BYRON DROVE THE three hours back home after leaving Zoe’s place instead of going to his family’s estate in Jackson Falls, North Carolina. The Robidoux Estate was the place where his grandfather had built the tobacco empire that they all benefited from today and was his unofficial campaign headquarters. He was sure his family’s home was buzzing with activity. Roy and his dad strategizing over the latest developments. Dominic updating the family and providing recommendations on the best way to deal with Carlton’s blackmail threats. Elaina would be wound tighter than a rusted spring after hearing about India and Travis eloping, and was probably driving the household staff to the brink of revolt with her excessive demands.
Byron didn’t want to deal with any of that. He’d called Roy on the drive back home and gotten an update on their thoughts on revealing India and Travis’s marriage. Luckily, the family had already prepared for the announcement; they just had to move up the timeline a bit. He’d let Roy know Zoe wanted to help with her part in the story. He left out the part about Zoe needing to think things over before agreeing to go along with the plan. He just hoped she’d take up his offer and come to Jackson Falls that weekend. All he wanted now was to get home, shower and get in his bed. His shoulders ached from the hours of driving, his eyes were tired and he’d sat for so long his back was stiff.
Yet, anticipation buzzed beneath his exhaustion. Something he knew would prevent him from focusing on work or allowing him to shut down his brain and fall asleep. Thirteen years had passed, and he still felt as if he’d been hit with an electric charge after spending time with Zoe.
He pulled onto his street. He lived in a modest townhome closer to downtown. He wanted to be out of the prying eyes of his family and close to the actual campaign headquarters. The energy in downtown was more his speed than the relaxed atmosphere at the estate. When he’d been younger everything in town closed at nine during the week and six on Sundays. Even though it was after ten there were people on the street coming and going from the downtown restaurants, coffee shops and bars. Jackson Falls was growing, and he liked being in the middle of the changes.
A silver Volvo was parked right outside his garage, and the lights glowed behind the closed custom blinds of his windows. Byron’s hands tightened on the steering wheel. He took a long, deep breath as he pulled in behind the car. Rolling his head back he counted to ten and prepared himself.
He’d given Yolanda a key to his place right after proposing to her. They’d decided not to move in together before the wedding but agreed giving each other free access made their relationship more believable. They hadn’t exchanged keys with the expectation of the other person popping in, unannounced, whenever they wanted.
“Which means she’s pissed,” he grumbled to himself as he cut the engine.
He got out of the car and entered his place through the garage. The house was quiet except for the sounds of the television in the den. Byron slipped off his shoes and set them on the shoe rack by the door next to Yolanda’s beige pumps. He dropped his keys on the kitchen counter and went into the connected den.
Yolanda sat on the corner of his couch and flipped channels on the television. She didn’t look at him as he entered. She sat stiffly, her shoulders rigid and her finger pressing hard as she changed channels.
“What’s wrong, Yolanda?” Byron asked. He rubbed his eyes and fought not to sigh. He wasn’t in the mood to figure out what bothered her. Might as well get straight to the point.
“I don’t know, Byron. Why don’t you tell me what’s wrong?” She didn’t look at him. She jabbed the buttons on the remote so hard he’d be surprised if they didn’t get stuck.
“I’ve had a long day. Something came up with the campaign, and I’m trying to fix it.”
Yolanda tossed the remote onto the coffee table and stood. “What’s her name?”
“Whose name?” he asked, keeping his cool. He didn’t think Roy would have told Yolanda about the blackmail or the problem with Zoe. Byron hadn’t mentioned anything to Yolanda because he’d wanted to know exactly what they were dealing with before bringing her in.
Yolanda crossed her arms. “The woman you’re seeing.”
Byron rubbed his beard and looked to the ceiling. “I’m not seeing anyone,” he said slowly.
“We promised we wouldn’t start anything like that. Especially during this campaign,” she continued as if he hadn’t spoken. “Now you’re disappearing for a day, your campaign manager doesn’t know where you are and you return at—” she checked her watch “—after ten and you expect me to believe you aren’t seeing anyone else.”
He held up his hands in a “hold up” gesture. “Come on, Yolanda—”
“No, you come on!” She pointed a finger at him. “We are in this to win. We made a deal to do everything necessary to get you to the Senate. If you mess this up because you can’t keep your dick in your pants—”
“I’m not sleeping with her.” He cut in before she got going.
Yolanda was used to arguing her case and winning. It was one of the reasons he’d originally been attracted to her. They’d debated the outcome of a recent legal case on their first date and with every articulated cut she’d made to his argument, he’d wanted her even more. He still couldn’t believe what started out as a no-strings-attached fling had turned into an engagement. That he was following in his grandfather’s footsteps and marrying for convenience and political ties.
It’s not as if you’d rather marry for love.
Yolanda’s chin lifted. “Who is she?” she asked in a cool, detached voice.
Yolanda was angry, but she didn’t look hurt. Her voice didn’t waver. Her shoulders didn’t slump in defeat. He’d seen that same look on her when she deliberated a case and was faced with an unwanted problem she had to solve.
Byron pointed toward the chair. “You’re going to want to sit down for this one.”
She eyed him coolly for several long seconds. Her eyes narrowed when he didn’t back down under her glare. She finally lowered to the edge of the couch. Byron sat next to her on the chair.
“I was in Greenville, South Carolina, today. I went there to see an old college friend. Her name is Zoe Hammond.”
“Why did you go see an old college friend?” Yolanda’s voice dripped with sarcasm. “Did you have to plan your next reunion?”
“I went there because thirteen years ago she told her abusive boyfriend I was the father of her child, and in order to protect her, I went along with it.”
Yolanda slid back. Her jaw slowly fell open as if she needed time to process the words. She closed her mouth, pointed at him and parted her lips to say something, then closed her mouth again. She took a long breath and tilted her head to the side. “Come again?”
He understood her confusion and disbelief. The story was outrageous, but Yolanda knew him well enough to realize he wouldn’t joke about something like this. She listened as Byron told her the truth. Starting from the day Zoe ran to him for help and ending with asking Zoe to come to Jackson Falls to reveal Lilah as his daughter. She only interrupted him to ask a few clarification questions. By the time he finished, Yolanda had leaned forward, elbows on her knees, and her forehead in her hand.
She shook her head and groaned. “If ever there was a time I wished I hadn’t quit smoking this definitely ranks among the top ones.”
“I was going to tell you.”
Her head lifted. She frowned at him. “When? Right before you had a press conference revealing a baby that isn’t really yours?”
He deserved that, even if he wouldn’t have waited that long to tell her. “I was going to tell you tomorrow. First, I had to figure out what was going on.”
“You don’t have to do this. Just tell the truth. Let everyone know the kid isn’t yours and we can move on.”
Byron shook his head. “You don’t know her ex. He was involved in organized crime, and he’s scheduled to get out soon. If I tell the truth, it’s going to make headlines and possibly put her in danger.”
“So our campaign has to suffer just to protect her?” Yolanda asked incredulously. “I didn’t sign up for this, Byron.”
He took her hand in his before she could get up and start pacing. “You knew the type of person I was when we agreed to do this. You know I can’t just leave someone out in the cold like this. I made a promise to Zoe. Besides, you of all people should understand the type of risk she’d take by backtracking her story now. You’ve volunteered at the women’s shelter. You’ve seen the way some guys never let go of a perceived wrong. If I tell the truth now and something happens to her... I wouldn’t be able to forgive myself.”
Yolanda slipped her hand away from his. “Byron, how can we possibly spin this to make it sound better?”
“We’ll figure out something, but I can’t do it without you.” He was a Robidoux. If his family was good at anything it was making things go the way they wanted. He realized doing this was going to make his campaign harder, but he also knew he could make this work. He’d find a way to protect Zoe and Lilah, win the Senate seat and keep Yolanda happy. He’d maneuvered his way out of tough situations before. None as tough as this, but he didn’t doubt his abilities completely.
The can’t-do-it-without-you must have worked because Yolanda’s shoulders relaxed and the frost in her eyes melted into the calculating gleam that had drawn him to her in the first place. “You can’t keep secrets like this from me. The promises you made to her were over a decade ago. You recently promised me that we would be a team. We’d work together to make this campaign a success. Hiding things like this is not a partnership.”
Byron slid closer to Yolanda. “You’re right. There’s nothing I can say to make keeping you in the dark better.”
He met her eyes and tried his best to look chastised. He was tired, and wanted to go to bed, but he made the effort in order to get Yolanda to go along with this. She blinked prettily and leaned forward until her lips nearly touched his.
“Do you still love her?”
Byron jerked back. Love? Where had that come from? Byron Robidoux didn’t play the love game. “What? No. Of course not. I didn’t love her then. We were friends. That’s all.”
The lie slid easily off his lips. He’d told himself that enough over the years that saying the words no longer felt like a kick to the gut. He didn’t want to think about Zoe being the first and only woman to work her way into his heart. The first and only woman to break it.
Yolanda raised a brow. “Just friends wouldn’t do all that you did for her.”
He met Yolanda’s gaze dead on. “There is nothing for you to worry about. I have to get ahead of this story before Carlton comes out with something worse, and I’d prefer to do it without putting Zoe’s life in danger. Will you stick by me while I do this?”
She searched his face before nodding. “I will, but first you have to make another promise.”
“Anything.” Relief flooded his voice. He hadn’t been sure Yolanda would understand or agree. He should have known she wouldn’t give up the opportunity for the future they’d envisioned because someone like Carlton threatened them.
“Promise me that if at any moment you start to feel anything for this woman other than friendship, you’ll tell me straight up. I’m willing to accept an affair after we’ve made it to the Senate, but not before, and not one that’s going to make me look like an idiot.”
For a second he thought about what it would be like if he and Yolanda had chosen each other for love instead of mutual benefit. They had fondness, and obviously there was chemistry, but every time he expected her to show any signs her feelings were more than superficial, she displayed cold pragmatism. The realization sent another wave of relief. He didn’t want Yolanda falling in love and expecting more from him. Not when he knew he could never trust her with his heart. Yolanda was too calculating to see love from him as anything other than a weakness.
“Nothing is going to happen.” He articulated each word. His gaze and voice unwavering. He needed her, and the part of him that tried to spark to life after seeing Zoe would eventually understand that he couldn’t afford to fall for Zoe again.
“Promise me. The second you feel anything. Tell me,” she reiterated.
“I promise you.” When she nodded he took her hand in his. “And there will be no affairs. Not before or after.”
The risk of scandal was too great. He wouldn’t go this far and agree to do everything possible to win the Senate seat to give it up for a quick thrill. The attraction between him and Yolanda would have to be enough. If it faded, then hopefully she’d be willing to work with him to rekindle things.
She smiled at him. A small knowing smile right before she lifted her hand to his cheek. “Let’s just get through this campaign, okay?”
He chuckled softly at her patronizing tone before kissing the inside of her hand. He didn’t need to rethink his words. As much as he loved his father, Byron remembered the hurt his mother had tried to hide whenever Grant visited his mistress. His now fiancée. When Byron asked his mom why she allowed it, her only answer was that she couldn’t give their dad everything he needed. No matter how much she said she was okay with Grant’s infidelity, Byron never wanted to put that look in another woman’s eyes. If he married Yolanda, it would be with the goal of never humiliating her.
He leaned in and kissed her softly. As their lips brushed, a vision of Zoe from earlier filled his brain. That and a quiet whisper of uncertainty. Even if Byron forsook all temptation on his part, Yolanda never made the promise to do the same.