Chapter Nineteen
Trenton had believed he was coming to the office this morning to finalize the deal he’d been trying to get Nik on board with for over a year. Nik had disabused him of that idea quickly.
It appeared Trenton had recognized Summer and tried to use her as some sort of bargaining tool.
His little ex-con girlfriend, Trenton had called her. Nik had said if he ever mentioned her again, he’d make sure Trenton lost every last penny he had. He’d cooperated after that.
Nik had demanded his immediate resignation, plus a signed affidavit that the money Summer had taken from his company was compensation for industrial injuries suffered by her mother. He’d told the man if he did that, then there would be no further reprisals. From him, at least. But he might know of a few other people who would be interested in the contents of Harry’s research files.
But it was over, and Summer was safe.
Now he had the company jet ready to fly to Edinburgh, and somehow, he’d find her. Harry had contacts. He’d had someone watching the train station. They hadn’t spotted her yet, though, which was worrying.
He’d find her if he had to go stand in the middle of the city and shout out her name.
His phone rang, and he picked it up. It was his temporary assistant. “There are two people here to see you. Harry let them up. Regan Malloy and Darcy Butler.”
“Send them in.”
Summer’s friends. What could they want?
They charged in like a pair of angry lionesses. What had he done to cause this?
Darcy was waving something in the air. She threw it on the table, and he glanced down. It was the check he’d given Summer. It had been torn in two.
“How could you?” Regan asked.
“How could I what? I was trying to help.”
“That’s all people like you can understand. Goddamn money,” Regan snapped. “She needed your help, and you gave her a check.”
“Good point,” Harry murmured. He’d followed them in and was leaning against the door, his arms folded, a smarmy smile on his face. Not helping.
“She didn’t want my help. She wanted to go.” Now he really had to find her, before she starved on the streets. She had cleared out her accounts, but there hadn’t been much in them.
“No, she didn’t,” Regan said.
“Yes, she did. Look, it doesn’t matter. I’m going after her.”
“You can’t.” That was Darcy.
“Yes, I can. I have a plane ready.”
“Whoop-de-do for you,” Regan replied. “But it won’t do you any good.”
He’d been reaching for his jacket, but now he paused. Something churned in his stomach. Fear? What had she done? “Why?”
“Because she hasn’t gone.”
“So where is she?” He looked around the room as though she might suddenly pop up from behind her friends.
“She’s giving herself up to the police. She’s going to confess everything. She’ll go back to prison, and she won’t make it this time because she’s too good for that place.”
He sat down, his legs shaky, and ran a hand through his hair. “She has nothing to confess. I’ve sorted out Trenton. He’ll never press charges. She’s free and away.”
“Not if she confesses first. The case probably won’t go forward without Trenton, but it could still mess up her parole.”
“There’s no smoke without fire,” Harry murmured. Nik ignored him.
“Shit, crap.” What the hell was he supposed to? “Phone up the police station. Say there’s a bomb.”
“No, you need to get down there.”
“Won’t it be too late?”
“Let’s just say Regan has contacts within the force. We’ve employed a little delaying mechanism, but who knows how long it will last.”
“Let’s move then.” He pressed the button on his desk. “Tell Paul to have the car waiting.” He stood up, at the last minute grabbing the affidavit Trenton had signed, exonerating Summer of all wrongdoing.
He led the way out, his posse behind him. In the elevator, Darcy studied him. “On the drive there, you’d better come up with some idea of how to convince Summer you’re worthy of her love.”
“Because she does love you,” Regan continued. “We’re just not sure she likes you enough to see past what you are.”
Harry snickered. He was obviously having so much fun.
But they were right. He still had to somehow get past her very genuine and deep-rooted dislike of rich people. He was asking her to become one of the enemy. How the hell was he supposed to persuade her he was the right man for her? That he could make her happy?
“Have you got a piece of paper?” he asked Harry. Harry handed him one, followed by a pen, before he could ask.
He thought for a moment, scribbled something down, keeping it simple. Then he signed it and passed it to Darcy. “Can you witness this?” he asked.
She read it, her eyes widening. But she wrote her name and handed the paper to Regan, who spluttered but added her name to the bottom, as well.
“Let’s hope it’s enough, rich boy.”
“Soon to be poor boy,” Darcy added.
It appeared they were expecting him at the police station. No one asked him his name or his business. A uniformed officer led him through a door, down a corridor. He tapped on another door, pushed it open. “Go ahead, sir, and good luck.”
…
The sound of the door clicking open woke her, and Summer raised her head.
Something was happening. At the last moment, she wanted out of there. Wanted to say she’d made a mistake and run until she found Nik.
Then she looked up and straight into his eyes.
She didn’t have to run anywhere. He’d come for her. Somehow.
For a second, all her fears fell away. For one sublime moment, all that mattered was that he was here. Then reality crashed in. “What are you doing here?”
Nik took a step into the room, and the door closed behind him. “I’ve come to ask you to marry me.”
She shook her head. “Say that again.”
“Will you marry me, Summer Delaney?”
“What? Why?” Nothing was making sense.
“I’m sorry I don’t have a ring. We can go pick one together when we get out of here. But in the meantime, please say yes.”
“I can’t.” She stood up straight. “I’m going to prison, and I can’t ask you to wait.”
“No, you’re not, but if you were, I’d wait forever.” He shrugged, took a step closer. “Maybe they’d allow us conjugal visits. But it’s not going to happen.” He held out a piece of paper. She took it and glanced down. Read it once. Then again. “Is this for real?”
He nodded. “He’ll never come after you. He’ll never come after anyone, and he’ll pay for what he has done.”
“I’m safe?”
“Yup. And you get to keep the money.”
She scowled. “I don’t want his money. I don’t need it anymore.”
“Then you can give it away to charity. Like you did with the money you stole from me.”
“You know about that?”
He nodded. “And you do realize that with Trenton out of the way, I am now the only person with evidence against you. You have to marry me—because husbands can’t be made to give evidence against their wives. It’s the only way you’ll be safe.”
“That’s certainly worth thinking about.”
He held out his hand. She slipped hers into his, and he tugged her up. “You haven’t answered my question yet.”
He wanted her to marry him, but how could she ever fit into his world? Did she even want to?
The answer flashed up in her mind straightaway. Oh, yes. If that meant she got to keep him, to spend her life with him, she’d put up with anything. But somehow, she didn’t think it would be so bad. He might be rich, but he was a good person.
She was clearly taking too long to answer, because he frowned and then pulled a second paper from his pocket. “Darcy suggested I was going to need something big to persuade you. This was all I could come up with.”
She took the paper from his hand. It was only a single line.
“In the event of her agreeing to our marriage, I, Nikolay Masterton, give all my worldly possessions to Summer Delaney.” It was signed and witnessed by Darcy and Regan.
“All rich people have prenups,” Nik said. “I thought I would keep ours simple.”
“You’re giving me everything? As simple as that?”
“Only if you take me with it. I love you, Summer. Give me a chance to prove it to you. Give me a chance to prove I’m worthy of you.”
She blinked away a tear. “I love you, too.” It was slowly sinking in. She wasn’t going to prison. And she was going to marry Nik, and she’d get to keep him forever, and he knew all her secrets, and he’d saved her life. Something occurred to her. She waved the paper at him. “Does this mean I’d have to buy my own ring?”
“I hadn’t thought of that, but I guess so.”
“Sod that.” She crumpled up the paper and tossed it on the floor. “I’m not buying my own ring.” Then she wrapped her arms around him and kissed him.
A few minutes later, she came up for air and realized she’d forgotten to say the all-important words. He was watching her, an expectant look in his dark eyes.
“I will.”