Billionaire Bad Boys of Romance 2(96)

“My family employs an entire staff of attorneys—“

Attorneys? Was he going to help my parents? Could he find a way to get their conviction overturned? “No, you can’t.” Nobody had ever offered to do anything so generous. Tears gathered. A sob caught in my throat. I clapped my hand over my mouth.

“Yes, I can. I’ll have them look into your parents’ case and see what they can do.” He placed his hands on my shoulders and looked me square in the eyes. “Daryl, I told you I’m falling in love with you. I want to help you. It isn’t fair that you and your parents are suffering because of one man’s ambitions.”

“But—“

“But what? I’m not going to let anything keep me from what I want. I want you. I want you to come to my homeland and meet my family.”

“But that’s so generous.”

“No, it’s selfish. I want to clear their name if it means you won’t be afraid to be with me. But I want you to be happy, too. To have your family back. Because even though I haven’t seen mine in almost a year, I know they’re there for me if I need them. All I have to do is get on a plane and I can see them or talk to them whenever I want. And every now and then I want that. I need that. Because everyone needs people sometimes, right?”

“Right.”

He wrapped his arms around me, and I closed my eyes and settled into his embrace. Oh, to feel so safe and protected. I hadn’t felt this way since the day my parents had been arrested, since I was sixteen years old and my life had been ripped to shreds, my innocence stolen and faith in humankind devastated. Were there still a few good people out there? People who cared for more than satisfying their own selfish wants and ambitions? Had I been lucky enough to find just that kind of man and somehow been fortunate enough to have him fall in love with me?

I didn’t dare hope. I was too terrified.

“Now that we’ve both cleared the air, what do you think? Will you come to Mordova with me?”

“When?” I dragged the pad of my thumb along my lower lashes.

“I have an event I must attend. I’m leaving…in three days.”

“Three days?” My head started spinning again. Three days? That was what? Monday? Tuesday? “But what about the press? My parents—“

“We’ll keep things very quiet. Don’t worry. Nobody but my immediate family will know you’re accompanying me.”

Could I do this? Could I jump on a plane and fly to a foreign land? “I don’t have a passport. That’s a problem.”

“You don’t technically need one, since you’ll be flying in my family’s private jet, and accompanying me through customs. But I’m sure you’d feel better having one anyway. There are services that allow you to obtain a passport in twenty-four hours. I can help you with that.”

I shifted, sitting upright again. It was so hard to think when I was cozy in his arms, breathing in the spicy-sweet scent of his skin, the steady thump of his heartbeat pounding in my ear. “I…I have to talk to Marguerite. I don’t have any vacation time accumulated yet. I’m too new. And this is all so quick.”

“I’ve already spoken to her, so she knows what I was planning.”

“Planning? Were you so certain I would say yes?” Was he so certain he wanted me to go?

“No, I wasn’t sure you would agree to go, but I talked to her anyway. I wanted to make sure it would be okay before I asked you.”

“How thoughtful,” I joked, my lips curling into a semi-smile.

He mirrored my expression. His half smile was devastating. “I’m trying. Really.”

“I can tell.”

He studied me, his gaze drilling into mine. “You aren’t looking very excited about the trip.”

“I think I’m just overwhelmed. Give me some time to absorb everything.”

“Fair enough. I’ll drop it for now.” He kicked his ankle up on his knee again, and pulled me against him. “How about we set all of the serious stuff aside and just enjoy the rest of the evening?”

“I like that idea.”

“Good. Because I had some special plans for tonight.”

Special plans? My heart did a little stuttering jump. We’d had two dates so far. Two. On the first one we’d flown to an isolated romantic getaway in northern Michigan. And during the second one we’d spent a romantic evening on a gorgeous boat. He hadn’t called those plans special.

What did he have in mind for us tonight?





Chapter 9

“What is this?” I couldn’t help laughing as the limo turned into the empty grassy field that served as a parking lot for the Renaissance festival between ten A.M. and six P.M..