Page 30 of Embrace Me Forever

“I came to that realization far too late. When I resigned, they tried to lure me back with an eight-figure salary for the life of the project. Along with other perks.”

He whistles. “It crossed my mind that your asking price to the Hartleys was a bit modest,” he says with a hint of amusement.

“Greed isn’t part of my makeup, Blake.”

He appraises me, “So, you really are a good apple,” then unleashes a smile—that smoldering, hell-help-me grin. If circumstances were different, I’d devour those lips in a heartbeat.

“You could say that.”

He offers a playful salute. “You’re a whiz with numbers, but let’s just say acting isn’t one of your talents.”

I laugh. For a man of his caliber, I bet he would’ve pierced through any facade I presented in a split second.

“So, why Hartley Marine?” he probes.

This time, I hold his gaze before answering, seeking meaning in it all. WhydidI choose Hartley Marine? They were the biggest, the wealthiest in the industry. But was it a sixth sense triggered by desperation? I doubt any algorithm could decode the sequence of events that led me here.

Then, I slowly respond. “I needed the money. There are plenty of rich people in this country, but the Hartley brothers seem reasonable. I read about their private charity work even though they never boast about it. I needed the money for?—”

Mentioning Coco feels risky. But with Bertram hot on my heels, I have no protection. Except from the man who’s been my shield tonight.

“For what, Georgia-May?”

I look into his eyes. “My daughter. She had a brain tumor.”

Blake’s brows knit together, pain darkening his eyes. He leans back, raking his hand through his hair in frustration. “My God…” He bows his head. “You have no idea how much I hate myself right now.”

Oh, that woeful gaze…

I give him a shake of my head, letting him know I don’t blame him.

“That’s probably why you couldn’t find me in Denver,” I resume, hoping to reassure him that it wasn’t due to any lack of skill or effort on his part. “I spent the last few weeks in a hospital as my daughter underwent her second surgery.”

He puts his face in his hands, shaking his head harder as if he doesn’t deserve even a sliver of mercy. “I’ve known all along that you have a daughter, but I never thought—” He sighs, clearly mad at himself. Then, as if struck by a sudden thought, he looks up at me. “Where’s your daughter now? Those attackers might’ve seen your driver’s license and gotten your address.”

“She’s with my sister. They live at a different address than what’s on my driver’s license. Well, I live with them. My Denver address is just a façade. Do you think they’re in danger too?”

He gets up and begins pacing in front of the fireplace, his figure towering with seriousness. “Give me their details. I’ll send someone to watch over them. I don’t think they’re in immediate danger, but we can’t be too careful. Let me make the call.”

I stand up, looking around for a pen and paper.

“Just tell me,” he instructs.

I tell him my real address, and he quickly makes the call while I stand by, wringing my hands.

After the call ends, he says, “Don’t worry, my guy will keep his distance and won’t alarm anyone. They won’t even notice.”

“Thank you,” I reply, unable to resist embracing him. The security I’ve been searching for all night is as tangible as his nearness, and I wish for it to last forever. One can only dream.

I loosen my hold, and he immediately lets go. I then ask, “Now, may I call my sister?”

“Of course,” he replies, striding over to a desk. He opens a drawer and pauses, considering his options. Jesus! How many phones does he have in there? After a moment, he selects one and hands it to me. “It’s been a long night. Feel free to call your sister from your room.”

I debate with myself whether to tell Anne the truth or not. It’s comforting to know someone is watching over them as Blake watches over me here. I decide I’ll simply tell her the dinner went well. It’s late, and I don’t want to keep her up or worry her unnecessarily. Anne isn’t just dramatic about romance. She can also go into overdrive about my safety, especially when I’m not with her.

Noticing my brain ticking, he says, “If you’re wondering, my super-spy skills are on pause. Your privacy is guaranteed.” The crinkles at the corners of his eyes reassure me that not everything is lost tonight.

“Okay then. But I can’t miss my flight tomorrow. It’s the first flight to Denver in the morning. I need to be back before my daughter wakes up.”

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