“Stay away from her!”
“She’s old enough to make her own decisions!” Nathan had never sounded as angry.
“I was telling you, not her.”
“She’s obviously too good and too kind for her own good. That’s why I’m telling you.” Leo took a menacing step towards the other man. “Isn’t it enough you’ve broken her heart? And let me remind you, you’re the one who let her go?”
Nathan wasn’t backing down. “I gave you five minutes last time, can you at least give me the same courtesy?”
The tone of Nathan’s voice made her almost run to him and hug him. If he asked her another time, or he even as much as hold her again, she was certain she would break down and give him another chance, a chance that wouldn’t be good for her heart. Even though her heart knew where its dreams lay.
She knew this time, though, she needed to follow her mind. Her heart had cost her too much.
Nathan’s eyes searched her face. “Is this the man who will make you happy?”
She gasped, shocked. Slowly, she lowered her head but remained silent. Nathan truly had no idea she could only be her happiest when she was with him. But she was afraid. If she opened her mouth, she was certain to sob like a baby.
Two hard grips suddenly grabbed Nathan by the lapels. Leo’s grey eyes flashed in anger.
“Just go back to the ballroom, Cromwell, and leave Darcey alone.”
“Who do you think you are? Do you even have the right to warn me?” Nathan pushed him back. Hard. Leo took a step back and Nathan grabbed his lapels.
“Nathan, don’t!” She made an attempt to wedge herself between the two men.
Nathan immediately released Leo.
She shook her head. “Please, Nate, Leo, please come—“
Leo wasn’t done. With a deep voice and his back straight, he stood a few inches taller than Nathan. The warmth on his face, an expression Darcey learned was his true nature, was gone. On his features was written Leo Cromwell, the eldest son of one of England’s wealthiest families. Leo, the formidable businessman. He took another step towards Nathan.
“Ask her, but do you think you still possess that right, Cromwell? Because I know whatever you had with Darcey is long over. You weren’t there when she was crying, when she was down in the pits. But I was there for her when you broke her heart, that gives me the right.”
Nathan was suddenly speechless. There was truth to the other man’s words.
“I let you get away with a dance because I’m sure you need to do some charity work and, according to the financial reports I easily have access to, you have inherited a huge fortune to spare. But when it comes to Darcey, I’m never sending her back to you. In fact, tonight, I asked her to be my girlfriend. Maybe there’s a good reason why you aren’t together. There’s no innocent one in a game meant for two. Don’t blame your flopped relationship on her because, from where I’m standing, you don’t look so perfect yourself.”
Nathan’s reply came in softly, but with the firmness of a man on a mission. “Which part of you is better than me, Warwick? Is this about wealth? Are you wealthier? Because I know Darcey isn’t impressed by wealth and status, even if my financial report would trump yours.”
He threw Darcey a glance. She was too stunned to speak. How could she stop this?
Nathan went on. “Are you smarter? Because all I know is you work for your family’s company, where it’s probably not too difficult to land a promotion. I started my own company with my own hard-earned money. Don’t believe everything you read. I haven’t yet inherited a cent!”
Leo didn’t look the least bit impressed, nor intimidated. He approached Nathan closer with a strength Darcey had never seen before. He was about three inches taller than Nathan, his arms crossed across his chest. A soft laugh escaped his lips. “You know, Nathan, fine. You can be better than me in everything. Go ahead, be smarter and richer. It won’t matter, because she’s with me and not with you. You were foolish enough to let her get away and I’m willing to fight for her, no matter what it takes.”
She couldn’t believe what she was hearing. Leo’s angry face softened as he turned to glance her way. His stunning eyes stayed on her face while he continued to speak to Nathan.
“You had something precious, rare and beautiful. And you let it go. I should be sorry for you, but I’m not. Your lost is my gain”
Nathan’s voice shook with barely contained rage. “That’s where you’re wrong. She may be with you, and yes, and I even won that Emin piece in Tokyo, and even won the dance with her tonight. But to me, she isn’t something to be traded, owned or acquired. To me, she is more precious than anything I possess, and I let her go because I –- against my better judgement, I still—“
“Darcey!” Trisha’s shrill voice filled her with dread. The beautiful blonde appeared next to her. “There you are, I’ve been looking all over for you. Oh, Darcey, it’s awful!”
The ever calm Trisha had streaks of tears on her face.
Darcey’s heart almost stopped. It must be bad if Trisha could lose her cool. “What? What is it? Tell me!”
“It’s Luis!” Trisha sobbed. Leo immediately handed her a handkerchief, which she took without protest.
“What?” came Nathan’s worried voice.
“What’s wrong? Please tell me he’s fine!” Darcey braced herself. Could the night get any worse?
Trisha managed to compose herself just enough to reply, “They arrested him! He’s gone! They took him.”
“What?!” Three voices replied in perfect unison.
Trisha wiped more tears away, her once pristine makeup had come undone. “I don’t know the details. I don’t know why.” She turned to Leo. “Matt called your family lawyer and I called mine as well.”
A group of people arrived, worried faces everywhere. Matt was one of them, he pulled Trisha towards his chest. “Trisha, there, there, darling.”
Darcey’s head began to spin.
How can I help! What should I do? Oh, Luis!
“Darcey.” Mr. Matsuhisa came towards her. “Darcey, we need to help Luis. He’s innocent. Mr. Cromwell, you need to help us out.”
Nathan nodded. “Yes, yes, of course. Got any ideas?”
“Me, too,” Leo said.
“What? Why would Nathan, I mean, Mr. Cromwell help us? Or Mr. Warwick,” Darcey retorted.
She felt angry. If the two men wanted to act like little boys, now wasn’t the time. More than anything, they both infuriated her at that point.
Mr. Matsuhisa bowed deeply. “Gomenasai. But, I don’t understand, Darcey-san. Hasn’t Mr. Cromwell told you?”
She quickly turned to Nathan. He stared back at her with an expression she couldn’t quite understand. It appeared to be a mixture of guilt and hope.
Mr. Matsuhisa continued. “As of yesterday, Mr. Cromwell is the owner of The Suite Life. Sumimasen, please excuse me. My phone, my phone is ringing. It might be one of the lawyers.” He walked away from the group with quick steps.
She felt even more bewildered. “As far as I know, it wasn’t the Cromwell Group of Companies, nor C’est La Vie who bought us. It would have been in the news if so.”
A name immediately entered her mind. How could she not have known?
“James Anderson?” Her voice trailed as she said the name. “Anderson!” Her heart beat faster.
She should have known.
Nathan nodded. “James Anderson is my grandfather and I am his heir.”
She felt shocked and anxiety. This time, she allowed the tears to fall. She felt betrayed.
“You are a top class, Nate. How could you do this? I’ve resigned from C’est La Vie. Now you own the new company? What makes you think, how could that distorted mind of yours—I mean, how could you believe I would be thanking my lucky stars I’m to work under you again?”
His eyes were bewildered. “Darcey, please, if you give me time, I can explain the situation.”
“Is this another of your game? Where do you come o
ff? Where do you draw the line?”
Leo shook his head slowly. He watched Nathan with wary eyes. “You are an even more ruthless businessman than I am. First, you send her to a pack of wolves in the Cromwell Group, with your mother as her boss, eating her alive. Then, just as she has escaped, you corner her using your grandfather’s company.”
Penetrating blue eyes challenged Leo with a burning intensity. “Don’t pretend you understand, Warwick. You and I aren’t cut from the same type.” Nathan turned to Darcey, his face immediately softening. “Can we please talk? Just the two of us? I want to explain and you owe me at least this. This is all a big misunderstanding. Allow me to explain and say the things I’ve been wanting to say.”
She couldn’t believe it. After all that talk about her not being a possession. He wanted to own her. And he was using his family’s money to control even her own career.
“I don’t owe you anything, Nathan. I truly thought you were a different man. You’re right, you and Leo aren’t the same. Because you’re a grade A asshole!”
He took a step back. He looked like she had just slapped him. She almost wanted to take her words back but anguish filled her mind.
The thought of Luis in jail was too much to bear. He wouldn’t last a day. And now this!
A grim line took form on Nathan’s mouth. “Thank you for telling me exactly how you feel then. Thank you for your honest opinion of me. At least you saved me from a lifetime of unhappiness.”
He immediately placed both hands in his trouser pockets. His fingers felt the familiar item inside.
The red velvet box.
He spoke with care, unwilling to hurt her any more than he already had. “Thank you for saving me from making the biggest mistake of my life. For opening my eyes to the real you, to what you truly feel about me.” The sadness was overwhelming. “And, here I was, thinking you knew me better than I knew myself.”
Her brown eyes stared at back at him. Anger. Confusion. Worry. It was all on her face. Yet how she glowed.
He went on. “As you have clearly made a choice, Darcey--” his voice betrayed the emotions he fought to mash. He flicked Leo a death stare. At least the other man had the decency to look embarrassed for once. Nathan’s eyes returned to Darcey. “And I get it, you’re over me. You want nothing to do with me. You made me feel like the biggest fool. You couldn’t even give me five minutes to explain. I’ve had enough of this, too. I have given you more than I have given anyone. I’ve bared myself to you more than I’ve had to anyone. I never--“
He stopped. The grim reality was setting in. She didn’t want him. She had Leo Warwick. Could he blame her for losing interest? His fists clenched inside his pockets. If only there was something to break. Something that wouldn’t land him in jail.
God help, Luis.
Nathan’s voice took on a sombre tone. He sounded like a stranger, even to his own ears. “But tough choice. The news you received is correct. I am your new boss. Unless you want to run away from me and submit another resignation letter, you and I are stuck together. I don’t see any reason to worry, however. Since you’re clearly in love with Leo and you made it clear how little you think of me, then working with me shouldn’t be a problem. Would it, Miss Darcey Vaughn?” He clenched his fists. It took every nerve in his body to keep him from punching Leo and shaking some sense into Darcey.
“This isn’t about you, Nathan!” she retorted with vehemence. “Luis. He needs us! How could you even make this—“
She was ready to give him the sharpest side of her tongue, ready to show him how she could take him on and be the woman she had always wanted to be. But before she could continue with her tirade, a flicker of deep red caught her eye.
Nathan’s beautiful eyes were suddenly filled with both surprise and bewilderment.
As he had pulled his angry, clenched fists out of his pockets, the velvet box that held the precious jewelry popped out. With a tumble, it landed on the ground where it rolled. It did cartwheels, as if in slow motion.
And there, between everyone’s feet, the box opened to reveal its sparkling brilliant secret.
To be continued...
Be Mine Forever_Darcey's_Book 2 Page 22