Page 81 of A Tempting Seduction

“Oh, for goodness sake, be real. I hate you. It’s not surprising at all.”

Lance turned his attention back to me, and I saw a flash of the man who'd once made me feel small and worthless. “Ruby, darling, surely we can discuss this privately. Family business doesn't concern outsiders.”

“Ford isn't an outsider,” I said firmly. “He's the man I love. He's my future. You're my past.”

The words came out stronger than I felt but saying them gave me strength. Lance's mask slipped completely for a moment, revealing something cold and calculating underneath.

“Interesting,” Lance said slowly. “And what exactly has Ruby told you about our relationship, Ford?”

Ford leaned back on the couch, completely relaxed. “Enough to know you're not welcome here.”

“Really?” Lance's voice carried a dangerous edge. “Because legally, Ruby and I are still engaged. She never formally ended our relationship.”

My blood turned to ice. In my panic to escape California, I'd never thought about the legal implications.

Wait a minute…

“What are you talking about? There are no legal implications. I left the ring at the house. I left. End of story. And now I’m telling you to your face, because you seem too dense to have figured it out before now.”

“It's not quite that simple,” Lance said, pulling out his phone. “There are contracts involved. Financial agreements.”

Ford's attention sharpened. “What kind of contracts?”

Lance hesitated, clearly weighing his options. “Family business arrangements. Political backing that was promised based on certain... alliances.”

I smirked. “Now I get it. This is about money. Incredible, I should have known. Someone paid Horace, and part of the deal involved me marrying you.”

“Don’t be vulgar, it’s unbecoming.”

“Forget you, Lance. And harass the contracts. And harass the money. Get the heck out of town.” I grinned when he winced. This was getting fun.

“It's more complicated than that. You’ll come back to California if you know what’s good for you.”

Ford stood slowly, and the temperature in the room seemed to drop ten degrees. “How much more complicated?”

Lance looked between us, some of his confidence wavering. “My new position puts me under a microscope. Media scrutiny, opposition research. I can't afford scandals.”

“So, you need a wife to make you look respectable,” I said. “And I'm convenient because I come with political connections.”

“We could be good together, Ruby.” Lance's desperation was starting to show. “You always liked nice things. I can give you that life again.”

“I never cared about the money,” I said. “I cared about feeling safe and loved. Two things you never provided.”

“Don’t be naïve,” came Lance’s smarmy response.

Ford moved closer to Lance, not threatening exactly, but making his presence felt. “She told you no, Lance. Multiple times. Time to accept it and move on.”

Lance's politician's mask cracked completely. “You don't understand what you're dealing with here. Ruby belongs to a powerful family. People don't just walk away from the Waters organization.”

“The Waters organization?” Ford's voice went dangerously quiet.

Lance realized he'd said too much. “I mean... the family has certain expectations.”

“What kind of expectations?” I asked, my heart beginning to speed up.

Lance straightened his tie, a nervous tell I remembered from our engagement. “Horace has significant investments tied to our union. He's not the kind of man who accepts defiance gracefully.”

Ford took another step forward. “Is that a threat?”