Chapter 32
CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO
NATE
Sitting in the corner of her room, my fingers curled around the crystal tumbler that is filled with the amber liquid as I watch her sleep. Laid on her front, red hair fanned out behind her. Bringing my glass to my lips, I take a mouthful and let the warm liquid burn my throat.
I am tired, but I am wired.
Hate that I’m not sleeping next to her, but I can't.
I can't let myself get too close.
Knocking the rest of the whiskey back, I push from the seat and walk over to where she sleeps and her pale skin looks flawless in the dim moonlight that shines through the room.
Leaning down, I kiss the side of her head and reluctantly, I walk out of the room and pull the door two. Walking downstairs quietly, not wanting to wake her up, I dig my bag out of the small closet by the front door and grab my laptop before I perch myself up at the breakfast bar, placing my laptop down and opening the lid, I open my files.
My cursor hovers over Secure Corp .
Double clicking the file, I let out a heavy sigh before slipping off the stool and padding over towards the side table where the whiskey decanter sits. Popping the cork, I fill my glass and pad back over to my laptop and sit down in the armchair as I begin to read the file.
I don't need to.
I know this information like the back of my hand.
But I need to prove that I am looking into it.
I should be sleeping.
But my skin is still tingling, and I am drowning in her scent.
Swallowing down another mouthful of whiskey, I pull up the Atthills' profiles, Rune and Barnaby, and venomous hate licks at my skin by just looking at them.
Placing my glass down, I rub my hand over my chin.
I needed to find my way in, I needed to take them down and the quicker I do it, the quicker I can get out of this situation.
Whatever this situation is.
Minimising the files, I click the one that James sent me of all the bank statements on where she thinks the embezzlement is happening.
It's clear as day.
It's there in black and white.
But what I don't understand is where the money is going to and why.
Why isn't it going to the brother? Rayden?
Why is there nothing on him, at all.
It's like he is a ghost who has just disappeared.
Or murdered.
I mean, that's plausible.
Murdered the heir to the business, and now have a debt to the hitman that done it?
It's not an offshore account, but it doesn't seem like it's a normal bank account.
I scrub my face and look over my shoulder at the sofa that is made up for me then glance at the time on the oven.
It's three-thirty-four.
My eyes are back on the screen as I scroll through the documents trying to find something I have missed.
I'm torturing myself.
Slamming the lid of my laptop down, I finish the rest of my drink and call it a night.
Well, I won't.
I will lay there and replay this evening over and over.
Every little detail, every little feeling, everything .
Moving across the floor, my shoulders are heavy as I drag myself over to the sofa, falling onto it and groaning as the aches radiate through my tired bones.
It's been a long day, but an amazing one at that.
My mind continues to tick over as I grab the blanket and pull it over my lower body, fingers drumming in a rhythm on my bare chest as I try and calm my mind.
Why did I think it would be a good idea to go to the Maldives? Could I really afford to do it with the amount of work I needed to do? No.
But was I still going to go? Yes.
James in a swimsuit, the warm sun on our skin, drinks in hand and surrounded by our friends. The escape would be well needed, plus with everyone around us, it would be harder to sneak her away.
Sighing, I roll onto my side and blink into the darkness.
I needed sleep.
We have to leave early tomorrow, and I need to get home, get my head down for a few hours before we're on the road again before we make our long journey on our honeymoon .
My lips twitch, Kaleb and Connie are going to be fuming... they think they're jetting off for an intimate honeymoon but the whole gang is arriving, as well as Xavi, Royal, Dex and Sage...
The floorboards creak above me and I lift my head, waiting to see if the soft footsteps move towards the bathroom or the stairs.
Pausing, the cottage falls quiet, and I lay my head back down and let my eyes pin to the ceiling.
“Nate,” her whisper drifts through the small area when I hear her foot step onto the hardwood floor.
I wait a moment, heart racing under my skin and I have no idea why.
“Nate?” her voice a little louder and I turn my head, looking behind me to where she is standing.
“Yeah?” I mask my voice with sleepiness then slowly sit up, trying not to wince as I do.
She walks over to me, long red hair masking her face as it tumbles past her tits. her flawless skin now covered in a large tee that creeps a little higher up her thigh. Sleep is evident in her eyes, lips a little dry, fingers knotted in front of her.
“I had a bad dream... expected you to be next to me... I... I...” she lifts her eyes to the shuttered window.
“Are you okay?” I ask, and I see her eyes drop to mine, they’re a little glassy before she shakes her head.
I sigh, chest rattling.
Swinging my legs around, I go to stand, and she shakes her head from side to side.
“I was going to make you some milk...” I trail off, glancing at the dark kitchen before letting my gaze lock with hers.
“I don't want milk,” she whimpers, and I fall back down onto the sofa, knees parted, elbows resting on my thighs but I don't let my eyes leave hers.
“I want to just sit with you for a moment...” and I nod, shuffling up.
She sits, cautiously and I have no idea why this feels so awkward suddenly.
My breaths are shallow, eyes stinging as tiredness pricks behind them and I find myself yawning.
“What was the dream about?” I ask sleepily.
“Rune.” And my blood chills.
“What about him?”
“He found me, hunted me down...” she swallows, her leg bouncing. “He found out that I knew a lot more than I let on,” and her face turns to look at me just as mine turns to hers.
“And?”
“He shot me,” she whispers, tears pricking in her eyes as if saying the words out loud would make it happen.
I sit taller, my heart thumping.
“It was just a dream, I would never ever let him near you, do you understand me?” and I grip her chin, so she has no option but to keep her beautiful blues on mine. “I can have eyes on him, watch his every single move, do you understand me, James?”
A tear rolls down her cheek as she nods.
Dropping her chin, I miss the way my skin tingles from touching her.
“I'm sorry I woke you,” she whispers.
“I was already awake,” and it's not a lie.
“Why?” she swallows down the tears that line her lid.
“Mind was hectic.”
“Oh,” she whispers and I watch the way she recoils down the other end of the sofa.
“It was nothing to do with you,” I find myself saying to try and reassure her and I have no idea if that's what she thinks.
She just nods.
No words pass her lips, and I have no idea why this feels so weird all of a sudden.
Laying myself down, I throw my arm behind my head and have my knees bent.
Silence creeps around the room and my eyes are back on the ceiling.
“What if he does find me?”
My heart stutters in my chest.
“He won't.” My voice is a murmur as my eyes feel heavy.
“But how do you know?” her voice trembles.
“Because there is no way in hell I would even let him get close to you.”
Before I know what is happening, she has crawled onto my lap, folding herself into a foetal position as her body shudders on top of me. Her head is on my chest, her red hair sprawled behind her, and I am frozen beneath her.
I can't move.
My skin burning, my brain screaming at me to push her off, but I don't.
I lay paralysed.
Her shudders slow before her breaths are near on silent.
My fingers brush through her hair as I try and calm my mind, and after a while, I fall asleep, a prisoner in my own mind.