California Secrets

by Jules Bennett

  She slid her chair back and came to her feet. “I’m done here.”

  Ethan and Robert immediately stood, but she held up her hands. “I mean, I’m done here with the two of you. Stay, eat, threaten each other, whatever. Just do it without me.”

  She didn’t wait to see how they reacted or what they would say. She didn’t care. Right now all she cared about was getting away from them so she could be alone with her growing concerns and fears.

  Harper hated to admit it, but the betrayal from Ethan hurt much worse than that of her father. She didn’t know Robert well; they hadn’t exactly forged a deep bond.

  But Ethan...she’d gone and fallen in love with the man and thought they were going to build a future together. Yes, they’d only known each other a short time, but the things they’d shared were deep and meaningful. Had he lied about everything? Could she believe a word he said anymore?

  She didn’t want to think that she was naive enough to fall for nothing more than charm and sex appeal, but apparently that was the reality of the situation.

  And now she was bringing an innocent baby into the mix. No matter how this played out with Robert and Ethan, Harper vowed to protect her baby at all costs. She knew what it was like to have a mother who put her own needs ahead of her children, and Harper was determined that she would be everything to her child that she’d needed in her own life.

  As Harper made her way toward the private elevators, all she could think of was that she was glad she hadn’t told Ethan she loved him. He didn’t deserve to know, and he didn’t deserve her honesty.

  One day she’d find the man she was supposed to build a life with, but Ethan wasn’t that man.

  Fifteen

  Ethan walked out on the disastrous dinner moments after Harper. He hadn’t gone after her, though. She needed her space, and anything he said to her at this point would only make her angrier...if she even listened at all. He’d needed his own space to put his thoughts in order and figure out how the hell to fix this mess he’d been thrown into.

  He also hadn’t stuck around to say any more to Robert. The damage was done, and Robert was well aware of what would happen to him now. Ethan had already sent the text to Dane that he was turning Robert in.

  He hadn’t contacted his attorney yet. Ethan had pulled up his contact, more than ready to send the text that would set the ball into motion of getting the feds all over Robert. He’d waited years to break this news.

  But Harper. At the end of every thought on revenge, he saw her face. Despite Robert being the monster Ethan wanted to destroy, he was still her father. Harper would be even more hurt if Ethan followed through...especially now.

  He would have to seriously consider everything and talk to Dane.

  This whole scenario was a complete and utter disaster, and all he could think of was how Harper likely felt alone and confused and betrayed.

  Ethan hated Robert even more now than ever. He was pure evil, leaving a path of destruction in people’s lives with absolutely no remorse. The man was a total bastard to have no emotional outpouring of affection toward his own daughter. Robert had been stunned about the baby, but he’d shown no joy at the news, and he’d never said he was sorry for dropping the bombshell about the blackmail that exploded in Harper’s face.

  Ethan shot another text off to Dane telling his brother he’d call later and explain everything in more detail and discuss further action.

  He wasn’t in the mood right now to rehash the evening’s explosive events.

  Once Ethan had left the table, he’d walked around the grounds until he’d covered every square inch. He saw his mother everywhere he went and would give anything to have her here for advice. There were many times over the years he’d had that very same wish.

  Of course, if she were alive, Ethan wouldn’t be in this position in the first place. But then he wouldn’t have Harper.

  There was no way he’d give up without a fight. He needed that woman, that baby...the future he hadn’t even known he wanted.

  Ethan made his way back into the lobby and down the hall toward the private elevator. He had no idea what to say to Harper, how to make her understand that he wasn’t a heartless monster. How did he make her see that he truly cared for her? That he’d come to care for her more than he thought he was ever capable of. He hadn’t wanted to develop feelings for her, but she’d made it impossible to ignore that pull.

  When the door to his suite opened, Ethan stared straight ahead to the wall of windows and spotted Harper out on the balcony.

  His heart pounded faster, harder. She’d come here and not to Robert. Did that mean she wanted to give him a chance to explain the situation?

  With a renewed hope, Ethan crossed the spacious penthouse and opened the patio doors. Harper still wore that dress that had rendered him speechless earlier this evening.

  Those dark curls had been released from her updo earlier and now those strands danced around her shoulders. He wanted to reach for her, but he didn’t dare...not until he knew where they stood now. She might hate him even more now that she’d had some time to think, or she might have decided she didn’t even want to hear his defense. But he wasn’t leaving until he fought for the life he had within his grasp.

  “I had nowhere else to go,” Harper stated without turning around.

  Her soft words traveled to him on the breeze and pierced his heart. She sounded so lost, so alone.

  Ethan made his way to the set of chairs and took a seat across from her. She kept her gaze on the darkness over his shoulder, the sounds of the ocean enveloping them.

  “All of my things were moved here, and my suite was given away,” she went on. “I’ll be sure to find something else tomorrow, but with the resort booked, I didn’t have the energy to think of another plan tonight.”

  Of course. That’s why she was here. It had nothing to do with wanting to talk or forgiving him or even being ready to hear his side.

  “I’m sorry,” he told her.

  Now her eyes shot to his, and he didn’t know what hurt him more, the pain or the anger glaring back. She’d definitely had time to think, and from the fury radiating from her, things were about to get worse.

  “Sorry?” she mocked. “What exactly are you sorry for? That you used me? That you knew who my father was and never once said a word to me? That you thought I was foolish enough to marry you, raise this baby with you and never realize that you were trying to destroy my father? Exactly what part are you sorry about?”

  Ethan pulled in a deep breath. “All of it,” he admitted. “Except the part about using you. I never did that. Not for one second. If I could have spared you the pain, I would’ve. I never wanted you caught in the middle.”

  “Yet here I am,” she fired back. “And you’re not too sorry or you would’ve come to me the second you supposedly discovered the truth.”

  Ethan hated Robert. Damn it, he loathed that man with every fiber in his being.

  But he had to admit he was angriest at himself. All of this couldn’t be blamed on Robert. He was just the one who put everything into motion.

  Ethan’s cell chimed in his pocket, but he ignored it. A moment later, it chimed again.

  “Better get that,” she said with a sneer. “Might be your brother and you can celebrate your win. But please have the decency not to gloat around me.”

  Ethan’s guilt spread. “There’s nothing to celebrate.”

  Harper cocked her head, crossed her legs and smoothed her dress out. “Oh, really? You mean getting this resort, no matter the cost, doesn’t merit popping open the champagne?”

  He deserved her bitterness, her snark. He deserved so much more, and he was just waiting for the bomb to completely go off.

  “Robert hasn’t signed the papers,” he informed her. “But that’s the least of my worries now. I’m worried about you, about us.”

&n
bsp; Harper laughed and shook her head as she looked back to the starry sky over the ocean. Despite the calm, relaxing atmosphere, the storm enveloping them was raging out of control.

  “Us,” she muttered. “You say that like there was ever an us to begin with.”

  “We’re engaged.”

  “We were,” she corrected.

  His heart sank as she started twisting off the ring he’d given her. When that had gone on her finger, he’d still been thinking of their relationship as brilliant and the best route to hold on to their careers and raise their child together.

  But now? Well, now he wanted her to wear it because he liked seeing his mother’s ring on Harper’s hand. He liked knowing they were going to build a life together...a dynasty.

  He foolishly had just started allowing himself to feel something, and now he could only feel pain—and guilt, since he only had himself to blame for ruining everything.

  No, that wasn’t true. Robert had done his share, but Ethan should’ve told Harper the second he discovered the truth. He couldn’t blame her for not believing him now. The timing was just too perfect.

  Still looking out at the water, Harper extended her arm and held the ring between her finger and thumb.

  “Take it,” she demanded softly. “I was naive enough to think something would happen between us. I let myself...”

  Her voice caught on that last word, and Ethan felt her pain. His heart ached in a way he hadn’t known for so long. This was why he kept himself closed off. Feelings and attachments always led to a hurt that couldn’t be ignored.

  Another reason why he hadn’t seen through his plans of turning Robert in.

  “I let myself fall for you,” she whispered.

  Her words were so soft, they were almost lost in the ocean breeze. But he’d heard them, and the raw honesty of her statement shredded his soul.

  “I’m not a heartless jerk who took advantage,” he stated, needing to plead his case, but not just to make himself look better. He wanted her to truly know he valued her.

  “I know exactly how this looks,” he went on. “But I swear to you that I didn’t know who you were until a few days ago.”

  “A few days. Plenty of time for you to tell me, but you chose to deceive and lie and talk me into marriage.”

  Harper turned her attention back to him, and Ethan forced himself to look at her. He needed to take his penance; he needed to see her pain to drive home exactly how he’d damaged this innocent woman. All she’d wanted was to honor her sister’s memory, to build her career, and he’d turned her life inside out.

  And they were having a baby. There was no way to dodge that lifetime bond, and he didn’t want to. He just hated the thought that they wouldn’t be able to raise the child together, the way he’d wanted to. But he’d have to put that dream away now. All he could hope was that at some point, Harper came to see that even though his actions might have shown otherwise, he really did care for her.

  Ethan reached out and took the ring, purposely brushing his fingers along hers. Harper snatched her hand back, and he knew in that instant that all was not lost here. She still cared, she still wanted him, but she was angry with herself...angry with him.

  “I don’t expect you to forgive me right now—”

  “Or ever.”

  He nodded to acknowledge that he was actually listening to her, even if he didn’t like what she was saying.

  “Maybe once you have some time to think, you’ll see where I was coming from,” he went on. “More than anything, I need you to see that you weren’t just a pawn in this. You were a victim, yes, but by the time I realized you were caught in the middle, there was nothing I could do about it. I swear to you—I wanted to protect you. I thought I could. I’m sorry I failed.”

  Harper came to her feet and crossed the balcony to the railing. She curled her fingers around the bar and glanced down to her hands.

  The smart move would be for Ethan to remain in his seat and give her the space she clearly needed...but he’d already committed the ultimate sin of betrayal, so what if he added gluttony to the list?

  He rose and came to stand at her side, ignoring the twinge of pain when she stiffened at his touch.

  “No matter what happens, I’ll make sure you’re paid for your work on the resort,” he vowed. “My attorneys will make sure this ends up in my name. It may take time, but I want you to move ahead just like you had planned.”

  Harper sighed. “I can’t even think about that right now—but I don’t really have a choice, do I? My team is due next week and I need this project. I’ve put too much time into it, and the future of Two Sisters is riding on a successful design. The snowball effect Mirage would have on future work is immeasurable.”

  That’s why he wanted her to know he had her back where the resort redesign was concerned. She might be pissed at him for personal reasons, but she still had a career that she loved and wanted to nurture. She had a legacy to continue...one that tied right in with his own.

  “I understand your need to do everything to honor your sister,” he told her, reaching for her hand and sliding his thumb across the top of her knuckles. “That’s just another thing we have in common. I came here to fulfill my mother’s wishes. That’s all. The only person I ever intended to hurt was Robert.”

  “My father,” she murmured.

  At least she hadn’t jerked away from his hand, but he still didn’t like the empty space on her ring finger.

  “He’s not a nice man, Harper.” Surely she understood that. “You even said that he had been distant and not much of a father figure in your life. When I told you the story of my stepfather, you agreed he should be brought to justice. This is the same man we’re talking about.”

  He stared at her profile, his heart clenching when her eyes glistened with unshed tears. She turned her head in the opposite direction, but Ethan was having none of that.

  “Look at me.” He reached around and cupped the side of her face, easing her back to focus on him. “Don’t hide your feelings from me. I know you’re hurting, and I know I caused a lot of that. I’m trying to fix this mess as best as I can.”

  “I don’t think that’s possible.”

  Wayward curls blew around, caressing his hand. He didn’t realize how much he craved her touch until now...until he was faced with the possibility of never having it again.

  “Anything is possible,” he replied.

  Then he did the most difficult thing he’d ever done. Ethan released her and took a step back.

  “You stay here tonight,” he told her. “I’ll give you space and time to think.”

  Her eyes widened as she turned to face him. “Where are you going? There are no more rooms.”

  Like he’d be able to sleep or relax without her at his side? But the fact that she was concerned for him despite everything was only another added factor on the growing list of reasons he shouldn’t just let her go. They both wanted to be together, but the damned outside forces were determined to pull them apart.

  Ethan turned and left her on the balcony. The sniff and soft cry as he walked away gutted him. For all the time, the years, the money and everything else he and Dane had put into finding leverage they could use against Robert, Ethan was starting to wonder if any of this was worth it.

  Because of his revenge quest, he might just lose the one woman he’d ever allowed himself to care for since his mother. And if he lost Harper and their baby, nothing could ever fill that void.

  Sixteen

  The elevator chimed, echoing through the empty penthouse.

  Harper tightened the belt around her robe and set her glass of water on the kitchen island. After Ethan left a couple hours ago, she’d decided she was more than deserving of a nice hot bubble bath. But now that she was done, her problems were still there.

  Apparently, Ethan wasn’t done talking,
or he’d forgotten something. Or maybe he’d just decided it was silly for him to leave when he had nowhere to go. She’d been shocked when he said he’d let her have the entire suite for the night.

  First of all, the place was plenty big enough for both of them, considering it had other rooms: a den, a game room, a designated office. They could make it work. Second, this was his penthouse.

  Damn him for being a gentleman and making her so confused. How could she hate him for just wanting to retain the place his mother had wanted him to have? How could she hate him when she’d looked into those dark eyes and seen a pain she’d never seen there before? And how could she hate him when he was the father of her baby?

  But she did hate him. She hated him for making her feel, for making her want...for making her see a future that involved a family that she’d always wanted and then showing her that it was all a lie.

  How could she turn back now? She settled a hand over her belly and fought back tears. It wasn’t as if she could just erase Ethan from her life.

  The elevator door slid open, and Harper pulled herself together, but it wasn’t Ethan who stepped off.

  “How did you get access up here?”

  “I still own the place.” Robert stepped into the penthouse and glanced around. “Your boyfriend here?”

  Harper crossed her arms over her chest and willed herself to remain calm. Getting worked up wasn’t good for her or the baby.

  Besides, she’d heard Ethan’s side, so she should listen to Robert.

  Part of her didn’t want to. She wanted to hide and ignore any of this was happening. Was that terrible? She was exhausted, and being fed more lies just didn’t seem too appealing.

  “What do you want?” she asked, ignoring the reference to Ethan.

  Robert shifted his eyes back to her and came farther into the penthouse. “This suite is usually reserved for elite guests.”

  Harper said nothing as her father came closer and finally took a seat on a bar stool like he’d been welcomed in.