Page 53 of Merrick

Forcing a smile, he moved forward and got into bed.

“Are we good?”

“Yes.” To prove it, he tugged her into his arms. “Go to sleep.”

She curled into him, and he closed his eyes in acute misery as he allowed the love for her to take him over. Tomorrow was another day, and he was going to have to deal with her. But tonight, he would forget.

Chapter 12

He went back to where it all started. The small apothecary shop tucked between a pizzeria and an Italian restaurant. New York – Thirty-Fourth street with all its smell and people scurrying around – streaming past each other. The sound, the scent brought back a rush of nostalgia.

The place was now a pharmacy, the building had maintained its structure and shape, because they had willed it. His grandfather had not changed it and neither had his father.

Merrick had decided to let tradition maintain. The pharmacy was owned by Medtech, a thriving one in the center of a busy section of New York. It was family friendly, and people trusted the employees.

Upstairs was still an apartment, two bedrooms and two baths. It had been home for great-grandfather and his family. Now it was home to old Mr. Josephs who had been running the place for more than a decade.

He had not called to let them know he was coming, because it had been a spur of the minute decision and he had no intention of going in. He just wanted to view the place, his heritage from a distance.

And he had selected a worn café where the food was barely passable, and the coffee was insipid. The most important thing was that he would not be recognized.

He had told her goodbye this morning. Woke her up with his mouth and hands. Had them clinging to each other before it was all over. And had kissed her lingeringly, his hands around her waist.

Then he told her he would be out for a bit. It stung and ached that she had not asked him why or when he would be coming back.

She had simply nodded and left.

When he found himself starting after her, he had stepped back in and slammed the door shut. And had gone straight to his phone.

The conversation would be confidential. His head of security was the best and he would find out what was going on.

It pained him to check into her life, but he had to know what he was up against.

He was twisted inside and out with love, but he had to find out. Had to find out in order to deal with it and decide on what to do next. The kicker was he knew that she felt something for him. Something more than lust and was puzzled as to why she was holding back.

And she was. He knew it, sensed it. Pushing away the bad coffee and the pie that the waitress had forced on him, he turned his gaze to the building and felt nostalgia sweeping through him like a storm.

He loved her and would like to think that whatever it was, they could work through it. He could not bear to think otherwise.

A smile touched his lips as he thought on it. He was fifty-five and head over heels in love. He had not told anyone where he was going. His assistant had not questioned him, she had not reminded him of the pressing schedule he had, and the meetings lined up.

She had simply reshuffled things and he promised he would let her know when he was on his way. He had secured a suite in The Royale, a hotel the company had a substantial amount of shares in, and he would go there and perhaps take in a show at the theater later on.

Just lose himself in the performance. He might even call up a few friends and have dinner. If he was up to it. But what he was not going to do was call her.

He had allowed her to trample over his heart and his pride and had to take a step back. Until he discovered what she was hiding, he would stay away. Even if the idea of it would surely debilitate him.

*****

“We’re digging into Jason Pendergast?”

“Yes,” she responded without looking up from the notes she was making.

“I take it you received new information?”

“Something like that.” She looked up when he came in and closed the door. “I don’t have time…”

“I’m afraid you’re going to have to make time!.” He sat on the chair and stretched his legs out. “You look like hell, by the way. The billionaire keeping you up at night? Or is it your conscience.”

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