His Heart (HIS Series Book 7)

by Sheila Kell

  “What if he gets out?” she asked weakly.

  He’d never been able to get anything past her. She was too damn smart. “If he does, I’ll be here to protect you.” Plus the entire Hamilton clan, he left off.

  She looked up at him with her beautiful eyes. “You will?”

  It was as good a time as any to get this conversation over with. Devon had confirmed everything would be ready for him to telecommute. It would still feel odd, but it gave him Caitlyn, so he’d take that oddity, because life with Caitlyn was a win.

  Brushing his thumb lightly across her jaw, he leaned down and placed a soft kiss on her lips. “Yes, if you’ll have me.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “I mean that I could live here—with you—and still work with HIS. Don’t get me wrong, I’d love to learn how to train the dogs so I can be helpful here, but Dev is setting me up to work from afar. My brothers and I have always had our picks of the missions, so when you need me, I’ll be here.”

  “Am I dreaming?”

  Matt chuckled. “No, sweetheart, you’re not.” He cocked his head, a small sense of foreboding sitting with him. “Is that okay?” Christ, he’d thought they were on the same wavelength. He couldn’t stand it if she said no.

  Relief soared through him as she threw her arms around him, banishing all his worried emotions. “Matt, I’ll take you any way I can get you. We have a lot of years to make up for. Years where I split us—”

  Matt slid a finger over her lips, cutting off her words. “We’re past that. It’s our future and us. And, one day, I hope you’ll consider marrying me.” It wasn’t a romantic proposal like the first time when he’d been down on one knee, but he’d figure out something appropriate when the time came.

  Pressing her lips to Matt’s, Caitlyn whispered, “I love you, Matt.”

  His heart swelled with love at that simple statement. At one time, it’d been something he thought he’d never hear again from her lips. Now, he’d never hear it enough.

  “I love you, too.” He’d never get tired of telling her those true words.

  Done with the chaste kisses, Matt used one hand to hold her head, moving her lips in place while he laid his upon hers and began to show her how much he loved her… how much he loved that she’d let him live here… how much he was glad she was truly on her way to recovery.

  His tongue wanted to be inside her mouth, making love to it, so he nipped at her bottom lip, and when she gasped, he surged inside, tasting her while they dueled for domination of the kiss. She should’ve remembered he was always the stronger one in that foreplay and led the merry chase to the bedroom.

  He froze for a moment. He wanted to take her to bed, but not right now. And if they kept kissing like they were, he’d end up tossing her over his shoulder and hauling her into the room, and beat his chest or something stupid like that.

  Softening the kiss for a short time, he broke it and leaned his forehead to hers as they both gasped for air. “I want you, and if we don’t stop, I would carry you to the bedroom and have my way with you.”

  Damn his forgetfulness around Caitlyn. He couldn’t get off track any longer.

  Caitlyn laid her head on his shoulder and sighed in what he prayed was pleasure. “You really want to learn to train the dogs?” she questioned as she absently brushed her hand over his chest.

  Turning the conversation back to Helping Paws reminded him of the unpleasant conversation he needed to have with her. Granted it was suspicion since Devon hadn’t got back to him on that topic, but that was where most problems began.

  He cleared his throat. “I do, but we need to talk about something important.”

  At that statement, her hand froze and she looked up at him, still cuddled in his lap. “What’s wrong?”

  “It’s come to my attention that Rick might be embezzling from the foundation.”

  Drawing her brow down, she responded, “What do you mean?”

  There was no doubt that this would be hard for her to hear and believe, but he had to protect her. He’d almost confronted Rick himself, but he didn’t want to overstep any bounds they’d created. “Tonya noticed that when Rick took the donations to the bank that he’d filled out two deposit slips. She only glimpsed them, but she couldn’t be certain.”

  “Why didn’t she say anything to me?”

  Tonya had hurt her feelings by not speaking with her directly, but hadn’t she said something? She’d told him she had. “She never said anything?”

  Keeping those brows pulled down in thought, she finally remembered. “She said I should have an audit. But that’s it.”

  He rubbed her back. “She’d planned to tell you everything, but with the event, she didn’t want more on your mind. When she realized how close we were, she told me so that I could tell you about Rick after the fundraisers.”

  “Two deposit tickets?”

  “Yeah, I can see it. Remember when you told me that Vivian was going to double her donation to twenty thousand dollars, yet she’d only donated nine thousand and not ten? If Rick is doing this—which Dev is looking into his accounts and we should have something soon—then he’s just skimming off any donations that he has to take to the bank.”

  Shock floated in her eyes. “I can’t believe it. He wouldn’t.” As Matt allowed the reality to sink in, he knew anger would flow from her next. It hit her faster than he’d expected when she bounded from his lap and began pacing the living room. “Son of a bitch. How could he do that? I want an audit right this minute. Who can I call? Why am I asking you? You don’t know the local accountants. But there has to be one who’s available on the weekend….”

  Matt sat silently while she went through her tirade. Being in the Hamilton family meant the Hamiltons had each other’s back for anything and everything. “Um, honey.” He tried to gain her attention. When she stopped both her pacing and ranting, he smiled. God, he loved her. “I know someone who will audit your accounts for you, even this Saturday and Sunday, and any other day needed.”

  Hope washed over her face. “Who?” she asked eagerly.

  “Em.”

  Disbelief flashed across her features. “I know you said she’s an accountant, but Emily’s too young to know this.”

  Laughing, he stood and walked to her, pulling her into his arms. “You’re remembering the girl. The woman is a not only an accountant, but a kickass forensic accountant.”

  “And she’d do this to help me?”

  “For you, the love of my life, she would.”

  Seven months later

  “ARE YOU SURE you need to go?” Caitlyn asked Matt as he packed a bag to leave for an unspecified amount of time.

  He knew she worried. He’d taken short assignments since he’d moved in with her, but never when he didn’t know when he’d be back nor what he would be up against.

  Life had evolved for them. His working for HIS from afar had been a transition, and it had taken everything within him to leave her that first time. Once she’d helped him forgive himself for what happened all those years ago, his soul had been freed and their relationship was stronger and he’d trusted being parted from her. Hell no he’d never forget, but Matt was at peace now… and so was Caitlyn.

  This happened to be another time he’d rather stay home, but it was Brad. “Need to? No. Want to? Yes.” He shoved another black T-shirt into his bag. “It’s Rylee’s sister who’s in trouble, but Brad has taken it upon himself to protect her.” He stopped shoving the socks in his bag and looked at her. “She and Brad have a somewhat volatile history, so we’re a little up in arms about his decision.” He didn’t plan to share that he knew the two had spent the night together when Devon and Rylee had their second wedding ceremony in Vegas. He also didn’t want to share the fighting the two had engaged in when Rylee had been in trouble and Brad had been charged with keeping Madison out of the way and safe.

  “Are you okay with me leaving?” Christ, he was leaving her alone with the twins she carried. Love burned throu
gh him at the thought of her carrying their first children. Thank goodness he’d married her straight away when he’d decided to live in Kentucky with her. As soon as her father had been 100 percent, they’d held a small ceremony, and everyone in the family had traveled to them.

  Placing a hand over her small baby bump, she smiled. “We’ll be okay. Tonya said she’d stay with me if needed. Are you sure you don’t know how long you’ll be gone?”

  He moved to her and pulled her close to him, rubbing his hand down her back in a soothing gesture. “No, but if you need me home, you just let me know and I’ll be here without delay. Brad may need me—whether he realizes it or not—but you are my priority.” He kissed the top of her head. “When I get back, we’ll go back for another ultrasound and hope the kids cooperate so we can find out the sexes.”

  She absently nodded. “With the weird cravings I have, I think they have to be boys. My stomach gets queasy just looking at a salad.” They laughed at that as he’d witnessed it first hand and had thought she’d toss her cookies when he tried adding more vegetables into her diet. Him actually adding vegetables. He shuddered at the concept.

  If someone had told him a year ago that he’d be back with the woman he’d loved since he’d met her in college and was soon to be a proud papa, he’d have laughed at them. No, he’d have probably slugged them for giving him false hope.

  A knock on the front door split them apart. Not expecting anyone, they strode to the door together. When they opened it, Tonya looked apologetic. She’d been that way since they’d hauled Rick away for embezzlement. His mother lived in a long-term care facility and the bills had been adding up to a total he couldn’t find a way to pay. He’d hoped the small amounts he’d been taking would go unnoticed by anyone.

  Tonya told them that she should’ve noticed it sooner, since Rick talked about finally being able to pay down the doctor’s bills and she knew what they made at Helping Paws. In Matt’s mind, she’d redeemed herself when she’d found a phenomenal grant writer for the organization. “I’m sorry, but this man insists he speak with you right away.”

  “Lionel Brookes.” The short, stout man in a nice suit held out his hand. He may have been only about five feet five or six, but he packed a lot into the hand Matt shook.

  “Matt and Caitlyn Hamilton.” He loved saying that. Christ, he sounded like a girl. “How can we help you?” The fidgeting the man was doing pushed an unwelcome curiosity through him. He’d rather have been holding his wife before he had to leave.

  “I’m with Brookes, Campbell, and Associates, a law firm in Lexington. May we speak privately?”

  His interest was definitely piqued. “Thank you, Tonya,” Matt said in dismissal. The woman seemed relieved she didn’t have to be part of anything legal.

  Pulling Caitlyn to his side, they opened the door wider for Lionel to enter.

  “Would you like me to take your jacket?” Caitlyn asked.

  Appearing relieved, the man pulled off his long coat and handed it to her. As she hung it, Matt took control. “We don’t have an office in the house, so if the living room would be okay, we’ll meet there.” Since the bitter wind had been kicking, Matt imagined the man didn’t want to brave it again until he had to.

  Matt and Caitlyn settled on the couch, side by side, holding hands that rested in Caitlyn’s lap. Lionel sat in an armchair and brought his briefcase to his lap. “First of all”—he pulled a stack of papers from his briefcase—“congratulations on your marriage. My client was pleased to hear about it. She cared a great deal for you, Caitlyn.”

  “Who is your client?” she asked softly… hesitantly.

  Matt had noted the past tense in the attorney’s words and wondered if Caitlyn chose to ignore them in her question or didn’t grasp that this was going to be one of those good and bad meetings.

  “My client was Vivian Blanche.”

  Caitlyn tensed and squeezed his hand, telling him she probably caught the “was” in that statement.

  “Vivian passed away last week. Most people don’t know that she was epileptic. She had a seizure, and when she fell, she hit her head wrong and died instantly.”

  With a gasp, Caitlyn’s free hand flew to her mouth. After several deep swallows, she told them, “She and I talked about branching out the program for dogs who partner with epileptics and can help them know when they are about to seize so they can go to a safe place. I explained it wasn’t in the budget at the time, but I’d consider it. Oh, Matt”—she turned her head into his chest—“if only I’d done it, she might be alive.”

  “Shh, you know how long it takes to train a dog. You can’t know that you’d have one ready in time.”

  “Vivian talked to me about making a sizable donation to Helping Paws so you could begin the program. She wasn’t looking for a dog herself. She just saw the good it could do for others.”

  “She what?” Caitlyn asked, raising her face to look at Lionel.

  “She came to me a couple of days before she passed away to set up something for you. Unfortunately, there wasn’t time to prepare the paperwork before her accident.”

  Matt knew there had to be something for an attorney—wearing what was probably a thousand-dollar suit—to visit them personally. “Are you just here to tell us this or is there another purpose to your visit?” He knew he sounded close to an asshole, but this was tearing up Caitlyn, and he was done with it. They’d received the bad news, so there’d best goddamn be some good news.

  “Yes. There is a purpose to my visit. I’ll read this to you, but I’m going to give you the gist of it right off the bat. Vivian left the bulk of her estate to Helping Paws in the hope you could train dogs for epileptics.”

  Caitlyn sucked in a breath and tightened her hold on his hand. “Wait, did she donate the land?”

  The attorney smiled slyly. “Anything is possible.” With a serious expression, he cleared his throat before he continued. “As for the estate, when all is said and done, Helping Paws will receive around four-point-six million.”

  Whether it was from her condition or the unexpected news, Matt was prepared when his wife fainted, slumping down on the couch. He picked her up and carried her to their bedroom, with an “I’ll be back” to the shocked attorney.

  Not long after he had Caitlyn settled on their bed, she woke, confused.

  Sliding his hand along her forehead, he brushed away stray strands. “Hey,” he said softly, catching her gaze.

  “What happened?”

  Matt leaned in and gave her a light kiss on the lips. Pulling back, he smiled. “You fainted.”

  “I… what?”

  “Fainted. I figured you’d want to wake up in here rather than in front of that attorney.”

  She scrunched up her forehead, appearing deep in thought. “Vivian,” she whispered.

  “I’d say she loved you and what you did here,” Matt assured her.

  “Is the attorney still here?” she asked.

  He nodded. “Yes.”

  Caitlyn tried to get up, but Matt held her down. “Rest. I’ll deal with this for you.”

  “But you have to leave.”

  “I’ve told you more than once, you are my priority.” He looked at her stomach and raised his eyebrows. “You and our babies. Let me do this for you.”

  “Okay, but call me if you need me.”

  He kissed her on her forehead. “Okay.” He wouldn’t call her for anything. He figured she had to sign some stuff, but the attorney would have to come back when his wife was feeling better.

  He looked at his watch as he left their bedroom. Just enough time to finish this and bail his brother out of whatever the hell he’d gotten himself into.

  You can make a difference.

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  Sheila Kell writes smokin’ hot romance and intrigue. She secretly laughs when her mother, in that stern voice, calls it, “nasty.” As a self-proclaimed caffeine addict nestled in north Mississippi with three cats, she wears her pajamas most of the day and writes about the romantic men who leave women’s hearts pounding with a happily ever after built on a memorable, adrenaline-pumping story. When she isn’t writing, she can be found visiting her family, dreaming of an editor who agrees her work is perfect, or watching cartoons.

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