Yuletide Protector (Love Inspired Suspense) Read Online Free PDF Page A

been joking. A sick joke, but still a joke.”
    He felt the crease between his brows. “Why?”
    “George doesn’t have that kind of money. I can’t even figure out how he could pay a ‘high-priced’ lawyer.”
    Kevin blew out a breath of frustration. “Daria, do you know what kind of dealings your ex-husband has?”
    She gave him a slightly frosty glance. “Of course I do. His dealings are what eventually led to our divorce.”
    “Then you’re aware that in the past he has taken out very high-interest loans with some disreputable people?”
    “George likes to spend money. He never has any, but he likes to spend it. And yes, I’m aware he did business with loan sharks in the past. He has a habit of living beyond his means.”
    “Other than the loan sharks, where did he get the extra money?”
    “I don’t know.”
    Her voice had a tinge of bitterness to it. He glanced around her home and realized the divorce had done more than change her address. If she had been used to living in high style, she’d changed fast.
    “But you knew of his dealings?”
    “Not completely.” She tapped a finger on the table and just stared out at nothing. “We were married while I was still in college. After I graduated and got a good job, we decided to save for a house. Or rather, I saved. He spent. His work as a broker makes good money. I didn’t think it would take us long to save enough for a down payment. Unfortunately, no matter how much money George made, he never got quite enough moneyto satisfy himself. There were times I wondered where his extra money was coming from, but he’d tell me it was a bonus or something at work.”
    “And you believed him?”
    Daria walked to the sink, grabbed a sponge and ran it under water, squeezing it before wiping the spilled coffee on the counter. With every stroke she wondered how she could have ever been so wrong about a person.
    “I was young. I didn’t know what to believe. I never saw his paycheck—I just knew he seemed to always be buying things or spending. But he came home one night, his face as white as a sheet, and told me he needed a lot of money. He said if he didn’t pay it back fast he’d end up crushed like a tin can.”
    “So you gave him the money you had saved for your house.”
    She laughed sarcastically. “What else was I supposed to do? He said he’d made a mistake and convinced me he’d never do it again. I loved him…or at least I loved the person I thought he was. Sometimes you make foolish choices when you’re young. Apparently, I was more foolish than I thought.” She frowned, seeming lost in thought for a moment, then returned her attention to Kevin.
    “Look, I really do appreciate you coming by here this morning and…filling me in on what’s been going on. I’ll be sure to be more careful to watch for anyone following me. Maybe this time I’ll even spot you.”
    Her attempt at a joke fell flat.
    “If you’re not leaving, you leave me no choice but to continue watching you.”
    “I’m not leaving. Besides, I know George. You probably shook him up good. I’m not letting anyone drive me from my home.”
     
     
    Daria had spent her whole life trying to please her parents, trying to please her husband. She’d promised herself this time that she’d stand firm and not let anyone get in the way of her pleasing herself.
    It had been a huge step for her to buy this house on Hitchcock Street. She’d wanted a real home for as long as she could remember. She could barely afford it and she was always strapped for cash to do repairs, but it was hers. It was home. And it was all she had. She couldn’t leave even if she wanted to. Everything she had was wrapped up in this house.
    Folding her arms across her chest, she said, “I think I need a little time alone.” She had to do some thinking. Make her own decision about what to do next without any outside interference.
    “There’s no way I can change your mind?”
    “Right now, no,” she said