Page 115 of When Hearts Awaken

“You okay?” she whispers.

I stare at her beautiful eyes, my heart pounding a resounding beat and without another word, I clasp her nape and crush my lips with hers, wanting to tell her everything I’m feeling without words.

To thank her for seeing me, for standing up for me, for fighting on the same side as me.

Our kiss deepens as she relaxes in my arms, but soon a few pointed coughs break through the haze of my emotions.

I release a deep exhale and dip my forehead toward her. My past is catching up to my present. This is bound to happen. “Yes. I will be okay…because you’re here. I’m sorry you had to witness that.”

She pulls me into her arms and places her head on my chest. I relish her warmth and reassuring weight as I close my eyes. “That was Liam…but you already figured that out.”

She nods. “I bumped into Ethan on the way up. He told me he was meeting your brother.”

“They are best friends,” I explain before pulling back to look at her beautiful face again.

Thick black hair piled up in a bun, barefaced without a stitch of makeup, a glittering red gem on her nose. She’s wearing one of her black loose-fitting sweaters and leggings today.

She goddamn takes my breath away.

And her startling eyes are staring at me with such warmth and concern.

I wonder if that’ll change after this.

“Come,” I pull her to a seating area in the corner, devoid of people, “I want to tell you what happened. Liam’s not wrong, you know.”

Looking into her eyes once more, I take a breath, then utter the next words.

“It is my fault. I put her in a coma.”

Chapter 47

Seven and a half years ago

“Get me London, now!”I holler to my assistant, my stomach plummeting as I watch the free fall of our stock price on one monitor—the red line associated with stock ticker BOC glaring at me—and the trading volume rising on the other.

It’s a bloodbath.

Some bastard is trying to take over the company. A sneak attack, clearly months in the making—getting folks to sell their shares, causing the stock price to dip and then buying it all before we can do anything about it.

My office line is ringing off the hook, no doubt investors or the press wanting to know what the hell is going on.

I pick up the phone. “Yes?” I bark.

“Charles, is the situation under control?” Grandma’s voice comes across the line and I look at the caller ID. Shit. Of course, she’d know about this. It’s only been a few years since she’s handed the reins of the company to me and I am royally fucking it up.

“Yes. I’m working with Patterson on some numbers and we will fight back. I got this.”

“If you need help, call me, okay? Patterson knows what he’s doing. I trust him, and I still have contacts at Deutsche and Barclays. They should back us up.”

My cell phone buzzes and I groan. “Yes, will let you know. I have to go.”

After hanging up, I eye the monitors again and holler, “Patterson, in here, please!”

He strides in, laptop in hand, his cell phone tucked against his ear. “Charles, I just got off the phone with Kenneth from Barclays. They are placing the bids to buy the shares being tossed out right now. We’ll owe them, but we may be able to put a stop to this.”

This is why Grandma asked me to keep him on. This man was one of her top recruits and he’s been with the company since he graduated from college.

He’s brilliant.

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