Chapter 19
The reporters at the police station were in a frenzy.
As Dane stepped out of the car, they shoved their cameras and microphones in his face. Ignoring them, he marched into the station. He had to see her. Had to make sure that this had worked.
When he walked inside the station he stopped by Allyson, standing beside Lester and a couple of police officers. His wife had been in jail overnight while Katherine had gone to the police with her evidence.
He hadn’t slept at all last night. Mostly he spent the night downing scotch and calling Lester to make sure he was working on getting Allyson’s charges dropped. Then late this morning, Lester had called to let him know that Allyson was getting out after the charges were dropped. Charges against Francesca had been filed.
Allyson looked so fragile. There were dark circles under her eyes, her face was pale. When her eyes met his a smile lit her face, her exhausted expression disappearing. She was practically glowing, she was so beautiful.
Dane rushed over, quickly thanked Lester, and then pulled Allyson into his arms. He didn’t give a damn about protocol. All he wanted to do was hold her in his arms and never let her go.
“I love you,” she said before pressing her soft lips to his. Crushing her mouth beneath his, he tasted her. Teased her mouth open with his tongue. There had been a moment last night when he wondered if he would ever kiss his wife again. And now that he could, he knew that nothing would ever taste sweeter.
Breaking the kiss, she stared deep into his eyes and asked, “How did you do this? How did you save me?”
He hesitated. The expectant look in her green eyes knocked the wind out of him. She was gazing at him with complete reverence and adoration. Like she thought he was some savior for getting her out of jail.
If she knew that he was in Katherine Handel’s debt, her happiness would melt away. After the hell Francesca had put her through, she deserved to be happy. Besides, if he could pay Katherine back in secret, Allyson never had to find out about his deal and she would never have to worry. He’d simply sign on to stay on as Prescott Global’s CEO for the foreseeable future to protect the company from Katherine, and nobody would have to know why he was staying on.
“It was all Lester,” he replied.
“Lester did so much, but I don’t believe it was all him,” she whispered. “Your parents know Judge Caldwell, don’t they? I bet you pulled a few strings—”
“I should’ve killed you with that baseball bat when I had the chance, you bitch!” Francesca’s screech filled the police station.
Cops were dragging her into the station. Her face was red with rage, and she struggled violently against the police who were shoving her forward.
Allyson held on even tighter to him, her lower lip quivering. “I know she’s horrible, but I understand what she’s about to go through. In a way.”
“I should have finished you off!” Fran lunged at Allyson, but the cops restrained her. “Next time you won’t be so lucky!”
They police pulled her out of sight, Fran’s angry shrieks getting fainter and fainter.
“I figured out what Nicholas sees in her,” Allyson said.
“What?”
“She’s exactly like his sister,” she said. “I know Fran hates Katherine, but it’s scary how alike they are.”
After witnessing Katherine’s dark, devious nature up close on the rooftop yesterday, he knew that she and Fran really were two halves of the same tarnished coin. If Katherine had been willing to destroy her own brother’s happiness for her own gain, she wouldn’t hesitate to crush him if he didn’t deliver on his promise. Owing Katherine Handel was a nightmare scenario.
He ignored the tightening in his chest. None of that mattered now. Allyson was free. They could start the next chapter of their lives together.
Taking her chin in her hands, he stared at her. Really took her in. His gaze swept over every line and arch of her face. Drank in her bright green eyes and her perfect mouth. She was so beautiful his heart ached at the sight of her. “I love you, Allyson.”
“And I love you,” she said. “My hero.”
Pushing aside the guilt he felt about keeping the truth from her, Dane offered her his arm and she took it. “Why don’t we get you out of here?”
“And then we can get back to us,” she said.
Together they headed out of the station. “What would you like to do now that you’re a free woman?” he asked.
She smiled. “I think it’s time we moved in to our new house.”
~~*~~
“You chose the perfect color.” She turned away from the blue wall to look at Dane, and let out a laugh. “You’ve got paint on your face. It matches your eyes.”
He grinned. “You’ve got some on your nose.”
Allyson giggled. “Who knew wall painting could be so much fun?” With the roller in her hands, she applied more blue paint to the wall of their home office.
Updates on their new house had been coming along nicely in the two weeks since she’d gotten out of jail. Working on renovations was tiring, but in a good way. It was wonderful to get back to doing normal things instead of worrying about going to jail. As long as she lived, she would never take her freedom for granted ever again. Even something as mundane as painting the house with Dane was a treasure for her.
“You know, when we have kids they’ll probably ruin these walls,” he said. “I remember drawing all over the walls of our homes with markers and crayons when I was a kid. That was a nightmare for my mother. And it drove the maids crazy.” He smiled. “I can’t wait to work in here while our kids are growing up.”
“It’ll be wonderful to be able to work from home and be close to them,” she said.
“I’m just happy you’re here,” he said, his voice thick with emotion.
She tilted her head and looked at him. It wasn’t like him to show his emotions like this. “I’m happy to be here. Thank you for saving me.”
“No thanks needed.” He quickly averted his gaze to focus on painting more of the wall.
The past two weeks had been such a happy blur that she hadn’t felt the nagging feeling that she felt now. Dane had renewed his contract to stay on at Prescott Global, despite his reservations. Plus, he had talked to her about plans he had beyond Prescott Global. He was interested in sports media or sports cars. It all sounded so exciting, but she couldn’t help the uneasy sensation that was now making her stomach knot up.
“Is everything all right?” she asked.
“Absolutely,” he said. “We’ll have the place looking brand-new in no time. Then we can have that house-warming party you wanted.”
She smiled. “I’m so happy you’ve decided to give Gordon and Martha a chance. What made you so eager to have them over?”
“They make you happy,” he said. “And what makes you happy, makes me happy. Happy wife, happy life.”
“Are you happy?” she asked. “I know staying on at Prescott Global wasn’t easy, but I’ll be here to help you with all your new ideas. Your sports car idea sounds incredible.”
“Are you still going to be saying that if I actually buy a sports car?” he asked.
“Do I get to ride up front with you?”
“I wouldn’t have anybody else up front with me,” he replied.
Her smile widened. “Then I promise to love your car.”
They returned their attention to painting the walls.
“You know,” Dane said after a stretch of comfortable silence, “I’m not one for decorating, but I can’t wait to get my hands on a grill.”
She gave him an incredulous look. In their more than six months of marriage, he hadn’t learned enough to do more than boil an egg. “Dane Prescott can grill?”
He chuckled. “I can learn.”
“I think we’ll be learning all kinds of new things in this house,” she said.
“I don’t think I’ve ever been this happy,” he told her.
She paused, and turned to look at him. Before getting arrested, her happiness had terrified her. She had spent six months waiting for the other shoe to drop. The truth was, there was always a chance that things would go sideways again. Always a chance that there would be hardships ahead. But she wasn’t going to be so afraid of her own happiness that she ran away from it. Not with Dane by her side.
He was her hero. Her protector. Her knight in shining armor. “Every day with you is happier than the day before,” she said.
He dropped his roller and wrapped his strong arms around her.
“Dane, you’re going to get paint all over my blouse!” she shrieked.
“How about we get you out of this blouse, then?” he asked in a low voice that was already seducing her.
Laughing she let go of her roller, flung her arms around him, and melted against him as he kissed her like she was the only woman in the world.
THE END
Fake Christmas - Book 5 Novella
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