes.

Again, they were skin-to-skin, with nothing between them. The world outside his bedroom, his bed, his hands and his lips ceased to exist. Devin longed to get closer, to press harder, to wrap herself around his magnificent body and travel to paradise all over again.

“You amaze me,” he rasped, both hands cradling her face as he planted long, wet kisses on her swollen mouth.

She shifted her body, moving beneath him, kissing him hard and deep in return. She lifted her knees, wrapping herself around his hips, gasping his name as primal urges swept through her, robbing her breath and curling her toes.

His hand slid down her body, over the curve of her waist, across her hip, cupping her buttocks, and tugging her to him. He thrust, and she gasped, groaning in relief at the exquisite sensation of becoming one. A buzzing started in her ears, obliterating everything but Lucas’s voice.

He told her she was beautiful, that she was amazing, that he’d never felt this way before, and that he never wanted to let her go.

The buzzing moved through her body, from her abdomen, to her breasts, to her thighs and to her toes.

His rhythm increased, and she arched her back. His hand found her breast, and sensation nearly blinded her.

She felt his muscles clench to steel, and she curled her body around him, hanging on tight and letting wave upon wave of pure released wash over her.

It was long minutes before her breathing slowed down.

Lucas was a hot weight on top of her, and she felt cocooned between him and the pillow-topped bed.

His hand stroked her face, and he gently kissed her temple, her cheekbone and the corner of her eye.

“I’m late,” he told her, the regret in his tone convincing enough to take the sting out of his words.

“I know,” she said and gave him a nod.

She’d let it happen. She’d actually taken her bluff to its final conclusion. She wasn’t sure how she felt about that. But it was probably better if he left right away. Both her brain and her emotions were a jumble of confusion.

“I have time for a shower,” he said, and the next thing she knew, he was lifting her from the bed, setting her gently on her feet and guiding her to a huge marble bathroom.

The shower was magnificent, and so were Lucas’s hands.

Feeling warm and fresh, and preposterously euphoric wrapped in a fluffy, white terry-cloth robe, it wasn’t until Lucas left her in her own room to change that she realized they hadn’t used birth control.

She gripped the nearest bedpost, did a quick calculation on her fingers and realized the risk was minimal.

With a sigh of intense relief, she slumped down on the bed, wrapping her arms around her body and hugging tight. What on earth was happening to her here?

Lucas awoke in his bed the next morning thinking about Devin. His business dinner had run late. He’d briefly considered knocking on her bedroom door after he’d come home, and climbing into her bed to hold her in his arms. But he wasn’t sure if he’d be welcome. He wasn’t at all sure what to make of yesterday.

Talk about a complete one-eighty.

When he’d caught her snooping around Konrad’s room, he’d got the impression their physical relationship was going to be a one-time thing. He wasn’t happy about that. Who would be happy about discovering such an amazingly passionate woman, only to have her snatched away?

But he was prepared to accept her decision. With everything going on around them, it wasn’t fair to push her. He hoped they’d at least agreed to a postponement of the court battle, although Devin hadn’t exactly said that out loud yet. But the court battle would one day come. And they’d be on opposite sides, and it would be bloody complicated if they were also lovers.

Lovers.

Lucas tossed back his quilt.

Was that what they were now? Did Devin intend for them to make love again? She must. It wasn’t like they’d accidentally fallen into each other’s arms yesterday. She’d obviously make a deliberate decision to seek him out.

In his bed.

He grinned at the memory, folding his hands behind his head and staring at the ornate ceiling above him. So, was the next move his? Maybe she’d expected him to show up in her room last night.

How would she feel about sleeping together with Amelia right next door? Silly question. Amelia was only nine months old. And the mansion staff was nothing if not professional and discrete.

He glanced at his clock and decided he had a couple of hours to spare. He’d shower, find Devin and see if he could get a sense of where this thing between them was going.

He vaulted out of bed, a spring in his step as he moved through the motions of his shower and shave, wondering as he did if he’d find her at the pool, or maybe they’d taken a walk to the gardens. Or maybe, if he was lucky, Amelia was with Teresa and Devin would be free for the next little while.

It was Wednesday, so Lucas selected his usual white dress shirt, buttoned the front and the cuffs and twisted his tie into place with practiced ease. Shrugging into his jacket, he passed the computer and hit a key to bring up his calendar. Maybe he could get away with spending the entire morning here at the mansion. He grinned to himself for the hundredth time. Maybe he was premature in putting on his suit.

His email program came up, and he reached for the mouse to shrink it out of the way. But then his gaze caught Konrad’s name in the list of recently-viewed emails.

What on earth? Who would-

But then the date registered, and he recognized the text. He dropped down into the chair, noting three of Konrad’s other emails had been recently opened.

Reality hit him like a ton of bricks.

He twisted his head to stare at the messy bed.

She hadn’t been here to proposition him yesterday. She’d hadn’t heard him come home early and been overcome with passion and desire. The woman had been caught red-handed, and she’d slept with him to cover it up!

And she had the gall to question his ethics?

Lucas continued to stare at the emails, bitter disappointment fueling his anger. He told himself that at least he knew where he stood. Unfortunately, it didn’t make him feel any better.

He pushed back the chair and rose to his feet. Then he straightened his cuffs and collar and paced deliberately for the door.

Her room was empty as he passed it, and so was the nursery. There wasn’t a soul in the foyer or the great room. He caught a glimpse of Teresa down the hall, but she took one look at his face and veered off into the library. She was alone, and that fact told Lucas that Amelia was with Devin.

It wasn’t until he made it to the kitchen that he heard voices. They were coming from the breakfast alcove that overlooked the pool. Lexi’s laughter. Good. Devin couldn’t be far away.

But then Byron’s voice responded. “It wouldn’t have been so bad.” His tone was laced with a deep chuckle. “But the bull’s name was Clementine.”

Lucas came around the corner.

“You’re making that up,” Lexi accused from where she sat on one of the curved bench seats at the round table, but there was a distinct thread of laughter to her voice.

“I swear it’s the truth,” said Byron, as Lucas’s entrance caught his attention. “Look, there’s Lucas. Lucas can tell you-” Then Byron did a double take of Lucas’s expression. “What’s wrong?”

“Where’s Devin?” Lucas reflexively glanced around the room, moving so he could see to the far end of the kitchen and peering past the window planters into the yard.

“Did something happen?” asked Byron, coming to his feet.

“She’s out with Amelia,” said Lexi, worriedly watching Lucas.

“Lucas?” Byron prompted.

“I need to talk to her,” said Lucas. He was doing his best to keep his temper in check, but the more he thought about Devin’s behavior, the angrier he became.

What kind of a woman broke in to a man’s email account? What kind of a woman slept with a guy to cover her tracks? She was one amazing actress. He could have sworn-

“Mr. Demarco?” Teresa suddenly rushed breathlessly into the room, her feet slipping on the linoleum as she rounded the corner. She braced her hand against the counter. “Something’s very wrong out there.”

“With Devin?” Lucas automatically asked, fear pushing out his anger.

“Out where?” asked Byron.

“Out front,” Teresa answered. “At the gate. There’s a big crowd of people.”

“Where’s Devin?” Lucas was already heading for the hallway.

“I didn’t see her.” Teresa shook her head. “Not out front.”

“What kind of a crowd?” asked Byron, he and Lexi on Lucas’s heels as they all rushed down the hallway.

“They have cameras and microphones.”

Reporters? What would bring reporters to the estate?

Lucas pulled out his phone, pressing the speed dial number for Theodore Vick, talking to Teresa while the line rang. “When’s the last time you saw Devin?” he demanded as he crossed the foyer and yanked open the door.

“They went to the park, maybe an hour ago.”

“What park?” Did the reporters have anything to do with Devin? Was she up to something more sinister than snooping through his private correspondence?

The young woman’s eyes went wide, and her voice quavered. “Beside the marina. She took Amelia in the stroller.”

“Some of those are the big guns,” said Byron. “SNN, The Evening.” He lengthened his stride alongside Lucas.

“What the hell?” Lucas shaded his eyes. He’d had plenty run-ins with the press in the past, and he had no desire to make tonight’s evening news. At the same time, he needed to know what brought them here.

“I can go down there alone,” Byron offered.

“No thanks,” said Lucas, giving up on Theodore and making up his mind to take the bull by the horns.

If this was something Devin had cooked up…

If she’d somehow decided engaging the press would help her cause…

“It’s Lucas Demarco,” one of the reporters cried out as he approached, and nearly two dozen people crowded the driveway gate. Their lights came on, and they began clicking pictures through the bars, their TV cameras whirring.

Lucas scanned the crowd, recognizing a couple of legitimate news organizations amongst the tabloid reporters and the paparazzi.

A woman shoved a microphone between the bars. “What do you say to the accusations of fraud, leveled at you by-”

“She’s got the baby,” someone else cried out, and attention immediately shifted from Lucas to the sidewalk across the street.

One look at Devin’s stunned expression on the far sidewalk told Lucas she’d had nothing to do with calling the press. Which left only one other suspect. Steve.

Everyone rushed toward her and Amelia, who was sitting in a navy blue stroller.

Lucas swore out loud, plugged in the combination for the driveway gate and rushed outside with everyone else, Byron at his side.

“Ms. Hartley,” demanded the woman with the microphone, while shutters clicked and cameras whirred, everyone jockeying for an angle. “How do you respond to the accusation that your sister-” the woman glanced at a notepad “-your sister Monica was complicit in an attempt to defraud the Foster family out of fifty million dollars?”

While Devin blinked like a deer caught in the headlights, Lucas and Byron elbowed their way through the crowd. Lucas grabbed hold of a man who was leaning in to take a picture of Amelia, snagging him by the collar and all but throwing him out of the way. Byron broke the man’s fall and shoved him to one side.

Lucas swiftly snatched Amelia from the stroller and tucked her against his chest, obscuring her face with the lapel of his suit jacket. Then he grasped Devin’s hand.

“Leave the stroller,” he ordered, pasting her to his side and shouldering his way back through the crowd.

The reporters rushed alongside them, peppering them with questions and snapping pictures.

“Will there be a lawsuit?” shouted one.

“Do you expect any arrests?” came another.

“Has there been a DNA test?”

Lucas was beyond furious with his cousin.

He shoved Devin firmly inside the gate, where Lexi and several staff members had congregated. Then he rushed through the opening himself, and Byron followed with the stroller, filling the space behind Lucas and turning to block the way of any reporter who might be foolish enough to venture onto private property.

“What on earth?” Devin said breathlessly, craning her neck, even as Lucas kept her moving steadily forward toward the sanctity of the mansion.

“It was Steve,” Lucas growled. He was still plenty angry with Devin, but that conversation would have to be put on hold for now.

Amelia pulled back and looked up at him. He braced himself for one of her crying jags, but wasn’t willing to let go of her just yet.

“But, why?” asked Devin.

For some reason, Amelia didn’t cry. She simply blinked curiously at Lucas as he carried her toward the front stairs.

He looked to Byron to get his assessment of Steve’s behavior. “What does he gain?”

Byron shook his head, looking as confused as Lucas felt. “Publicly discrediting you is all I can see him getting out of this.”

“It’s not a jury decision or even a hearing,” Lucas pointed out. “It’s a technical question.”

Whether Amelia was entitled to inherit would be decided by a family law judge in some little office in the bowels of the state judicial building. It wasn’t like public opinion would factor into it.

“He could be targeting Pacific Robotic’s board of directors,” offered Byron. “Ramp up some kind of a scandal against you?”

“Does he think he can get me fired as president?”

“I don’t understand,” Devin said. “What’s going on?” Then she glanced from Lucas to Amelia. “Do you want me to take her?”

“She’s fine,” he answered shortly. When the crowd of reporters rushed Amelia, his protective instincts had kicked in. She was safe now. And since she hadn’t started crying, she was just fine right where she was.

The group trooped through the doorway and into the foyer, and Lucas breathed a sigh of relief. He waited until the staff went back about their business and only Devin, Byron and Lexi remained.

“So, what happens now?” asked Lexi. Like Devin, her gaze kept darting to Amelia in Lucas’s arms, as if she expected him to drop her.

Lucas looked to Byron. “I don’t see confronting him.” He’d already tried both reason and intimidation. And Steve wasn’t going to suddenly develop a conscience.

“The boys’d know how to take care of it back home,” Byron offered, stretching out his interlaced hands and letting his knuckles crack.

“An assault charge isn’t going to help us,” said Lucas, much as he’d love to take a swing at Steve right now. What was the man thinking, painting a target on both Devin and Amelia? How did he sleep at night?

“I don’t see the press attention interfering with the legal decision,” said Byron. “The judge is going to follow legislation and precedent. I doubt he’ll even be reading The Tattler.”

“So, Steve’s master plan is to aggravate us?” asked Lucas.

Seattle was a small city, and Pacific Robotics was a prominent business. Lucas had been in the spotlight many times before, and he knew the paparazzi would hound all of them for many long days to come. There’d be nowhere to hide.

“It seems like that’s the case,” said Byron.

“That reporter,” Devin began. “She asked if we expected arrests. What did that mean? Who would get arrested, and for what?”

Lucas avoided making eye contact with her. His instinct was to worry about her, but he had to stay angry. “The reporter was fishing. Steve dangled a story in front of them, and now they’re digging for the details.”

“I don’t want Amelia on the front page.” Devin seemed to instinctively shift closer to Amelia, who had relaxed and was now a soft, warm bundle against Lucas’s chest.

“Neither do I.” His tone was sharper than he intended, and Devin gave a slight cringe.

“But they can’t get on the estate?” Lexi questioned.

“Lucas?” It was Theodore Vick, who was hustling into the front hall. “Sorry. I was out on the water. I’ve got two men at the front gate now.”

“It’s under control,” Lucas told him. “At least for the moment.” Then he answered Lexi’s question. “They’d have a hard time getting on the estate. But it’s not a fortress.”

“I’ll bring in some extra men,” Theodore offered. “We’ve got the new lighting system installed at the back of the property, and Chad will make sure the dock is guarded around the clock.”

Devin reached out for Amelia, but she stopped herself short, pulling back in obvious surprise. “She’s asleep.”

Lucas glanced down to see Amelia’s closed eyes. Her cheeks were rosy and her pink mouth was relaxed, slightly opened as she breathed in and out.

Lexi stepped in. “Looks like Uncle Lucas doesn’t scare her so much anymore.”

Lucas knew he had to focus on security. They needed a plan to protect Amelia and thwart Steve. But for a brief second, he let the unfamiliar emotion flash through his chest. Amelia trusted him.

He silently vowed that he wasn’t going to let her down.

“Can you increase the video surveillance?” he asked Theodore.

“Absolutely.”

“What about long-lens cameras?”

“I can’t give you any guarantees,” said Theodore. “I can put on some extra guys, but there’s a lot of fence line to cover, and you’re open to the bay. It’s probably best to stay inside as much as you can.”

Devin’s eyes narrowed in concern. “For how long?”

“A couple of weeks,” Lucas admitted. “Maybe. They’ll go away once we have a decision on Steve’s challenge of Amelia’s inheritance. Byron’s trying to get more information on the timeframe.”

“And are you going to hide in the house?” Devin asked Lucas.

He shook his head. “I don’t care if they take pictures of me.”

“Should Devin care?” asked Lexi.

It was Byron who answered. “Does she want a private life after this is over?”

Devin glanced around the circle. “So, I’m a prisoner?”

“Unless you want to leave Seattle,” suggested Theodore. “It’s a local story. I doubt it would follow you out of state.”

Devin crossed her arms over her chest. “Unfortunately, I’ve been sentenced to stay here in this house.”

“You want to leave?” asked Lucas, thinking that it might not be such a bad idea to get Devin and Amelia out of town and away from Steve.

“Of course I want to leave. I want to go home.”

Theodore shook his head. “Your house is out of the question. There’ll be reporters there, too.”

The news obviously surprised Lexi. “Am I going to be ambushed when I get home?”

“You should stay here,” Devin declared.

“You can all come on down to Texas,” Byron offered.

Lucas scoffed at the idea.

But Byron widened his stance. “Ain’t nobody getting their boots on my land.”

“What?” Lexi mocked. “You gonna shoot ’em fer trespassin’?”

Byron didn’t answer, but his expression said he just might.

“You couldn’t-” Lexi paused “-really shoot them.” She cocked her head as she peered at Byron. “Right?”

Byron offered nothing but a self-satisfied smile.

Theodore spoke. “It’s not the worst idea in the world.”

Lucas met his chief of security’s eyes, mentally debating the pros and cons. Amelia and Devin would be well out of both Steve’s and the any reporter’s reach. And although Byron wouldn’t literally shoot anyone who trespassed, he definitely had some hard-bitten ranch hands on the payroll who would dissuade anyone from bothering the residents of the ranch. Long lenses would never find them from the road.

And it would throw Steve a curveball. It would throw Steve one heck of a curveball, which was exactly what Lucas needed right now. He’d been reacting to Steve’s maneuvers for days on end. It was about time he took some action on his own.

“Fine,” he said, nodding decisively. “We’ll go to Texas.”

Devin’s jaw dropped open. “But-”

“I’m coming, too,” Lexi immediately insisted.

“Isn’t that a bit drastic?” asked Devin. “First I leave my home to come here, and now you want me to traipse halfway across the country?”

Lucas understood the reason for her reluctance. If she was in Texas, she couldn’t snoop. There’d be no way for her to continue pawing through his private correspondence.

Too bad, honey.

They were so going to Texas.