The Bad Boy

by Leah Vale

  Of course not.

  What would it change for him? Other than costing him a relationship with the only people in his life who’d ever really pursued having one with him?

  And it would cost him Sara.

  Just the thought left him gutted.

  As he looked into the pale, disbelieving eyes of Maddy Monroe, the truth suddenly became so clear to Cooper it made him light-headed. He’d rather start a Marcus McCoy fan club than hurt Sara Barnes more than he already had last night.

  Just as he’d rather have her love simply because he was a McCoy than not at all.

  Maddy Monroe narrowed her eyes at him. "Then what exactly did you want to tell me--anonymously--Mr. Anders?"

  He folded the envelope in half against his leg and tucked it into the back pocket of his slacks. "Something I know Joseph won’t publicize, but should be included in your coverage of his birthday party." Then he went on to recount how, when Joseph discovered

  they’d set new sales records during the grand openings of the latest batch of new stores, he’d immediately decided to add more charities to the already generous list receiving a percentage of the total sales.

  Cooper crossed his arms over his chest and raised a brow at her. "Does that sound like a demigod or the patriarch of a 'blighted bunch'?"

  She exhaled loudly. "Jeez, you look like that blasted brother of yours when you do that. And no, what he did doesn’t sound blighted at all. It’s classic Joseph McCoy." She grew thoughtful, pulling on her lip. "I can work with the humble philanthropist angle, I guess."

  He inclined his head. "I’m sure you can. Thank you for your time, and have a good day, Ms. Monroe. I’ll see you tomorrow night."

  She waived absently at him. "Yes, tomorrow night."

  He started to turn away.

  "Wait!" She stopped him. "Would you be willing to give me an interview about what it’s been like going from the big house--" she made quote marks with her fingers "--to The Big House?" She jerked her head toward the mansion.

  Cooper rubbed his hand over his face. "Maybe someday, Ms. Monroe. Maybe someday."

  He excused himself and walked quickly toward the carriage house, panic setting in. It was all he could do not to break into a run. He needed to find Sara.

  Hopefully, it wasn’t too late for him to go from a coward to the man who loved her.

  Hopefully, it wasn’t too late for them.

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN

  Cooper only barely refrained from breaking Sara’s door down when she didn’t answer his pounding knocks. As he braced his hands on either side of the doorframe, reason returned. This was Wednesday. A workday. Despite what had happened between them last night--maybe because of it--she’d be at work. Serving the McCoys to maintain her existence as she’d known it. To stay in control as best she could.

  Thinking how badly he’d wanted to destroy something so important to her made him ill. She had the right to be so devoted, he decided, recalling the photos she’d shown him. Now, if only he could convince her he no longer begrudged her her memories, that the fact that his pictures hung on a tavern wall no longer mattered.

  Only she mattered.

  Cooper barreled down the carriage-house stairs, rattling them the whole way. Not giving a rip anymore if he stirred someone’s curiosity, he ran back to the main house to get his truck keys from his suite. The news van was already gone, but he did have to dodge several of the caterer’s people to reach the upstairs. He startled Meg again, but didn’t take time to apologize as he snagged his keys and headed for the garages and his truck.

  He set a land-speed record getting to the office, noting that even though he screamed past at least two of Dependable’s finest, neither one came after him as they would have in the past.

  He snorted, taking the turn to the corporate headquarters so fast his truck tires squealed. As if his being their guest the night before he officially became a McCoy wasn’t the talk of local law enforcement.

  But for the first time Cooper was glad he was beginning to be known as a McCoy family member on sight. Whether it was Joseph’s choice or not, clearly the McCoys were above the law. Cooper would have to make a concerted effort not to abuse the fact. This, however, was an emergency.

  Cooper parked smack-dab in front of the impressive entrance of the main building and raced in, drawing more than the usual stares with his pace, as well as his lack of jacket and tie. He’d never noticed how many people he normally stopped and spoke to on his way through the expansive lobby until he was forced to rush past them.

  ·

  It was as if acknowledging and accepting his need for Sara had blown wide his ability to see the value of other things. McCoy Enterprises was a great place to work. He enjoyed the atmosphere, not to mention the job itself. It’d be even better without searching for negatives to exploit. He could easily be a silent partner with Ted.

  Another wall inside him came tumbling down as his place in the world grew clearer.

  Maybe this was the time for new beginnings.

  He didn’t wait for the doors of the elevator to open completely before slipping out and hurrying for Sara’s office.

  "Cooper!" Joseph stopped him.

  Cooper hadn’t noticed him standing next to Natalie’s desk. The normally cheery executive assistant looked as if her dog had died, and was doing a rotten job of holding back the tears glistening in her big doe eyes and reddening her nose.

  Joseph simply looked perplexed as he absently patted her shoulder. He appeared to have more experience dealing with people’s euphoria than comforting their grief.

  Despite Cooper’s urgency to talk to Sara, concern for Natalie drew him to her desk. She’d worked her tail off to be a good assistant to him while handling her usual duties for Sara.

  He shifted his gaze between the two. "What happened, Natalie?"

  Her chin quivered and the dam broke. She started crying in earnest.

  Joseph patted her shoulder harder while she blew her nose and answered Cooper’s question. "Sara quit."

  Surprise and horror knocked Cooper back a step. "She quit?"

  Joseph nodded. The wrinkles between his thick brows and around his mouth deepened as his expression turned speculative. "All she would say when she handed me this letter of resignation--" he held up a piece of paper "--was some nonsense about needing to provide him with proof. You wouldn’t be that him, by any chance, would you, grandson?"

  Cooper’s heart stalled, then soared when the implications of Sara’s words hit him. Thank God. Maybe he hadn’t lost her. The adrenaline that flooded his system this time was so much more potent it made him damn near light-headed.

  He nodded back. "I’m afraid I am...Grandfather." It was the first time Cooper had called Joseph that without tasting the bite of contempt. It felt right. Even good. Who would have thought?

  Joseph’s eyes glistened and his face glowed with pleasure. Apparently, the old guy had noticed Cooper’s avoidance of their connection. Making him happy felt good.

  Cooper gestured to the letter. "May I?" He held out a hand.

  Joseph blinked rapidly and raised himself up. "Only if you promise the only file it’ll go into is the round one."

  Cooper froze, thinking of the envelope in his back pocket. Like Brutus’s dagger, it cut both ways. He decided today was a day for clearing all sorts of air. "Speaking of files. sir..."

  Joseph met his gaze, his blue eyes once again clear and intent. "Yes?"

  Cooper pulled the envelope out of his pocket and unfolded it. "l came across some interesting ones in your den last night."

  The shadow of regret dimmed Joseph’s eyes. "That’s unfortunate."

  Compared with what the thought of losing Sara had done to his insides, the files no longer seemed that important. "Not particularly. I already knew most of the information they contained."

  "Ah." Joseph nodded as if everything fell into place for him. "Well, all I’ll say is do what you think is right, my boy."

  Once again, he heard Sa
ra’s words in his head. Joseph always does the right thing.

  Cooper handed the envelope to his grandfather in exchange for Sara’s letter of resignation. "I plan to as soon as I find a certain pretty lady." Holding up her letter, he vowed, "You have my word that Sara won’t miss a day of work. Except for our honeymoon and any future maternity leave."

  Natalie gasped and clapped her hands, brightening considerably.

  Joseph beamed. "l knew you were a smart one. I’ve always considered that girl a part of the family. Go make it a fact."

  "I’m sure she’d like to hear that straight from you, Grandfather."

  Joseph gave a negligent wave. "Oh, she knows how I feel."

  "She doesn’t, sir. That’s one of the reasons she works so hard." And never took off the anchor necklace Joseph had given her. She was that afraid of being set adrift. Something she’d never have to fear again if Cooper had his way.

  Joseph frowned, clearly appalled. "Then I’ve been remiss. Something else to see to tomorrow night." He shooed Cooper away. "Now go, before someone else hires her out from under us. That child is a valuable asset. To both the company and the family."

  While he certainly wasn’t capable of thinking of her as a child, Cooper couldn’t agree more. "Consider me gone. And don’t worry if you don’t happen to see me until the party." He winked at his grandfather and retraced his steps, double-time, wondering where Sara planned to present him with the proof of her love.

  And how he’d prove his love to her.

  BY THAT AFTERNOON Cooper was a mile past panic, unable to find Sara anywhere. She hadn’t been at the carriage house or helping with the party preparations. He’d even called Natalie on his cell phone and had her put Security to work searching the McCoy corporate campus for Sara.

  Wouldn’t you know it. The woman had dogged his every move for weeks, but when he absolutely needed her, she’d made herself scarce.

  In desperation, he headed back to his suite of rooms to think, cognizant of the fact that the memories they now contained would torture him and amp-up his need to find Sara. A repeat performance of their lovemaking would not be a bad thing at all. Only next time without the guilt. He hadn’t realized just how bone tired of all the guilt he’d been until he’d shrugged free of it.

  His heart started to pound with the prospect of not only making love to her again but moving on as he approached his door, though the taste of fear lingered in the back of his throat. lf he was misinterpreting Sara’s actions today and she wouldn’t have him after what he said to her in Joseph’s den...

  He gritted his teeth and opened his door. And found Sara sitting behind his desk. her sandaled feet propped up and her head back as if she were napping. Though her hair gleamed and was smoothly styled as though she’d showered, she still wore his dark-blue T—shirt, tied to one side at her waist, and her calf-length jeans.

  He froze in the doorway, torn between elation and frustration that she’d been in the one place he hadn’t considered a possibility.

  Without opening her eyes, Sara said, "‘Bout time you came back."

  Not certain what she was up to, Cooper fought to keep his voice as casual as hers. "l don’t tend to hang in my rooms on a workday."

  She opened her eyes and lifted her head, sending a baleful glance at all the office equipment on his desk. "Yeah, because you’d never be able to work here." She pulled her feet from the desk and sat up, her expression turning deadly grave. "Besides, I’d seriously doubted you’d go to the office today. Except to clean out your stuff, maybe."

  He nodded, hating what his anger must have done to her, and shut the door behind him. "I can see why you’d think that. Still doesn’t explain why you’re here." He surreptitiously locked the door. This was going to be one conversation he didn’t want Meg or any other of the house staff interrupting.

  She pushed herself to her feet and gripped her hands in front of her, a familiar, determined stance that reduced his heart to mush. He loved her so much he didn’t quite know how to deal with it.

  Nothing in his life had prepared him to love. Actually, just the opposite. His mother hadn’t been able to move on. His grandpa Ned had feared reprisal. And Cooper’s bad behavior had been a shield that protected him, the whole time inviting battering.

  Sara inhaled deeply, as if gathering her courage, then announced, "I’m here to fight for your love, Cooper."

  A staggering joy exploded in him and he laughed in relief.

  She hurried around the desk and extended a hand.

  "I know you believe love stinks, and I totally understand why. You didn’t grow up with the best examples. But I truly believe I can prove to you otherwise, Cooper. If you’ll let me."

  "By quitting the job y0u love more than anything."

  She paused and her eyes widened. "How did you know I’d quit?"

  He took a step closer to her, lighting the urge to snatch her up into his arms and show her exactly how much he loved her. There’d be time for that soon enough. "Because I did go to the office today, but not to clean my stuff out. I went looking for you. Joseph was outside your office, consoling Natalie, and he told me."

  Sara’s big green eyes clouded with concern. "Natalie was upset?"

  He reached out to rub her upper arms. "My first thought when I saw her was that her dog had died."

  "She doesn’t have a dog. She’s a cat person." she said absently. "Oh, my gosh. I had no idea she’d be so upset."

  "Why wouldn’t she? You’re wonderful. Sara. I’d never want to have to live without you."

  Her jaw dropped. "You--"

  "Have been a fool." He moved his hands up to cup her beautiful face in his hands. "There’s no need for you to fight for my love or prove anything to me." His heart swelled with his love for her until he could hardly breathe. He swallowed in an attempt to clear the emotion thickening in his throat. "I love you, Sara." His voice broke, anyway. "More than anything."

  Her chin started to quiver and he slipped his arms around her to pull her close, but she planted her hands on his chest and pushed back. "But what about..." She trailed off, appearing to loathe putting into words what had driven him since she'd met him.

  "My thirst for revenge?" He shook his head, amazed at how empty he’d been with only that rattling around inside of him, how empty he’d been before Sara had filled his heart with love. "Turned out revenge wasn’t what I was craving."

  He exhaled heavily, disgusted by the wasted time and emotion. Disgusted with himself. "I couldn’t bring myself to give the letter to that reporter who’s coming tomorrow night. I gave it to Joseph, instead, when I saw him outside your office. And he didn’t seem particularly upset I’d found the files."

  She gasped. "You’re kidding."

  "Nope. He also didn’t act like a man who’d just been busted. Leads me to believe he hadn’t had them as long as I’d thought."

  "Didn’t you ask him how long he’d known?"

  Cooper shook his head, finally feeling free of the destructive weight he’d lugged around for so long. "It doesn’t matter to me anymore. You helped me to see that it’s the man he is now that counts. And l believe he truly is happy to have me around."

  She closed the distance between them and wrapped her arms around him, squeezing tight. "He’s not the only one."

  He squeezed back as much as his love for her was squeezing his chest. "Who would have thought I’d discover what I needed all along smack-dab in the middle of the enemy’s camp?"

  She inched away, a worried look back on her face.

  He smiled softly in reassurance. "Only, the McCoys aren’t my enemy anymore. They’re my family."

  Relief washed over her beautiful face and knocked loose a big fat tear.

  Taking her hands in his, Cooper dropped to one knee. "Now it’s my turn to beg, Sara. Please say you’ll be the most important part of my family. Please say you’ll be my wife. I love you, Sara. I love you so much. I promise I’ll even change my name officially to McCoy for you. Just say yes.
"

  Tears of joy blurring her vision, Sara dropped to her knees and gripped Cooper’s strong thigh. "No."

  He jerked as if she’d hit him. "No?"

  She sniffed loudly. "Because that’s not what I want." She saw a muscle in his jaw flex so she rushed to explain. "All I want in the world is to love and be loved by a bad boy. The big-truck-driving, brawling-in-bars type. If you happen to know one, I’ll gladly marry him."

  Cooper threw back his head and laughed, then swept her up into his arms in a crushing embrace.