“Thank you, Philip. I’ll never be able to repay you for this. You name your price at any time, and it’s yours.”
“No, it’s not necessary. I’m just happy she’s home after all this time. She doesn’t remember what happened to her before I found her, and at this point, we think she may never recall it.”
“None of it matters now. She’s home where she belongs.”
Meeting her gaze across the room, I attempt to hide my emotions from her. She’s dressed in one of my shirts with her hair wet and resting over her shoulder. I’ll agree with him on one thing—she’s definitely where she belongs. With me. “When would you like me to bring her to you?”
“I’ll let Lucia know, and she’ll plan a welcome home.”
“Great,” I embellish, not feeling it at all. Let’s bombard her with a party. Surely, she’ll love being ambushed and overwhelmed right from the beginning, I think sarcastically. I don’t say it, but it’s fucking true and unfair in every sense.
“Bring her in an evening gown, and we’ll take care of everything else.”
“No reporters,” I state adamantly before he hangs up. “I see one of them, and I’ll keep on driving.”
He sighs but agrees. “Fine, no reporters. We’ll make a formal statement after the welcome for any media sources and police reports. Tomorrow, shall we say six o’clock?”
“Will it be enough time for Lucia to pull together a party?”
“You just be here with my daughter, and we’ll handle the rest.”
“Yes, sir,” I respond mockingly.
Anything for them to have a reason to throw a party, I suppose. Over the years, they’ve thrown lavish events several times a year. They’re usually crawling with the press, so I keep as far away from them as possible. I’m damn sure I don’t need my mug out there any more than it already is. Being from influential families is bad for the bounty-hunting business. It makes me, as well as anyone associated with me, a prime target for retaliation if my face is all over the front page of society pages and blogs. I hang up without another word, knowing he’ll send a private security car to park outside my place. We don’t need it, but I won’t turn down extra protection where Aura’s concerned.
I meet her penetrating stare from across the room. Hers is filled with curiosity and worry, but she needn’t feel any type of way but excitement.
“You know him?”
I shrug her question off for another time. The less she realizes about me at this point, the better. “You’re going back to your family tomorrow. We have to be there no later than six, and you’ll need a gown.”
“A gown?”
I nod. “Your family can be very formal, and at a gathering like this, they’ll expect you to be in an evening dress. Think long and expensive,” I clarify.
Her shoulders fall, and her hands begin to twist in the bottom fabric of my shirt she’s currently claimed. “What if they aren’t pleased to see me?”
“Your family loves you. Like I said before, they’ve been searching for you from the moment they knew you were gone. They’re very wealthy, so you’ll have to get used to the lifestyle they lead, but you’ll never want for anything. You’ll be perfect, and they’ll expect very little from you, so relax.”
“This makes me even more grateful I have you. You’re so calm and kind. I won’t know how to act or what to think around anyone else.”
“You’ve met Briar, and you were fine. It’ll be the same, you’ll see,” I falsely claim, not knowing if it’ll end up a train wreck where I lose my shit and shoot someone. I keep that bit to myself, though, and gesture her over.
I grab my laptop and power up the screen, bringing up the search engine. “First things first, we need to find you a suitable dress to have overnighted. Blue?” I ask, remembering the dress I found her in. It was faded badly, but the shade was still blue.
“Pink, please, if it’s an option.”
“All colors are available. We’ll order you a few, and you can choose which you like out of all of them.”
Her eyes light up as a wide smile spreads across her face. She beams, and fuck my life if she isn’t the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen. “I’ve never had a few dresses before,” she exclaims excitedly, and now I want to buy her a freaking closet full just to spoil her as she deserves.
I offer a grin. “Beauty, you’re about to have so much more than a few dresses, you won’t know what to do with them all.” At this rate, she can order what she wants, and I’ll foot the bill. I don’t care as long as she keeps the happy expression on her face while she’s here with me.
She laughs, reflecting my grin. She probably thinks I’m pulling her leg, but she has no clue she’s one of the richest women on the West Coast. Let’s hope she can handle all the problems that’ll surely follow with it.
Chapter Nine
HUNTER
“Mr. and Mrs...” I greet, about to introduce Steven and his wife to Aura.
He cuts me off, taking a step in our direction. He pauses directly in front of us, his eyes pinned on his now grown-up daughter. She left a toddler and came home a gorgeous, strong woman. It has to be confusing for him and his wife—I know it was for me when I first discovered her true identity. “No need for that, Philip, you know us. We’re practically family,” her father boasts with a wide smile.
Just great. It’s exactly what I didn’t want—Aura finding out I’ve known her father all this time, and I’ve been betraying her by keeping it from her. I’m an asshole, but I can’t help it, nor do I want to.
They’re happy, thrilled even, and I can’t blame them for being overjoyed their daughter is finally home again. In their eyes, me returning with Aura has only further cemented their ideas around the two of us. My parents will be the first to back up the sentiment, I don’t doubt it for a minute. I’m sure they’re around here somewhere, and I’ll see them before I leave.
I meet Aura’s gaze, hers is stinging with betrayal, and it’s pointed in my direction.
“Excuse us for just a moment,” I interrupt and step a few paces away.
“You knew this entire time?” Aura accuses, hurt lacing her tone. I hate knowing I’m the one who’s caused her some pain, but I had to be sure she was okay before I could bring her to her parents. I’ve known them my entire life, and at one point, they were sort of like an extended aunt and uncle, but Aura’s disappearance changed everything for both our families.
My hands raise in defense. I’m guilty, but I have my reasons, and I don’t expect her to understand them. “I had to be sure. You’d been gone for so long. I’ve spent my entire life looking for someone who’d become a ghost, searching for you.”
Her lower lip trembles as a tear slides free. I move to wipe it away, but she turns away from my touch, not wanting to feel my fingers on her flesh. My hand falls back to my side, rejected. My fingers curl into a fist. “I had to be sure,” I repeat. “I don’t expect you to understand. I’ll explain if you’ll give me the chance, and if not, then you can continue hating me if it pleases you.”