Chapter 59
James
I should ignore the call. I don’t want to be anywhere else but here in my bed, with my wife, in the glow of having made love to her for the first time.
But when the phone stops ringing only to start again, my guts churn. Alfie would not call twice unless it were something bad.
I snatch up the phone. "Tell me."
“James, ol’ chap. Afraid it’s not looking good.”
I lean back against the headboard. “Just give me the bad news already.”
My wife walks toward the en suite. I’m distracted by the pear shape of her arse. That hourglass figure of hers is something that never fails to arouse me. My cock stirs.
“We’re considering pulling the investment in The Edge.”
That gets my attention. I sit up straight. “What? Why?”
“The marriage is fake. You deceived us, Hamilton. The board of directors is livid. The investors have been burning up the lines to me all morning.”
I jump out of bed.
“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
I begin to pace the room in frustration.
He pauses. “You haven’t seen the video, I take it?”
“Which video? What are you talking about?” I come to a stop in front of one of the floor-to-ceiling windows.
We were so into each other last night, I forgot to draw the curtains before we got into bed. Now, I stare down at Hyde Park. The blue light of dawn outlines the trees and the lone early morning joggers who make their way through it.
“A guy named Sam Miller uploaded it. He’s claiming your marriage isn't real,” Alfie says slowly.
What. The. Fuck.
Miller's the sous chef I fired before hiring Ember. Apparently, his threat was serious. Anger squeezes my chest and thrums at my temples.
“That’s a lie. My marriage is real.”
Somewhere over the last few days, my feelings have become involved. The authenticity of my marriage isn’t just performance.
I’m falling for her. I’ll burn the world down before I let anything hurt her.
Cold resolve fills me.
“Sam Miller is a bitter ex-employee. I fired him, and he's trying to get back at me.”
And I’m going to make sure he never works in this country again.
“Hmm… The video is convincing.” Alfie’s voice fills the space. I hear the worry in it. He wants to believe me. But he's seen something that makes him doubt me.
Why the fuck haven’t I seen this video yet? Probably because my phone was on Do Not Disturb until the alarm went off. It’s a good thing I picked up the phone when it rang.
I need to get into damage control mode immediately.
“I haven’t seen the video, but whatever is on there is false. This, I will stake my reputation on.”
I pivot and head to my closet, holding the phone to my ear as I pull on a pair of pants.
Harper enters the closet space. Her hair is piled on top of her head. She’s already dressed to leave.
The possessiveness I feel takes my breath away. The satisfaction coursing through me is a shock. I want this woman so much. I’d do anything to protect her. I’d burn down the world if it meant I could see her happy.
Somewhere inside of me, a dam has burst. The emotions I’ve controlled for so long are in free fall.
But I don’t care. I let the heat from feeling so much course through my veins and fill my cells.
It feels good. I feel alive. I feel ready to take on whoever the fuck dared to mess with me and what’s mine.
Harper sees me and comes to a stop. She knits her brows in worry when she sees the look on my face.
“Are you going to believe me or some disgruntled former employee with an ax to grind?” I growl.
The silence stretches, then he sighs.
“You, of course. I need you to fix this.”
“I’m on it. And Alfie, thanks.”
I hang up. That’s when I notice the missed calls from Henrik.
I dial him back.
“James, are you there?” Henrik’s voice cuts through my thoughts.
I clear my throat. “Send me a link to the video.”
He doesn’t seem surprised that I know of it already.
A few seconds pass, then the phone vibrates in my hand.
“You need to see this.” I wave the phone at her.
I sit down on the bench built into the closet island. She seats herself next to me.
I touch the video link on my phone.
Miller appears on screen.
"We saw that viral video. We saw the way he treats the women in his kitchen. He was days away from losing his investors, so what does the Ice Commander do?
“He finds the one girl who could testify against him and puts a ring on her finger. It’s not a marriage; it’s a non-disclosure agreement in white lace.
Check the dates. He neutralized the threat by making her his property.
James Hamilton doesn't fall in love; he acquires assets to protect his brand. "
My wife gasps. I put my arm around her and pull her close. I try to convey to her that it’s okay, that she doesn’t need to worry, that I’ll take care of her.
On screen, Miller leers at the camera.
"Don’t believe me? Look at her bank records. She went from almost being evicted to having a six-figure debt cleared by Hamilton, overnight. That, folks, by the way, is not a dowry; that’s a—"
I click out of the video and raise the phone to my ear. "What the fuck?"
How did Miller get access to her bank records. How dare he threaten my wife in this fashion? Anger is a tsunami that digs its claws into my guts and threatens to tear its way out.
Henrik clears his throat, "I know it’s not the truth. I know you and Harper fell in love and got married. So what if it was sudden? But…"
It doesn’t look good.
My gaze narrows. I tighten my hold around the phone. Especially because there's a fragment of truth to it. Only, how the fuck did he guess? No way, does he know about the agreement between my wife and me. I need to get to the bottom of this.
"I need to call my lawyer."
"Okay." Henrik sounds relieved that I’m taking over. "Let me know what the plan is.”
I hang up and call Tristan.
Next to me, Harper locks her fingers together. Her body language is tense, her features pinched. I hate that she has to go through this. If I hadn’t proposed the fake marriage, she wouldn’t be at the center of the revenge scheme that Miller has thought up. He’s using her to get to me.
Tristan picks up on the first ring. It’s five thirty a.m., but he’s an early riser.
"To what do I owe the pleasure?" he drawls.
“Harper’s with me; I’m putting you on speakerphone.”
I do.
“Hi, Harper.” Tristan’s voice is calm.
“Tristan.” She nods, though he can’t see her.
"I have a problem." I explain Sam’s video to him, along with his accusations.
I sense Tristan listening actively. When I’m done speaking, he takes a few seconds to reply. His lawyer’s brain must be assessing the situations from all angles and deciding on the best way forward.
Tristan also knows about the truth of my situation, for it’s he who drafted the NDA for me.
"How the hell did he find out about this?" I rub at my temple. "Only you, me, and Harper know about it." I frown.
"There might be a leak…in my office," he says grimly. "I assume, there is a money trail?"
I squeeze Harper’s arm. Then rise to my feet and reach among the shirts, which are all in shades of white. I pull on the first one I find.
"I didn’t think there was any need to hide it. Besides, Harper’s my wife. I transferred enough money into her account so she could pay off her debts, enroll her niece in the best private school, and move her sister into a better house."
I pull on my socks and shoes. I need to shave but fuck that.
I take my seat next to Harper again and pull her close.
She comes willingly. She melts into my side.
My entire body feels like it’s glowing with satisfaction.
It feels like it’s the two of us against the world.
We’re a unit. A family. I’m struck with a feeling of rightness so strong; it’s like a physical punch to my chest.
I swallow.
Tristan goes on to say, "He wanted your attention. He got it. And the attention of all the Hamiltons. We don’t let anyone fuck with one of ours. People like this want only one thing—"
"Money. Which he’s not going to get. I’m not going to let him blackmail me. I need you to find out everything about him. There must be something in his background you can use as leverage." I crack my neck.
“You can bet, I’m going to find out.” Tristan’s voice is grim.
"I want him to regret coming after Harper. He tried to smear my wife’s name; I won’t take that lightly."
Next to me, Harper shifts restlessly.
"Leave it with me.” Tristan’s voice is gravelly, with barely concealed excitement.
This is his sport. He can smell weakness the way a shark smells blood. Give him a flaw, and he’ll pry it open with surgical precision. Exactly what I need.
"I want him to pay. I need that video taken down immediately,” I growl.
"Stay tuned for an update." He disconnects.
“How did Sam Miller get access to that information?” Harper turns to me.
"Tristan will find out." I draw her to me and kiss her forehead.
"Let’s get a coffee before we talk further." I rise to my feet and pull her up with me. Then I lead her downstairs.
Malice prances toward us, sniffs, then walks away. She’s in a mood today.
I head to the espresso machine, froth the milk just how she likes it, and place the latte in front of her.
Then I pour myself a long black. And take a seat at the counter next to her.
She takes a sip of her coffee. Then, as if remembering something, she reaches for her bag and pulls out her phone.
"Damn, my phone was on silent." She shows me her phone screen.
There are three missed calls, from different members of the team.
Word must be spreading. They must have noticed the video.
"We’ll talk to the team at the restaurant. Tell them it’s all lies."
"But it’s not, is it?" She drops her phone in her bag. “I married you so you could satisfy your investors. And so you could get your inheritance.”
Her features crumple. She looks like she’s about to be sick.
“I signed an agreement which said you’d pay me a million pounds to be your wife. And now, the world knows it too.”
She wipes her palms on her slacks like they’ve gone damp.
My heart seizes. I hate the fact that she looks so nervous.
"Whatever happened was our private business. No one else in the world has the right to that information.”
My fingers tighten around the coffee cup.
I hate the fact that she’s calling our marriage an arrangement. It may have started that way, but it feels like so much more. Can’t she see that? Why is she still referring to it as being fake. My chest hurts. Anger coils in my stomach.
"It did come out though.” She wrings her fingers. She’s gone so pale, I worry that she’s going to faint.
How dare Miller put her through this? I was the one who fired him. He has a grudge with me. Why is he involving her? Why is he causing her so much stress? I’m going to ensure that I make him pay for this. I’m going to make sure he can’t work again in this town.
I set my cup down carefully. Then take her hand in mine.
My muscles tense. My heart rate speeds up. I look into her eyes and hold her gaze. “When I fucked you, did it feel like I was pretending?”
She purses her lips. “What does that have to do with anything?”
I rise to my feet, pull her up, and tug her close. “What we have now is not fake.”
“But it started out as something that wasn’t real. And now, everyone on the team also knows that.” She looks like she’s about to cry.
My stomach bottoms out. My guts churn. I feel her pain like it is my own.
“I will order the team to disregard that video,” I say through gritted teeth. What can I do to make her feel better?
“Are you also going to ask everyone who saw the video around the world to disregard it?” She looks away again.
I pinch her chin, so she has no choice but to raise her eyes. I cannot bear it if she grows to hate me because of this. I will not let her career suffer because of this.
“I will do everything in my power to protect you. This arrangement was my idea. I’m the one who suggested the fake marriage as the solution to the first viral video, and so I could claim my inheritance. If anyone should be at fault, it’s me.”
She half smiles. “It’s nice you’re taking responsibility for your actions. But the fact is, I’m equally at fault. I’m the one who accepted your proposal. Those are the facts.”
I bring her close and tuck her head under my chin. As if by doing so, I’ll be able to hide her from the world. But not even I can do that. But I can do the next best thing.
“I will not let anything happen to you,” I vow.
She looks at me sadly. “Not even you can promise that.”
I set my jaw, refusing to believe that is the case.
“I am going to do everything possible to ensure this gets resolved quickly.”
She nods slowly. “I hope your investors don’t make any hasty decisions related to the restaurant.”
I’m less worried about them and how this will affect my restaurant. Instead, I can’t move past the fact that someone hurt her.
I was—am—filled with the need for revenge.
The person who put this sad look on her face is going to pay. If something like this had happened before she walked back into my life, the restaurant and my business would be all that I’d have to worry about. But my priorities have changed. And she’s at the top of my list.
Who knew I’d fall in love so quickly? Who knew I’d been in love with her all this time—perhaps from the moment I first saw her five years ago? I may have walked away from her, but I carried her in my heart. I simply didn't acknowledge it.
“I’m going to take down whoever did this. Also, fuck the investors."
"What?" She gapes at me. "If they pull their money—"
"I’ll use my inheritance to plug the gaps.” I tighten my hold around her. "I don’t need them. I can buy them out." I incline my head, watching the play of light on her face. "I want you to be my partner in this venture."