“I appreciate you coming to Blake Towers, Miss Lone.” Buttoning his custom suit jacket, one of the country’s wealthiest men steps around his massive mahogany desk as I walk into his luxurious top floor office. Adam Blake nods to his uptight secretary standing behind me, his deep voice full of authority, “That’ll be all, Ms. Shaw. Please shut the door behind you.”
Ms. Sourpuss—who’d already snipped at Den and me for being over an hour late—gives me an annoyed look before she shuts the door.
Mr. Blake gestures to the expensive leather chair in front of his desk, his tone all business. “Ms. Shaw knows everything that goes on around here. She doesn’t like not knowing what this appointment is about.”
As I take a seat, I notice that Adam’s eyes are a deeper shade of blue and his dark hair is just starting to pepper with gray, but I can’t believe how much Sebastian really does favor his father. I can really see it now that I’ve spent some time with Sebastian. Adam’s bearing is intense, his presence dominant, and if he wasn’t staring at me with such a serious gaze, I imagine he probably has a charming side, just like his son. “Your secretary’s not the only one baffled by this meeting, Mr. Blake. Why have you called me here?”
Sliding his hands into his pockets, he settles his serious gaze on me. “I’m curious, do you always make it a habit of taking advantage of those around you?”
“Excuse me?” I instantly straighten in my seat, my jaw tensing. “What are you talking—”
“Driving around town in my car doesn’t endear you to me one bit,” he continues, talking over me in an autocratic tone.
“Ordering me to your office as if I have nothing better to do with my time doesn’t endear you to me either, so thanks for the lift earlier and I’ll call us even on that score.” Folding my hands around my purse, I elevate my chin. “I have somewhere I need to be in less than a half hour, Mr. Blake. If you wouldn’t mind, please enlighten me as to why I’ve been summoned.”
His gaze briefly narrows. “It seems you’ve successfully managed to manipulate your way into the Blake family this time, Miss Murphy.” He smirks when my eyes widen at his mention of my real name. “Yes, I know who you are. I remember you trying to finagle your way into seeing my daughter three-and-a-half years ago when she was at her weakest.” Waving at me dismissively, he continues, “And yet again, I find you preying on my daughter’s current circumstance with what I can only assume is another self-serving agenda. Mina doesn’t have many friends, but the few she does have should be ones she can trust. I want you to cease whatever endgame you’re working toward and quietly end your involvement in my daughter’s life.”
Ever since I left the hotel, I assumed he wanted to talk about Sebastian. “You called me here because of Mina?” I quietly ask while resentful rage festers in my chest. Yes, I’d spoken to Mina a few times since I returned from Martha’s Vineyard. She video conferenced to thank me for the baby gift I sent her. And a month after her daughter was born, she pinged me to introduce little Josi to me. And then later, she videoed to thank me for the books and toys I’d sent Josi. The last we spoke was a couple weeks ago when she heard about my new book’s upcoming tour. She called to congratulate me and we talked about Josi and her new life as a mom. So what current circumstances is he referring to? The fact Mina’s a new mother? She’s handling it like a pro. “What exactly are you accusing me of?”
“I believe I was pretty clear. I don’t trust your motives,” he says in a cold tone.
Standing, I grip my purse by my side so tight I can’t feel my fingers. “I’m not perfect, not at all, but to be accused of evil intent toward the sweetest girl I’ve ever known is beyond insulting. I’ve spoken to your daughter briefly via video chat all of four times in the last six months. How in the world could I possibly be concocting some kind of nefarious plan under those conditions?”
“Four times?” Surprise flickers in his expression, then he looks away, mumbling, “This makes even less sense.”
I fold my arms, tucking my purse tight against me. “I know one thing that does make sense. If this is how Mina’s treated by those around her, being judged for her choices without reason or cause, then I can understand why she might look for friendship outside her normal circle.”
Mina’s father visibly bristles. “My daughter has had the same two best friends since childhood, so yes, I’m questioning why she would choose you as her child’s godmother over one of them, Miss Murphy.”
I gulp back my surprise. “Go—godmother?”
His dark eyebrows elevate. “You didn’t know?”
“This is the first I’m hearing of it.”
Furrowing his brow, he steps forward and gestures to the chair once more, his tone more conciliatory. “Please, have a seat.”
I sit down only because my legs suddenly won’t hold me. I can’t believe this. Why would Mina want me to be little Josi’s godmother?
“I hope you understand the position I’m in, Miss Murphy,” Mr. Blake says once he’s seated behind his desk. “Mina’s mother is beside herself with concern for Mina and Josephine’s well-being. My daughter’s friends were so distraught that Mina didn’t choose either of them, they came to my wife and me for answers. Considering my first introduction to you was far from positive, I don’t understand my daughter befriending you, let alone this choice she’s made. But if you’re saying that being Josephine’s godmother isn’t a responsibility you would accept anyway, that will save everyone a lot of undue stress.”
I jerk my head up and meet his gaze head on. He has no idea what I sacrificed to keep Mina’s name out of the school paper when I wrote that article. “Mina’s obviously a better judge of character. That’s all I’ll say about the past. As for her choosing me, all I said is that I’m surprised. And I’m honored she would consider me.”
His eyes narrow slightly. “So you’re saying you plan to accept if she asks you?”
I match his slitted gaze. “I’m saying that I’m fully capable of the responsibility, nothing more. At this point, I haven’t even been asked. If I am, my answer will be to Mina, not you.”
“My granddaughter stands to inherit a lot of money, Miss Murphy. You can understand my position. It’s my job to protect that at all costs.”
I openly roll my eyes and stand. “This conversation is over. You’re back to veiled accusations and my defensive hackles are rising. Focus on taking care of your daughter’s happiness, Mr. Blake. All the money in the world can’t buy that.”
As I start to walk away from his desk, I realize I’ll probably never get another chance to speak with this man so frankly again. I’ve burned the hell out of this bridge, might as well yank the flaming thing down. Pausing, I turn back to him. “And another thing, that watch that you gave Sebastian…”
When surprise flickers in his eyes, I nod. “Apparently I’ve been plaguing your family a lot longer than you realize. Sebastian gave that watch to me when I was thirteen and in a very bad place in my life. He didn’t do it to get back at you. He did it because that’s the kind of seventeen-year-old boy he was, headstrong and protective, even in his kindness to a total stranger. He never saw the inscription you had engraved on the back until recently when I returned the watch to him. Did he tell you that?”
Mr. Blake slowly shakes his head, regret reflected in his unguarded gaze. “My son and I aren’t very close.”
“Sebastian’s a proud man, so I doubt he’ll ever tell you how much you hurt him. If you want the kind of relationship your brother had with him, words on the back of a watch only get you so far. Tell him what he means to you.”
“Do you think he’ll listen?” he asks, his expression shuttered.
“It’s a start to mending old wounds.” I nod, then walk toward the door.
“Miss Murphy,” he calls out and I glance back at him.
“It appears I’ve misjudged you. I don’t know what transpired in the past, but I can see you’ve gotten to know Sebastian and Mina well enough to have their best interests at heart. I would appreciate it if you would keep this meeting between us. Mina will be very upset if she finds out I contacted you.”
I offer a half-smile, enjoying the peek into his softer side. He might be a rich and powerful man, but family matters to him. That’s exactly how Sebastian operates. Family above all else. He’s more like his father than he realizes. “What meeting?”
Mr. Blake smiles. “Thank you for your discretion.”
“Did your meeting go well?” Den asks as the driver pulls away from Blake Towers.
“Yes,” I say, then frown at the slight smirk on his lips. “I hope I didn’t get you in trouble, Den.”
He laughs. “Miss Talia—”
“Just Talia,” I correct.
Nodding, his laugh settles to a chuckle. “Talia, it was my pleasure. Truly.” He pulls a business card out of his jacket pocket and hands it to me. “If you ever need my help, I’m only a ring away.”
“Thank you, Den. And maybe next time around you’ll tell me why you left the S.I.S.?” I say as I start to take the card.
He holds fast to it, a challenge in his eyes. “Only if you tell me what you pulled from the brick behind the Dumpster.”
I gape. “You couldn’t have seen that. I know the Dumpster blocked your view.”
Releasing the card, he taps his temple. “I observe everything.”
When I eye him suspiciously, he shrugs. “I noticed the brick didn’t line up with the others when I checked the alley for you.”
“Ah, well, in that case.” I tuck the card in my purse, and then slide the folded drawing out to show it to him.
His gaze moves over the drawing and then flicks to me, questions in his eyes.
I touch the hearts, my chest squeezing a little. “I wanted a good memory to overshadow the ones I want to forget.”
He gently takes the paper and folds it neatly before handing it back to me. “Put it in a safe place. Memories like those should be cherished.”
I want to remind him it’s his turn to share, but I can tell by his expression, he won’t. “One day?” I ask, looking at him hopefully.
“Perhaps. We’ll be at your hotel in five minutes.”
“Oh, then I should probably turn on my phone.”
As soon as I hit the power button, my phone pings with several incoming texts.
PainInMyAss: Your two hours are up.
PainInMyAss: Where the hell are you?
PainInMyAss: You’d better be here in the next five minutes, or so help me I’ll handcuff you to me. How do you think your readers will like that?
The last text had been sent only a minute before.
Me: My readers would find that amusing and ask why I don’t use them in my books. I’m a couple minutes away.
PainInMyAss: Junior’s here, annoying the front desk looking for you. Use the entrance on the North side of the building. I’ll be there waiting.
I look up at Den. “Can you drop me off on the North side. I need to go in that entrance.”
Thankfully the sleet had stopped while I was visiting Blake Towers, but it feels even colder now, so I slide out of the car and walk along the newly salted sidewalk to the big glass door with quick steps. Sebastian is standing inside, a few feet back from the door, his arms folded. His gaze locks with mine, an annoyed look stamped on his face.
Warm air blasts me as soon as I step past the sliding glass door and keep my pace at a brisk clip across the red foyer carpet.
When Sebastian lowers his arms and takes three fast steps forward, I pause for a second just before a secondary inner glass door slides out of my way.
“What?” I say, glancing up at him.
He exhales sharply and grips my arm in a firm hold, muttering, “I thought you were going to pigeon it.” Turning to the left, he leads me along a side hallway. “This will take us to the lobby where your boyfriend’s waiting for you. The hotel staff had to move your interview to the Royal meeting room. The change has delayed the start of your media interview by fifteen minutes.”
As soon as we enter the lobby, Sebastian releases me. We’ve only just passed the main desk when Jared turns and sees me. “Thank, God, Natalia!” he says, his wool coat flapping around his suit pants as he briskly walks over to clasp my hands. “You’re so cold.” Rubbing my hands between his warm ones, he frowns at Sebastian. “Why didn’t you answer any of my texts?”
“I was hired to watch over Miss Lone, not check texts,” Sebastian says in a curt tone.
I pull my hands free of Jared’s. “I’m fine. I just had to run a couple errands.”
Sighing, he glances over his shoulder to his assistant, who’s walking in the main doors. “Kayla has your schedule for today. At least moving rooms gives you time to go upstairs and fix your hair.”
“My hair?” I immediately reach up and feel the waves the sleet has brought out. Great. So much for my blow-drying effort this morning. “Um, yeah, I guess I’d better go fix it.”
He smiles and nods. “A sleeker style always looks better on camera. I wish I could stay, but I’ve got a meeting in thirty minutes. I should go before the sleet starts up again. You can tell me how it all went at dinner tonight, but in the meantime, I wanted to come and wish you well. And for luck…”
Before I can react, he clasps my face and presses his lips to mine. I’m so stunned, I freeze. Just as I start to pull back, Jared lifts his head and cuts an angry gaze to Sebastian, his hands falling away. “When did you start wearing cologne?”
Damn, I didn’t think about Den’s jacket leaving his cologne behind. Ignoring the kiss Jared just laid on me, I lift my blouse’s collar and sniff. “You think it smells like cologne? I tried a sample while I was out earlier. Thought it was one of those unisex scents.”
He tucks his hands in his jacket, visibly relaxing. “I like your floral perfume better.”
I refuse to look Sebastian’s way. Jared sounds exactly like a boyfriend, but right now I don’t have time to set the guy straight. I nod and force a smile. “The camera’s not going to care what I smell like, but I do need to run upstairs and fix my hair. Thank you for the well wishes.”
Kayla waves to me from a chair in the lobby as I walk past, calling out, “See you in a few, Miss Lone. I’ll be in the meeting room, making sure everything is set up properly.”
I smile my appreciation, and then turn into the elevator with Sebastian by my side.
As soon as the elevator doors shut, I lean against the wall and Sebastian does the same against the opposite wall.
His expression is back to the intensely annoyed one he had right when I entered the building a few minutes ago. But something he’d muttered after I walked in finally hits me, and I start giggling. “Pigeon it?”
Maybe the reason I’m laughing like a loon is because his witty comment briefly overshadowed his usual intensity, showing a rare side to him I don’t often get to see. Humor. Or maybe it’s because I don’t want him to grill me about that freaking kiss. All I know is, I can’t stop giggling.
Sebastian gives a half-smile. “Yeah, splat. You were moving so fast, I wondered if you saw that second glass door.”
He chuckles along with me, and for those brief few seconds while we zip up to my floor my heart feels light. With him looking at me like that, I feel like I could tell him anything and he would understand. When our laughter settles and his blue eyes are still alight with amusement, I realize that even if we can’t be lovers, I still want his friendship. I want the kind of loyalty he reserves for family. I want that very much. He was right about us. I feel connected to him in ways I can’t explain. If he ever needed me, I would be there for him, no matter what.
The elevator pings, interrupting my thoughts. I start to step forward, but Sebastian puts his arm across the doorway. All amusement is gone and he stares at me with laser sharp scrutiny. “Where the hell did you go, Natalia?”