Page 32 of Reckless Love

“The guy who basically forced her granddaughter into a marriage contract?” he asked dryly.

A garbled laugh bubbled up. “I’m sure she’d have found it romantic.” I shook my head, remembering the shelves of romance novels Nana owned. She always said Papa’s jewelry made her sparkle on the outside while romance sparkled on the inside.

As I’d gotten older and fallen in love with reading, too, I could see what she meant.

“Did you ever ask Papa about investing?” I asked, turning my focus back to the original conversation.

Wick sighed. “I did. But it was a week later, and he’d already taken a loan out with another bank to keep his business afloat. It was a shit deal. He never would’ve been able to pay back the loan plus the interest.”

Heartache was a weight on my chest, my heart sinking like an anchor into dark, fathomless waters. “He was always so proud.”

“After his death, the company was supposed to go to you, but it was so mired in debt the only option was to issue a complete buyout.”

“Even with the money that paid off the loan, there were still so many medical bills from Nana’s treatments.” I let out a weary breath. “There were bills I’d never heard about.”

Wick’s lips pursed. “From what I gathered, his business started failing when your Nana became ill. And instead of hiring a manager or looking for reputable investors, he took out more credit. He was spending more than he was making, and it wasn’t sustainable.”

And I’d had no idea. No clue that his business was failing, that our family was edging toward disaster.

“Thank you for buying his company,” I murmured, blinking back tears. “Thank you for saving it for me. I have no idea how to run a jewelry store, but I’m glad it wasn’t lost.”

He flinched, and there was no missing the flash of guilt in his eyes. “You might not thank me when you hear what happened next.”

My spine stiffened.

He reached up, tucking a lock of hair behind my ear. “I low-balled the offer to buy out all your family’s debt, Sia. The business was worth more, but I knew you were out of time and needed to sell off the company, so I approached Devane with an offer that would let you sell off the assets but still keep you…”

“Desperate,” I finished softly.

He nodded. “I needed you to need me as much as I needed you.”

“Wick,” I whispered, realizing all the ways he’d manipulated my life to get me to where we were now—married and tangled together forever.

“I know. I know it sounds crazy and reckless and?—”

I pressed my fingers over his lips. “Can you be quiet for a second and let me speak?”

He gave a singular, slow dip of his head.

“You were right,” I admitted, feeling the weight slough off my shoulders as I let myself confess. “If you’d asked me out, I would’ve said no. Even if you’d saved Papa’s business and entered my orbit, I would’ve found a way to avoid you. To isolate myself. Because that’s what I do, Wick. I’m so scared of getting hurt, of being left, that I cut myself off from the idea of love.”

His expression somehow softened and got fiercer at the same time.

“Maybe what you did was a bit… obsessive,” I went on, my lips curling into a wry grin, “but I can’t think of another way that would’ve pulled me out of my rut. And I read the marriage contract, Wick. I know you could’ve forced a lot of… issues.”

Sex. Other than the night we consummated our marriage, he hadn’t done anything to pressure me into more. He’d given me my own space, letting me come to him. And I could finally see that for the two weeks we’d been together, he’d been trying to show me who he was with all the considerate little touches I’d ignored.

“I’ll never pressure you,” he murmured, shaking his head adamantly.

“I know,” I replied. “Okay, maybe your methods weren’t conventional, but I think you’re right. There was no other way I would’ve come to you, opened myself up to you, without you forcing the issue. And I can admit that I needed that shove.”

He pressed a kiss to my shoulder.

“I’ve spent the last two weeks trying to figure out my new normal, and I haven’t acknowledged all the ways you’ve shown up for me. The blankets, the dinners… Chasing after me when I had a meltdown.” I lifted a hand to trace his jaw, the stubble rasping against the pads of my fingers.

He leaned into my touch, nuzzling against me like a puppy starved for attention. “I’m sorry I was too late.”

“You weren’t,” I insisted. “You showed up exactly when I needed you. And I don’t just mean tonight.”

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