Engaging the Enemy

by Reese Ryan

  “My father had offered to buy her father’s land several years before. So she struck up a deal. She only wanted one quarter of the land’s value in cash. The rest was used here.” Duke handed Kayleigh a yellowing manila folder. “You’ll find the answers to all of your questions in there.”

  Kayleigh reluctantly opened the folder. Her and her sister’s names were all over college-scholarship paperwork. She recognized their signatures. “How’d you get my financial information?”

  “It’s typical that the organization granting a scholarship maintain a record of all documentation.”

  Kayleigh’s eyes widened and she stared at Duke for a moment. She reviewed the documents again. Her heart pounded in her chest.

  “Are you saying that King’s Finest paid all of our college tuition and boarding through these scholarships?”

  He slid back in his seat and crossed one leg over the other. “Initially the money came from the difference between the price I paid for the land and what it was actually worth, as well as interest. But your mother implored me to see to it that you girls were cared for throughout your college years. So when that initial infusion of cash ran out, yes, King’s Finest kicked in. You and Evelisse were our first scholarship recipients, though you didn’t know it. And you’re the reason we’ve done a scholarship program ever since.”

  “I don’t understand, Mr. Abbott.” Tears stung her eyes and her voice broke. “Why didn’t she just leave the money to Evvy and me?”

  “Your mother was afraid that neither of you was ready for that kind of responsibility. That you’d squander the money within a year and be left with nothing.”

  Kayleigh wiped away tears. As much as she hated hearing that, she knew it was probably true. And, it seemed, her mother had played on Duke’s affection for her, knowing he’d make up the difference once the money from the sale of the land ran out.

  “So you’ve been our benefactor all this time? Why didn’t you say something?” Kayleigh’s chest ached and her stomach was tied in knots as she recalled all the awful things she’d thought and said about Duke Abbott.

  “I made a promise to your mother that I wouldn’t tell you where the money came from. She knew how you felt about Parker and our family by association. She knew her baby girl well enough to know you’d never accept what you felt was a handout. So she asked me to handle it anonymously. I promised I would, so I kept my word.” Duke sighed, leveling his gaze with hers. “Even though it was one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do.”

  “Why are you finally telling me now?” Kayleigh asked through tears.

  “Because my son loves you something fierce. And he and my wife believe your mother wouldn’t have wanted me to continue keeping this secret when it’s doing you more harm than good.” Duke squeezed Kayleigh’s arm. “I only hope, now that you know, that you feel my decision was justified.”

  Kayleigh nodded, eagerly, tears streaming down her face. They both stood and she hugged the man tightly. “I’m so sorry, Mr. Abbott. I can’t thank you enough. I hope you can forgive me for mischaracterizing you the way I did.”

  “There’s nothing to forgive. You didn’t know the whole story. I would’ve felt the same way, too.”

  There was a tap at the door and Parker stuck his head inside. “Just checking on you two. Everything okay?”

  Kayleigh nodded. She kissed Duke on his cheek, before he excused himself and left them alone in the room.

  “Thank you, Parker. For everything.” Kayleigh threw her arms around him and hugged him tightly. Then she lifted onto her toes and planted a soft kiss on his lips.

  He wound his arms around her waist. “I love you, Kayleigh.”

  Her mouth stretched in a wide grin; her heart was so full of love for him. “I love you, too, Parker.”

  “Good.” He nuzzled her neck. “Because I have a request.”

  “No, Parker, we are not going down to that workroom.” She laughed, remembering when they’d kissed for the first time there.

  He smirked. “Fine, then I have another question.”

  “Shoot.”

  “It’s about that ring. I promised my friend I’d ship it back as soon as we returned.”

  “Aww.” Kayleigh pouted as she held out her hand and studied the ring’s intricacies. “It’s so gorgeous. I’m going to miss it.”

  “Well, that’s the thing. Since it’s so well-suited to you, and since we’re two misfit toys best suited for each other and we’ve finally nailed this whole fake-fiancé thing...maybe instead of returning the ring, we keep it. On the condition that you agree to graduate from being my fake fiancée to being my real one.”

  “Parker, did you just ask me to marry you?”

  “Not very well, apparently.” He grinned. “So let me try again.”

  Parker got on one knee and held her hand. “Kayleigh, I’ve never been happier than I have these past three months. You’ve made me see myself and the world in a different light. Every corny romantic comedy where the guy declares that the woman makes him want to be a better man... I get it now. Because you truly make me want to be my best self. Most importantly you’ve shown me how much better my life is with you in it. So Kayleigh Jemison, I am formally asking you to please be my wife.”

  Kayleigh nodded, tears streaming down her face as she pressed her lips to his.

  Epilogue

  Kayleigh had just finished up with a customer who’d commissioned custom jewelry sets for her bridesmaids when Parker came into the shop with Cricket on his heels.

  “If it isn’t my incredibly handsome fiancé.” They’d been engaged for less than a month and it still made her giddy to call him that. “What brings you here in the middle of the day with Cricket in tow?”

  Kayleigh stepped out from behind the counter. She petted Cricket and accepted a kiss from Parker.

  “I brought you a little something.” He grinned.

  “Another offer?” she teased.

  “Of sorts.” He held out a large brown envelope.

  Kayleigh raised a brow, accepting the envelope and opening it. The smile quickly faded from her face as she read the document.

  “Is this a quitclaim deed for my family’s land?” The type had gone blurry through her sudden tears.

  “Not all of it, of course.” She knew the Abbotts had developed some of the land, so that made sense. “But our family took a vote. We won’t expand any farther on the land. We have plenty of additional property to work with, when the need arises.”

  “Why?” Her voice broke as tears wet her cheeks. “Why would your family do this?”

  “Consider it an engagement present from my father.”

  “To us?”

  “To you.” He cradled her cheek. “It’s yours, free and clear. Regardless of what happens between us. Your family’s land, at least some of it, belongs to you again.”

  “This is a truly incredible gift... Thank you, Parker.” Kayleigh swiped at the tears staining her heated cheeks.

  In light of everything Duke had already done for her and Evvy, it didn’t feel right for him to gift the land to her. Especially when they had generously paid her far more than her building was worth.

  “As much as I appreciate the gift, and I truly do appreciate it, I don’t expect charity from your family. I’d like to pay for the land. What does Duke think is fair?”

  “This isn’t charity, babe. You’re family now.” Parker pressed a quick kiss to her lips. “My dad wants to do this for you, and he’s firm about this. He won’t take a penny from you for it.”

  Kayleigh couldn’t stop the tears from sliding down her cheek. She jumped into Parker’s arms and gave him a big kiss. One that made her contemplate locking the door and turning the Closed sign so they could have an informal celebration.

  “There’s something I forgot to mention.” He interrupted their kiss before sh
e could float her idea of an afternoon romp in the storeroom.

  “What is it?” She tried not to sound aggravated.

  “The land is yours to do with as you please. So no pressure. But what we think would be really lovely there is a little inn. Maybe just five or ten rooms. We’d even be willing to invest in such a venture.”

  “That would’ve made my mom so happy.” Fresh tears spilled down her cheeks. “It’s a fantastic idea, babe. I love it. And I love you, Parker.”

  He cradled her to his chest, her head tucked beneath his chin. “Love you too, Kayleigh. Always have, always will.”

  * * *

  If you loved Parker and Kayleigh’s story,

  find out who returns from Max’s past to challenge

  him in the boardroom and reclaim his heart,

  as Reese Ryan’s series The Bourbon Brothers,

  coming in 2020.

  Available wherever Harlequin Desire is sold.

  Keep reading for an excerpt from Vengeful Vows by Yvonne Lindsay.

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  Vengeful Vows

  by Yvonne Lindsay

  One

  Alice Horvath—matriarch of the Horvath family, former CEO of Horvath Corporation and creator of Match Made in Marriage—surveyed the candlelit, flower-bedecked room and tried to ignore the trepidation that filled her. She didn’t know why she was so nervous about the union of her third-eldest grandson, Galen, to a woman who was so perfect for him it had actually brought tears to her eyes when she’d made the match. But for some reason, despite all her usual attention to detail, she felt as though she didn’t have quite her usual grip on what would happen next.

  Their future happiness was her only goal, but for once she couldn’t see that far ahead for them as clearly as she did with the others. If they made it, it would require hard work and commitment from them both. Had she taken an unnecessary risk? Galen had said he didn’t want a grand passion, but everyone deserved that, didn’t they?

  She thought of her late husband, Eduard, and tonight missed him more keenly than she had in a long time. But she wasn’t ready to rest in peace with him yet. She still had too much work to do, and the success of this marriage was a part of that, no matter what secrets it brought out of the woodwork.

  * * *

  Galen closed his eyes briefly then started as he felt a small hand take his and give it a squeeze.

  “It’ll be okay,” Ellie whispered. “She’s going to love you.”

  He squeezed back gently. “She’s going to love us,” he affirmed.

  He flicked an imaginary piece of lint from his suit sleeve and looked sideways at his best girl. Ellie grinned back up at him, and Galen felt his heart swell. Both his brother, Valentin, and his cousin Ilya had offered to stand here at the altar with him but this wasn’t about a traditional marriage. This was about providing security for nine-year-old Ellie, so it made sense that she stand up with him as he married a total stranger. Poor kid; she deserved so much better than him, but he was doing his best by her, and would continue to do so for the rest of his life.

  When he’d assumed guardianship of Ellie after her parents’ shocking and sudden deaths in a car crash just over three months ago, his life as he’d known it had come to a screaming halt. No more wild parties. No more playboy lifestyle. All the commitment he’d dodged for most of his adult life had come to him in one complete package. He hadn’t been ready for it, but then neither had his best friends, Ellie’s mom and dad, expected to die, either.

  He cast one more look around the room, ensuring everything was as it should be. He wouldn’t be the CEO of Horvath Hotels and Resorts without triple-checking everything all the time. He knew how to keep people happy—all kinds of people. Surely, that would help when it came to keeping his new wife happy, too?

  “She’s here!” Ellie whispered hoarsely. “And she’s so pretty.”

  Galen looked to the door at the end of the carpeted aisle in the function room and, honest to God, felt his breath catch in his lungs. Pretty? No, that didn’t even begin to describe the woman paused there at the end. Her face was a picture of serenity, her head poised on a long, graceful neck. Her hair was pulled back in a loose updo that made his fingers itch to extract each and every pin and let her hair fall down over the slender bare shoulders exposed by her strapless gown. Her skin glowed. A diamond drop necklace sat low on her décolletage, drawing his eyes to the rapid rise and fall of her chest—to the hint of the soft swell of her breasts, framed by the gown’s neckline. His gaze drifted lower, to the tiny waist cinched in a satin sash with a cluster of silk and diamanté flowers and then to the three tiers of flowing shimmering fabric that spread like a cloud around her.

  “She looks like a princess,” Ellie said, loudly this time so that everyone in the room turned their heads and a collective gasp of awe filtered through the air.

  “Let’s make her our queen, shall we?” Galen said and, still holding Ellie’s hand, he walked toward his bride.

  As they drew closer, he noticed the flickering pulse in her neck. So perhaps she wasn’t quite as serene as she projected. That was fine by him. In a way, he’d have felt some reserve about marrying someone who wasn’t just a little rattled at the prospect of meeting their future life partner for the first time at the altar. And while he’d seen his brother and his cousin make successful matches that way, he’d never for a moment considered it for himself. Truth be told, he’d never even considered marriage before Ellie.

  The woman’s eyes flared slightly, her bluish-gray irises almost consumed by her pupils in the candlelight.

  “My groom, I presume?” she said in a voice that was a tiny bit husky and a whole lot of nervous.

  “Galen Horvath, at your service,” he said, taking her free hand and lifting it to his lips.

  Her skin was warm and lightly scented. Something sweet, with a hint of vanilla and a slightly headier spice. A slight tremor of her hand made him release his hold.

  Never one to be shy, his best girl piped up. “And I’m Ellie. Will you marry us?”

  A smile tweaked the woman’s lips. “Both of you? Now, there’s a bargain,” she said as her smile widened and her eyes sparkled with obvious delight. “The answer is yes. I’m Peyton Earnshaw, and I would be delighted to marry you.”

  Galen felt something shift deep inside as he watched her. Her smile, her manner, her scent. It all coalesced into something powerful inside him. Lust, he told himself. Pure ph
ysical attraction; that was all it was. And it was far, far more than he’d anticipated experiencing on meeting his bride. The tension that had gripped him all day began to ease. This was going to be okay. They were going to be okay, he corrected himself.

  * * *

  Peyton had done a lot of things in the pursuit of investigative journalism, but she’d never gotten married before. When she’d decided to do an exposé on Alice Horvath she’d been delighted to discover an old college acquaintance among Alice’s staff. And when she’d learned the matriarch’s own grandson was searching for a bride, she’d called in an old debt and secured Michelle’s assistance gaming the system to match Peyton’s profile with the grandson’s. The fact that the matchmaking results could be manipulated like that lent weight to Peyton’s argument that Alice Horvath’s company was a complete fraud in the first place.

  Peyton swallowed her nerves as, flanked by Galen Horvath and Ellie, she walked down the aisle toward the celebrant, who waited with a benevolent smile. She’d been prepared to do anything to achieve her goal—even marry a stranger—and now here she was.

  Acutely aware of the warm strength of Galen’s hand holding hers, she tried to calm the unaccustomed racing of her heart. He was just a man. Seriously, her groom could have been anyone—but he wasn’t. He was one of Alice Horvath’s many grandchildren. He could have been short, tall, thin, full figured, hirsute. He was tall, more handsome than any star she’d seen at the movies lately, and he exuded a charisma that she felt pulling on her in ways she’d never expected. And his touch was doing weird things to her insides. Things that she prided herself on not feeling. Things she’d inured herself to—by choice. She wasn’t some naive creature full of unrealistic expectations. Oh sure, she knew you could fall in love, but she also knew the pain of a stupid decision made in the heat of the moment, and she wasn’t going to make that kind of mistake ever again.