Lowering an argument to personal insults was a sign of

desperation, and Riley bit back the need to shout something

back. He could rise above this.

Jim stood quietly, and the other attorney spoke.

"My client will accept an out-of-court settlement in lieu of

suing for custody." He said this plainly, and Riley stiffened. "Who is your client?" Jim asked just as plainly. "Mr Elliot Anderson."

Riley barked out a laugh, and Jim shot him a

censorious look.

"Please feel free to file the paperwork for our

consideration," Jim said simply. Avarice shot into the

lawyer's eyes, and Riley wondered what percentage of a

final settlement he would receive. Sarah followed the lawyer out, and at the last moment, she turned and shot a grateful smile in their direction. Riley kind of liked Lexie's

sister.

When everyone had gone and it was just him and

Jim left, Riley pulled two beers from the fridge and passed

one over. Taking a long slug, he sat down on the nearest

chair.

"They don't have a hope in hell, son. The only

connection there is Sarah, and even then, historically, a

sibling relationship does not outweigh a parental one. "What about—" He wasn't sure how to word it, so

instead, it came out like a careless comment, "The whole,

y'know, gay thing."

Jim lifted the beer and swallowed. He was evidently

delaying what he wanted to say, and Riley's stomach sank.

If it came to a choice… if he had to choose between Jack

and Hayley… God…

"Two people. Married. In love. Financially secure.

A strong family network. And two lawyers in the family?

They haven't got a snowball's chance in hell of getting

anything from you. Hayley is loved and wanted, and my

granddaughter is staying where she damn well is now." Jim

had a passion in his eyes that made Riley smile.

He never even thought about what he said next. In

fact, it just slipped out as effortlessly as a thought, and he wasn't surprised to hear himself say, "Thanks, Dad."

C

HAPTER

14

"There's no going back from this once we decide to go to press," Jack said, and passed the draft interview and photos to Riley. Jack then sat back in the seat with a bottle in his hand and a serious expression that unnerved Riley.

"All we have to do is sign off on this, and that's it?" Riley wasn't really questioning the article; he just wanted to be sure.

Jack stared down at the words Sean had written. "It's good," he said simply. "It doesn't dramatize Lexie's death, or belittle the loss. It doesn't mention Sarah or her idiot of a husband. It paints us in a good light." He traced his fingers over the headline, a simple The CampbellHayeses welcome Riley's daughter, Hayley, into their family, and Riley stretched in the chair. It was past midnight, and Sean had only left half an hour before. He had arrived at seven with Eden, and there was an open affection between the two that no one could miss. Eden was happy, and Riley tried really hard to tamp down a big brother's instinct to maim. Jack, the bastard, knew what he had been going through, but his idea of helping was to grin inanely and wink. Fucker. Hayley was long since in bed, and it was just the two of them. His cell had been mercifully silent this evening. Even though it was in his pocket just in case; they'd left him alone.

After what had happened in the office the day before, how could he even think of keeping a secret from the man who was his other half? Jack would understand. Please God, let Jack understand. He would listen, and he wouldn't think back to the old Riley Hayes; he would trust the new Riley Hayes would be telling the truth.

Knowing he should be sharing everything with Jack was eating away at him. Ever since the day Jim had pulled him to one side and told him what Jeff had done, Riley had debated coming clean with Jack. But they had Hayley, and Jack was experiencing problems with Taylors, and… it was all excuses really. At the end of things, he was scared all the way to his core. It would probably be best if he waited until after everything was settled with Hayley to tell Jack. Or until… Shit, he needed to tell Jack everything. Not tonight though. He could cross that particular bridge another day.

Which was why he was so damned surprised when he suddenly blurted the whole mess out in one long case of verbal overload.

"Jack, there's something I need to talk to you about. It's important. Jim said the Office of Inspector General was investigating this guy, Abraham Jenkins. They say he used inside knowledge of government contracts to assist oil companies like HayesOil in gaining an advantage over other companies when bidding."

Jack sat there with his mouth wide open, and Riley inhaled deeply. Shit. How had all of that come out of him so clearly and on one single breath?

"Like Jenkins gave HayesOil a heads-up," Jack summarized.

It wasn't unknown. Riley had intimate knowledge that it wasn't what you knew but who you knew that drove the oil machine.

"Yeah in two thousand and seven…" Riley paused. He had to try to remember this right if it was going to make sense. "An exploration and contracts management subsidiary of HayesOil called Elementrix paid Jenkins around one point two million dollars."

"And this was Jeff finding ways to get contracts first? Is this what has been keeping you on the cell? It's too late for people to be worrying about it now; Jeff's dead." Riley looked uncomfortable, and Jack picked up on it immediately. "What is it, Riley?" Jack leaned forward in his chair and rested his elbows on the table.

"It isn't Jeff's name on the paperwork."

"Gerald then?"

"Elementrix was mine, Jack, and it was my signature on the checks." Riley dropped the bombshell and waited for Jack to hit the roof—shout at him or rail at him. He didn't. In fact, he simply shrugged and then rested his chin on his steepled fingers.

"How did Jeff do it? Did he forge your signature?"

Overwhelming relief flooded Riley at Jack's casual acceptance Riley had nothing to do with any of it. He hadn't realized how weighed down he'd been by the possibility Jack might not understand.