“Obviously, your father didn’t, either,” I pointed out. “It’s not your fault. Someone put a lot of effort into covering their tracks. Get some sleep, Anna. We’ll go over your portfolio tomorrow when you can actually see those investments. Now that the financial bleeding has been stopped, you’ll recover that money in gains, eventually. I’m glad it only went on for two years. I wish it had never happened, but it’s hard not to make a few mistakes when you’re investing.”
“Have you ever made a mistake?” she asked doubtfully.
“A few,” I admitted. “It’s hard to be in my business and not pick a few losers. It happens to most people who invest. You just have to pick a lot more winners than losers. Your dad was pretty savvy, Anna, and he usually stayed away from anything the slightest bit risky. He did well except for that investment. I don’t like the fact that money was sucked from you by a fucking thief, but luckily, you have the money and assets to absorb the loss.”
“Thank you,” she said softly.
“It was no big deal,” I informed her.
“No,” she said adamantly. “It’s a very big deal. Don’t blow this off, Kaleb. You spent a lot of time going through my financial records. If it wasn’t for you, it would have been a while before anyone found the financial drain, and this could be connected to my parents’ murders. To me, it’s a huge deal. It’s a debt of gratitude that I’d like to repay somehow, but what do you give a billionaire who has everything he wants.”
Actually, I didn’t have everything I wanted.
The one thing I wanted the most couldn’t fucking happen.
“You’d do the same for me if I needed help,” I said as I finally stood up.
It wasn’t possible for me to see that pleading look in her eyes and not give her anything she wanted.
The problem was, she couldn’t give me the only thing I really wanted right now.
I wanted her, and she was something all of my fucking money could never buy.
It was also something I couldn’t ask from her.
I’d decided it was probably better if we never explored the powerful attraction between the two of us.
She was going to be leaving shortly.
She’d informed me about her departure without a word about seeing each other after she left.
“Kaleb?” Anna called after me as I reached the door.
I turned around to look at her. “Yeah?”
I really needed to leave the room before I threw all my common sense aside and persuaded her to delve into this almost irresistible chemistry we had.
And to hell with the consequences down the line.
She opened her mouth to speak, and then closed it again.
“Goodnight,” she finally muttered.
I nodded and left, almost certain that wasn’t what she’d meant to say.
Anna
I woke up the next morning angry with myself for not saying what I’d wanted to say the night before.
When he’d been ready to leave my bedroom, I’d wanted to tell Kaleb that he should have taken everything I said seriously at The Mug And Jug, even though I was intoxicated.
But once again, the words hadn’t left my lips.
It really wasn’t like me not to say whatever I wanted to Kaleb, but when it came to my feelings toward him, it was almost impossible to get those out of my mouth.
What if he didn’t feel the same way he had weeks ago?
What if he now thought it was better if we just parted friends?