HIS Return (Hamilton Investigation & Security: HIS Series Book 3)

by Sheila Kell

  He wasn’t sure how long he’d been crushing her, but the sudden stillness of her body sobered him. He lifted his weight and looked into her eyes, worried he’d done something terribly wrong. Worried she’d change her mind and not marry him. “What is it?”

  “We haven’t been using protection.”

  He chuckled and rolled off her and tossed his arm over his eyes, thankful that it was something simple because he didn’t think his brain cells were functioning too well at the moment. “Is that all?”

  A hand lightly slapped him across the chest. “Is that all? That’s pretty important considering our track record. Don’t you think?”

  She was right. They needed to do something about it before they were together again, or they’d have a baby right away with as much sex as he had planned for them. They had four years to make up for. “I just thought…. Never mind. I’ll take care of it.”

  They’d use condoms, but they’d have another baby and soon.

  JAKE’S hand lightly traced Emily’s face, golden from the sun, from her forehead to her cheek to her chin and then to her lips. Thinking about their night together, actually early morning, his cock hardened with a strong need to be back inside her.

  He should feel completely and utterly happy, yet he couldn’t. There was one thing that held him back. He hadn’t planned to fall asleep with her. He couldn’t fathom the thought of waking to his hands wrapped around her small neck, choking her again. Yet, he’d been so comfortable that he’d slept. And, he’d slept soundly.

  Why was he able to sleep the night through last night and not the last time they were together? He’d woken to her arms wound around him, and they hadn’t triggered anything. That did make him happy.

  Em had been so tired that she dozed before he’d returned with a rag to clean her. If she’d been worried about him having an episode, it hadn’t bothered her enough to keep her awake. Or, it had been his outstanding lovemaking. He smirked. Yeah, that was it.

  He’d do whatever it took to protect her. Even if it was from him.

  Wanting to allow Em to sleep and needing a few moments alone with the guys, he slid from the bed and silently dressed, then closed the door behind him before he trudged down the stairs.

  Les, Trent, and his brothers were arguing but quickly stopped talking when he approached. Shit. He’d thought they’d approved. They hadn’t tried to talk Em out of marrying him. It was too late. She’d agreed, and that was all that truly mattered. Besides, he had something else on his mind.

  Acting as if he hadn’t noticed the abrupt silence, he looked around the room. “Good, I wanted to talk with the group.” He continued around the kitchen counter and poured himself a cup of coffee. After a welcoming sip, he strolled back into the family room. “It’s about Em.”

  Brad didn’t let him say anything more. “Don’t fucking tell us now that you’ve fucked her, you plan to back out of marriage.”

  He narrowed his eyes at the man. “Fuck you.”

  The man jumped up from the chair, rushing to Jake and pulling back his shoulders.

  Jesse stood. “Christ, Brad, sit the fuck down.”

  Jake raised his eyebrows and was surprised he hadn’t been decked, but he had no time for this bullshit. “I’m worried about this thing with Em. For someone who wanted something from her bad enough to kidnap my daughter, they’ve laid low. I know the house isn’t traceable back to the family, but I’m concerned.”

  AJ sighed loud enough for him to hear across the room. “Have a seat. There’s more we haven’t had time to share with you.”

  A chill froze its way up his spine, but he sat and waited for what he hoped wasn’t something to put his fiancée in more danger.

  “First, Dad doesn’t want to be away from Em and Amber right now. Almost losing his granddaughter seemed to realign his priorities.” AJ waved his hand when Jake opened his mouth to speak. “Knowing the potential danger, he led everyone to believe he was traveling abroad, working with foreign country leaders.”

  Jesse sat. “Although we believe that worked while he remains cloistered here, we’re not taking a chance, and that’s why we’ve attached ourselves so closely to her.”

  A snort from none other than Brad. “Not as close as he’s been.”

  Fed up with the aggression, Jake snapped. “What the fuck is your problem, Brad?”

  A beefy finger pointed his way. The man was larger than any of the other brothers, and Jake knew he’d never take him. “You’re my fucking problem. You and what you did to our sister. How long will it be before you run away again? How long will she wait next time? You didn’t see what she went through when you didn’t come back.”

  Stunned, and knowing he deserved everything that had been said to him, Jake could only stare with no words bursting forth as a reply. What could he say that he hadn’t already to make Brad forgive him? Em forgave him so it shouldn’t matter what her brother thought, but it did, more than he cared to admit. These men had been his brothers, still felt like them, would be for life. Animosity was not something the family needed.

  Matt pushed in between Jake and Brad and shoved his twin back. “Dammit, Brad! This is Em’s choice, and if she wants to be with him and forgive him, then we need to do it too. Do you want to push her away by fighting with Jake? That’s exactly what’ll happen. So drop this bullshit.”

  Everyone in the room appeared to hold their breath. The twins had been notorious for fighting over just about everything while growing up, which accounted for the slight bump on their noses where they’d been broken.

  Grumbling, Brad took a seat but kept a narrow-eyed glare trained on Jake.

  Jesse returned to the conversation as if nothing had happened to the dynamics in the room. “We don’t think anyone knows she’s here. The home she rented was burned to the ground.” He shook his head. “Probably because they are pissed off they can’t find her. At least that’s my guess.”

  Absorbing the information and biting his tongue to remain calm, Jake tightened his jaw. “When was this and why are you only now telling me?”

  AJ walked past him to the couch. “We only found out a while ago.”

  This wasn’t something she needed to deal with, ever. Not that he’d wanted her to return there, but everything she and Amber owned had been there, all the photos they wouldn’t have as mementos when Amber went away to college and married.

  Jesse wiped his hand over his face, and Jake noticed how exhausted he looked and worried if there was more.

  Jake dropped in a chair. “What do we do now?”

  “I was able to pull the data from what Teri had. Now I need Em to help me go through it.”

  Absorbing Devon’s request, he nodded. “She’ll help. Are you sure it’s him? Randall?”

  “Oh yeah. I’m not the expert, but even I can see through their reporting. Each of their SEC filings was signed by one person.”

  “Paul Thompson,” Jake guessed.

  Devon nodded. “Bingo.”

  “And I killed him, making it harder to find out the truth.”

  “No.” AJ shook his head. “He probably wouldn’t have talked anyway. He was in too deep.”

  Les looked at Trent and with a slight nod, Trent quietly left the room. If Jake hadn’t been paying attention, he wouldn’t have noticed the gesture, or the man disappear.

  “I’m still concerned.”

  “We all are, Jake.” Jesse sighed. “Earlier we were discussing the football game and whether she could go.”

  “If there’s any question, then I’ll stay home with her. I won’t let her go into danger.”

  “We won’t either, but even if it seems clear and she goes, we’ve already had some things in motion. The box will be swept prior to our arrival. Security will bring us in the back way. No camera is allowed to point to the box, and every employee that’ll be serving us has been cleared, an
d we’ll be double-checking him or her at the door. All the stuff we do automatically for Dad.” He shrugged one shoulder. “Except the camera. That was a new one but a necessity to keep her off television.”

  Jake ran his hand through his hair. Leaning back in the chair, he still felt apprehensive about it all. At least she wasn’t pushing to go to the game, or anywhere else.

  Les broke into his thoughts. “We need to go. Trent’s coordinated transportation.”

  Jake jumped up, ready to grab Em and his daughter and run. “What’s happened?”

  “The senator’s had a heart attack.”

  Nineteen

  JAKE STOOD BACK and watched Em try to hold it together while sitting beside her father’s hospital bed. She’d cried most of the ride to the hospital even though they’d been assured it had been a mild heart attack, and her father was doing well. She slid her hands up and down her arms. He should’ve picked up a jacket or something warm for her. Her short-sleeve peach blouse may be perfect in the summer heat but wasn’t even close in the cold room. Of course, it could just be chills from the situation.

  “I’m going to be fine,” Blake assured his family. “They’ll run a few more tests, then I’ll go home, so quit worrying.”

  She reached out for her father’s hand. “How can you say that, Dad? You could’ve died.”

  Using his free hand, he patted hers. “I’m not going anywhere for a long time.” He looked around the room, his sons circling the space, squeezing in where able, and his eyes connected with Jesse, who had managed to get them cleared to wear weapons in the hospital.

  At the lull, Jake took the opportunity to ask something he knew would be important to Em. Her father had been there when he’d proposed, but did he approve? What would Em do if her father didn’t? Would she back out of things? His heart couldn’t handle that. It wasn’t an option.

  He cleared his throat. “Sir, we’d like your blessing to get married.”

  Blake looked from him to Emily and then smiled widely. “Nothing would make me prouder.” He pulled his hands from his daughter’s and opened his arms wide. “Come give me a hug, angel.”

  With watery eyes, she tried her best to hug him amidst the wires connected to her father.

  “Have you decided on a date?” The senator settled back on his bed.

  With worry about her father’s health, Em had easily agreed to a hasty wedding. That pleased Jake—the quick wedding, not her reason for that decision. He hadn’t wanted to wait for some big damn production. He wanted his family together, but he’d needed to leave her options open so he made sure to add a caveat for her. “As soon as possible. We’ll have a justice of the peace conduct a ceremony soon, and then if Em wants a big wedding, we can do one later.”

  Nodding, Blake smiled at his daughter. “I think it’s a great idea. Today has taught me that life is short, grab onto it. Get married when I get out of here. We’re all together. It’s the perfect opportunity.”

  Seeing a smile and bright eyes on her when they talked about the two of them getting married pleased the hell out of him. That was what he’d been waiting for all of these years to see. He was ready to officially be her husband.

  The door opened and Trent walked in with Jesse. When the fuck had Jesse left? He had to quit being lax about his surroundings just because he felt secure with his brothers.

  “Ah, Trent.”

  “How are you, senator?”

  “Like I told my boys, I’ll be fine.”

  “Good. Is there something I can do for you?”

  Jake wondered the same thing. The room had his children who could do, and would do, anything he wanted, and he’d asked for Trent?

  “I need to chat with you.” He looked around. “All of you.”

  Suddenly the elder Hamilton looked much older than his age. Tired lines filled his face and an overall weak aura surrounded him. How had he not noticed it earlier? How long had he appeared this fatigued? Was it just the heart attack? There’d been so much going on that could’ve triggered things, and Jake’s mind had been focused on his small family, not the entire one.

  Blake cleared his throat. “I’m going to do something I promised I wouldn’t do, but today has taught me a lesson about life. It puts a lot of things in focus, and I won’t go to my grave with this secret.”

  The men all turned their heads back and forth looking at each other as if one or the other might know this secret. Em sat frozen, her hands in her lap, her body stiff as if fearful of what her father was about to say. He wanted to reach forward, pick her up and put her in his lap, hold her close, protect her and maybe he should, but in this roomful of her family, her male family members, it seemed better to let her show them she could be strong on her own. He knew how much she wanted them to think of her as able to take care of herself. He’d let her do that, but it was killing him.

  “I don’t know the best way to say this, and maybe I shouldn’t do it with you as a group, but since it involves all of you, I’m just going to spit it out. About twenty-seven years ago, your mother and I had some marital problems, and we briefly separated.” He took a deep breath and released it. “I’m not proud to say it, but I had an affair during that time.”

  Jake shifted. Em’s eyes flicked to Trent.

  “Trent, your mother was my assistant, and I took a liking to her. We had a short affair that she was ashamed of and didn’t want anyone to know about.” He scanned the room, looking at the Hamilton men. “Your mother didn’t want it known either.”

  Turning his head slightly, not wanting to be obvious, Jake watched a large lump slide down Trent’s throat and noticed his hands fisted at his sides.

  The senator focused his attention back on Trent. “Then she found out she was pregnant. That’s when the boys’ mother and I had just reconciled.” Blake sighed heavily. “She and your father married and raised you as their son. They didn’t want you to know I was your father. The only concession was that they would live on the estate so I could watch you grow up.”

  Looking directly at Trent, Jake witnessed a heavy dose of hostility. Of course, he had no idea what to expect from his friend. What would he feel if he found out his father wasn’t really his? That he’d been lied to all those years. He’d probably jump for joy. But Trent had a great life growing up. His father had been wonderful to him.

  It would explain a lot, though. Trent’s father worked for Blake on the grounds, and they lived in one of the guest cottages. Trent was always involved with them growing up, never treated differently because he wasn’t an actual part of the family.

  “That makes you all family… my family… brothers and sister.” Blake looked wearily, maybe even apologetically, at Trent.

  Jake shifted. He was an interloper in the room. He was not a flesh and blood member of this family. Yet, Blake—the man who had basically raised him—had included him in this emotional family moment. His gut clenched at how this must’ve thrown Trent for a loop.

  Trent had to deal with one monster lie from people who’d loved him. Who did he blame? The parents who’d raised him or the parent who’d willingly refused to acknowledge him?

  The newly recognized Hamilton brother stared at Blake through thin slits, his nostrils flaring and red creeping up his neck. His chest heaved. After a few moments of silence, he spun on his heels and stormed from the room.

  The family stood in stunned silence. One by one, the occupants turned back to the man in the hospital bed.

  “I’m sorry. That’s all I can say.”

  “You cheated on Mom,” Em said in a weak, broken voice.

  Jake couldn’t stand it. He walked to her and lifted her hand in his, squeezing it tight to let her know he was there for her.

  “Angel, it was a long time ago. I’m truly sorry for it.”

  She looked at her father, then stood and led Jake out of the room.

  He wonder
ed what the men had to say about it, but his first concern was how Em was handling it.

  Reaching the hallway, she continued walking past the HIS men stationed outside the door and to the stairwell. Closing the door behind her, she turned into his arms and burst out crying.

  He didn’t know what else to do but hold her, so he remained silent and tightened his arms around her.

  Em pulled back from him, took a gulp of air and wiped at her tears with the back of her hand. “That’s why he never hit on me. I think he already knew.” She sniffed.

  He kissed the top of her head. He had a feeling Trent had known also. When Jake had questioned him on his feelings for Em, he’d replied that he wouldn’t touch his own sister. He had taken it that Trent just wasn’t interested in her in more than a sisterly fashion. He since knew better. The question was what was Trent going to do now that it was out in the open?

  AJ preceded Jake into the living room. The youngest Hamilton brother gave Trent a slap on his shoulder as he walked past him. Trent turned, muscles tense and hands tightened into fists but halted at the sight of AJ with his hands up in a surrender gesture. “Sorry, man. Just came to check on you.”

  The rest of the family, minus Blake and the children, entered. They’d returned to the house to be with Trent while he grappled with the shocking news. The Hamiltons were a “one for all” type of family. Jake hoped Trent appreciated that.

  Growing up, there’d been so many times Jake had felt an animosity from Trent. It’d been at times like when Jake had a big birthday party or received a nice gift from Blake. If Trent had known the truth before today, that would explain the behavior. Jake had been living the life Trent should have. Jake, the outsider, had the love of the family his friend had been denied.

  Trent left his spot by the fireplace and sat in a chair. Based upon the changes in his facial features, he appeared to struggle with his emotions. “Don’t worry. I’m not asking for anything.” Sarcasm laced his words.

  As usual, Jesse spoke first. “You know we couldn’t give a fuck about that, but just to clear the air on that, you are in Dad’s will.”