Undeniably His(69)

“Kalin’s a hopeless romantic.” My mouth twists into a smile.

Lauren and Peter laugh. “That he is.” They speak in unison, and we all laugh at the acknowledgment. “But you gave him something back, Annabelle. It’s not just that you’re beautiful.”

I feel my cheeks grow warm.

“Kalin works around beautiful women all day. In fact, he turns them down all the time. I think he’s crazy.” Peter snickers.

Lauren frowns at him.

“Not me, sweetheart. Kalin.” Peter raises his hands in protest and chuckles.

I glance at the picture of Kalin, the hopeless romantic, and wonder what the future holds for a man whose heart is bigger than the enemies and the tragedies that seek to destroy it, and if I have what it takes to fill it.

~~~

Lia brings Kalin a fresh bouquet of dazzling bright-red tulips and vigorous, rich blue iris.

She hugs me and then sets the flowers next to him on a nearby table. She embraces Kalin, propped up in the bed, and kisses him on the forehead. “I hope these brighten your day. These are not girlie flowers, Kalin, but manly man flowers with rich blues.”

Kalin laughs. “So I’ve noticed.”

“Freshly cut,” she chirps.

“They’re beautiful, Lia. They brighten the room, but not as much as you.”

Lia gives me an incredulous stare and her mouth drops partly open at me. She turns back to Kalin. “You are a charmer, Kalin.” She smirks while arranging the flowers.

“I’m serious. I couldn’t make it in this place three weeks without the two of you. My mind would go crazy, probably bent on revenge.”

“Don’t let us interfere,” Lia teases. “Have they found the scumbags yet?”

“No.” I reply.

“See, that’s just bullshit.” Lia turns to me, crossing her arms over her chest. “They almost fucking kill the guy,” she says, tilting her head at Kalin while keeping her eyes locked on me, “and they’re nowhere to be found. Unreal.”

“We have a lot to work with, Lia. In all likelihood, they didn’t think Kalin would survive. The truth would be buried, and no more would come of it. It isn’t working out that way. They left a lot of loose ends. All we have to do is piece them together.”

“She’s right, Lia,” Kalin adds. Lia’s eyes dart to his. “In fact, right after your visit, I’m meeting with my lawyer to find out what he has on these guys. It’s especially important to be safe right now. I don’t like you staying at that apartment. Why don’t you stay with Annabelle at my home here in Southampton?”

“Yeah, like that’s any safer. They ransacked the place, Kalin.” She blinks her dark lashes at him with her hands on her hips and smirks.

Kalin presses up from the bed to stretch and shift his legs. “Well, technically we weren’t there, and I don’t really keep any valuables there. Until now.” He casts me a boyish smile that lights up his face. “Now I have security patrolling the area full-time.”

“I’m fine. I just want these guys out of our lives. I don’t want to change my life for them,” Lia says.

“That’s the plan. This has to be handled systematically,” Kalin mutters as if thinking out loud. “We shut down the media spinning lies for them, and then we go after the perpetrators. But nothing can get done in the fog of lies and confusion. That’s where they work. When the lights go on, the roaches scatter.” He turns to us and a smile spreads across his face. “And the lights are about to come on.”

“Do you need my help?” Lia asks.

“Not unless you are willing to walk into the boardroom and get them all to confess,” he quips.

“To being self-serving assholes?” She snickers.

“For starters.” His smile fades into a straight line. “Look, Lia, if you don’t want to stay here in Southampton, then you may see my security team around your apartment. Just let them do their thing. These guys are dangerous, and I can’t take any chances.”

“Sure.” She pouts. “Do you have any idea who did this yet?” Her tone carries an air of impatience.

“Yes,” he says calmly.

“You do?” I ask.

“Of course. I have to wait for my lawyer’s investigation, but we have some idea. Just think back to our dinner date the night this happened. One of the board members had just learned that you had not signed the contract yet.”

“Yeah, he looked rather…intrigued,” I recall.

“To say the least. And why would he have a newly hired manager there ready to receive shares of stock? My old college buddy, of all people?”