Page 6 of True North

“I can answer anything you want to know about our relationship, honey,” he said. Nico dipped his head and paused, just a breath away from taking her lips. He watched her, almost searching her face as if silently asking permission to kiss her. Toni couldn’t help herself; she nodded her agreement and that was all he seemed to be waiting for. Nico dragged her body up against his and sealed his mouth over hers, stroking the seam of her lips with his tongue, begging for entrance.

“Open for me, honey,” he barked. Toni wanted to tell him to go to hell, but the way he seemed to command her, so sure of himself, turned her completely on. Apparently, bossy did it for her. This time, when Nico took her mouth, she obeyed him, opening her mouth to let his tongue in to find hers. He stroked his tongue over hers and she loved the way he seemed to take over the kiss, taking everything that she was willing to give to him and demanding more.

He pressed her against the bed, and she could feel his erection through his thin shorts, rubbing up against her bare thigh. Toni gasped and felt a new pulse of wetness between her legs, loving the way Nico touched her, not seeming to be able to get enough of her.

“I’ve missed you so much, Jenn,” he whispered. Toni broke the kiss and pushed at his big body.

“Get off, Nico,” she panted. “My name isn’t Jenn, it’s Toni.” Nico closed his eyes as soon as he realized his mistake. It was like someone had thrown a bucket of cold water on them both and there would be no coming back from it.

“I’m so sorry, honey,” he whispered. “You have to understand that for the past year, you have been Jenn to me—to all of us.” Toni nodded. She knew this was a lot for Nico too. He still had his memories of her from the past year, and that had to hurt. She couldn’t remember, so she didn’t know what she was missing, but he did. A part of her felt bad for him, but she needed to get her head straight before she let him whisk her off to a fantasy world that no longer existed for her.

“I shouldn’t have let things get that far, Nico. I’m sorry,” she offered. He nodded and stepped back from her body, leaving her longing and instantly missing his closeness.

“I came up to tell you my assistant, Heather, and I have information about your father.” Nico had gotten up early to research her dad. That thought had her defenses melting a little, but she knew Nico wouldn’t let her back in so soon after her rejection.

“You have news about my dad?” She smiled, knowing Nico had to have gotten the news story about her father’s death wrong. But judging from the frown on his handsome face, that wasn’t the case.

“He’s dead,” Nico blurted out. He was so matter of fact, she almost wanted to laugh. Instead, her eyes welled up with unshed tears and she wiped at them before they could spill from her eyes. “I know you were probably hoping I was wrong, but he died a few weeks ago at his beach home, here on the island. The police are ruling it a possible suicide,” Nico whispered as if he were saying a bad word. He reached for her, but Toni took a step back, not wanting him to touch her. She needed a minute to think about her next move. Her father was gone and that meant her family’s business fell to her. Would they welcome her back, after over a year? Her father had been grooming her to take over his corporation her whole life. He wouldn’t accept anything less than her taking over his business, even sending her to college to major in business and communications. Honestly, she had no desire to take over her father’s development firm. She sometimes wished she weren’t an only child, so that the responsibility might fall to a brother or sister, but there was only her. That was one of the main reasons her father was pushing her to marry Zac. He was sure the two of them would form an unstoppable power couple who would change the face of island development in the future.

When she told her dad she wanted to teach communications at the local college, he laughed at her. He told her that no daughter of his would be a teacher. Toni knew the score; she didn’t need to work if she didn’t want to. Her grandfather had left her a good-sized trust fund, which she inherited when she was twenty-one. She saved almost every penny for a rainy day, and a part of her was wondering just what to do with all her money.

“I’m sorry I’m the one to have to dump all of this on you, honey. I wish I had good news to tell you, but from the report, your father walked out to the end of the fishing pier and jumped off. He washed up on shore a few days later, and according to the local authorities, his business partner, Zachery Bierman, identified his body.” Toni sobbed at the mention of Zac’s name, she couldn’t help it. How had she missed so much? Her father was gone, and Zac was now his business partner. And the question remained—why hadn’t they come looking for her when she first disappeared over a year ago?

Nico

Nico watched the pain and anguish on Toni’s beautiful face as he told her about her father. He hated that he had to give her such awful news, and the way she stood in front of him, sobbing, but refusing to let him touch her, gutted him. He wanted to pull her into his arms and tell her how much he loved her and that everything was going to be all right, but Toni wouldn’t allow it. She had put up her walls and she wasn’t about to let him tear them down again.

“I’d like to call Zac,” Toni said. She wasn’t really asking, more like stating a fact, and Nico knew if she wanted something, she usually found a way to get it. His girl was as strong-willed and stubborn as they came, one of the things he loved most about her.

“All right,” he whispered. “Do you have a number for this Zac?” Nico didn’t try to hide his distaste for the fact she was calling an old boyfriend. He hated that she so vividly remembered a man from her past but had no memory of their last year together.

“Please don’t be angry with me, Nico.” Toni crossed the room to stare out the window at the beach. She always loved the view from their bedroom window, and he often found her there, just staring out at the ocean. “I need to piece this puzzle together for myself. I don’t mean to hurt you, but I can’t remember much. I just need to figure things out.” Nico nodded, not trusting his voice. A part of him wanted to break down with her, but he wouldn’t be shedding tears for James Bernston. He knew he needed to be strong if he wanted to help Toni find her answers. He just hoped she would allow him to be a part of her quest.

“I’m missing so many pieces. I don’t remember how I originally ended up here a year ago. I fought with my father the morning of my accident and that’s all I remember. I’m missing huge chunks of my life and I need to fill in the blanks. Will you help me do that, Nico?” He was grateful for the fact she was asking for his help. He wanted to do that for her, be that person for her, but he worried she’d still walk away from him when she had her answers.

He needed to remember that the more time he spent with her, the better his chances were that Toni would remember him. Nico crossed the room and handed her the cell phone that had been hers for the past year. A picture of the two of them on the beach popped up on her screen when she turned it on. Toni studied it and smiled.

“That was about a month ago, we went on a picnic,” Nico offered. Toni found her saved pictures and started flipping through them as if taking a stroll down memory lane. He almost found it too painful to look at the pictures of the two of them so happy and in love, but he hoped they would help Toni remember something of her time with him. They sat together on the bed, and he explained each memory to her, holding his breath after each one, on the slight chance she might remember something, but she didn’t. She flipped through to the end of the picture roll, which was where their story began. The very first picture she took on her new phone a year ago was one of just him sitting at his desk in his office.

“You’re so handsome,” she whispered. “I remember taking this. I thought you were joking when you told me you are a scientist. You don’t exactly fit the mold.” Nico laughed and wrapped his arms around her body, needing the contact. He didn’t want to seem too enthusiastic about the fact she remembered something from their past, but he had an overwhelming sense of excitement. It was the same way when Toni whispered his name while waking up earlier. Her mind was trying to remember him, and that gave him hope.

“You used to tease me that I was your hunky scientist.” He kissed her cheek and she smiled.

“Well, I was right, you are the hunkiest scientist I’ve ever met,” Toni admitted.

“Do you want privacy to make your call to Zac?” Nico asked, not hiding his disdain about her calling him.

“No, please stay. I could use the support. The last time I spoke to Zac, I told him I wouldn’t marry him.” Nico felt a pang of jealousy that he wasn’t used to. Toni had a whole life without him, and he worried she’d want to return to it and would forget all about him.

He watched as she dialed Zac’s number from memory and put the call on speaker. It rang three times before a man’s gruff voice answered.

“Who the fuck is calling me this early in the morning? Someone better be dead,” the voice barked. Toni gasped and Nico put his hand on her bare thigh, silently giving her his support.

“Um yes,” she squeaked. “This is Toni Bernston and I’m trying to reach Zac Bierman.” Nico hated how nervous she sounded. His Toni was always so confident and the way her voice quaked made him want to take the phone from her and take charge. He knew this was something she needed to do for herself.

“What the fuck,” the voice on the other end asked, seeming annoyed. “I don’t have time for fucking games. Toni is dead, so whomever this is needs to leave me the fuck alone.” Zac ended the call and Toni looked at Nico as if silently asking what to do next.

“May I?” He held out his hand, hoping Toni would take him up on his offer. She reluctantly handed him the cell phone and he hit redial. Zac answered on the first ring as if he was expecting a callback.

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