Scarred Surrender (Scarred Series Book 6)

by Jackie Williams

  Although clearly put out by his dismissal of her favourite current subject, she didn’t argue. He guessed that it was something she would pursue another time when there were less pressing things on their minds. She smiled and reached across the gear stick to squeeze his hand again.

  “And that’s exactly why dad left you in charge of it. He knew that you wouldn’t exploit the money or us. I suspect he was worried that Saskia might be able to prey on my generous nature. I wouldn’t have let her, but maybe dad didn’t know that.”

  Emily lifted her head again.

  “So what are you going to do with all the money while you look after it for us? Any idea’s yet?”

  James closed his eyes and pinched the top of his nose. The thought of the piles of cash sitting in Adam’s bank accounts made his brain ache almost as much as his legs. It was some seconds before he opened his eyes again.

  “I don’t know. I just don’t know. Hell, I need help with this. For the first time in my life, I am going to have to seek financial advice. I’ve never had enough spare cash to bother before.” His own private security consultancy paid him well enough, but nothing like the vast sums Adam’s investments had been raking in. The amounts involved almost overwhelmed him.

  Crystal appeared to read his thoughts.

  “It is a bit disturbing, but you have friends who have experience of this kind of thing. We should ask them what to do. They’ll probably have loads of ideas between them.”

  James frowned down at her.

  “Who are you talking about? I don’t know anyone remotely wealthy. All my army mates are probably a lot poorer than me. I should know. I pay several of them to work for me, and while it’s well above the minimum none of them are going to be buying yachts with their wages. The army doesn’t pay enough to allow for any savings and the pension isn’t going to make anyone rich. I didn’t get compensation for my legs as I elected to have the surgery. I don’t think anyone I know is going to be able to think of investing in anything more than a few quid for the costs of a good booze up on a Saturday night.” He stopped speaking as Crystal rolled her eyes at him.

  “Idiot! I’m surprised dad left you as trustee after all. Maybe Emily and I should contest the legality of the will ourselves. Your abilities appear to be severely lacking if you can’t think of a single one of your friends who is rich.” She waited a second and then laughed at his blank expression. “Ooh la la!” She said in a very French accent as Emily giggled from the back seat at him.

  James looked confused for only a second longer, let out a sudden laugh, and slapped his hand over his forehead as he recalled that he knew at least two millionaires very well.

  “Shit! David and Ellen. They give so much and don’t ever act like they are loaded. I completely forgot that their great aunt left them a fortune. They founded the whole French château scheme and rehab centre for injured servicemen and women on the back of their enormous inheritance.”

  Crystal sat back in her seat and reached around her shoulder for her seatbelt as she replied.

  “And my course finishes and Emily’s study leave starts in a couple of weeks, so while I look for premises for my new business and Emily fills in all her forms for university, you can go and decide what to do with our money. I’ll be here to look after Emily. Why don’t you call David now and bring forward your trip? I’m sure he won’t mind. It’s not as if it’s peak season, and I’m sure Alex will be fine managing your company for a few days.” She referred to another of James’ retired service friends who was now his business partner. “You could go out to France within the next couple of days and mull it all over with David and Ellen. That château is the perfect place to think about things before you come to any life changing decisions. It will give Emily and I time to see about our living arrangements too.” She looked down at her hands before speaking again. “Don’t take this the wrong way, but I don’t want to move you into dad’s rooms just yet. It feels like it’s too soon.” She gulped away the lump that rose in her throat.

  Relief washed over him. He didn’t want to look as though he was taking their father’s place.

  “No, that’s fine. I’m not ready for that either. I’m sure we can work out something so we all manage without treading on each other’s toes.”

  Crystal gave a weak smile.

  “Thanks. I’ll make up the spare room. We could decorate it while you are away if you like,” she added.

  James glanced over the seat to where Emily nodded. He shook his head.

  “I don’t want you to go to any bother. Whatever’s there will be fine, besides, I can’t go over right now. Apart from Alex and I being up to our necks after taking over all those new accounts at work, your dad made me Em’s guardian. I have to be where she is, or she has to be where I am. And you can’t have your money for your new clinic until you’ve finished your course anyway. I can’t leave Emily here while I dash off to France for a bit of financial advice, and I won’t do anything without discussing it with you both anyway.” He suddenly grinned. “I’ll just have to wait until your course and term ends and then you two girls can come to the château with me.”

  Chapter Three

  “So it’s set in stone. You’re their guardian and official trust holder. Big responsibility, especially with that kind of money. Don’t fuck it up.” David said jovially as he placed a large mug of tea on the table in front of James, and gave another to Joe as he lounged against the granite counter in the château’s huge kitchen.

  James took a quick sip of the hot beverage and rolled his eyes at his friend. They hadn’t had chance to talk before David and Joe returned to France after Adam’s funeral and James was now, just over a month later, bringing them up to date on the developments.

  “I’ll do my best, but I confess it was a shock. I hadn’t a clue that Adam was going to change his will. He hadn’t said a thing to me and I’ve no idea why he’s done it. Crystal is perfectly capable of looking after Emily, and their money. I feel as though I’ve been pushed into this for another reason, though I’m damned if I know what.”

  Joe blew on his tea before speaking.

  “I should have thought the reasons were obvious. That bloody awful woman who was with you at the funeral being the main one.” He glanced at David before continuing. “We heard what she said about the will. What a scheming witch. I wouldn’t say that you couldn’t trust her further than you could throw her because she’s so skinny. I could probably throw her a long way, but you could see she had ulterior motives right from the word go. We were all surprised when Adam originally told us that he was going out with her. Patrick went so far as to have Alex check her out. You know how he is about people we don’t know, especially after all the crap with Ellen’s ex, Justin, Lucy’s old boss and that fucked up terrorist who tried to bump off Paul but ended up almost killing Geraldine, Amy and Luc instead.” He referred to the detestable people who had tried to hurt their friends over the years. “Anyway, turns out that Saskia is broke, and in debt up to her scrawny neck. She’s defaulted on her loans and she’s about to lose the gym.” He picked a biscuit from the plate on the table and dunked it in the hot liquid in front of him, a smile crossing his face as he lifted it and popped it in his mouth just before the tea sodden portion of the cookie dropped off.

  James wiped his hand over his brow.

  “Shit! So that’s why she tried persuading Adam to change his will. She said that they had discussed it only a couple of weeks before he died. Knew there had to be something. Emily mentioned that there were rumours but I don’t like to judge without full knowledge. No wonder Saskia was so shocked after she found out that she wasn’t included in any bequests. Did Alex mention anything to Adam about his investigations?”

  A footfall made them all turn towards the door.

  “Of course Alex told him,” Patrick said as he walked into the kitchen. He strode over to the huge teapot, and poured himself a cup as he continued speaking. “But it wasn’t news. The woman has ripped off at least th
ree guys at the gym before she’d stuck her claws in Adam. This was the first time she’d gone for one of us lot though.” It was clear that he meant retired servicemen. “I expect she thought Adam’s million pound insurance payout worth the effort of having an affair with him. She’d barely looked at him before, but then she hadn’t known that he was already rich prior to that payout. None of us did.”

  James closed his eyes and groaned as his and Crystal and Emily’s suspicions were confirmed. Anger filled him.

  “She just used the guy! And he was so happy. He thought she was really into him when all she was after was his bank balance. Fuck her! Poor sod must have been devastated when he found out.”

  Patrick swallowed his tea and refilled the kettle before speaking again.

  “He wasn’t pleased but he wasn’t as surprised as you might have thought. He knew deep down that something was off when she suddenly started plastering herself all over him right after that payout. What we told him only confirmed his own investigations. He had already discovered almost as much as we had.”

  James frowned curiously.

  “And yet he carried on going out with her? Why? Was he that desperate or is there something more to her that I just haven’t seen yet. Did you know that Emily has nicknamed her ‘Birdbath’ because she’s so shallow.”

  Patrick choked out a grim laugh.

  “Good name. I think Emily has that spot on. I’ve not met her, but I didn’t need to after what Alex found out. David and Joe confirmed everything else when they told me what she was like at the funeral. As much as I hate to admit it, it takes a special kind of woman to find guys like us attractive, and from the way she acted Saskia certainly doesn’t appear to be that special type.” Patrick’s fingers rose instinctively to the scars on his face and everyone in the kitchen knew his thoughts were suddenly focused on the special woman who had changed his entire life. Ellen had loved him from the moment he had found her lost and alone in the forest. She had wanted him even before she had seen him clearly, had sensed that there was something special about the big, gentle man who had rescued her. Nothing had ever changed in all the years since. Patrick thanked God and any other relevant deity daily for Ellen, the woman who had stolen his heart and who refused to give it back.

  Joe nodded in agreement. His scars had mellowed somewhat over the years, but nothing could disguise the extent of the damage to his face.

  “Lucy never batted an eyelid at the way I look. She says she fell in love with me the moment she saw Robbie kiss me on the end of my nose.” He pointed to the exact spot just as David’s son Robbie walked in through the door. Joe laughed as the boy climbed up on a chair and kissed the tip of his nose yet again. He shook his head and grinned as he pretended to wipe the kiss away.

  Robbie hopped down from the chair and slung his school bag down on the table.

  “It’s a great nose, Joe. Everyone should kiss it.” The boy grinned as he ducked Joe’s fake punch, and made his way to the teapot. “Brilliant, just in time for tea and biscuits! I’m starving!” The boy exclaimed as he reached out and grabbed a few of the crisp, homemade pastries while Patrick poured him a mug of tea.

  David walked over to his ten-year old son and ruffled his dark hair.

  “You’re always starving. I swear your legs are hollow.” He glanced back at the kitchen door. “Are the other’s coming through too?” He looked slightly concerned. The château’s kitchen was spacious, but it was a crush if everyone and their children tried to squeeze in.

  Robbie shook his head, scraped a chair out from the table and sat down.

  “You’re safe for the moment. Ellen said that Gemma and Ryan aren’t coming tonight as they have new arrivals at the centre, and Paul and Amy are going to keep to their bath and bedtime routine with baby Charlotte. Mama and Lucy were talking to Crystal and Emily. Everyone else is going with them for a walk in the woods before it gets too dark, but I have a lot of homework. I’ll maybe go and join them later if I’m done quickly.” He pulled some books out of his bag and opened one of them.

  James looked slightly relieved.

  “At least that gets me out of another bullying session.” He lifted his chin at Joe’s curious frown. “Crystal has just finished her course and is determined to practise her latest therapy methods on me before she opens her own clinic. Don’t get me wrong, I believe in a lot of what she’s doing. It certainly can’t hurt at any rate, but she thinks she can either stick needles in my face or hypnotise me into thinking away the pain in my legs.”

  David winced visibly. The thought of needles certainly didn’t appeal.

  “The clenching your imaginary toes thing stopped working then?” He knew exactly what James was feeling. He’d suffered badly with the same syndrome himself until he found his simple cure.

  James shrugged.

  “Nothing works for longer than a couple of days. I’ve not tried acupuncture, but hypnotism certainly isn’t the answer.”

  Patrick opened the fridge door and began burrowing inside, selecting ingredients for that night’s main meal.

  “No, that would be difficult as most of us have had some sort of training against it. Have you explained that to Crystal?” He pulled a gigantic joint of beef from the fridge and began rubbing dry mustard powder and salt into the meat.

  James shrugged.

  “Not specifically. I told her that it won’t work, but she’s only just finished her course and she’s adamant that one of these complimentary therapies is going to cure me. She thinks that a special relaxation massage while I’m under hypnosis will do it, but she’s only just qualified and while I don’t doubt her skills, I don’t want to disappoint her when it doesn’t work on me.”

  David looked over Robbie’s shoulder to see what homework he was doing, but quickly looked away. French literature wasn’t his favourite subject.

  “Maybe you should try it anyway. As you say, it’s not like it can hurt and you may find some relief. Geraldine did some fantastic massage on me when we first came out here. Worked wonders.” He puffed out his chest and sighed as a dreamy, lopsided smile spread over his scarred features.

  James laughed.

  “I’m sure it did, but I also recall the way you two ogled each other right from the moment you first met. It’s hardly the same situation. Crystal is Adam’s daughter, not a potential girlfriend. ” He didn’t know why his words caused his mouth to go dry, but he took another sip of his tea before speaking again. “I’ll listen to Crystal’s ideas, but I’m not letting her try any of them on me. Apart from it not working, it wouldn’t feel right.” He rubbed his hand around the back of his neck, as he suddenly felt more than a little uncomfortable.

  Patrick finished with the mustard and took up a long, thinly bladed knife. He spoke over his shoulder as he began skewering the meat and sliding slices of raw garlic into the slits.

  “Why would her being Adam’s daughter make any difference? Okay, so the hypnotism part is going to be difficult but the other stuff shouldn’t be a problem. She’s worked hard for the last few years and qualified top student of the year at her speciality. Knowing her personally might help you relax enough to ease the pain.”

  James nearly spat out the gulp of tea he’d just taken. The thought of Crystal leaning over him, slender hands and long fingers anywhere on his body while he lay there practically naked was certainly not going to help him relax.

  The past weeks had not been the easiest. As per the terms of Adam’s will, James had gradually moved into Adam’s house and they had made it work somehow, but it had been awkward. Until they could sort out Adam’s downstairs suite, converting it, and removing the hoists and specialist bed, James slept upstairs in the spare room.

  The first week there, he’d thought it a good idea to stay out of the girls’ way, either getting up early to go to work or to delay his shower until after they had both left the house, and work later into the evening, but either way he’d been caught out.

  Where Emily breezed about the house with t
he elegance of an overweight camel, and could be heard from almost every room, Crystal was as silent as a snowflake landing on water. Her gentle step and unhurried movements had lured him into a false sense of security and, thinking that she had already left the house, he had twice walked from his bedroom to the bathroom in nothing but his boxer shorts, only to discover Crystal coming out wearing only a thin wrap that left nothing to the imagination.

  Twice the pair of them had felt their cheeks flame and twice they had both immediately about faced and hared back to their respective rooms, only to come out five minutes later wearing enough clothes to cover half a regiment.

  The resulting conversation about college timetables and bathroom etiquette while both of them hid behind huge mugs of tea across the kitchen table, had been excruciating, and while the new arrangement had at least kept them from bumping into one another while half naked, the original meeting in the hallway had done more than play on James’ mind.

  He felt the beads of sweat pop out on his brow as the visions swept into his head. It had all been the fault of that blasted pale blue wrap that matched the colour of Crystal’s beautiful eyes. Some sort of wafting, floating, semi-transparent material that shouldn’t be allowed to be made into bath wraps, or night robes, or whatever you wanted to call the tantalizing slip of fabric that had swished about the young woman’s body.

  As he walked from his room, he was only thanking heaven that he’d managed another night without a nightmare and hadn’t looked up as he walked along the hallway. Moments before he’d reached the bathroom door it had opened before him and Crystal had stepped out, her eyes wide as she suddenly noticed him standing there with his mouth hanging open like a fool.