Chapter 5
CHAPTER FIVE
MADIGAN
When the auction for the Hallas book began, I let it run for a bit, checking around the room to clock who the bidders were and if I knew any of them.
I did, by reputation, at least. A middle-aged balding man and an elderly woman in her eighties, Colin Drury and Brenda Harvey, passionate collectors with much deeper pockets than me.
Disappointment gnawed at my belly. If either of them truly desired the Hallas book, I didn’t have a chance.
As much as I wanted to secure that first edition for my collection, I wasn’t about to bankrupt my book account to make it happen.
There were lines I wouldn’t cross. Another book, another day.
Didn’t mean I wouldn’t be gutted to lose out on this one, but I had to be sensible.
When I heard the words aloud in my head, I almost laughed. The last thing Nick had said before we’d left for the airport was, ‘Would you stop being so sensible about everything. It’s giving me hives.’
But I wasn’t Nick. I didn’t make rash decisions, except of course when it came to letting myself fall for him. Which should’ve been a caution in itself, considering the trouble he’d brought with him and the way he’d turned my life upside down.
And I really needed to stop smiling about that.
I would approach buying this book the way I did all potential auction purchases. With calm, thoughtful consideration as to its value, both monetary and emotional. I would make the final decision with my head, the only thing that could be relied on.
When the bidding hit $9,000 and everyone had pulled out bar Colin and Brenda, I pulled on my big-boy pants and entered the fray. Maybe, just maybe, the other two would run out of steam and I would grab the book for under fourteen. A steal in anyone’s eyes.
Yeah, right.
Instead of pulling out, they shot a surprised look my way but barely broke breath, like they knew they had nothing to worry about.
Trouble was, they were right. And as the bidding climbed rapidly toward my self-imposed limit of $14,500, the pit in my stomach grew alongside it.
I could feel the book slipping through my fingers.
At $15,000, when the bidding hadn’t slowed, I was done.
When the auctioneer tried to encourage me, I shook my head—it wasn’t his account on the line.
At $18,500, Colin withdrew, and the sale was about to be called for Brenda. But just before the gavel hit the sound block, a bid of $19,000 was tabled from someone at the back, and everyone’s head whipped around, including mine.
Because I knew that voice, goddammit.
Knew it. Loved it. And was about to have an argument with it.
Because there he was.
Nick bloody Fisher.
Looking cool as a cucumber, his level gaze locked on mine with zero apology in those grey depths.
To top it off, the bastard winked. He fucking winked.
For a brief moment, I couldn’t think in the face of his audacity, not to mention that winning smile. Then I remembered what he was doing and my incredulity returned.
What in the hell did he think he was doing?
I couldn’t bloody afford nineteen thousand-something dollars.
I hadn’t worked consistently in months thanks to our .
. . adventures. I had work backed up to my eyeballs and a couple of extra mouths to feed for who knew how long as well.
There was the extra gas and electricity to consider, and the . . . well . . . other stuff.
I drew a finger across my throat in clear warning, but the fucker simply ignored me, upping Brenda’s return bid by another $200.
Brenda leaned forward to eye Nick up and down, clearly assessing his threat to her purchase.
I wasn’t sure what she saw, but her next bid of another $100 was offered much more cautiously.
Nick matched it without hesitation and the woman glared at him.
Oh my fucking God. What is he doing?
If I hadn’t been hemmed in place in the narrow row of seating, I would’ve raced over and shoved Nick out the door, adding a kick up his backside for good measure. He’d clearly lost his mind.
A few seconds later it all became moot when Brenda withdrew from the bidding at $19,800 and the gavel came down. The auctioneer called sold and pointed the gavel at a smiling Nick who was clearly unaware of his precarious standing in the universe right then.
The unexpected growl came from deep in my throat, and the man I was standing next to shot me a startled look. I ignored him, too focused on my so-called boyfriend, or whatever he wanted to be called, who was beaming like he’d just won the lottery.
Get as much beaming in as you can, sunshine, because I’m about to bloody kill you.
Finally free to move, I made a beeline for my about-to-be-dearly-departed boyfriend, only to have my plan scuppered by him sweeping me into his arms and hushing my protests with a hard kiss that silenced the rest of the room in an instant.
“You’re welcome,” he whispered against my ear when he was done, and the room erupted into applause.
“Very sneaky of you, Madigan.” Brenda patted me on the shoulder as she passed. “Bringing a ringer with you. Really put the cat among the pigeons. Congratulations. You got a sweet buy there.”
My cheeks burned at the very idea and I muttered, “I didn’t—I mean I wouldn’t—”
“Thank you,” Nick interrupted before explaining, “But Mads didn’t know I was going to bid. It was a surprise. I just wanted him to have it.”
The woman looked between us with a knowing smile. “Then I can’t say I mind losing.” She patted Nick’s arm. “Well done, young man.” Then to me, “He’s a keeper, this one.”
I almost choked. “He’s in a lot of trouble is what he is, Miss Harvey. Just how much, he has no idea. Things are about to get messy.”
She chuckled. “I could do with a bit of messy in my life at this age, so don’t knock it. Have a good day, boys.”
And with that, she left, and I bundled Nick unceremoniously out of the room and around the corner so I could tear a few strips off him.
He laughed the whole way, which only served to piss me off further.
And when I finally had his back against the nearest set of fire doors, he pulled me close and shut up my grousing with a long, toe-curling kiss.
By the time he was done, I wasn’t sure which city I was in, let alone why I’d dragged him all this way down the hall to begin with. But then it came back to me and my exasperation returned. “What the hell did you think you—”
“Like I told Brenda, I wanted you to have it.” He cradled my face and drew me up on my toes for another kiss.
Then he brushed our noses together. “If contributing something toward it will make you feel better, then go ahead, but I can afford it, sweetheart, and I wanted to do it. After everything you’ve been through for me, you deserve this and so much more. Please don’t take that away from me.”
I muttered a few choice words and pulled several faces before settling on a pissy scowl. “Dammit, that’s just . . . the perfect fucking thing to say.” I groaned and punched him in the arm. “Arsehole.”
He laughed. “Are you always this grumpy when someone does something nice for you?”
I stood on his toes and he yelped. “This isn’t something nice. It’s a fucking mortgage.”
More laughter. “Is there a thank you in there somewhere?”
I considered his question, rocking my head from side to side. “Okaaaay. Thank you. I love it. But I’ll be depositing fifteen thousand into your account when we get back.”
“Twelve,” Nick corrected sternly. “It’s not exactly a gift if you pay the same amount that you intended to.” When he saw I was about to argue, he added, “Twelve, Mads, or I find that old woman and offer it to her at a discount.”
I narrowed my gaze. “You wouldn’t dare.”
He arched a brow, wearing that pig-headed look I’d come to know and fear so well. “Try me.”
Fuck. “Okay, okay. But I want my protest noted and a free pass on any reciprocal venture.”
He studied me closely. “What does that mean, exactly?”
I folded my arms and regarded him with a smug smile. “Wouldn’t you like to know?”
Reluctantly, Nick grumbled his agreement, then pulled me in for another kiss and quick grope that had me slapping his hand away.
“For fuck’s sake, someone will see,” I protested, my gaze sweeping the corridor.
Nick chuckled but let me go, his expression growing more serious.
It suddenly hit me that I hadn’t asked about the call to his mother. I lifted my hand and smoothed the creases on his brow. “What happened when you phoned Chloe?”
He reached for my hand and brought it to his chest. “First off, I’m sorry I didn’t let you come with me. I should have.”
My heart dropped. “Why? What happened?”
“Nothing.” He ran the back of his fingers down my cheek. “It went okay. I mean, I bawled like a baby afterwards, but Chloe was . . . good, actually.” He sounded surprised. “She said whatever happens from here on in is up to me. I told her we’d be there tomorrow at eleven.”
I blew a long-held sigh of relief. “That’s good then, right?”
He nodded. “But I realised while we were talking that wanting to prove I could do it on my own is just repeating the same old shit from my childhood. When no one has your back as a kid, you spend your time constantly looking to prove that you don’t need it.
That you’re fine on your own and as good as anyone else.
That you don’t need anyone to keep you safe. ”
“Oh, baby.” I freed my hand from his and cupped his cheek, kissing him lightly on the lips.
He returned a grim smile. “I thought I’d got over a lot of that after being married to Davis for so long, but apparently not. Maybe it sneaked back after Davis had his accident. I’m sorry if I shut you out.”
“Shhh.” I put a finger to his lips. “You didn’t shut me out.
You said what you wanted at the time and that’s what’s important, regardless of any concerns I might have.
You listened to them and that’s all I ask.
I don’t need to live in your pocket, Nick, and by God, you wouldn’t want me to.
The same applies to you in mine, just so you know. ”
His answering grin was back to the one I cherished.
“So now we’ve settled that, I have a very exciting book to collect, a wealth of stalls to drag you around, and then—” I leaned closer. “—I’m going to take you to bed and really thank you.” I pulled away and watched his pupils bleed black to the margins of his grey eyes.
He looked me up and down and blew out a long, slow breath. “In that case, we better get a move on. You know what they say about letting opportunities pass you by when you’re older. Leave it too long and you end up having a nap instead.”
I laughed. “Speak for yourself.” I gave him a none-too-gentle shove toward the foyer. “Some of us have better staying power than others.”
He shot me a wicked look over his shoulder. “Some of us have the benefit of a little help.”
I rolled my eyes at his reference to my recent prescription for the odd occasion when nature needed a little help or when I wanted to cover a marathon and not just a sprint.
I gave him another shove. “Don’t think I haven’t seen you eyeing those pills covetously. Methinks you should make your own appointment.”
Nick made a kissy face. “Already have.”
I blinked. “You have?”
He linked arms as we made a left turn into the large hall and leaned closer. “Can’t let you have all the fun.”