And he felt empty deep inside.
So empty he wasn’t sure if he could live without her.
Not when she’d taken his heart with her.
He sucked in a lungful of air. He hadn’t seen it coming, but he loved her. It hit him fair and square between the eyes. He could not deny it.
And now he couldn’t even tell her. He had no idea where she’d gone, except that he knew she wouldn’t go home. After what he’d seen, her parents wouldn’t want her.
Well, he did.
He strode to the telephone beside the bed and called Joyce. He’d turn this city over until he found the woman he loved.
Chapter Twelve
Sasha tightened the belt of her bathrobe, then began toweling her hair dry as she walked into the bedroom. She probably should order something to eat except that she didn’t have an appetite. It was going to be a long time before—
“Sasha.”
Her head shot up, her heart slamming against her ribs at the sight of her husband standing in her hotel room. “Nick!”
Their eyes locked, but she could tell nothing from his expression.
“Yes, Sasha. It’s me.”
Her mind tried to take it in. He was here. Oh God, Nick was really here. But how? Why? She dare not hope. No, not even the tiniest bit.
Placing the towel on the table, she pushed back her wet hair and faced him. “How did you find me?”
“You used your credit card to book the hotel, and then again for your flight to London tomorrow.”
She hadn’t thought he’d be looking so she hadn’t given it a second thought. Then she realized why he’d come looking for her. The disappointment was immense.
She thrust back her shoulders. “Look, if you want more details about my father, you’ve had a wasted journey.”
“I already know the details.”
Her forehead creased. Was he playing some sort of game with her? “Then there’s nothing to say.”
“There’s plenty to say.” He paused and suddenly regret seemed to cut through him. “I’m sorry, Sasha.”
“S-sorry?”
“For not trusting you.”
She swallowed hard. “I don’t understand.”
“I shouldn’t have been so quick to believe you’d have anything to do with what your father did.”
She searched his eyes. “You believe me?”
“Now I do. But it wasn’t until Porter inadvertently told us your involvement that I realized I’d misjudged you.” He took in a lungful of air. “I’m sorry, Sasha. I’ll say I’m sorry every day for the rest of our lives if that’s what it takes.”
Her heart began to wobble. “You want me to come back to you?”
His expression opened up fully for the first time ever. “How can I live in that great big house without the woman I love to share it with me?”
“Nick, are you—” She moistened her mouth. Dare she say the words? “Are you saying you love me?”
“Yes.”
Her heart jumped with joy but still she held back. She was too scared to believe it. There had to be another reason.
“Is this your revenge, Nick? Are you going to get me to admit I love you and then walk away?”
There was a flash of pain in his eyes. “No. The only direction I’m walking in is to you.” His steps did exactly that. And then he stood in front of her, his gaze achingly intense. “Do you love me, Sasha?”
She looked up at him and could fight it no longer. “Yes, Nick, I do. I’ve always loved you. I always will.”
He pulled her close. “Oh God, I love you, Sash,” he said thickly, his deep voice caressing her ears.
“Nick,” she murmured, love swelling within her.
He drew her close and kissed her. She inhaled him in like he was the very air, his heartbeat merging with hers, his touch purring along her skin, his scent mingling with her own. She’d never felt more alive.
Or complete.
He moved back but held her within the circle of his arms. “Last night I knew there was something going on with you, but I didn’t know what. And today, I didn’t know if you could forgive me.” His lips brushed hers. “I just have to say it again. I love you.”
“I’ll never get sick of hearing you say it,” she whispered, the love in his eyes stealing her breath. “I love you so very much, Nick.”
He hugged her tight for a short while, then eased back. “I had some bad moments on the way over here, let me tell you.”
“Perhaps I gave in too easily then?” she teased.
His lips twitched. “If you hadn’t, I’d be a nervous wreck by now.”
“You a nervous wreck? Never!”
“You’re right,” he said, making her smile at his Valente arrogance. “I’d never be a wreck because I wouldn’t have let you go in the first place.”
“I can’t fault that reasoning.”
His hands tightened on her waist. “Speaking of giving, you give so much of yourself, trying to balance it all so that no one will get hurt. Your parents don’t deserve you. I almost didn’t.”
“Nick, I should have told you as soon as I could, but I was torn. How could I be responsible for sending my father to jail?”
“You weren’t responsible for anything.”
“I was responsible to you as your wife. I should have made him tell you in the first place.”
His mouth tightened. “Your father is the one who should have been responsible.”
She winced, then, “You know, I’m glad it’s over now. It would have always been between us because I would have known.”
“I can guarantee it won’t be between us now.”
Her heart rolled over as she looked up at him.
“Oh, Nick.”
“Call me darling.”
“Darling,” she murmured. Then she remembered something else. “What about your family?”
“They’ll know the truth by now. They won’t hold anything against you.”
“But Cesare—”
“Loves you like a daughter. It’s the reason he was so hurt. He will apologize and no more will be said about it.”
His words gave her joy. “I love your family, Nick.”
“As long as you love me more.”
“Oh, yes! Far, far more.”
He glanced at the bed. “Seeing that you’ve already paid for the room …”
She arched one of her eyebrows. “Are you suggesting I go to bed with you, Nick Valente?”
“Do you have a better suggestion, my darling?”
“Not a one.”
With their hearts finally open to each other, he drew her down on the bed beside him and at that moment she finally acknowledged something to herself. Loving Nick was no longer the worst thing that could happen in her life.
Loving Nick was the strongest part of her life.
Epilogue
Nick watched his very beautiful wife come toward him in the church and his heart swelled with love. He’d ruined Sasha’s dreams seven years ago, and then almost ruined them again more recently. This time he was going to make sure her dream came true.
A lump formed in his throat when he saw her blinking back tears during the service. He never knew life could bring such happiness as he’d had the last few weeks with Sasha.
“Darling, thank you,” she murmured after they walked back down the aisle past the Valente family, who were their only guests. “The church is so beautiful.”
He’d searched high and low to find the perfect church for her and finally found it up in the mountains. The historic church had stained glass windows that looked out over the valley to the ocean where the heart of Sydney could be seen many, many miles away.
Outside the church his family … no, make that their family … gathered round to congratulate them and have their picture taken for posterity.
“There’s one more thing I want to do,” he whispered in her ear.
“What’s that?”
“I’ll show you later, my love.”
And he did.
That night the moonlight shone over the silhouette of a couple kissing in the gazebo. And this time when Nick left to go back to the house, he wasn’t alone.
He had Sasha by his side.
As it always would be.
Inherited: One Child
Day
Leclaire
Prologue
“You have no choice, Jack. If you want to keep custody of Isabella, you’re going to have to marry.”
Jack Mason glared at his lawyer. “You know I swore I never would.”
Derek dismissed that with a wave of his hand. “So you’ve said. Ad nauseam, I might add.”
“Then let’s move on, shall we? What’s my next option?”
“Jack, I’m telling you flat out. There is no other choice.” Derek leaned a hip against his desk while Jack prowled the length of the office. “Look, we’ve been friends since our college days. You may not have told me all that went on between your parents, but having met your father, I can guess. That doesn’t change the facts. CPS is very concerned about your niece, thanks to that psychologist’s report.”
“I wish I could call the man a liar.” Jack thrust a hand through his hair and blew out his breath in a long sigh. “But he was simply stating the facts. It’s been three months since the plane crash and Isabella isn’t adjusting at all. Her tantrums have escalated. And she’s still not speaking.”
Sympathy lined Derek’s dark face. “Providing your niece with a stable home life and continuing with therapy will go a long way toward changing that.”
“I’ve hired nannies for her.” Jack could hear the defensive edge in his voice and fought to eradicate it. Getting ticked off at the one person squarely on his side wasn’t his best strategy. “I have a business empire to run, Derek. Isabella is only five. I can’t be her caretaker 24/7.”
“Child Protective Services is well aware that you’ve had an endless stream of nannies since March. According to the letter I’ve received, they’re not happy about it. And frankly, Jack, it’s not helping with Isabella’s recovery.” Derek hesitated. “There is another alternative.”
Jack lifted an eyebrow. “Go on.”
“Let her go. You can afford to find a good home for her. The best possible home. A home with two parents. Someone who has the time to commit to Isabella’s well-being.”
“I can’t do that.” The words were ripped from him, low and guttural. “I won’t.”
Derek didn’t bother to pull his punches. “That’s your guilt talking. Isabella survived the plane crash and your sister and brother-in-law didn’t. You also believe you should have been on that plane with them.”
Jack couldn’t deny it, not when it was the truth. “I was supposed to be. If I had been … If I hadn’t let work delay me …”
“You’d most likely be dead, too, and Isabella would be in the exact same position she is now,” Derek stated with brutal logic. “In need of two stable parents who can give their full attention to her needs—something you aren’t in a position to do.”
“I won’t desert her.” Jack continued to pace the width of his office while frustration ate at him. “I just need to find the right person. It’s taking a bit longer than expected.”
“You need a wife. The caseworker is old-school, Jack. And she’s from the north. She doesn’t care how much money you have or what your name is, or whether your ancestors were among the first residents of Charleston. Her only concern is Isabella.”
Jack shot his friend a black look. “And mine isn’t?”
Derek’s expression softened. “I know you care about your niece. But you’ve seen her exactly twice since Joanne adopted her, both times when she was little more than a baby. You have no blood ties. You’re a stranger to her. And ever since the psychologist released his evaluation, Mrs. Locke has made it clear that she doesn’t consider you a suitable guardian. She’s actually mentioned placing Isabella in a treatment facility.”
Stark fury gripped him. “Over my dead body.”
“You won’t have any choice in the matter. They’ll simply come and take Isabella from you—by force, if necessary.” Derek took a seat behind his desk and released a sigh. “What happened, Jack? You were supposed to talk to Mrs. Locke. Sweet-talk her, to be precise.”
Jack grimaced. “There isn’t sufficient sugar on earth to sweeten up that woman.”
“You should have made more of an effort, instead of throwing her out of your office. Her opinion will carry a lot of weight in court, as will the psychologist’s findings.”
“Are you saying that ticking her off wasn’t my best business decision?” Jack asked drily. When his friend maintained a diplomatic silence, he allowed the moment to stretch while he considered his options. Not that there were many. “What if I do what you suggest and marry?” The words grated like ground glass in his mouth.
“Then you have a real shot at retaining custody, assuming the Locke woman believes the marriage is genuine. I strongly recommend you choose a bride who has experience dealing with special-needs children. A teacher or a social worker. A do-gooder type who will devote all her time to Isabella’s welfare.”
“Just like that? Find a do-gooder and marry her.” Jack folded his arms across his chest. “And how do you propose I accomplish such an amazing feat?”
“I recommend you find her the same way you found your nannies. You advertise.”
Jack stared in disbelief. “You want me to advertise for a wife?”
“No, I want you to advertise for a nanny and then marry her. You find a woman you can live with until CPS signs off on the case, and I’ll draw up an ironclad prenup.”