I stood there in the hallway, tears welling up in my eyes, staring at him standing in the doorway. I couldn’t move or speak and had no idea how I was supposed to even hear what he had to say. I had protected myself for so long, and in the blink of an eye, I screwed it all up by falling in love with someone that I didn’t even feel like I knew anymore. I didn’t know what to do.
Chapter Nineteen
Nathan
When she left, I knew that I needed to give her time to calm down, so I waited until she had collected her things from the penthouse, and then gathered my stuff. I could tell, as soon as Chris saw how upset I was, he felt awful. I wasn’t going to beat him up, he wasn’t the one who was truly at fault. If I hadn’t lied to her in the first place, none of it would be an issue. Chris had the plane chartered and ready to go by the time we got there, and we took off within minutes. I knew I would have about an hour on her, even though we had to stop before leaving and finish fueling. Either way, I figured I would get to her house around the same time she did. I knew she didn’t want to talk to me, but I was panicking. I couldn’t let Ruby go, especially not over something like that.
I spent the entire plane ride staring out the window, watching the day turn into night, and back into day. My head was spinning through everything I wanted to say to Ruby, concocting the perfect speech, and knowing how I needed to handle it. All the preparation in the world was not going to help me get through the wall I instantly saw come up when she realized why we were in India in the first place. It was a bit of a surprise to me that she acted so passionately, but that was Ruby, a passionate woman that stood up for what she believed up no matter who she was facing.
When we landed, I jumped in the car and headed straight over to Ruby’s house. That was where I was standing at that moment, in her doorway, staring at her as she stared back at me. She looked utterly distraught, totally heartbroken, and pissed as hell. I guess the nineteen-hour trip back wasn’t as calming as I hoped it would be. I suppose if I had to spend that much time on a commercial flight in coach I’d probably be agitated too. I needed to start talking, and hope that she listened to what I had to say.
I stepped forward into the house and closed the door behind me. I looked at Ruby standing there in the hall, and I just wanted to put my arms around her. However, with the look on her face, I had stepped as far as I was going to get into the house.
“Ruby,” I said putting my hands up. “I want to explain. Let me explain.”
“Fine,” she said crossing her arms. “Talk.”
“When I created Pope Financials I had a vision,” I began. “I wanted a financial institution that people could trust. I wanted a company that would help boost the economy. I wanted to run it like I wanted to run it, and I never wanted to be part of corporate America. When the company exploded on the market, I had no choice but to open a little to the idea of corporate mindset, but I fought it every step of the way. I want to expand, to take my services to other countries, but it is extremely expensive. Chris has been pushing the idea of outsourcing on me for months, and I have pushed it off repeatedly. Finally, when he came to me with the idea of me seeing the factories for myself, I agreed, knowing that at least when I turned him down, he knew I made the decision based on facts and reality not only my own thoughts and feelings. So, before the tour was even over I had already decided that outsourcing was not going to work for Pope, even if that meant expanding wasn’t possible for a long time.”
“I don’t understand why you would even consider it,” she said.
“I didn’t,” I replied. “But as the CEO of the company I had the duty to look at the information I was given and make an informed decision. I wanted to say no from the beginning, but I needed to have a backup and reasoning as to why I was saying no. I had to play politics with my shareholders so I could get what I wanted without looking dismissive or flighty. On top of all of that, I had no idea you were this passionate about the subject. I would have never taken you there if I had known. I am not interested in outsourcing, and I would never make a choice that would force me to give up my relationship with you. Money is not worth sacrificing happiness.”
“Money is what makes the world go around,” she said shaking her head. “I just don’t know how I am supposed to believe you. I feel like I don’t know who you are. I have seen this Nathan that no one else seems to have ever experienced and now with this, it makes me feel like no one has experienced him because it’s not the real you after all. I feel like I got played hardcore and I can’t figure out why. I can’t do anything for you that you can’t do yourself. I don’t understand Nathan, please help me understand.”
I stood there for a moment thinking about the right thing to say, knowing in the back of my mind what needed to be revealed. I was nervous, not just about losing Ruby, but being hurt so bad that I went back into my recluse stage, never letting anyone in, and turning my life into nothing but work. I wanted so bad to fix this, but I knew I had to make the right choice in what I was about to say. She deserved for me to be open and honest with her, not shielded by my own fear. I took in a deep breath and stepped forward.
“No one else has seen me this way for a reason,” I said.
“Yeah? And what reason would that be?”
“I love you, Ruby,” I said.
She stood there staring at me, her arms loosening and falling to her side. I could see her anger begin to melt away, but she also was watching my face, trying to figure out if I was telling the truth. It was the first time I had ever told her I loved her. I knew for a couple weeks those feelings were there, but I was scared to admit them out loud. I was afraid if I said them to her, everything would change. I was scared she didn’t feel the same way, and the last thing I wanted was to scare her away before she had the chance to feel the same way about me. However, the moment she ran off, leaving me in India with Chris, I knew I had to suck up that fear and tell her how I felt. I knew that if I didn’t, if I held it in and never said it, and she decided not to see me anymore, I would regret it for the rest of my life.
“Ruby, I’ve been in love with you for a while,” I said. “You’ve made me a better man, a more open man, a man that wants to see the sunshine now and not just be locked away in the top floor of my office. I want to travel and see the world, and I want to do it all by your side. I messed up, and I didn’t tell you about the outsourcing thing because I think in the back of my mind I knew you would be upset and that terrified me. I don’t know why I didn’t tell you that I wasn’t interested and was doing it for show, but I didn’t, and I can’t take that back. The man you know is the real me, not some made up person for you. The main point to all of this is I love you a thousand times, I love you.”
She stood there with her head tilted to the side for several moments before she began to walk toward me. She stood close to my body staring deep into my eyes, tears collecting in the corners of hers and slowly trickling down her cheeks. My heart was racing, wondering what she was thinking, what she was feeling, but all I could do was stand there and wait. It felt like an eternity, a million hours of just standing and waiting for someone else to decide my fate. She cleared her throat as her face softened and she reached out, grabbing my hand.
“I love you too, Nathan,” she said.
I waited for the “but,” and it never came. Ruby leaned in and pressed her lips firmly against mine, and I smiled, feeling how much she meant it. This was the love of my life, I already knew it.
Epilogue
Ruby
It had been a year since Nathan had stood in my doorway and told me he loved me. That day had changed my life in ways I couldn’t have anticipated. When he said those three words, it was like everything I thought I knew about myself and about him changed and for the better. I realized that the man I knew was the real Nathan, the one he never let anyone see because he was afraid they would turn their backs on him. He was the man I had been looking for my entire life, and I didn’t know it until that minute.
Sinc
e that day things got better and better and after spending so many days and nights at his apartment in The Avalon, he asked me to move in permanently. I couldn’t have imagined anything more perfect, and I immediately said yes. We put my house on the market, and it sold quickly, giving me just enough time to get my things and move out. We redecorated the apartment and brought both of our tastes into one space. That routine we had settled into after just a month, blossomed and evolved to the point where we were our own little family. We rarely ate dinner out after that, making sure that we cooked at home and spent quality time together. I told him about the organization against outsourcing and all the protests I had been involved with. He immediately made a significant donation to us, helping us take our concerns all the way to Washington. There was a long road ahead for the cause, but I felt so much more optimistic with Nathan behind me.
As far as Pope Financials was concerned, Nathan went to work creating a plan to expand without outsourcing. He explained to the board why he felt it was the best way, and to his surprise, they all agreed. They wanted to see the expansion, and they had joined his team because they believed in his moral approach to business, something that was pretty much extinct in the industry. They started the project, Chris heading it up, and in the next month or two they will be opening their first office in London. Everything he wanted to do with his company was happening and he felt good about his choices because they were on his terms.
I stood there in the mirror, staring at myself, and admiring the beautiful diamond necklace he had given me just a couple weeks before. Nathan walked up behind me, and I smiled, feeling him grab the zipper of my dress and pull it all the way up. He leaned over and kissed my neck, sending shivers down my spine. He was taking me to dinner for our one-year anniversary, something that I had been looking forward to all week. He hadn’t told me where we were going, but I knew wherever it was we would have a delightful, intimate time.
I grabbed my shawl and followed Nathan from the apartment, riding the elevator down to the lobby and smiling sweetly at George as we passed. He had been the biggest cheerleader for me when I first moved into The Avalon and was trying to get used to all the wealthy people that were judging me on a daily basis. After a few weeks, though, they figured out who I was, and they left me alone. Turns out Nathan Pope is known as a very powerful man, even if he thought that was preposterous. I guess money still equates to power, just another thing that drove me nuts about society.
We hopped in the limo and headed out into the city, staring out at all the lights. I loved New York at night time, it was always so beautiful. The people, the giant buildings, and the sounds of the city made me feel like I was where I was supposed to be. After a few minutes we pulled up out front of the restaurant and he smiled, knowing he had picked one that I had been eager to try. It was the Public, and little did I know when we arrived, but Nathan had rented out the entire roof for our dinner. He continually spoiled me with such lavish surprises, and I wasn’t going to lie, it was heartwarming and made me feel loved.
We sat across from each other and stared out at the view. It was so gorgeous with all the buildings lit up in the background and the lights on the terrace creating a sexy and romantic vibe. We had our own private server who brought us wine, appetizers, and drinks that Nathan had preordered for the occasion. We sat there like not a day had passed since we first met, drinking, talking, eating, and laughing. He had become my best friend and calmed me even better than my sister was able to do. He smiled and listened as I ranted and raved about something that happened on the news or in Washington and then sweetly reminded me to remember the bigger picture, something I was getting better and better at as time passed.
After our entrée’s they brought out several desserts and we grabbed our spoons sharing all of them at once. The server tried to hide a smile, but I was sure she thought what we had been told a million times. We didn’t act like your typical billionaire power couple, we acted like regular folks, minus the fact that we had rented out the roof of one of the most expensive places in the city. That aside, we joked, laughed, and acted like children around each other. It was the perfect relationship for me, one that I knew I never wanted to see end. When we were done with the desserts, I noticed the server disappear back down into the restaurant, leaving us alone on the roof.
“Ruby,” Nathan said. “I want to tell you something.”
“What’s that?”
“When we first met I could not believe there was a woman out there that was not only beautiful, but passionate, intelligent, and motivated,” he said. “You were everything I wanted in a woman but had given up on finding because I felt like it was never going to happen. That night in the bar changed my world forever. You have shown me I can be myself and I don’t have to be afraid or guarded. You have shown me there is much more to life than working all the time. You have shown me how to be compassionate and empathetic toward others in a way that has not only improved me as a person, but it has improved my company as a whole. There is something to the saying that behind every great man, there is an even greater woman. You pull the strings, that’s for sure, but you pull the right ones. There hasn’t been a day that’s passed since India that I haven’t thanked the Universe for allowing me to keep you in my life. I don’t ever want to lose you again.”
I smiled at him and reached for his hand, but he had already pulled it away. I looked at him curiously as he stood up from his chair and reached into the breast pocket of his jacket. He slowly pulled out a small black velvet box and lowered himself down onto one knee. I gasped, covering my mouth with my hands and immediately bursting into tears.
“Ruby Woods, you are everything in this world that makes me happy,” he said. “Please do me the honor of accepting this ring and becoming my wife.”
“Yes,” I said nodding my head up and down, tears streaming down my face. “Of course, yes.”
I stood up as he did and wrapped my arms around his neck, kissing his lips and laughing through my tears. I looked down at the ring box that was open, and my eyes widened, the largest diamond I had ever seen was sparkling up at me. He reached into the box and pulled it out, taking my hand and slipping it onto my finger. I spread my hand out and looked at it, amazed at how it sparkled. I turned back to Nathan and hugged him again, this time pressing my lips long, hard, and passionately against his. I could feel the love pulsing through every inch of me, circling us like a bubble on the rooftop. I pulled back and stared him deep in his eyes.
“I love you, Nathan,” I said. “I cannot wait to be your wife.”
I knew right then and there that happily ever after was real, and I had found mine.
Taken
Blurb
Alessio
Thanks to that nosy brunette bitch, Beth, I served six months in Rikers Island for violating parole and cocaine possession. I spent every single day of those six months cursing her. I couldn’t wait to get out of jail – then I’d be able to really make that bitch sorry.
I hadn’t counted on her being so sexy. I hadn’t thought someone like Beth would be capable of arousing someone like me. But somehow, her innocence and naiveté turned me on more than ever before. Soon, the nosy little cunt was all I could think about.
Fucking her didn’t get her out of my system. But she’d be the one fucking me if I didn’t convince her to change her mind and refuse to testify against me.
And there was no way I could let that happen.
Beth
I never thought I’d sleep with the man who murdered my fiancé, Michael Bennett. But Alessio Amoruso wasn’t just a one-night-stand…I was starting to realize that he was more than just a crime boss with a sick sense of humor. He was strong and tough, the kind of passionate man I’d always wanted.
Too bad there was the little problem of Alessio murdering my fiancé. If I didn’t testify against Alessio, I’d never have revenge against the man who’d first asked me to marry him. Alessio told me that he’d changed. He swore up and down that he’d do wh
atever it took to prove that he was a different man.
But I never expected my heart to change. What was going to happen now that I was falling in love with the man who murdered my fiancé?
Chapter One
Alessio
I smiled as I sat down in the leather executive chair behind my desk. The morning papers were spread across the desk surface, along with my breakfast – freshly squeezed orange juice, a bran English muffin with peanut butter, and half of an apple, sliced neatly into wedges.
Picking up the paper, I stared at the headline on the first page.
“AFTER A TRAGIC YEAR, AMORUSO FAMILY REBUILDS”
Unprepared Daddy: A Second Chance Romance Page 28