The Hotel 3 (The Billionaire Seduction) by Lola Darling Page A

her.” I
say. “Somebody
tried to kill Xander and I. We need to figure this out –
all of us.”
    He
scowls. “You’re
asking me to trust a woman with Lilian’s
track record?”
    “What’s
that supposed to mean?” Lillian
actually looks offended.
    “You
set me up to claim half my shares in the Rexford. Who says you don’t
want to increase that proportion?”
    “Are
you seriously accusing me of attempted murder?”
Lillian’s
voice rises. “I
didn’t
hire the guy who took pictures of you and Juliet. The tape and
pictures arrived anonymously at my office. I’ve
no idea who did it.”
    “Wait,
what?” I
frown. “If
you didn’t
set up the honey trap, then who did?”
    “I
don’t
know!”
    There’s
a pause as we all process this news. Lillian continues.
“Once I
saw the evidence, I had to use it. You never let me have anything to
do with the hotel before. It was so damn important to you. I figured
I’d
see what all the fuss was about. Controlling shares aren’t
that much fun, honestly.”
    Lillian
decided she’d
try and run a multi-million dollar hotel because she was bored? I
remember what she said about Dominic never letting her in. This was
her way of seeing inside his private world—maybe
a little inside him, too.
    “So
who did this?” I
ask, thinking hard. “They
knew it would make Dom crazy, and split him and Xander even further
apart.”
    “And
make Lillian happy,” Xander
adds. “And
put the future of the Rexford in jeopardy.”
    There’s
only one person who would stand to gain from all of that.
    Dom’s
eyes narrow as a slow rage washes over his beautiful face. “Blaine
Prescott.”
    “You’re
right!” I
turn to Lillian, recalling the restaurant incident. “Blaine
was spitting mad when you turned him down. After you left with
Xander, I thought Blaine was going to breathe fire.”
    Her
face goes pale. “He’s
been asking me out forever, but I never took his interest seriously.
Even when I was with Dom, he was always hanging around.”
    “So
he probably thought that once you divorced, the field would be
clear.” I
think it through. “But
nothing changed. And then when he saw you with Xander…”
I stop.
“Shit.
I may have
suggested
that you and Xander were a thing, after you left. I thought it might
help deter Blaine, but…”
    Dom
places a reassuring hand on my shoulder. “It’s
not your fault. A man like that isn’t
rational. He’s
clearly lost his mind.”
    Xander
looks grim. “I’ll
fucking kill him.”
    “Even
if it was him, how do we prove it? The police don’t
have evidence.” Lillian
asks.
    “Give
me five minutes alone in a room with him, and he’ll
talk.” Dom’s
face is a mirror of his brother’s
rage.
    “No.”
I tell them
both firmly. “Blaine
hates you guys, and he’s
crazy. You don’t
know what he’ll
do.
He’s
already tried to kill Xander, remember? I’m
not having you anywhere near him.”
    “Then
what?” Dom
demands, clearly frustrated.
    “We
need to trap him into confessing,” I
say slowly. “So
we can get him brought to justice the right way.”
    “Sure,”
Lillian rolls
her eyes. “He’s
just going to tell us everything he’s
been doing.”
    “Not
us,” I
realize. “You.”
    She
blinks.
    “You’re
the reason he’s
been doing all of this.” I
see her upset expression, and quickly add, “Not
because you asked for any of it. But in his twisted mind, it’s
all for you. If anyone’s
going to get him to talk, it’ll
be you. He probably can’t
wait to brag about every evil thing he’s
done.”
    My
mind is going top speed, pulling together a plan that will take that
asshole down, and hard. “Call
him and make nice on an invitation for drinks at the Rexford. Tell
him you’re
sorry you turned him down, but you weren’t
free to move on. You are now. You’re
interested, and you need his help screwing Dominic over.”
    “No!”
Dom
explodes. “I’m
not having anyone go near that monster alone.”
    “She
won’t
be