Page 89 of Erik's Salvation
But the choice wasn’t his anymore. She was here, and she was his. And there was nothing that was going to fucking change that.
He wouldn’t fail her like he had Vicky. He’d protect what was his, no matter the cost.
CHAPTER26
Two contracts signed in a single day, both properties selling for above asking, and three new inquiries from prospective clients to sell their homes. Hannah was happy, but there was also something else there…guilt. Because some of her good fortune was due to James up and disappearing, which meant more clients for her and Taylor.
Reuben hadn’t been happy about the men approaching her outside the office, or about James’s disappearance. He’d tried to make contact with James several times since then, with no luck.
Her phone vibrated from the desk, and her smile grew when she saw Erik’s name.
Erik: Dinner at my place. Don’t be late, or I’ll come find you.
Hannah: Is that a promise?
Erik: Always.
Her heart rattled.
She and Erik had been in a great place since dinner at his parents’ house a week ago. Dinners every night, usually at his place. He’d even invited her to go to his parents’ home for Christmas dinner.
Christmas with a real family. She’d sometimes gone to Brigid’s or Henry’s Christmas celebrations, but this felt different. This felt…important.
She was just responding to an email when Taylor popped her head into her office. “I’m leaving now, and Reuben’s already gone. Are you okay to lock up?”
“Yes, I’m about to go too.”
“Great.” She turned to leave.
“Taylor,” she called, and the other woman stopped and faced her again. “You didn’t happen to take some keys from my safe the other week, did you?”
She still hadn’t gotten to the bottom of Angelo’s missing keys.
A frown creased Taylor’s brow. “No. Why? Is one missing?”
She studied the other woman’s eyes, seeing only honesty. With a shake of her head, she smiled. “No. Everything’s fine.”
“Okay. Well…have a good night.”
Once the other woman had left, she quickly typed out a response to a client’s email, then did a finger prick to test her blood sugar. It was good. Still, she pulled out a granola bar and had a couple mouthfuls before shoving the rest into her purse.
She was halfway to the door of her office when Marco suddenly appeared in her doorway.
She stopped, her breath cutting off in her chest. “Where did you…I didn’t hear you come in.”
He lifted a shoulder. “I can be quiet when I want to be.”
She took a small step back, her hand itching to reach into her purse for her phone. “You need to go. Erik will be here any minute to pick me up.”
It was a lie, and by the gleam in Marco’s eye, he knew it. “Your Honda is in the lot,cara. No one is picking you up.”
Shit.
He ran a finger along one of her shelves as he moved further into the room.
“What do you want?” she asked in a voice that wasn’t nearly as steady as she would have liked.
His smile was slick, and it made her skin pebble. “What do I want? I want what everyone wants. Money. Freedom. Prestige.”
