“I won’t.”
His gaze follows her as she drifts out of the room. Whatever differences laid between them, they’ve been resolved. That much is clear. Taking a deep breath, he turns to me.
Not wanting to lie on the hospital bed like a limp dishrag, I force my elbows to the mattress beneath me and try to sit up. But the pain’s too great, and I get nowhere. “Son of a bitch.”
“Here. Let me.” He grabs the contraption lying on the bed next to me, pushes a button and the upper part of the bed tilts forward. The agony cuts off my breath as beads of sweat pop up on my forehead. “That’s enough.”
He lifts his finger off the button and places the contraption right next to my hand. I clutch it like it’s my last hope of salvation.
A smile curls around those aristocratic, smirking lips of his. “Comfy?”
I glare at him while I fight to gain control of the torment coursing through me. After an eternity, I finally do. “Now that she’s gone, tell me the truth. How damaged am I?” Because it feels pretty fucking bad.
He pretty much repeats everything Elizabeth said. “We almost lost you. But you’ll recover. It’ll take a while, though, Jake. So you will need to take it easy. When you’re released, you can stay with us.”
Hell, no. That’s the last thing I want. I’d be reminded of Brianna every single day every time I looked at Storm. They’re so much alike. “Thanks, but no.”
“You’ll need someone to take care of you, at least at the beginning.”
“I’ll hire a nurse.”
“Let me pay for it.”
I can see he’s not going to let go of this, unless I agree to something. “Okay.”
“Good.” He whooshes out a breath. My agreeing to let him help means a great deal to him.
I fiddle with the contraption to lower the bed an inch. The lesser incline makes it easier to breathe and eases the pain. “How’s Brianna?”
“Fine.”
I humph. “That’s two fines—one from Elizabeth and one from you. What the hell’s going on?” I try to sit up and a shard of agony lances through my shoulder. I fall back on the bed, gritting my teeth. “Is she hurt?” God, I couldn’t stand it if she were.
“No. Kurt didn’t touch her.”
“Then what the hell’s going on? Where is she?” And why isn’t she here looking in on me?
“She’s ... ehh ... gone back to Brazil.”
And the bottom drops from my world. “Brazil.” I whisper.
“Yes.” He clears his throat and stares at the floor.
Yeah, I wouldn’t look at me either. We never discussed it, but he knows what she means to me.
“She has to get things back on track over there. Things are pretty much in the crapper, what with both her and Kurt gone.”
“That son of a bitch. Have you discovered anything?” I can’t deal with Brianna’s desertion. Not now when I’m weak and hurting. So I focus on Kurt’s betrayal instead.
“Yes. Samuel investigated his financials. About four months ago, a half million pounds deposit appeared in his checking account. Has to be a bribe of some sort. It didn’t last long there. He used it to pay a sizable gambling debt.”
“But what’s the connection between him and the bastards who kidnapped Richard?”
“It’s only been two days, Jake. We’re looking into it. So are the British and Brazilian governments. Sooner or later, we’ll get to the bottom of this. But it’s fair to say, Kurt Eichner did what he did for money.”
“I hope he burns in hell. What about the child, is he okay?”
“He’s a little bewildered about the change in circumstances, but he has his aunt with him to anchor his world. Edward, of course, is spoiling him rotten. Clothes, toys, books, nothing’s too good for him.”
“I’m ... glad.”
Storm retrieves an envelope from inside his jacket. “Brianna left you a note.”
“She did?” I can’t help the joy that seeps through my voice.
I try to retrieve it from him, but I can’t even lift my arm. “Open it for me, please.”
He tears open the envelope and fishes out the note. Fancy paper with a golden “B” in the front. I’ve seen her use that same stationery to kick her boy toys to the side. Fuck. “Read it.” Doubt I could hold it without my hands trembling.
Storm clears his throat. From the expression on his face, it’s bad.
“Just get it over with, Storm. What does the blasted note say?”
“Thanks for everything. Take care.”
Goddamn. That’s all she has to say after everything we did? After everything we shared? I grit my teeth. “Let me see it.”
Storm holds it in front of me so I can read the message. The letters waver as my vision grows fuzzy. Fuck. I can’t break down and cry like a pussy. Not in front of her brother. I suck it up and turn my face away from him. “Thanks. I’m tired. If you don’t mind, I’d like to get some sleep.”
“Jake, she—”
“Leave, will you.”
Elizabeth trips in with no cup of coffee in her hand, but a look of exasperation on her face. “They found me in the cafeteria, and they’re hot on my trail.”
“Right,” Storm says. “Time to go.”
“Okay, but let me say goodbye to Jake first.”
Both Storm and I say. “No.” So much for him not knowing how that note affected me.
After they leave, I give myself a couple of minutes to indulge in my misery. I crush the note I intend to throw in the garbage bin first chance I get. Except. I don’t really want to do that. It’s the last communication I’ll have from her. I drop it on the bed. Painfully and one-handed, I unfurl it, until the words that broke my heart stare up at me again.
As tears clog my throat, a smiling nurse bounces into the room. “How are we doing?”
“Fine.” Not really. But that seems to be the word of the day.
“Uh, somebody’s hurting,” she says in that ever-cheerful voice all nurses seem to possess. “I have something that will take away the pain.” After she checks and records my vitals, she injects some medicine into the IV line attached to a vein on my wrist. Within seconds, the agony floats away. Cradling the note in my hand like a treasured prize, I drift off to sleep with the sweet memory of Brianna’s taste in my mouth.
Chapter 23
______________
Brianna
IT’S BEEN A MONTH AND A HALF since we rescued Richard and united him with Edward. The poor boy spoke no English, plus he’d been raised in a tropical climate. I can only imagine the culture shock he’s going through, what with the considerably cooler British temperatures and people speaking in a foreign tongue. But Edward speaks fluent Spanish and he dearly loves his son so that should help him through the transition.
Under pressure from the British government, Brazilian officials hunted down and apprehended the culprits responsible for Richard’s kidnapping and hauled them off to jail where they await justice. Teresa will need to return to Brazil so she can testify at the trial, but she’s game. Given everything she’s gone through, that makes her quite brave in my book.
I’ve spent the last six weeks getting the project back on track. I’m exhausted trying to do my job and Kurt’s. He’d handled so many details. But at least one good thing has come out of what occurred. Now that the truth’s been revealed, everyone in the project understands why I acted the way I had. Many have come up to me and affirmed their commitment to the project, even Marinha Pinto. That was a surprise, to say the least. The Brazilian government affirmed their support as well which is a relief. We were so close to losing everything. I’m extremely grateful we were able to land upright in the end.
Days from now, Gabe and Elizabeth are renewing their vows which means I must fly to London. I’ve missed my family. Royce won’t be there. He’s too busy with the Santa Maria deal, but Gabe, Elizabeth and Baby Andrew, and of course Edward and Richard, his son, will be. Even though I never considered Winterleagh my home, I’ll be glad
to see it again. Maybe it’s because I associate the castle with my father. While in London, he tended to be more of a carouser and a bon vivant, at Winterleagh he became the Earl. And even though I’m not legitimate, that will always mean something to me. He may have done some horrible things, but he was always a great father to me.
One of my goals in returning to the UK is to hire someone to take Kurt’s place. His replacement will be carefully vetted to make sure the individual has no skeletons in his closet. After talking it over with Gabe, he promised to line up some prospects so I could interview them while back in England. I’m looking forward to doing so. It will be nice to hand over some of the duties of running the project to a new second-in-command.
The castle must be busy as a beehive with preparations for the wedding, yet Gabe and Elizabeth await me by the castle’s entrance to welcome me home. Their gesture reminds me of those times when my father waited for me at the same spot, and my eyes mist at the recollection.
After the requisite hugs and kisses, I’m whisked to the drawing room, the site of so many celebrations. It looks exactly the same. And yet, it does not. Edward has added a few touches of his own.
For once there are toys lying around the place. Edward and Richard are playing in a corner together, their dark heads together as Richard shows Andrew how to play with some blocks. When we were children, the Countess never allowed children’s playthings in the drawing room, and we were never allowed in the drawing room other than to be paraded in front of guests, so this bit of normalcy is a welcome change.
“Welcome, Bri.” I get a big hug from Edward. “How was your flight?”
“Long.”
“Could you use some tea?”
“Of course.” I’ve never been a fan of tea, but here at Winterleagh, I’m strangely looking forward to it.
Gabe and Elizabeth stand together, hands linked, leaning toward the other. Nice to see them so loving, but then they’ve always been in love. They just didn’t know it.
“Your room’s been readied for you,” Gabe says. “I’ll understand if you’d rather skip the whole welcome home shenanigans and lie down for a nap.”
“No. I want to stay. I missed you all. So much.” I just didn’t realize how much until now. There’s something to be said about family. You may disagree, even argue, now and then. But in the end, they’re in your corner, loving the person you are no matter how much you’ve screwed up. The thought I’ll need to separate from them after the wedding saddens me. I wish I had someone of my own. Someone who would never leave me.
Gabe shares a concerned look with Elizabeth. “I should have flown to Brazil. Helped you through the transition.”
“No. It’s fine.” I force a grin to my face. So they won’t worry. “Everyone’s been very helpful. After ... well, after. I assure you everything’s back on track.”
He flashes that brilliant smile of his. “Good to know. I vetted some likely candidates for your second in command. Lined up interviews for you next week.” I’d suffered through the last six weeks by myself. Missed Kurt’s abilities to handle the crises that erupted daily. I could have used his services. Too bad he’d turned out to be the villain of the piece. Or one of them, anyhow. “I’ll need to make a quick decision. Lots of work still to be done. But hopefully none of the insanity we’ve gone through in the last several months.”
He squeezes my shoulder. “You are looking a trifle peaked, darling. Sure you don’t want to have a bit of a lie down.”
“Not now. I want to acquaint myself with my nephews.” Why I crave this bout of domesticity is beyond me.
“Sit. We’ll bring them to you.”
After I comply, he picks up Andrew and Edward gets a hold of Richard’s hand. Both children appear happy. Richard’s cheeks have filled out and he’s lost that gaunt look he had. His aunt, Teresa, sits at the other end of the room, calmly knitting something while keeping an eye on her nephew. She seems contented as well. Gabe hands Andrew to Elizabeth and the baby chortles. A drool escapes which she’s quick to wipe off. She sits next to me with her son, and I reach out for him. He comes easily. Good, he trusts people. That’s a happy sign. A few seconds later, he’s not happy to be seated and wants up. His father’s glad to oblige. I give Andrew a kiss on his cheek before Gabe takes him away.
“How are you, really?” Elizabeth asks when we’re left alone.
They all know what happened between Jake and me, of course. The events leading up to Richard’s rescue and my rather stark goodbye once the mission was accomplished.
“Fine.”
She squeezes my hand which tells me she sees right through me. Yeah, I went and fell in love with the blighter and then walked out on him. How can I explain the immense guilt I felt at his being shot? That he almost died because of what I’d asked of him? I don’t want him ever to go through that again because of me.
“He’ll be here. For the wedding. Gabriel invited him. He’s trying to talk him into taking on the Santa Maria project.”
“Is that a go?”
“Nothing’s been finalized yet, but Royce has made great progress.”
“Oh? And has Jake agreed?”
“No.” Another hand squeeze.
Right on cue, our butler arrives and announces the new arrival. Jake Cooper.
He walks in with his usual air of confidence. His color’s good, his tread is firm. Through Gabe, I’ve kept tabs on his recuperation. He seems fully recovered from his ordeal. Thank God. I couldn’t have lived with the consequences if he’d suffered permanent damage.
Gabe hands Andrew to his nanny, and strolls over to shake Jake’s hand. “Glad you could join us.”
“Wouldn’t miss it. Thank you for having me.” Jake looks very debonair in a dark suit, dress shirt and tie. I’ve seen him in that get up so rarely he strikes me stupid. He’s trimmed his hair into that military style he loves so much and I hate, but then he’s back in civilization. So when in Rome ...
After greeting Edward, Jake chucks Richard’s chin, kisses Elizabeth’s cheek. And then he just stands there staring at me. “Lady Brianna.”
We’re back to that moniker, are we? “Jake.”
“How are you? And the project?” he asks.
“Fine.” Things are not bloody fine, but what else am I to say.
Before he has a chance for a comeback, Gabe hands him a drink—probably scotch—and pulls him aside.
Suddenly exhausted, I stand. Grungy as I am from the flight, I really need to change. “If you’ll excuse me, Elizabeth. I think I’ll have that bit of a lie down after all. When’s dinner?”
“Eight.” It’s five now. That will give me enough time for a nap and a shower before I rejoin the living.
I leave the room and glance back, but Jake’s so absorbed in his conversation with Gabriel, he doesn’t bother to glance back.
Chapter 24
______________
Jake
OF COURSE I NOTICED HER. How could I not? She looks tired. But that’s not a wonder, given she’s just arrived. A trans-Atlantic flight would exhaust anyone. I’ve kept tabs on the project through Mac so I know things are back to normal, or as back as they can be after what happened.
I’m glad she broke things off as she did which proves she’s far wiser than I. The clean break allowed me to make a fresh start that does not include Storm Industries ... or her. If I’d stayed, I would have become her plaything, and that’s not a role I’ll ever accept in life. So my job is done.
“I want to offer you a bonus for what you did,” Storm says.
“No, thank you.”
“Jake. You saved a project worth hundreds of millions of dollars, rescued my nephew and kept my sister from being hurt. It’s the least I can bloody well do.”
“First of all, I didn’t do this alone. Others risked their lives, including your sister. Second, I don’t want money for what I did.” The thought of accepting recompense for my efforts doesn’t sit right by me. I did it for her. For Brianna. And because no c
hild should suffer like Storm had.
“I’ve rewarded the members of the rescue team. You’re one of them. They’ve accepted their due. Why can’t you?”
“I don’t need it.”
“Come back to work for me. I need someone for the Santa Maria project.”
After I knock back the drink, and the scotch goes down nice and easy, I stroll to the drink cart and get a refill. Hope they have plenty in stock since I’m planning on staying rip roarin’ drunk the entire weekend. “We’ve had this discussion before, Storm. Several times. I can’t. I won’t. I’ve started my own business. Cooper Security. I’m hiring operatives right now. Some ex-Navy Seal buddies of mine, Special Forces recommended to me, British SAS.”
His eyes narrow, and he knocks back his own drink. He really hoped I would come back, no matter I’ve turned down his offer several times before. “You’ll need money for that venture. Let me buy into it. I can be a secret partner.”
I’m tired of fighting this battle. He won’t stop until I accept something from him. “Very well, Storm. I’ll take you up on the offer.”
He slaps me in the back. “Good. Although I am sorry to be losing your services.”
“You don’t have, you know. You can hire my staff for special projects now and then.”
“You won’t work directly for me, but you’ll allow me to use your services?”
“That’s right. No job too big or too small.” I retrieve my business card from my jacket and hand it to him. “For the moment, I am starting small. Providing bodyguard protection to a rocker doing a European tour. I’d like to have Storm Industries as one of our clients.”
“And who would you protect? Bri?”
Should have known he would ask. But that would be a huge mistake. “No. Not her.”
His brows draw together as he studies the ice in his glass. “It’s not of my business what happened between you two, but—”
“You’re right. It’s not. Any discussion about your sister is off the table.”
He rubs his jaw. “She’s changed. She’s not the same Bri I knew before.”
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