Page 154 of Dream Chaser

Not quite the wedding cake he’d smashed Nova’s face into, but it’d do.

A chorus of gasps and sharp intakes of breath came from the waitstaff.

“Eh!” The other two guys jumped to their feet, rattling the dishes. “What the fuck? Someone call the police!”

Nova’s ex sputtered, reaching for the napkins as he blinked. A lump of gravy coated sausage fell from his chin as he opened and closed his mouth several times.

“You could,” I said, leaning my forearm on the back of the seat. “But the cops might already be on their way to chat with your friend. That’s what happens when you assault your ex-wife.”

Stunned silence hung in the air. The two waitresses froze, trays in hand, as they listened in. One should never underestimate the small-town gossip mill.

I shrugged. “Ah, looks like you didn’t know Preston hit Nova. Guess he didn’t tell you about the divorce, either.”

Red peeked from the mess on Preston Marshall’s face. He tried to wipe it away with his napkin but only removed part of it. Huffing, he grabbed a wad of napkins from the dispenser and kept swiping at the thick layer of gravy.

“She doesn’t even want anything. She’s trying to pay him to let her go,” I went on. “But he’s demanding more money.”

Crimson splotches covered his neck. “Enough.” He threw the tissues onto the table and rose. “Guys, I’ll be back. We’ll talk outside.”

His two friends exchanged a look, clearly unsure whether to follow us or stay put. Curious eyes traced my movements as I headed out of the diner.

“What the fuck do you want from me?” Nova’s ex snarled as we stood by the entrance. As expected, he was way bolder with no witnesses around.

I crossed my arms, widening my stance. “You’ve got divorce paperwork to sign.”

He scoffed. “Sign so you can fuck her?”

I rubbed my chin. “Millford is a nice town. It has potential.”

He shifted, awareness flashing in his eyes.

“I can totally see why someone would want to build a hotel here. Maybe some upscale vacation rentals too. Funny how life works, huh? One minute, you refuse to get divorced, and the next someone’s asking awkward questions about zoning, developers, permits, envelopes changing hands…”

Preston wiped the back of his hand across his face. Not even the dim streetlight hid the red hue on his cheeks—or the greasy trail of gravy he’d missed.

“What does any of that have to do with me?” He met my eyes, then looked away, as if holding my gaze would expose every one of his pathetic lies.

“That huge billboard next to the town sign had your face on it. Hard to miss.” I reached into the interior pocket of my suit jacket and pulled out the pictures Rowan had given me, turning them toward Nova’s ex. “And these guys have enough to pay for lots of billboards. They just wouldn’t do that for nothing.”

His nostrils flared. He balled his hands into fists, glaring at me.

“You’re lucky, though.” I pocketed the photographs. “You’ve got a chance to walk away from this with nothing more than a gravy stain on your shirt. That’s a pretty good deal if you ask me. Un buen negocio as we say in Spain.”

A muscle in his jaw ticked. “So, you’re saying I’m—”

“No.” I straightened my cuffs. “I’m not saying anything. But people might. And if they start talking about the developers and the little favors, that billboard might be your last. Anyway”—I buttoned my jacket—“you only need to worry about what you did to Nova. Other than that, I’m sure you’ve got nothing to lose sleep over. Just reject the settlement offer. You’ve wasted enough of her money already. And sign the divorce papers. Two weeks should be enough.”

I turned around and stalked to my car. Contained rage pulsed under my skin. That asshole deserved to be hit. To have his face bruised and swollen so he felt every bit of pain he’d caused Nova.

But hitting him wouldn’t make him set her free.

As soon as I slid into the driver’s seat, I called her.

“Ale?” she answered, voice thick with sleep. “Are you okay?”

She’d been fucking assaulted, and she still worried about me. “Todo bien, amor,” I said. It's all good, love. “Were you sleeping?”

“Just dozed off waiting for you. Will you come over?”