As she slipped the key in the keyhole, she listened for voices and footsteps that would alert her to someone coming. Nothing. So far, so good.
Before she and Tiffany went to the house, Justin had called Brooke to let her know that Brad had made a prank call to Tony. Brad made it sound like he was an acquaintance of Tony’s and complained that where he was staying at one of the hotels, there was a water leak and the floor was all wet. When Tony tried to pass the problem to the maintenance people, Brad had acted insulted and mentioned suing Tony for negligence. Thankfully, that did the trick and Tony left the house. Brooke just hoped she had enough time to snoop through his study, find the fake ID’s, take pictures, and leave before he returned.
She opened the door and hurried inside. Quietly, she closed the door and locked it. A small lamp sitting on Tony’s desk was still on, giving her enough light to see where she was going. She moved directly to the safe that had been open when she’d accidentally stumbled upon his illegal acts.
This wasn’t her uncle’s only safe, but it was the one she’d seen open the few times she’d been in the house and walked by his study. Saying a silent prayer that this would be one of those days, she moved around his desk and moved aside the large picture of an eagle soaring over the mountains. With a shaky hand, she reached up and pulled the lever. The loud click made her jump, but the door opened.
She hastily pulled out her cell phone and fumbled to find the light. As she raised it to the safe, she could see the fake ID’s and social security cards more clearer. Her hand still shook, but she tried to keep it steady as she took several pictures. Hopefully, her pictures weren’t too blurry.
Her nerves were jumping crazily. If she didn’t hurry and get out of there, her racing heartbeat might just kill her.
Clutching the cell phone with the precious pictures to her chest, she rushed to the door. As she reached for the doorknob, she heard the slamming of a door from somewhere in the house, followed quickly by heavy footsteps. Then came the sound that turned her blood to ice.
Uncle Tony was home – and he wasn’t happy.
THIRTEEN
FEAR KEPT BROOKE’S feet frozen to the floor. Her mind screamed at her to move – to run – to hide. But her body wouldn’t listen.
He’s going to catch me. And kill me!
Closing her eyes, she held back the tears. She was a failure. As much as she had tried to not let her cousin’s degrading comments get to her these past several months, Brooke heard Robin’s voice, telling her that she was nothing but trash – that she was a disgrace to the family.
All Brooke had to do was sneak into the room, take a few pictures, and leave. Well, she’d done most of the things on her list.
She listened to her uncle’s hurried footsteps coming her way. There was no place to hide in here where he wouldn’t eventually find her. She might as well stay. Perhaps she could pretend to be asleep on his couch and tell him she’d taken too many migraine pills... since that’s what happened with Justin and the Jeep. And, her uncle did know she suffered from migraines.
She glanced around the room until she spotted his brown leather recliner. Hopefully, it would work.
But just as she stepped toward the chair, she heard a cell phone ringing. But it wasn’t hers. Seconds later, her uncle’s voice boomed in the hallway. She softly stepped toward the recliner, then stopped when her uncle released a loud and very angry shout.
“He’s what?” Tony yelled. “He’s been arrested?”
Brooke held her breath. Who was arrested? The only person that she could think of was Snakes, since Justin and Brad had talked about him.
Suddenly, an outburst of obscenities erupted from her uncle’s mouth. Nothing she hadn’t heard before, although he sounded angrier than she’d ever heard him. He paced up and down the hallway, but he luckily never came into the study.
Then, everything went quiet. She held her breath. He was coming in. She just knew it.
Out of nowhere, came another voice joining Uncle Tony’s. Her uncle’s voice didn’t seem as angry, but his tone of voice was still short and snippy. When she heard the other voice again, her heart sank.
No, that couldn’t be right. She was hearing things.
She tiptoed to the door again and listened closely. Pain squeezed her heart and tears stung her eyes. What was Justin doing here?
Her mind whirled with ideas of what she could do to help him, none of them making any sense. But really, what could she do? Justin was already here – and talking to Uncle Tony. Why?
She had a sinking feeling nothing would work out the way they’d planned. However, if Justin wasn’t marrying Robin, would her uncle still want him dead?
JUSTIN FACED ONE OF his biggest fears. He had to in order to protect Brooke. And also, to prove to himself that he wasn’t afraid of anyone.
Silently, Justin met Tony’s heated glare as seconds ticked away. Slowly, Tony slid his cell phone back into his jacket pocket. The chubby man’s face was still red with anger after the startling phone call he had received telling him Snakes had been arrested and would be deported. When Justin had entered the house, he’d overheard Tony’s temper exploding. The man was headed toward his study. Justin had to stop him, and the only way he could do that was to make the older man notice him.
Slowly, Tony folded his arms. His gaze narrowed on Justin.
“So, you want to talk, do you?” Tony sneered. “Don’t you think it’s a little late for that?”
“It’s never too late to try and smooth out the confusion in everyone’s mind.”
Tony shrugged. “What should I be confused about? The man who was going to marry my daughter left her before the church rehearsal.” He rubbed his whiskery chin. “It’s been two days. I thought you would have skipped the country by now like the coward you are.”
“I’m not a coward, which is why I’m here to talk to you.”
“Me? What about my daughter?”
“I’ve already spoken with Robin. I told her I’m not in love with her.”
Tony gave a forced laugh and rolled his eyes. “If you weren’t in love with my daughter, then why arrange a marriage?”
“You’ll have to ask my mother that. She did everything. She even bought the engagement ring and booked the restaurant where I proposed to Robin.”
“Are you saying this is your mother’s fault?”
Sighing, Justin folded his arms. “No. It was my fault for allowing my mother to run my life. It was my fault for being so busy with my father’s oil company that I didn’t realize what she was doing. However, it was entirely my decision to leave the church. I finally realized that I needed to be alone to think. My world felt like it was crumbling around me, and I couldn’t breathe. I left to go to a mountain retreat for some peace and quiet.” He paused, but only briefly. “Mr. Pierpont, I’m truly sorry for any embarrassment I caused, and I take full responsibility. Tell me what you want me to do to make it up to you and Robin, and I will.”
The other man’s jaw hardened. “I want you to marry my daughter.”
Justin was shocked speechless. Why did Robin’s father want him dead? Was it just so that Robin would be richer and taken care of for the rest of her life? “I’m sorry, sir, but I’m not going to marry a woman I don’t respect or love.”
Growling, Tony marched toward him. Justin slid his hands in his coat pockets. His right hand clutched the gun he’d brought with him... just in case.
Tony stopped inches away from him. “You are an idiot, then.”
“An idiot? For thinking your daughter is a spoiled brat who has her nose so far up her butt that she can’t see how rude she is to other people?” Justin shook his head. “No, I’m not an idiot. You are for thinking she’ll find a good husband who will look past all her faults.”
A vein on Tony’s neck swelled and beat faster. “How dare you insult a Pierpont?”
Justin shrugged. “Sorry, but I couldn’t help it. She disgusts me... as does her father.”
“Get o
ut,” Tony sneered, pointing toward the door. “I don’t need to stand here and take your insults.”
“No, you don’t. Farewell, Mr. Pierpont. I hope you and your miserable daughter can have a good life... regardless of your faults.”
Justin didn’t dare turn his back on the other man. Since Tony was capable of planning Justin’s murder, he was sure the scoundrel would be capable of plunging a knife in his back on his own.
Slowly, he stepped backwards toward the door, keeping a cautious eye on the other man. Justin prayed Brooke had gotten out of the study somehow. Brad had promised to help her.
As he reached the door, he heard several voices outside mere seconds before someone pounded on the door. He quickly opened it before Tony could stop him. Five F.B.I. agents rushed into the house, all of them wearing their protective gear and holding guns.
“Tony Pierpont, you’re under arrest for attempted murder and premeditated murder.” Two men grabbed Tony and pushed him against the wall. “We will also charge you with harboring illegal immigrants and falsifying ID’s and social security cards.”
“You have no proof!” Tony shouted.
The man in charge put his face close to Tony’s and growled. “Do you honestly think we’d arrest you without any proof?” He shook his head. “You’re going down, Pierpont, and you’ll be locked up for life if I have anything to do with it.” He glanced at the other agents. “Take this scum away.”
Justin breathed a sigh of relief. The man in charge moved toward him, nodding.
“You must be Brad Young’s friend.”
“I’m Justin Monroe.”
“Well, you have a brave woman who took some very incriminating pictures. And, with your testimony, there will be no way Mr. Pierpont will be able to escape justice.”
Justin’s heart quickened. “Is Brooke outside?”
The F.B.I. agent nodded. “She’s with Mr. Young.”
“Thank you, sir.” Justin dashed out of the door. Immediately, he saw Brooke and Brad. He also noticed Robin and another woman standing with some police officers. Robin sobbed uncontrollably. Justin almost felt sorry for her.
“Justin!” Brooke shouted and ran toward him.
He gathered her in his arms, holding her close. He kissed the top of her head. “I’m so glad you were able to get out.”
“Yes. Thanks to Brad.” Brooke smiled up at him. “Your friend helped me out of the window. He had his F.B.I. friends ready to see the pictures that I took.”
Justin glanced over her as Brad walked up to them, grinning. “It seems, the F.B.I. had been keeping a close eye on Tony Pierpont. With Brooke’s pictures, that’s all they needed to arrest the man.”
Happiness grew inside of Justin and he couldn’t stop smiling. Finally, he wouldn’t have to look over his shoulder worried that someone was trying to kill him. And he was especially happy that the Pierpont family was out of his life for good so that he could focus all of his love and attention on a very special woman. My angel.
EPILOGUE
BROOKE CURLED UP NEXT to Justin as they lounged on the couch together in each other’s arms, watching the flames lick the sides of the fireplace and listening to the popping wood. The past week had been crazy as they met with the F.B.I. agents and gave them statements. Brooke’s family had all apologized to her for believing Robin’s lies instead of trusting Brooke. But what made her happiest was being with Justin again. After everything had settled down, he’d taken her back to Brad’s cabin so that they could be alone.
She glanced up at the man she loved. It was hard to take her eyes off such a handsome man. But it was more than his looks that she loved. His kind heart had made her love him so much more.
He looked down at her and smiled. “Why are you staring at me?”
“Because I can’t believe how lucky I am to have met such a wonderful man.”
His expression softened, and he stroked her hair. “I’m the lucky one. If I hadn’t have found you in the back of Brad’s Jeep, I never would have known what it was like to be with a woman who could make me laugh and smile constantly.”
“I think it was fate that brought us together.”
He shrugged. “Technically, it was your migraine pills.”
She laughed and cuddled closer. “True. But we were both in the right place at the right time.”
“Yes, we were.” He leaned toward her and kissed her lips gently before pulling back. “I’ve never been so happy. I didn’t think it was possible.”
“Neither did I.”
“However, that makes me wonder something.”
She arched an eyebrow. “What?”
“Well, being with you in the cabin is paradise on earth, but sooner or later, I need to return to work and run my company.”
“I know.” She drew her finger along the collar of his shirt, and then dipped down his bare chest that his unbuttoned shirt gave her access to. “I also need to return to work.”
He chuckled. “I can’t believe I’ve never asked, but where do you work?”
“I work for a place that decorates new homes before they sell.”
“I can believe that. You definitely have a talent for decorating.” He played with a lock of her hair that hung over her shoulder. “Is your company here in Montana?”
“Yes.”
“Do you enjoy your job?”
“It’s all right, I guess. It’s the best one I’ve ever had. Why do you ask?”
His brown eyes danced with mischief the longer he stayed silent. She wanted to shake him and make him tell her what he was thinking, but she decided to wait. But if he didn’t say something in the next two minutes, she’d go insane.
“The main office for my company is in New York,” he finally said.
“Really? That far away?”
He nodded. “And right now, I’m in the process of purchasing a new house in Manhattan.”
“Oh,” she whispered as her hopes dropped. She didn’t want a long-distance relationship, and yet, she couldn’t ask him to choose her over his job.
“But I just realized,” he quickly continued, “that I’ll be needing a decorator for my new home. Would you be interested in the job?”
Her heart leapt to life, once again. “Are you kidding me?”
He shook his head. “Not at all. But... there is a catch.”
“A catch?”
“Yes. You see, I have another secret I need to share with you.”
His sparkling eyes let her know that she wasn’t going to get mad at him this time. “Besides hiding your identity from me, and the fact that you’re a billionaire, what other secret could you possibly have?”
“Well, you see... Before my father died, I was investing money in a housing project. After I took over my father’s company, I was able to purchase the housing project. I’ll be building houses all over the United States.”
She gasped. “That’s your secret?”
He nodded. “Yes. You see, if you become my decorator, I’ll also want you to be in charge of being the decorator for my housing project. I have two planes and you’ll be able to fly anywhere you want and live anywhere your heart desires.”
She couldn’t believe what he was offering her. Only in her dreams could she think of such a job. But yet... where was he going to be in her life? Was he going to be just her boss?
“Is that all?” she asked in a small voice.
His brow furrowed. “What more do you want? Is there another place you want to stay?”
She ran the palm of her hand across his chest again, patting the section where his heart was. “I want you. And the place I want to stay is right here.”
A soft smile bracketed his mouth. “Angel, this is Brad’s cabin.”
“No.” She patted his chest again. “I want to stay right here in your heart forever.”
A spark of desire darkened his eyes and humor left his face. He swiped his fingers across her cheek and down to brush her lips. Her heart picked up rhythm.
“I’d alre
ady planned on you staying here, angel. There’s no other place in this world for you.”
She sighed. “So, I’ll accept the job as long as you’ll accept a proposition from me.”
He waggled his eyebrows. “Now I’m very curious.”
“Justin Monroe... will you marry me? It doesn’t have to be right away, because I know we’ll be jumping into things quickly, but—”
He covered her mouth with his and kissed her passionately. She locked her arms around his neck and answered his urgent kisses. Soon, he had pushed her back on the couch, looming over her. Her heart burst with love for this man. Again. How could it not when he was being so tender with her.
Before anymore could happen, he broke the kiss and lifted his head enough to look into her eyes.
“Brooke Cavanaugh, I’ll accept the position of your husband. And I can’t think of anything I’d rather do than marry you as soon as possible. The sooner the better, I think.”
She sighed with bliss and nodded. “I like that idea. How soon do you want to get started?”
He cupped her face and grinned. “Just as soon as we’re done kissing... or tomorrow. Whichever comes first.”
The End
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Other published stories from Marie Higgins
“BARGAINING WITH A ROGUE” – Regency Romance
“Finding the Perfect Man” – Romantic Comedy
“Stealing the Duchess” – Regency Romance Suspense
The Billionaire's Secret (The Tycoons, #4) Page 9