Lake stepped around the medics as they checked Rachel’s vitals before loading her onto the stretcher. He opened the emergency door wide, revealing the service elevator and the stairs facing it. “This way’s faster,” he said.
As they wheeled her out, Harvard followed. “I’m her fiancé. I go where she goes.” His tone dared them to argue.
After taking one look at him, they were smart enough not to.
“We’ll deal with the police,” Callum said. “And we’ll come to the hospital when we’re done.”
“Her family,” Harvard said, his attention on Rachel.
“I’ll get Harry to call them,” Lake said.
And then the lift doors closed on them, and Harvard thought about nothing but getting Rachel the care that she needed.
Chapter Thirty-Four
For the second time in her life, Rachel found herself in a hospital room with no recollection of how she’d got there. But this time, she wasn’t alone.
“Hey.” Harvard smiled at her from where he stood beside her bed. “You’re awake.”
“Why do people say that? I’m the one that’s awake; I don’t need to be informed about it.”
“And you woke up grumpy again.” He bent down and pressed a gentle kiss to her lips. “You scared me.”
She blinked up at him. “Am I supposed to apologize?”
“No, but promising it will never happen again would be good.”
A jolt of agony that wasn’t just physical shot through her. “I’ve pretty much run out of family members out to get me, so I think it’s safe to say this won’t happen again.”
His beautiful face appeared pained. “I’m sorry, Rachel.”
And purely from the way he said it, she knew he was not only apologizing for everything she’d been through and the betrayal of her family, but he was also expressing his condolences.
“Did I kill her?” Her mouth was suddenly very dry.
Harvard shook his head. “In the end, it was just a dumb accident. Her dress got tangled in that concrete gnome, and it weighed her down like an anchor.”
Rachel tried to swallow, but there was no moisture in her mouth. Of course, Harvard noticed and held a glass of water to her lips. She sipped at it, giving herself time to process what he’d told her. Perhaps she should have felt relief at the news, but all she felt was sad.
“We had lots of good times too,” Rachel said once Harvard took the water away. “I…was very fond of her.”
He brushed her hair off her face, his touch unerringly gentle. “You loved her, and that’s how it should have been. Even after everything that’s happened, it’s still okay to mourn the woman you cared about.”
“I’m…conflicted,” she confessed.
“Yeah, we all are. It’s normal.” He seemed to consider what to say next, and then in the gentlest voice, he asked, “Did she tell you why she did it?”
“She said a lot of things, but mainly, I think she saw me as competition. Samantha liked to be the center of attention, and I took that away from her. Apparently.” And then, because he was her Michael, she gave him the rest. “I don’t know how to behave now. I feel responsible and confused. And betrayed. How did my family take the news?”
He let out a sigh. “Charles blames you for Samantha’s death. He refuses to believe she was behind your attack or that she tried to kill you—despite the ton of evidence. Her brother’s devastated and locked up in his apartment. Sebastian’s keeping an eye on him now he’s back home. I like him, by the way. The rest of the family are mainly in shock.”
She started to nod, but the movement hurt her head. “What about the press?”
“Julia tapped into her Hollywood connections and helped us hire a PR company who controlled what story went out. As far as the world is concerned, there was an accident in your pool, and Samantha tragically died.”
“Good.” She closed her eyes. “How long was I unconscious?”
“A couple of days. Partly from the drug, but mostly from the concussion.” He caressed her cheek. “Not sure if the concussion was from Samantha smashing your face into the edge of the pool, or you throwing yourself down the stairs.”
Her eyes opened. “How do you know about either?”
“Scene assessment and forensics.” He smiled. “That and the huge lump on your head.” His smile faded. “Scared the life out of me when I couldn’t find you right away.”
“I knew you’d figure out where I was,” she whispered. “I only had to stay somewhere safe until you did.”
“Going by the calls to the cops about gunfire in your apartment, I was about five minutes behind you.” He rested his forehead against hers. “It was too long. I’m sorry, Rachel.”
“No.” She cupped his cheeks and pushed him back so she could look into those dark eyes of his. “You don’t take any blame for this. It’s all on her. You came for me. You were only minutes away. That’s the important part.”
“She could have killed you before I got there.”
“Seeing as she was trying to drown me, I’m sure you could have just done CPR and brought me back to life.”
“This isn’t funny.”
“I’m not being funny. I’m telling you that I had faith in you. I knew you’d come for me; there was no doubt in my mind.” She stroked his cheek with her thumb. “I knew you’d come, because you love me,” she whispered. “And I love you.”
His eyes sparkled with wicked amusement. “And it only took a near-death experience for you to tell me.”
“I’m regretting it already.” She pulled him down to kiss those full lips of his.
“Are we interrupting something?” her mother called out, obviously aware she was absolutely interrupting something.
Rachel shifted her head to look around Harvard. “Yes. Come back later.”
And, of course, her mother just carried on into the room. “Is that any way to speak to the mother who’s been worried sick about you?” She stepped around Harvard to embrace Rachel. “My baby,” she said. “I love you so much.”
Damn it. Now everybody was getting emotional. Rachel sniffed and swallowed hard as she patted her mother’s back in an attempt to reassure her.
“My turn,” she heard her father say. And then her mother moved aside to allow her dad to hug her tight instead. “I’m locking you up so that I never have to worry about your safety ever again,” he said fiercely. “That means no more working with Benson Security. No more trips to countries where you irritate members of a cartel. No more gun battles on airstrips. No more people out to get you from inside or outside the family. Do you hear me?”
“Yes, Father.” She kissed his cheek, and he stepped away, swiping at his eyes with the back of his hand. “Didn’t Jonathan tell you that I’m finished with Benson Security, and I’m staying on at TayFor?”
“Yes, but I couldn’t believe him until I heard it from the horse’s mouth.”
“Then consider yourself talking to a horse.”
“Good. Good then.” He cleared his throat. “I’ll go fetch some coffee.” With that, he disappeared from the room.
Her mother watched him go as she perched on the side of Rachel’s bed. “He’s been very upset. We all have. I can’t…I can’t even begin to get my head around what Samantha did.” She blinked back tears, and Rachel reached for her hand.
“It’ll take a very long time and a lot of therapy to deal with this,” Rachel said.
“Of course, you’re right.” Her mother forced a smile.
“Where is she?” came a voice from the door. “Where’s my granddaughter?”
Rachel let out a sigh as her grandmother steamrolled her way to her bedside. “Must you make such a fuss?”
“No, but I do enjoy doing it.” Her gran kissed her cheek. “You look dreadful. Don’t they have hairdressers in here?” She glanced around as though one might suddenly manifest. “And the bruises. Next time I’ll bring my cosmetics and fix you right up.”
Harvard, the suck-up, pushed a cha
ir over for her grandmother to sit in, earning himself a benevolent smile. “Thank you, dear. Now, if you don’t mind, would you find me a cup of tea?”
Harvard’s lips twitched before he headed for the door. “Be right back,” he promised.
“I like him,” her grandmother said. “Could you please make an effort to hold the wedding sooner rather than later? You know, before I die?”
“Stop being such a drama queen,” Rachel’s mum said.
“Oh, don’t pretend you aren’t thinking it too.” Her gran reached out and took Rachel’s hand. “I’m rather upset that Samantha’s dead,” she said. “I should have liked to torture the bloody life out of her myself.”
“Mother!” Rachel’s own mother snapped. “That isn’t appropriate.”
“Oh, tosh.” She squeezed Rachel’s hand. “How are you, really?”
“Tired. Sore. Already fed up with being a captive audience for my overbearing family.”
“In other words, you’re back to your usual self.” Her grandmother sat back in her chair. “Just as I thought. It takes more than a homicidal maniac in a dress to get my granddaughter down. Now, where’s my tea?”
Rachel’s mother rolled her eyes at her, almost making Rachel laugh.
“Good, you’re awake.” Elle appeared in the doorway, dressed in what could only be called full Smurfette. She was blue and white from head to toe, and it actually hurt Rachel’s head to look at her.
“Did you bring sunglasses with you? Because whatever you’re wearing is painful to look at.”
“No. I brought cake.” Elle placed it on the table at the end of Rachel’s bed. “There was more, but I shared a cab with Ryan.”
As if hearing his name, he sauntered into the room and grinned at Rachel. “I told Elle it would take more than a near-drowning to kill off the Queen of the Damned.”
“Isn’t there a limit to how many people can visit at one time?” Rachel demanded. “Is no one policing this?”
“Oo,” her grandmother said, her eyes on Ryan. “If I were ten years younger, you’d be just my cup of tea. Speaking of which, could you chase down Harvard and find out where he is with my tea?”
“For a pretty lady like you, absolutely,” Ryan said before heading back out.
“I feel nauseous,” Rachel said.
“I’ll get the doctor.” Her mother jumped to her feet.
“Don’t bother,” Elle said. “It’s just Ryan sucking up to her grandmother that’s making her sick. After years of working with her, I’m fluent in Rachel-speak.”
“She’s awake,” Isobel shouted as she came into the room, carrying balloons. “We weren’t sure if you’d be awake or not.”
Callum came in after his wife. “I’m here under duress,” he growled.
At last, something they had in common. “So am I,” Rachel told him as she peered behind him.
“Don’t worry,” he said. “We didn’t bring the kids.”
“Yep.” Isobel handed her the balloons before picking up the cake box to peer inside. “We know you’re allergic to them. Can I eat this?”
“Be my guest,” Rachel said. “Ryan’s already been at it anyway.”
“Do you have a fork?” Isobel asked as she took the cake to the seat in the corner.
“This is a hospital room. Not a café. No, I don’t have a fork.” Honestly, this whole experience was agonizing.
“Rachel, stop being rude to your friends,” her mother said.
“They aren’t my friends,” she complained.
“Yes, we are,” said everyone except Callum.
“I like your friends,” her grandmother said. “They’re very entertaining. And the men are rather attractive.” She turned to Callum. “Is attractiveness a hiring requirement at Benson Security?”
“No.” He frowned at her.
Her grandmother just grinned at him, as though he was being funny.
“One tea,” Harvard said as he strode into the room, bringing yet more people with him.
“Good to see you conscious,” Lake said with a rare smile.
“You scared the crap out of me,” Harry told her as he wrapped his hand around the lump on the bed that was her foot and squeezed. “You even scared Magenta. She actually said she’s glad you made it.”
“A red-letter day,” Rachel said dryly as Sebastian elbowed his way into the room.
“You didn’t have to come all the way back from Borneo for this,” Rachel told him.
“Don’t be a pain in the arse,” he said before hugging her too.
“She can’t help it.” Jonathan took her hand, his eyes turning sad. “I can’t believe it was Samantha.”
“None of us can,” her mother said, hugging Jonathan.
“I can,” her grandmother said. “She always was a jealous little bitch.”
“Mother!”
“Gran!”
“Mary!” her father added, letting Rachel know he was back too.
“What?” Her gran shrugged. “You were all thinking it.”
“For the love of all things Prada, would everybody get out of my room?” Rachel shouted.
“No,” everybody shouted back.
Rachel narrowed her eyes at them. “I’m keeping track, and everyone who defies me now will suffer when I’m out of here.”
“And you say I’m a drama queen,” her gran muttered.
Epilogue 1
Two months later, Bangkok, Thailand
Harvard crept up the stairs of the apartment building in Thailand’s capital city and signaled to his team to wait. They froze in place, blending into the shadows as the person on the other side of the stairwell door passed by.
As soon as he was sure it was clear, he signaled to move forward. In formation, they passed the door and made their way along the corridor to the corner apartment.
Thanks to a local team that owed Harvard a favor, they already knew the exact layout of the apartment and the location of the two men within it. The surveillance equipment installed throughout the living areas kept them up to date on everything that was happening inside.
Which is how they knew that both men were sound asleep in their beds and alone for the first time in two weeks.
Silently, one of his team picked the lock of their front door, and Harvard signaled for them to slide inside. Working as a well-oiled machine, they cleared each room before splitting into two teams and heading to the bedrooms.
Less than a minute later, the men kneeled in the middle of their shared living room, hands tied in front of them and duct tape over their mouths. And, from the smell of things, one of them had already lost control of his bladder.
Harvard removed his mask and crouched in front of them. He reached into his tactical vest and pulled out two Polaroid photos, holding them up in front of their faces.
The other man’s bladder gave way.
As he got to his feet, he nodded at his team before pulling out his silenced revolver and shooting each man in the middle of the forehead. Once done, he turned his back on them and signaled for the surveillance equipment to be removed from the apartment. It took mere seconds to get it done. And only a few minutes more to get his team safely from the building.
As they climbed aboard the private plane waiting for them at a small airport outside the city, he sent the video file they’d recorded with their surveillance cameras to the local police.
Rachel wasn’t the last woman the men had raped.
In silence, his five-person team buckled in before the plane took off and headed back to London.
“Are you going to tell her?” Megan Raast asked.
The Scottish woman considered herself one of Rachel’s best friends. Which, as far as Harvard could tell, meant she spent most of her time trying to wind Rachel up.
“At some point,” he said.
Megan’s husband, Dimitri, nodded. He’d dealt with the man who’d abused his sister, and out of all of them, could most understand where Harvard was coming from.
“I vote no,�
�� Callum said. “There’s no telling how Rachel will react.”
Ryan barked out a laugh. “We all know how she’d react. She’ll have Harvard’s balls for not including her.”
“True,” Megan said with a smile.
Closing his eyes, Harvard settled into his seat and thought about the woman waiting for him back at home. In their new apartment. And their new bed—which didn’t have a pool above it.
Epilogue 2
Ten months later, Talbot House guesthouse, Surrey
“You can’t go in there.” Megan Raast folded her arms over her pale blue bridesmaid dress and glared at Harvard. “It’s bad luck to see the bride before the wedding.”
If it had been anyone else, he would have just picked them up and moved them. But if he did that to Megan, she’d most likely shoot him.
“I only want a quick word.”
“Tough.”
It had been worth a try. “You know those state-of-the-art night goggles you saw the CIA use in Lebanon? I can get you a pair.”
The Scot thought about it for all of ten seconds before tossing her blonde hair over her shoulder and stepping aside. “Five minutes. That’s all you get.”
“I only need two.”
Her lips curled. “Then I pity Rachel for marrying you.”
With a shake of his head, he entered the guest room in Rachel’s parent’s house, where his soon-to-be wife was getting ready. Or she should have been. Instead, she stood in front of the TV with the business channel on, glaring at the stock indexes.
“This is completely the wrong climate to take TayFor public,” their new CEO said with a frown. “Isn’t it bad luck for you to be in here?”
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