It clicked now. Suddenly, it made sense, and what Harrison felt was relief – sweet, stupendous relief.
“Smuggling. Your father wanted to use the company for smuggling.”
“Everything is ethical! Laws and rules are made by the powerful, for the powerful, to keep the power away from others. My father was the powerful. He made the rules. He made the laws. Now I make them. You are worth nothing. This will be the end of you.”
Harrison took a small step forward. Jonathan barely noticed. He looked like the gun would go off on its own, his hand was shaking so much.
“Jonathan, put the gun away. We can talk about this. We can make reparation. We can share in the legacy that our fathers created together.”
“Share!” shrieked Jonathan.
“No! No sharing! Mine! If I can’t have it, I’ll burn it all! My virus will burn everything, leave all your games, all your programs and apps, everything in ashes. Nobody will be able to put it together again. It will all be gone. Gone! And now… And now, I’ll make sure you’re gone, wiped without a trace from the world.”
“No. You can’t do that.”
“Of course I can. I will. Any last words, Harrison?”
Harrison took another step forward. Now, with a well-timed leap, he could probably get the gun, and he would just pray that if it went off, it wouldn’t hit him anywhere where it would be fatal.
That would, he decided, be a reasonably good outcome. Leigh was going to be so angry with him. She had every right to be angry with him.
“You can’t wipe me out, Jonathan. You can’t wipe my legacy out. It’s too late for that.”
“What? What are you talking about? The fear of impending death has addled your brain. There’s nothing after that. You will be gone. There will be nothing left.”
Harrison shook his head.
“No. There will be everything left. There will be, because Leigh carries my child, and everything I’ve done will be my child’s legacy. My child will have it all. None of your booby traps will work because I flamed your virus. It won’t work. It’s over, Jonathan. Do you hear me? It’s over.”
“No!” shrieked Jonathan.
Harrison felt like time was slowing down. He leaped, and it felt like he was in the air forever before he managed to hit Jonathan’s arm, sending the gun flying from his hand. He heard the crack of the shot, and swore he could see the bullet hit the wall, ricochet and head towards them. The momentum carried them through, but he felt the slight burn, on his arm.
Blood, he realized. There was blood. He rolled, bringing his knee up, and his fist made solid connection with Jonathan’s chin.
He saw Jonathan’s eyes roll back, and felt him go limp. Not taking any chances, Harrison turned him over and saw that the bullet had nicked both their arms. It didn’t look too bad.
Still…
He nearly shrieked like Jonathan had as the door burst open.
“This is the police! Put down your weapons!”
Harrison raised his arms and found that they wouldn’t go all the way up. They felt too heavy.
“We have gunshot wounds. I need an ambulance.”
The office rattled off an address, and came closer.
“Harrison Bloom, I’ll have medics here soon. This is Jonathan Glades. Neither seem to be seriously injured. They’ll live.”
“Officer O’Donnell,” murmured Harrison.
“Yes, and you win the prize idiot of the year award. Coming here after a criminal who wanted to destroy you – you’re supposed to be a smart man, aren’t you? Well, you sure don’t act like one. If your wife hadn’t happened to have a whole lot more sense than you did, you’d be in so much trouble. And you’d better thank Darius, too. He wiped your traces, as well. Unofficially.”
“Where’s Leigh?”
“On her way over here. Now take my advice and keep your mouth shut. She’s your lawyer. Do as she says.”
Harrison took the advice, recognizing it to be perfectly sound, and kept his mouth shut, until Leigh got there.
Then he kept his mouth shut for a while longer while Leigh yelled at him, furious at having done something so utterly stupid.
But Harrison didn’t care. All he felt was relief – relief that it was over, relief that his parents hadn’t been particularly bad people or criminals, relief that Leigh was safe, that their child was safe.
He tried to make a few macho noises about not needing a hospital, but a searing look from Leigh took care of that. He went to the hospital, and manfully, with only a few winces, dealt with the stitches that the doctor declared he needed.
It was late by the time he got home, and Leigh was, thankfully, too exhausted to yell at him anymore. But when they were alone, and she turned to him, he saw what he hadn’t wanted to see until then – he saw the hurt.
“Leigh, I’m sorry.”
Leigh sniffled a little, but she was tired – so tired. She could hardly stay on her feet, forget stay angry.
“Harrison, you put yourself at risk. It’s not just about you anymore. It’s about both of us – and it’s about our child, inside me.”
Harrison nodded, more ashamed of himself than he could’ve believed possible.
“I know. I know that. I acted like an idiot – like a selfish idiot. I have no excuse. I’m so sorry, Leigh.
Sighing, Leigh sat on the bed, kicked off her shoes and looked at him.
“Why did you do it?”
“I needed to know the truth – about my parents. About myself. I needed to know. Once he was arrested and the lawyers got involved, I wouldn’t have the chance to talk to him, or hear what he had to say.”
“And you thought he would tell you the truth? He is unstable. I found that he had been in a psychiatric institution for about five years. He had stopped taking his medication. His mind had been warped, Harrison. His mother died a few years ago. She had filled him with poison about you – everything about you. She was the one who sent that email to Martha.”
Harrison nodded.
“I think he did tell the truth. I don’t think he felt he had any reason to lie, because he believed that the truth put him in the right. I… I didn’t think I’d be putting myself in actual danger. I’d run a check for gun licenses and come up with nothing.”
Leigh looked at him in sheer disbelief.
“I know, I hear how that sounds, too. But… Well, I can only say I’m sorry, Leigh. Will you forgive me?”
Leigh sighed.
“I love you, Harrison. That means that I have to forgive you. But you have to promise me that you’ll never do anything of the sort again – ever again. Promise me that.”
Harrison nodded gravely.
“I know. I promise, I will try to be better.”
He saw the look on her face.
“I will be better,” he hastily clarified.
“All right,” said Leigh, as if it was that simple.
And to her, it was that simple.
Those moments when she had wondered if she would lose Harrison for good had been the scariest of her life. She had frantically called Portia, and Detective Mendez for good measure. She had also called Don, and made sure that if the police wouldn’t do it, then it would be done privately.
In the end, Portia had listened, believed her, and managed to get the cavalry to go charging in – thanks, in part, to the phone call Darius made anonymously to 911, about gunshots being heard from that apartment.
Leigh explained it all to Harrison, who listened in obvious admiration.
“Wow, you really are good at this.”
Leigh managed a wan smile.
“I am, I think. Now, the baby needs some sleep.”
“Yes. So do I, and you. A bath, I think, and then sleep.”
Leigh nodded. Harrison all but carried her to the warm bath – even bubbles, even if it was lavender scented – and got in with her.
Even her pregnancy-hormones couldn’t get her stirred up enough to do anything more than lean against him, relieved that
he was there with her, in one piece.
Harrison toweled her dry, and tucked her in bed. He joined her, holding her close, and knew that he was the luckiest man alive. And he would leave his child a legacy of which they could be proud.
He made that promise, to all three of them, as they lay there, finally with no clouds hanging over them.
Leigh was on the table, which wasn’t too uncomfortable. The slipper goop on the scanner wasn’t too bad, either, it was just cold.
“Are you all right?”
Harrison looked like he might faint.
“It’s just an ultrasound scan, it’s not delivery,” she pointed out, wondering what Harrison would be like during the delivery, at this rate.
“There’s nothing to worry about. Here, everything seems perfectly normal. All great. And… Do you want to hear the baby’s heartbeat?”
Leigh’s eyes widened and met Harrison’s. He took her hand, squeezing it almost too tight.
“Yes!” they chorused.
The sound of their baby’s heart, loud and strong, filled the room, and they were filled with wonder.
“Now, ready for a surprise?” asked the technician.
The couple turned to her.
“You’re having twins,” she informed, and was surprised to find Leigh and Harrison hooting with laughter.
“It worked!” claimed Harrison, and Leigh couldn’t find a way to contradict him.
Did it matter?
“I love you,” he whispered, and kissed her, right there, so softly.
No, decided Leigh, it didn’t matter.
They were safe. They were together.
Nothing would tear them apart.
She knew that, and was filled with contentment as they went home – their home, where all the people they loved, their family –the entire motley crew, including Hana, Emily, Darius, Roger, Mia and the baby – were waiting to celebrate with them.
They would celebrate life, and love. And they would live happily ever after. That was Leigh’s vow. She knew she would make it happen.
The end.
Enjoyed that? Then check out the previous parts to the Harrison and Leigh trilogy: part 2 - Being Harrison Bloom's Girl by Ellie Etienne (part 1 below too):
Description:
A sexy billionaire romance by Ellie Etienne of BWWM Club. Features another free bonus book.
Stepping out of the working world, Leigh’s following her dreams and going to law school.
That means being away from her family, but it also means being away from her adopted billionaire brother Harrison.
And there’s just one thing - they’re in love.
The tabloids and trashy magazines are having a field day, as while Leigh and Harrison are of different races and share no blood, they still grew up together.
With all the pressure she’s facing, Leigh feel it’s time to get some space.
Harrison on the other hand feels the opposite, pulling closer, a strong desire to marry the love of his life.
But Leigh wants to be more than just ‘Harrison Bloom's Girl’.
With them both wanting such different things, can they make this relationship work?
Or will it all end in disaster?
Find out in this red hot yet touching romance by Ellie Etienne of BWWM Club.
Suitable for over 18s only due to sizzling X-rated sex scenes.
Want to read more? Then click here to get Being Harrison Bloom's Girl now.
And
Part 1 - This Was Meant To Be by Ellie Etienne:
*
Uncovered
A sexy, revealing romance for adults
An exciting and sexy romance story for adults!
Adele is a successful associate lawyer at a great law firm.
Her success has nothing to do with her sleeping with one of the partners, but it’s certainly a nice bonus.
However, her oh so comfortable life is about to change!
When Adele is put on a tough case involving medical fraud, she's required to pretend to be married to Dan.
Dan is a handsome investigator who works for the firm.
But despite his good looks, she's never really got on with him; he's just too immature.
That said, the more time they spend together on the case, the more she realizes there's something about him she could really grow to like.
But will they have time to explore a relationship with all the drama of their new case?
Find out in this emotional and racy fake marriage romance.
Contents
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 1
Muffled buzzing disturbed the perfect silence of the grand living room. At first, Adele thought it to be her cell phone, but when she opened her eyes she saw the automated curtains slowly opening and letting in bright morning sunshine. Shifting on the couch, she observed the glorious view of the Central Park and the Upper West Side beyond it. She decided to spend some more time under the blanket, just until the curtains ran their course. It bought her about thirty seconds, and then her cell phone did start buzzing, the sound of the alarm getting progressively louder. She switched it off.
A helicopter flew by behind the floor-to-ceiling windows, too close for comfort. Civilian flights were prohibited in the Manhattan area, for obvious reasons, but in the best tradition of capitalism, if you had enough money and influence, you got a free pass.
Adele sat up on the couch and stretched. Alone in the huge room, she listened to the sounds of the apartment. There were none. It was odd, sleeping on the couch, but Neil had a thing about that. They hooked up regularly, and had sex on almost every flat surface in the loft, yet when it came to actual sleeping, Neil insisted they did that separately – he would take the enormous bedroom, naturally, while she would crash on the couch. It was weird the first time, but the sex was amazing, and the view was even better, so to Adele it was worth it. Besides, in a way, it was for the best; she never grew attached to Neil. Their relationship was mostly sexual, and a good one at that, which helped her focus on her career.
She was a junior associate at one of the biggest law firms in town, and that came with a plethora of responsibilities, and required working, at times, sixteen hours a day. Adele loved it.
That’s why she hopped off her sleeping place and hustled to the bathroom, wearing only Neil’s shirt, which was too big a size and loose on her shoulders. It smelled of his cologne, expensive and sweet, just like Neil himself. It was ten to seven in the morning, and the roads promised to be packed this Monday morning. The previous night Adele shared a bottle of Pinot grigio with Neil, and now her head was letting her have the repercussions. She refreshed her makeup just a tad and brushed her teeth.
When she returned to the room, Neil was already up and cooking them breakfast, wearing suit pants and a white singlet. And he was pulling the look off well – he was older than Adele, but in great shape, which was a big part of his appeal. His hair, soon to be neatly brushed back, was currently a mess, but he looked lively.
“You’re up early today,” she said, coming over. They kissed, his hand momentarily curved around her waist.
“Figured I’d help you get a jump on the week. It looks to be a busy one.”
“Isn’t it always?”
“Fair enough.”
“So, what’s for breakfast? Mind you, I have fifteen minutes, tops.”
She made a quick run to the couch to pick up her clothes, and returned to sit at the kitchen counter opposite him. She got dressed as he spoke.
“Eggs, soft-boiled, bacon, crispy, a gallon of coffee. Works?”
“Classic,” she said, her mouth getting wet.
Before food, Neil handed her a tall glass of water and two aspirin pills. Apart from the sleeping arrangement, Neil was always a gentleman that way and
took good care of her. Adele downed the pills and felt better already. There wasn’t much time to sit around. She ate fast and then finished getting dressed, while Neil savored his meal. He poured her a cup of coffee, and she gulped that, too. She had half an hour to get to the office, and it would be better to get there even earlier – junior associates had to demonstrate selfless dedication. That said, it wasn’t a strict demand, but rather a tradition, which meant there was still some time.
Adele gave Neil a look. A smile touched his lips, but then he looked down at his wristwatch.
“I hear associates need to be on time.”
He shut her down! Probably for the best, Adele reasoned. Neil had a point.
“Very well, Mr. Right!” She buttoned up her blouse and slid off the stool.
“Want to take the car?” he asked. “It’ll get you there in ten.”
She always refused but he always asked anyway.
“I’ll catch a cab, thanks. Associates aren’t known to be arriving in the back of a BMW.”
She gave him a quick kiss and headed out. It was seven-oh-five. Sure enough, it took her a few minutes to wave down an empty cab, only to immediately get stuck in traffic. Adele wasted no time and made some calls. There was a witness waiting to be convinced to show up at a court hearing (success), and some dirt to be dug up on the prosecutor (limited success). Such things were tough to do over the phone, but she managed some progress. Of course, she would need to talk to her contacts personally, shake some hands, give a few flirtatious smiles, perhaps, intimidate an assistant or two…There were several other cases to work on, and at times it felt like too much. Right now, however, her main concern was getting to the office on time.
Curry, Radcliffe & Associates was the top firm in the city, handling corporate cases as well as smaller, private disputes (the latter ones more often than not were assigned to Adele and her peers). The firm had over ten years of experience to back up its reputation, and, as luck would have it, one of the founding partners, Megan Curry was a life-long friend of Adele’s mother. So, once Adele had passed her LSAT – with flying colors, too, scoring 174 out of the possible 180 points – it was a no-brainer to turn to Megan for help. It wasn’t just a favor, however, as Adele was told during the interview. She had graduated top of her class from Harvard Law School and had outstanding recommendation from her curators during the time she was a clerk there. The fact that she was an African-American woman only added to her resume – people noticed such things, even if they didn’t admit that. She was accepted to the firm with a huge upfront bonus that covered a small portion of her student debt, but the job was hers with all its opportunities. It didn’t hurt that Adele reported directly to Megan, which meant she got the most interesting cases and got guidance of the highest quality.
Our Happily Ever After: BWWM Interracial Romance Black Women White Men (That Forbidden Love Book 3) Page 14