Unexpectedly His(53)

The word broke her heart.





Chapter Fifteen


“You might think that figuring them out is impossible, but don’t worry; contrary to how it might seem, it’s actually quite simple.”

—mantelligence.com

Nick stood on the cobblestone sidewalk outside his building holding a bouquet of daisies. A set of storm clouds created shadows in the evening sky, forecasting the rain that was sure to come. Perfect weather for his mood. He looked up at his darkened condo and reached up to undo his tie. He’d expected Marianne to be home, but maybe she was in the back and had turned off the lights she wasn’t using, conservation being one of her causes. He walked into the building, gave a short wave to Max who looked as anxious as Nick had ever seen him. Normally, he’d stop and talk Yankees baseball with the guy, but tonight Nick headed straight to the elevator, needing to hash everything out with Marianne.

He’d suffered through a long-ass day, but in the end, he’d decided to tell her his suspicions about Jason Ward. He hoped she didn’t still harbor any feelings for the guy. Personally, he wanted to string him up by his nuts and hang him from a tree branch in Central Park for what he’d done to Marianne and to her family. But his fiancée was a better person than him. If anything, she’d want to take the blame for not catching Ward’s con. But she was trusting, and even the smartest people can be taken in by trusting the wrong kind of love.

He stepped out of the elevator and walked down the hall.

The thought of telling Marianne turned his stomach. He hated the idea that she’d feel responsible for her father’s conviction. He’d even picked up daisies from a street vendor, hoping the flowers would soften the blow, which was ridiculous considering the news. But if he was right, and he was certain he was, the time had arrived to lay all the cards on the table and get to the truth. Even if the truth cost him his job.

Together, he and Marianne would work to prove her father may have been guilty of a quick sell-off, but that he was also railroaded by a man he trusted like a son. After that, maybe they’d find a criminal attorney to work toward a reversal. He shook his head, not having thought that far. He simply needed to be truthful with her. No secrets. No cons.

He swiped his key and walked inside the condo. His instinct was to call out to her, but a sinking feeling in his stomach quieted the words on his lips. No music. No humming. No welcoming orange-blossom scent. The sinking feeling turned to stone in his gut.

“Marianne?” Where the hell was she? If she’d stayed late at Cupid or gone out to dinner with Jane, she would have called or sent a text. He looked at his phone. No messages.#p#分页标题#e#

Concerned now, he strode deeper into the condo—not in the kitchen, or the living room. Then he checked the bedroom, and her perfectly starched skirts were gone. A quick glance in the bathroom confirmed her overly floral hair and skin products had vanished, too. She couldn’t have simply left. Or could she? Maybe she’d gotten what she needed from their six-week deal and decided to call it quits. No, she wasn’t the kind to grab and go. He shook his head and returned to the main living area, stopping short of the black marble island in the kitchen. Shimmering on the center of the marble was his mother’s sapphire ring, no note, no box, no nothing.

He felt a kick of bitterness in his gut. Could he really have been that wrong about her? Had she really used him as protection against her ex only to renege on the rest of the deal? His jaw tensed. One thing was sure, he intended to find out. He called her cell. No answer. He considered calling Jane, but no, this was between him and his fiancée. He stormed to the door. He planned on finding her and getting the truth. Even if it meant knocking on every upscale door in Gramercy Park.

…

“No games, Marianne, let me in. I need to talk to you.”

On the other side of her door, Marianne bit down on her bottom lip and debated her next move. Part of her wanted to see Nick more than anything in the world, but another part of her knew that if she looked into his eyes or got caught up in his smile, she’d confess the truth about his colleague’s threats, and the thought of what he’d do with that information sent a shiver of concern down her spine.

“Now is not a good time, Nick,” she said, wincing at the string of curse words he muttered in response.

When he spoke again his voice was low and controlled. “It’s raining, and you owe me an explanation. Let me in, please.” He didn’t ask again, and the silence stretched on, punctuated by the banging of her heart. She drew in a shaky breath and wiped her damp palms on the front of her denim coveralls.