She gasped and looked around them to see if anyone had overheard. She then leaned closer toward him and asked in a soft voice, “But I thought you were business associates?”
“I might do business with him, but we’re definitely not friends.” Not anymore. Not ever. “Keep your distance.”
She nodded without further argument and pleasure wove through him. He hadn’t needed to explain anything more to her. She trusted him explicitly and was quick to obey his orders without having to have every detail explained. Her actions humbled him.
Taking her hand in his, he brought it to his lips.
She flushed. “What was that for?”
“For being an amazing wife.” He stood from the table and helped her to her feet. “Shall we dance?” he asked, before leaning in to whisper in her ear, “I want to hold you in my arms.”
He felt a shiver course through her and her reaction affected him clear to his core.
How had he gotten so lucky to have her in his life? He might’ve married her initially in order to complete his mission of revenge, but every day, he realized more and more how lucky he was. For the first time, he saw that a life after his revenge was possible. He and Olivia could have it all: a happy marriage, a home, children... Love.
Once the idea latched into his mind, it rooted deep in his heart. He loved her.
He gathered her a little too close in his arms, not caring about the scandalized whispers sure to result. She was his. His wife. And right now, he wanted to hold her.
“People are staring,” she finally said, glancing around.
“Let them.”
Her eyes met his, and he saw everything echoed there. Longing. Want. And he hoped…love.
Chapter 12
There was something different about Ronan the next morning. He’d leaned over the bed, kissed her passionately, and told her he’d be back shortly. Then, had added she was to ready herself, because he was taking her out once he returned.
He’d left to meet one last time with his solicitor to ensure all the documents were in order before his meeting with Mr. Adams the following day, but Ronan hadn’t appeared to be stressed about anything. In fact, he’d seemed happy. She might even say he’d seemed carefree, maybe more than she’d ever seen him.
Perhaps he was happier about her and their marriage than she’d first thought.
She closed her eyes, replaying the previous night in her mind—the way he’d held her on the dance floor, the way he’d looked at her as if there was no one else but her...
Heat washed through her and she threw off the blankets before climbing out of bed. She needed to get her lazy self up and dressed, instead of dreaming of Ronan, if she wanted to be ready in time for his surprise.
She rang for help, accepting that it was easier to get her new clothing on with assistance than to do it herself. Olivia was properly attired and sitting at the small table eating when Ronan walked into the room.
He smiled at her and her lips curved in return. “Things went well?” But she hadn’t really needed to ask. She could tell from his expression that all had gone according to plan.
“Better than well.” He came to her and leaned down, then placed a hot kiss on the side of her neck. “Are you ready?”
She popped a final piece of toast in her mouth, chewed, then swallowed and said, “Just finished breakfast.”
“Excellent.”
He helped her from the chair and escorted her down the stairs and outside to a waiting carriage. Her chest rose and fell heavier than normal once she was seated. “Are we in a hurry?”
He noticed her shortness of breath and smiled. “Sorry. There’s no rush, I’m just anxious to show you.”
“Show me what?”
He took her hand in his and played with the back of her fingers. “Liv, I know this marriage started out rough. We didn’t have a proper wedding, we packed up and left immediately…and other things haven’t been ideal, and I’m sorry for that. I realized last night I don’t want that to be our relationship. I don’t want it to be strained or hidden away. I want us to have a life that is open for all to see and happy.”
Her heart melted. His eyes held hope, but also vulnerability. He truly cared for her. She brought her other hand forward and placed it over his. “I want us to have a life too. A whole one.”
He squeezed her hand, and she realized how true those words were. She’d cared about Ronan and had wanted to help him. But her feelings had progressed far beyond that.
She loved him.
Truly loved him with her whole heart. Somehow, his happiness had equaled hers, and now they were one. The knowledge both humbled and exhilarated her.
She wanted to shout her feelings to him then, but it didn’t seem like the right moment. The carriage could stop at any time and they’d be interrupted. She could wait until tonight when they were alone and tell him how much he meant to her. Perhaps, he’d even give her the words in return.
When the carriage stopped a few minutes later, she was grateful she’d held her tongue. When she told Ronan how much she loved him, they would need the entire night.
Ronan helped Olivia out of the carriage, then turned to view their destination. His first glance of the plantation took his breath away. His home was exactly how he remembered it. The two stories stood proud, recently whitewashed. The wraparound porch and balconies had been maintained well over the years, no sagging or rot that he could see. The hedges he hid in as a boy were still neatly trimmed, and he even saw a remnant of the fort he’d built up in the towering oak trees.
But more than what it looked like, it even had the exact same feel to it. He imagined his mother frowning down from the porch over his latest mischief. He could almost smell the pies he’d stolen from the kitchen door out back when no one was looking, and see the way his father would smile indulgently when he’d heard of his son’s latest trouble-making.
“This was my family’s home.” He swallowed hard, realizing how close tears were to the surface. He wouldn’t cry, he hadn’t in all these years—not when he’d left for the war, not when Lawrence had betrayed him, not even when he’d found out his entire family had perished. And he wouldn’t now...not when he could almost taste his revenge.
Once he’d accomplished that, he could grieve. He would mourn all he’d lost and figure out how to move on with his life. A new life with the woman standing next to him.
Olivia had remained quiet, almost as if she were allowing him time to focus on his own feelings. Then, as if she’d sensed he’d returned to the present, she linked her arm with his and rested her head on his shoulder, and looked around her at the incredible view. “It’s gorgeous. You really grew up here?”
It was hard to imagine it were true, after the way he’d lived all these years, but... “Yes. A far cry from Promise Creek, isn’t it?”
“Yes.”
“Do you really like it?”
She gave a short chuckle before glancing up at him. “I’d be crazy not to.”
He chose his next words carefully. “Why don’t we build a place just like this in Promise Creek?” Her mouth fell open. “You did say you liked it...”
“Well, yes”—she waved her hand around—“It’s amazing. No one could dislike it.”
“Then what is it?” For some reason, this had become important to him all of a sudden. He wanted to have again what he’d had as a kid. Home, family, and love.
She blew out a breath. “I just never expected anything so grand. Living in a place like this would be heaven.”
And suddenly, a piece of him that he’d thought he’d lost forever ago was replaced. Hope. It burned in his chest, and he couldn’t stop from taking her in his arms and kissing her hotly, possessively. Lovingly. She was it. She was everything.
He didn’t care what he had to go through, he would never give her up. Never let her go. He was so grateful he’d never have to.
He broke the kiss and stared into her eyes. “You’re mine. Forever, Olivia.” He needed to h
ear her say it, needed to hear her agree to his words.
“Always. Forever.” She pulled him down for another kiss, but this one was softer, warmer. It touched places in him he didn’t know existed. Love, desire, passion, and hope all mingled together into one thought of her. One feeling, one need.
He opened his mouth to tell her everything he wanted for them, all he felt for her, but was interrupted by the sound of someone approaching them. He pulled away, loosened his grip on her, and smiled when her cheeks turned red.
He’d never get sick of that.
“May I help you?” an older woman asked, but he still only had eyes for his wife.
He smiled at Olivia and said, “I’m sorry for lingering. I was showing my wife…” His voice trailed off after he turned and got a good look at the woman.
The stranger sobbed softly. “James?”
His body went slack. “Mother?”
Chapter 13
Olivia stumbled back as Ronan lunged for the frail woman and wrapped her tightly in his arms. The older woman cried loudly, and intense sobs wracked her body.
Ronan didn’t let go, instead he held the older woman even more tightly, whispering reassurances to her. As a tear rolled down her husband’s cheek, Olivia felt one follow on her own.
His mother...she’s alive! That one thought buzzed through her head repeatedly. His mother was alive and Ronan hadn’t known this whole time.
How could he not have known? What happened to make him think she’d died? Was his entire family alive? The thoughts staggered her.
Ronan could have an entire family here. When the woman had seen him, she’d looked—
James?
She’d called him James.
That knowledge rocked through her. Her husband, Ronan, was James Havlin. James Havlin was his name!
Ice shot through her veins. He’d married her under a false name. Did that mean they weren’t married? What have I done?
She watched the mother and son’s reunion frozen in place and speechless. They hugged and asked questions over one another. Olivia couldn’t be there. She couldn’t watch that.
She raised a hand to her head once the spinning started. It sounded as if a thousand bees were trapped inside. She finally managed a step back and captured Ronan’s attention.
“Mother,” he began, then gently held the woman away from him and turned her to face Olivia, “May I introduce you to my wife, Olivia?”
Olivia returned the woman’s watery smile, though her own felt forced.
“I am so happy James is alive, and I’m even more thrilled now that I know he’s found someone to love.”
Olivia’s smile felt like it would crack, but she tried to keep it in place anyway. She didn’t want to ruin this moment for his mother. To have a son come back from the dead was a miracle. A joyful, wondrous moment. “I know he’s happy to see you alive and well also.” Her eyes finally drifted to his, and he must’ve seen everything she couldn’t say expressed there. “Aren’t you…James?”
The tears gathering in Olivia’s eyes gutted him.
“Aren’t you…James?” she’d asked, her tone clearly expressing she had much more to say than that...and rightly so.
Her accusatory tone lashed him. He would’ve been free to explain all this the following day, and he’d planned to tell her. He would’ve ended Lawrence, and he would’ve been free. But now, everything was happening too quickly. And she’d found out much too soon.
“Mother?” He turned his attention back her , holding on to her firmly as if he worried she might disappear again. “Where are you staying?”
“In the house.”
“Our house? The plantation?” How was that even possible?
She smiled. “Yes, our house. We had to leave it for a time, but the person who bought it during the war was willing to sell it back to your father.”
Ronan wheezed air out of his open mouth instead of words. He hadn’t the ability to speak at the moment. My father is alive too? This has to be a dream. He was sure he would wake up to find his parents were both still dead, and the plantation had still been sold from them, never to be recovered.
“Will you stay here at the house?” she asked hesitantly, looking to Olivia. “It would mean everything to us.”
“Of course,” Olivia answered quickly, and Ronan was grateful for her kindness and understanding, even through her own pain.
Ronan kissed his mother’s head. “We’ll gather our things and return this evening.”
“Will you join us for dinner?”
There was such a hopeful note in her voice, he couldn’t refuse. “If it’s all right with Olivia, we wouldn’t miss it.”
His mother pulled him down and kissed him on the forehead. “I must go tell your father,” she said and hugged him once more, before returning down the path toward their home.
They both watched her leave, and Ronan dreaded the coming conversation. What could he say? How could he tell her everything he’d done, and what he still intended to do? “Olivia—” She held up her hand when he moved toward her. “Let me explain.”
“Explain what exactly? That you lied to me? That you married me under a false name? That we had relations when we weren’t legally married?”
He felt the pain ebb from her in waves so strong it almost knocked him over, and he could see the freshness of the hurt in her eyes. “I did lie. I’m sorry for that. I’m sorry that I didn’t tell you everything, but I didn’t feel I could.”
Tears tracked down her cheeks. “You used me. Is this all some game to you?”
“No!” he vowed and took her hands in his before she could turn away. He needed a connection with her, something that could convince her of the truth. “It was never a game. I lied to you, yes. I didn’t tell you my real name or about my true reasons for marrying, but everything else was real. What’s between us is real.”
“Our marriage can’t be real if you aren’t really you!”
She tried to jerk free from his grip, but he wouldn’t let her go. He waited until she looked him in the eyes. The hurt and pain blazed in hers, and it killed him. “Yes, Olivia! Please listen to me. Our marriage is real. Ronan Briggs isn’t my birth name, but I legally acquired it. Our marriage is still both legal and binding.”
Some of the fight died in her. “Why?” she whispered. “Why do all this? Why marry me?”
He swallowed the bitterness he felt in having to tell her. She might hate him for it, but he couldn’t lie to her again. Not now. “I needed to sell the mine to Lawrence Adams, and only Lawrence Adams. He refuses to do business with men that aren’t married, so it was imperative that I marry and right away.”
“Why couldn’t you simply wait and find another buyer? I’m sure there are plenty who are looking for a good investment.”
“It’s not a good investment, Olivia. And it only mattered if he bought it.” There it was. He’d said it, and he couldn’t turn back now.
A notch formed between her brows. “It’s barren? But why would you do that to someone? Why would you swindle an honest man?”
The words stung, but he’d stopped caring about what was right or wrong long ago. As far as he was concerned, Lawrence was going to hell. “Because Lawrence isn’t honest.”
She shook her head. “You don’t even know the man.”
This time, when she tugged, he let her go. His laugh was brittle. “If only that were true.” She turned back to him. “I know Lawrence Adams. We grew up together.”
She gasped. “If that’s true, then why didn’t he recognize you last night?”
“We haven’t seen each other in years. Plus, he thinks I’m dead. Everyone thinks I died during the war.”
“Your mother—”
“Was told I was dead. From someone she trusted. Someone she knew had been with me.” Ronan’s fist clenched. He just wished he could wrap it around the neck of the person who’d done all of this. The person who’d taken his life away.
“You don’t mean...”
“But you said you were friends!”
“We were.” They’d been the best of friends. “All the way up until he burned down a cottage and killed a family. They were trapped, and he was too drunk to figure out what was happening. Or he didn’t care. When it was discovered, he blamed it on me.”
She gasped and stepped toward him, but he stepped back. He didn’t want her sympathy now, he needed to push forward with his confession. “I was sentenced to death. Lawrence had paid our superior to not question the incident any further. The only reason I’m still alive is that another helped me escape. He knew I hadn’t done it. After that, I ran. I couldn’t go home, I couldn’t see my family. I was labeled a murderer and shot as far as my family and this town were concerned. I had dishonored our name.”
“Ronan…” Her shoulders fell as she frowned at her use of his fake name, once again reminded of his deception.
When she moved away, he took her hands again to stop her. “Ronan is my name. I’ve lived as Ronan for as long as I was James. It’s who I am now. James is my past.”
She glanced at the house. “And your future.”
His finger nudged her chin until her gaze was reunited with his. “My future is with you.”
She shook her head. “You’re here to sell the mine to Lawrence. To what end?”
“To destroy him.”
“You need to let this go.” She placed a hand on his chest. “It will destroy you.”
“It already has.” He wasn’t the man he used to be. He hadn’t been allowed to be James Havlin for many years. “I need to end this if I’m ever to move on.”
“What do you mean ‘end this’? How will selling him the mine do that?”
His jaw clenched. He fought the words, words he knew would drive her away. “Because I’ve been draining him of all his assets. I’ve had detectives gathering information on the murders for years, and once he purchases the mine, he will be finished. Broke. Everything will be taken from him and he’ll be shown to be the true murderer. Then he’ll die.”
A Mail-Order Wish (Miners to Millionaires Book 2) Page 9
