She hugged her bag as she sucked in her breath. "Yes."
Unless she was packing in that bag, he wasn't afraid of her. Though he stood, walked to his desk, and called the detective that was working his parent's case. A few seconds later, he returned to the chair across from her. "Done. Why are you here?"
She nodded and rifled through her pocketbook. He stilled until he saw the red folder in her hands. Despite how her legs trembled, she leaned forward and placed her bag beside her. "I wanted to meet with you to ask for mercy."
His body filled with ice that seemed to rush through his veins. "Your brother is involved then?"
She winced. "How did you guess?"
"Your name." He scooted away and wished he had called security. "You're here."
Her fingers trembled while she held out the folder, like she wanted him to have it. "I went to his house this morning to retrieve something of my mother's and I found this."
No. Despite how he wanted to flip open the pages and find how and why Maddox attempted to kill his parents, he made his hands into fists. He shook his head and tucked his hands to his sides. "Your fingerprints are all over that. I'm not touching anything."
"Fair enough." She swallowed, gripped the folder until her hands loosened and she opened the main page with Maddox’s signature on the bottom. "This is his confession letter and this is a schematic which showed how my brother planned everything. I found it when I searched his house for my ring." A tear slid down her face. "I know you must have loved your parents..."
"Don't. They aren't dead yet." He dropped his hands to his sides as his every focus was on her tears. If Maddox had tried to kill his parents, this was all related to him and what happened overseas. The newspapers had no idea the exact state of his parents was and he'd keep that information to himself until they arrested whoever had shot at them.
She folded the papers back. "Don't what?"
"Don't ask me to forgive this." He leaned forward and pressed his palms together like he was in prayer. "I'm not that nice."
Her face went white as she lowered her gaze and pressed her knees together. "I'm not. I'm asking for your help."
No. If Maddox was involved whatever resulted next would be what he deserved. He sat backward in his chair while the memory of his parents and the police calling him to identify them replayed in his mind. The image of the gun also floated in his mind again, but he ignored it. He shook his head. "I can't be involved."
She reached out and pressed her hand to his knee. "My brother is sick. He needs to go to a hospital, not death row."
And his parents deserved to be on vacation and enjoying that cruise they had planned, not fighting for their lives in ICU. Her fingers on his body, even through the black wool suit pants, set off a spark that shattered the ice in him. "I'm not making a deal with you."
She let go and kept her head down. "You called the police as I asked?"
"Yes."
Of course he did. He was sane. She hugged her waist and knew her face was white because she felt cold. "I've said what I needed to say. I'm really sorry for what my brother did to your parents."
"Don't pretend you care about my feelings."
She gazed at him while her cheeks had a tinge of red that matched the folder she held. Without waiting another second, she pushed her hair behind her ear. "I don't know you or anything about you, Gable Hawke. What I do know is that I had nothing to do with this and only found out before work today."
If that was true, she had more to worry about than she realized. His eyebrows narrowed. "It's ten o'clock, well past work time beginning."
She let out a soft sigh and relaxed in the chair. "It's been a long morning."
This time he leaned forward and touched her arm. Her skin was silky soft and smooth. Instinct took over that made him want to hold her and keep her close, though for all he knew, everything she did or said might be a lie. His heart drummed in his chest. "Why did you go to your brother's house today then if you never knew?"
She put her hand on his and held his fingers while she met his gaze and said, "I called him every day since our mother died for the one thing I was left in the will. I warned him in my last call and email that I was coming over. There were papers everywhere with your name on it. I think he blamed you for something that happened at war."
If Maddox was alive, questions swam inside his mind because his own memory of that day in the desert was faulty. He had been distracted with Belle screaming as she dragged Colt out. The memory and the smells of that moment burned through his skin like he was near the firestorm again. He pressed his shoes together and stared into the brown eyes of an angel. "You do realize you can go to jail yourself for visiting me today."
Her free hand went up her chest and neck and covered her lips while her eyes widened. "Why? I'm not threatening you."
His fingers curled into hers and he wanted to take a chance. What if she told the truth? What if all of this was real? If anything happened to her, it would haunt him that he hadn't done more. He waited for her to drop her hand from her face and find her composure. As she took her hand back and broke their connection, he straightened his tie. She stood, so he chased her and asked, "Megan?"
She blinked and stilled. "Yes?"
"When was the last time you saw your brother then?"
"He showed up at our mother's funeral last month. Before that was when I went to the airport with my mom to pick him up. He walked away from medical help when he was recovered from where he was tortured."
The bomb that exploded in that moment had caused every bad thing in his life, but the smell of roses kept his mind clearer. "That's partly my fault for leaving him."
She packed the folder in her pocketbook and turned like she was going to leave. "I'm sure you did what you could. I can't imagine you'd just ignore calls of help."
"I want to make a deal with you."
They stood fast, and she turned on her high heels and stared at him with her lips parted. "You do?"
If there was one thing his father, the lawyer, would say was 'don't treat the innocent like the guilty.' His father wasn’t around to ask for advice, but the words haunted him. He stared into the brown eyes of Megan and knew she was innocent. "You trusted me to come here."
She lowered her lashes. "Yeah."
He took a step closer. "And I remember every detail of that day in the desert."
With a soft breath, her shoulders slumped. "Then you know more about his motives than I do."
His sisters had James and Conner. If Megan walked out the door after she spoke with the police, she helped him but put her own life in danger. Nothing about her seemed like a setup, but he'd be stupid not to check out her background. "We meet the police together and after you’ll stay with me until your brother's in jail and can't hurt you."
She stepped backward but never turned. Her entire body trembled. "He won't hurt me."
"You believe he attempted to murder my parents outside of a homeless shelter but that he won't come after you?"
Her face was white and her teeth chattered. "He's my brother."
"He's been tortured. There is no telling how he will act toward you."
Despite her words, she understood. He came closer and placed his hand on her shoulder. He'd not let her shake like that, when he could hold her.
Her hands trembled as she reached out and grabbed his arms. "I was so scared today. I have no idea what I'm doing. Maybe this isn't the best idea, but I would like to sleep knowing someone is watching my back tonight other than my cat, Anakin Skywalker."
"Yes, your cat will be fine for the night." Her fingers locked on him made him sure. "You are way more reasonable than my sister. Until your brother is in jail, you're with me."
"Thank you." She clung to him and in that moment, nothing else mattered. He'd help her and bring his parents’ attempted killer to justice. With evidence, this might all be over today.
Chapter 3
Her entire body felt rattled and empty while the door clos
ed. Megan glanced out the window at the moon and darkness except for the distant cruise ships in the ocean. She slumped in the chair she'd been sitting in for hours and let her head drop backward. "I half believed they were going to arrest. What time is it?"
"It's after nine."
"They questioned me for eleven hours?" That was later than she imagined. Her lips were parched but she hardly had time to sip water. She glanced up and saw how his blue eyes sparkled as he stared at her. She grabbed onto the arms of the seat and at the same time her face felt hot so she turned away.
He stood and walked in front of her. Then he offered his hand and asked, "Yeah, they did. Are you hungry?"
The muscles on his body made him swoon-worthy as did that thick blond hair of his. She blinked because there was no way her mind should go down that route, but she took his hand and stood to join him. His skin was warm, but she tried to pretend indifference so she took her pocketbook and smoothed over her wrinkled work skirt. "I don't think I should go to a restaurant, not if the police are en route to arrest my brother. I should probably go find a rock and hide there."
He offered his arm. "Then let's go home."
Home wasn't something she’d had in years. Her apartment was suitable, but not a home. She blinked and let the thought dissipate as she took his arm. "You don't have to protect me. I appreciate the offer and how you stayed with me today. That should be enough for any man."
He petted her hand like she needed soothing. "Your brother is on the loose. I'm not leaving you alone."
No. He should not be that nice to her. She reached into her bag and took out her mother's ring to hold in her palm. He opened the door for her and she met his stare while she passed him. "How do you know I'm not some criminal mastermind?"
The halls were barren so his employees must have gone home for the night, including his secretary. His eyebrow shot up. "Then how did you get a 'C' in sociology?"
He hit the elevator button and dropped her arm as her gaze narrowed. "How thorough of a background check did you do on me?"
The ding echoed through and they walked into the empty elevator. "Enough to know you broke up with your boyfriend, Emmanual, three months ago because, according to his Facebook posts, you're a cold fish."
The doors closed while her hand went to her heart. "What? That's not true!"
The moment he placed his hand on the small of her back, her body zipped with new life. She steadied her feet. "Yeah, he wasn't worthy of you. It was his status when he posted he was single."
She turned closer to him and smelled the woodsy aftershave that made her mouth water to taste him. She'd never do that, but she lowered her gaze. "I hate the Internet sometimes."
The elevator slowed and dinged so they were silent until the doors opened. He led her toward a different door. "You're into clickbait quizzes when you're home and alone."
"It's meaningless." She shrugged. "What about my car?"
"I'll have someone bring it to you." He continued to lead her. She hesitated until he asked, "What are you in the mood to eat?"
Near the new door, she stopped walking entirely. "Wait, where are we going then?"
He brushed his chin as he stayed close. "To my house. It's the only place I know with enough security that you'll be able to sleep and know you'll wake up the next morning."
The sense of home hit her hard. She swallowed and the taste of it was in her mouth. She nodded and reached out for his arm. "Okay, just for tonight, until the police arrest my brother and then I can go back to work and live my life again."
He led her to his silver Mercedes. "So as I asked, dinner?"
Home was one thing. A restaurant full of people would make her cringe every time someone picked up a fork and made a noise. Her lips pressed together while he opened her door and let her slip inside. Once he was in the driver's seat, she asked, "Are we ordering in?"
"I don't have a cook, only a maid service."
Her mother had been a cleaning lady and her skin felt like razor blades for a second. She lifted her chin and refused to think about the past. "Let's go with sushi."
Her nose turned and his face almost went green. "Ugh. Anything else."
"See, we'd never get along for more than a day. What kind of food do you eat?"
While he drove toward Collins Avenue and the Atlantic Ocean she wasn't surprised. Billionaires littered the seaboard coast while the rest of them lived in nice communities much farther west. With this in mind, she had no idea about the restaurants in whatever part he lived in. He'd have to choose.
"Usually I'm happy with a grilled steak."
That wasn't an option for her. She shook her head. "Your poor arteries. I'm sure you can find a grilled chicken with spinach and feta wrap."
While he turned and she saw the palm trees that covered the beach between the sky rises, he shook his head. "You are complicated."
Grilled chicken needed flavor too. Her hand went over her lap at the same time her stomach growled. "Being healthy isn't complicated."
As he drove, he rolled his eyes. "Now you sound like my sister."
"Good to know your relatives are smart." She winked and stared at the Porsche building. She heard it was designed by an Italian designer who was flown in just for the marble installation that the owner drove the car in and, somehow, it was magically transported with some modern technology to the floor the owner lived. He drove into the building and right into a spot.
He helped her get out of the car. "Most women agree with everything I say."
This time she squeezed his arm before she let him go while she made a tsk sound. "Must be nice to surround yourself with 'yes' men."
His phone went off as he guided her into the building and toward the elevator. "There is news coming in about your brother."
Her heart pounded while her face felt hot. Maddox must be in the process of being arrested now. Her hands clenched because she imagined her brother shooting back at the police officers. He wasn't well. As they stepped into the elevator, she placed her hand on her heart while holding her mother's ring again. "What?"
"Police have surrounded the house."
Again her imagination created a gun fight where the police shot and killed her brother. She reached out and put her hand on Gabe's arm as she tried to stop the adrenaline that rushed through her veins. The elevator stopped on their floor, but she refused to move. "Turn it off. We can check in an hour. If we go minute-by-minute, I'll break out into a sweat and get myself all worked up. I just want to know what happened."
He held the button on the top of his phone and a moment later showed her the 'power off' screen. While he clicked it off, he nodded and offered his hand. "Fair enough."
In silence they walked around his home. She saw the pale blue walls and the Renaissance couples that seemed like original paintings on one wall and a tapestry hanging on another. The chandeliers made this room look more like a palace then a home. She followed his direction though her gaze stopped on the granite appearing Italian marble though he continued without one glance in any direction. They passed a closed door which she assumed was his room and a few seconds later he opened the second door. "This is your room for the night."
More pale blue and tapestries. The guest room was fit for a queen. She tugged at her black skirt and stared at her serviceable high heels. "I don't have anything with me."
"The service should have left you toiletries. You can sleep in one of my tee-shirts for the night."
He leaned against the door, and she returned to stand in front of him while she batted her eyes. "I didn't think when I went to see you that we'd be roommates."
He stepped out of the way to let her pass. A moment later when she was next to him, he closed the space between them. "What did you think when you met me?"
His full lips made her own pulsate with a desire for a kiss. Her face felt warm as she stepped away and let the space between them cool her down. "That you were nicer than I assumed. And you?"
"That Maddox had a pretty sis
ter."
"Seriously?" He placed his hand on the small of her back again, and again she felt a spark.
He dropped his hand and stepped forward. "Clearly that was one-sided."
"No. It wasn't." She swallowed and stepped closer to him. Attraction zipped in her blood, but there was more to being near Gabe. With him, she felt cared for, which was probably silly. "The zap that hit me when I first met you threw me off. I assumed you'd be a spoiled rich man who was older than the pictures I saw today."
He stared at her and she closed her eyes while she tilted her face. Every instinct in her said he'd kiss her. The seconds ticked by until he stepped away. She blinked and pretended to follow him. "I'm in a lot of magazines as the face of my company."
"Those can be old. I find a lot of CEOs put out profile pictures from when they were attractive." The dark ocean in the bay view caught her gaze and she measured the entire home had an almost 180 degree view. In the morning, this would be gorgeous. She clutched her mother's ring that was still in her palm while she walked into the living area to explore.
He followed. "So you do find me attractive."
A huge grin appeared on her face while she turned to face him. Then she pocketed the ring in her bra as it was the only thing close to a pocket she had. "Relentless flirt, I see."
His gaze had followed her hand and her face felt red. He wasn't supposed to see that, but he licked his lips and she knew he liked what he saw. "No. I just always get what I want."
Right now she felt like she was the dinner. Her heart beat but this time it was pleasant and exactly what she wanted. "Even the sister of the guy who might have killed your parents?"
His breath hitched and a millisecond later, he closed the space between them again. "Which should have put you in the no category right away."
To hold steady, she reached out and placed her hand near his heart. "I'm not?"
"Not unless you want to be." He tilted his head and again her entire body electrified, like she waited for a kiss.
Her skin felt alive and wanted to touch all of him, and have his hands roam her body. Her imagination had her close her eyes again. "I think I should be though. You and I are from different worlds."
Tempting Gabe (The Hawke Fortune) Page 2
