Page 170 of My Ruthless Opponent

Raleigh purposely skipped it to reach Nakalele Blowhole because he wanted me to see the rainbows.

Raleigh bought lots of Hawaiian floral dresses for me. It was pretty hard to stop him. The man was set on a mission to spoil me rotten.

He dragged me from one store to the other, buying stuff that we wouldn’t even use. Like the floral bags and straw hats.

We ended the perfect day by dining at the Hula grill. We enjoyed the ahi steak on the bed of sauce and noodles with delicious colorful drinks at the oceanfront eatery.

I couldn’t stop laughing when Raleigh hooked our shopping bags around the handlebars. It was sweet that he wanted me to sit comfortably, but the view was kind of funny.

My hands begin to sweat as we drive toward Euphoria.

“Raleigh…” I trail.

I am not ready to face reality yet.

He turns his head to the side. “What’s up?”

“Pull over.”

He does as I say without a question.

As soon as the motorcycle stops, I unmount and reach up to take the helmet off.

Still on the bike, Raleigh captures my wrists before I could do so. “Hold on.”

He doffs his helmet, climbs off the bike, and rests it on the seat.

Now towering over me, Raleigh pulls me closer and unbuckles my helmet.

After taking it off me, he runs his fingers through my hair, detangling a knot. Uncaring about his own hair which is sticking up in all directions.

I reach up and brush the hair off his forehead. He smiles, a hint of dimple showing on his left cheek. But then it dwindles, a slight frown marring his face. “What is it, princess?”

Don’t you think he has the right to know that you are not Hannah Cooper but Hannah Lockwood?

Without the foundation of trust and transparency, you can’t build a successful relationship, Hannah.

Archer’s voice amplifies in my ears.

Raleigh is worried. I want to tell him everything. But… will he accept me afterward? Will he believe me or slash all the ties with me like my friends in New York did.

I love Raleigh. And where there is love, there will always be fear. Fear of losing them. But we can’t stop loving. We can’t stop living.

I need to take a chance. I need to take a chance on my love. I have to tell him. I need to be brave and reveal my deepest secret to the love of my life.

I take a deep breath. Then look him in the eye. “My name is Hannah,”

He shoots me a perplexed smile. “I already know—”

“Lockwood.” I blurt.

“What?” He stares at me blankly.

“My name is Hannah Lockwood.” The sinking feeling in my stomach screams at me to take my words back but I don’t.

I wait for the recognition to show in his eyes and when it doesn’t, I swallow the lump in my throat, take a deep long breath and speak.

“Daughter of David Lockwood who was charged with fraud a year and a half ago.”

---