Page 26 of His Gift
"I don't know, sweet girl. It's good, elating even. It makes me anxious when you're not with me. It feels like I can't breathe when you are in my arms. It's like the world has colors it never had before."
Once again, she falls silent. I don't know what goes around in her head when I confess how much she means to me. I wouldn't understand even if I could see her face, but it's buried in my chest. She hugs me tighter, though, and the world fades away as we quietly fall asleep.
nineteen
Harper
Ihaven't heard from Conrad since this morning.
He sneaked out to get my breakfast and fed it to me, ensuring a peaceful start to my day. Then he said he had some things to attend to, might be unreachable for the day, and disappeared.
It's all for the better; I'm getting too used to having him around. He insists he doesn't lie, but it's impossible for such a self-proclaimed emotionless person to feel something onlyfor me.
And thecontract issue has escalated to DEFCON proportions. I still have to dig deeper, but there are more contracts like that, contracts that make little sense unless there's something illegal going on. I have to proceed with caution, but I'm digging into contracts I dealt with when I was in Philly. Back then, I didn't have the clearance I have now, so it's plausible I missed something.
I still don't want to burden Conrad with my problems. After all, he owns a company and must have enough to deal with. I did some online digging while eating a sandwich and the words 'genius' and 'unprecedented success' were mentioned quite a lot. There are very few shots of him, always alone. His bio says he was in foster care until he joined the Marines, received a medical discharge after earning a long list of decorations, then attended college and made his fortune.
I have to know him better. He said he wanted to know me better, and the feeling is mutual. After all, last night, I stopped pretending and accepted I want him in my life. He kidnapped me, had sex with me without my consent, and yet… I'm not sending him away.
At the same time, I still can't believe thedone-for-himthing. Even though I want to, I'm not blind. He's rich, successful, can have any woman he wants, and I've just been trouble since the very beginning. Oh my God, my brain is about to get fried. I've decided I want him in my life. I won't obsess about what's next. We will see. I might get my sanity back and send him packing, or he might get tired of me. Maybe we won't fit together ashe expects. And I have issues at work and a past that I'll have to deal with at some point.
I wake up enveloped in his heat, in his arms.
"Where have you been?"
"Missed me? I certainly missed you. I had some things that had to be dealt with. But it's late. I didn't want to wake you up. Sleep."
Not the most forthcoming answer, but I'm too tired and too comfortable now that he's here. I think my headache's finally going away, too.
Conrad's missing when the phone wakes me up again, but his side is still warm and I figure he's gone to buy my breakfast. I'll have to tell him he doesn't need to wake up early every day. It's incredibly sweet, but I don't need it.
Damn phone.
"Hi."
"Good morning Miss Schmidt. This is Patrick Kelly. I've been overseeing Mr. Owen Mariano's estate. I understand you're his niece."
A shiver runs down my spine. "You're correct."
"I regret to inform you of your uncle's passing. I had a hard time finding his next of kin. I understand it's been a while since you've been in touch. Anyway, he left everything to your mother, his sister; and since she's also deceased, it all comes to you. It's not much."No way.
"I want nothing. Send me whatever you need me to sign and then give everything to a charity. Or keep it for yourself. I don't care."
"Well… you'll have to disclaim the inheritance and if there's no other next of kin, surely I can…" He must be baffled.
"Yes. Please get it going. I'm not concerned about your fee. Make it happen."
"I will. It might take a little time since the police have not officially closed the investigation, but—"
"Why are the cops involved? How did he die?"
"His house burned down and he was inside. They found traces of an accelerant, so they thought it might be murder. It turned out it was the gasoline he kept for the generator, and his remains showed no signs of assault. So now they're trying to understand if it was an accident or suicide."
Conrad steps inside with breakfast, and I signal for him to wait.
"How long ago did he die?"
"Four days."Four days.The timeline is a little fuzzy, but it was probably around the time I freaked out, threw up everywhere, and Conrad drugged me. Again. For only God knows how long. It can't be. And yet, I'm sure I'm right.
