Losing Game: A Winning Ace Novel (Book 2)

by Tracie Delaney

  She slipped it on and held tightly to Cash’s arm as he helped her down the steps. His hand rested on top of her head as she climbed into the waiting car.

  “Welcome back, sir, Miss McKenzie.”

  “Isaac,” she said, recognising his deep voice anywhere. “How great to see you. Or not.”

  Isaac chuckled. “Good trip.”

  “Yes, wasn’t it, Cash?”

  “The best,” he said, gently rubbing the back of her hand. “How are things, Isaac?”

  “Everything is fine, sir.”

  “Mum?”

  “She’s doing well. I’ve been keeping an eye on her, as you asked, but there hasn’t been anything for me to do.”

  “No intrusion from the press?”

  “None.”

  “Good,” he replied, his tone hard and flat.

  They hadn’t driven for long when the car eased to a stop. “Are we here?” she said.

  “Yep.” Cash gently removed the mask, and she blinked a few times until the blurriness cleared. She gazed out of the window. Directly ahead was a row of arches with green canopies and lanterns hanging beneath each one. She recognised this place.

  “Oh, Cash,” she whispered. Tiredness and emotion overpowered her as hot tears sprang from her eyes. “You brought me back to Paris.”

  “I hope they’re happy tears,” he said, wiping the wetness from her cheeks.

  “They are.” She flung her arms around his neck.

  “Come on, baby. It’s been a long day. Let’s get inside.”

  As they crossed the lobby towards the bank of lifts, memories of their first night hit Tally. She thought of how nervous she’d been, how scared that she wouldn’t be enough or that Cash would realise he’d made a huge mistake in bringing her. So much had happened between then and now, and yet those first-night nerves were making a comeback. Maybe that was because they were in the place where her life had changed forever. Or she could be overwrought and jetlagged. Regardless of the reason, a serious case of butterflies swamped her abdomen when Cash pressed the button for the top floor.

  As the lift doors closed, he steered her to the back, his body flush against hers. He lowered his head and kissed her, and when his tongue played with hers, a groan eased from her throat.

  “Make that sound again, and I’ll be pressing the emergency stop button,” Cash said. Tally grinned as the lift doors opened, and Cash grabbed her hand and almost marched down the hallway.

  “Same suite?” she said when Cash stopped outside the third door on the left and inserted the key card.

  He nodded. “Same suite.”

  He opened the door and ushered her inside. He hooked the Do Not Disturb sign on the door before deadlocking it. His slow gaze swept over her before his eyes lifted to meet hers.

  “I know you’re tired,” he said, reaching for her. “But I’ve always been a selfish bastard.”

  She touched his face, gently running her hands over his beard. “Funnily enough,” she said, drawing his mouth down to hers, “I’m not tired anymore.”

  37

  “Where are we going?” Tally said as Cash helped her into the car the following evening after they’d spent the day reliving the sights from their first trip.

  “Jules Verne. I know how much you loved it last time.”

  Tally smiled. “Oh, I did. The view from the top is fabulous.”

  When Tally stepped out of the elevator into the restaurant, Cash’s warm hand in the small of her back, she halted immediately. Her eyes widened as she scanned the area. Three smartly dressed staff waited to greet them, but whereas she’d expected to see tables of hungry diners, the restaurant was completely empty. Vases of flowers adorned every table, the aroma heavily scenting the air. Candles provided the only light, their flickering flames creating a deeply intimate vibe, and music played from hidden speakers.

  “I wanted tonight to be special,” Cash said, his breath warm on her skin as he whispered in her ear.

  Tally twisted around. “You’re spoiling me.”

  “You deserve to be spoilt.” He gestured with his hand. “Let’s sit down.”

  Tally followed the waiter over to a table that had been set up next to the window overlooking Champ de Mars. The exact same spot as the last time they’d dined there.

  “You never forget a thing, do you, ace?”

  “Not where you’re concerned.”

  The pop of a champagne cork made her jump, and she squinted. “Are we celebrating?”

  He paused until the waiter retreated, then clinked his glass with hers. “It’s our seven-month anniversary. Seven months today since you agreed to go on a date with me.”

  She touched the base of her neck. “Is it? God, you’re right. Christmas Day.”

  “I sat outside your flat for ages. I watched everyone inside enjoying themselves, and I didn’t think you wanted to see me.”

  “I was desperate to see you.”

  “You never called. After I threw my contact card on the table like a complete dick, I was certain you’d blink first. But you didn’t.”

  “Ah,” Tally said with a smile. “You’ve got Em to thank for that. If I’d been on my own, I’m sure I would have caved. Em persuaded me to play it cool, convinced if I did you’d come running.”

  “Smart girl,” he said with a half-grin that looked more like a grimace. “I’m going to fucking kill her the next time our paths cross.”

  Tally chuckled. “Do you think we’d be sitting here now if I had chased after you?”

  “Yep.”

  She raised her eyebrows. “You do?”

  “You’d captured my heart, even then. Of course, I was totally in denial because I’d never felt so strongly about a woman before.”

  “It was a long five weeks.”

  He grimaced. “Longest of my life.”

  Tally drummed her fingers on the table, desperate to ask him about that time in Australia but scared of the answer. Oh, what the hell. “Did you hook up during those five weeks in Australia?”

  Cash frowned. “You mean did I fuck someone?”

  Tally winced at his bluntness, wishing she hadn’t asked. “Yeah.”

  Cash’s mouth twisted in a half-smile. “You think I’d have been able to get it up for another woman? No, baby. The minute I kissed you at Rupe’s place, my screwing-around days were over.” He reached across the table and took one of her hands in both of his. “You were the only woman I wanted after that. The only one I’ll ever want.”

  Tally’s eyes filled with tears, but she blinked them away. She hadn’t realised, until that point, how much it would have hurt if he’d slept with someone in Australia, even though she had no right to demand monogamy. At least, not then.

  “How long have you been wanting to ask me that question?”

  Her mouth twisted. “Forever.”

  He chuckled. “Shall we order?”

  The food was even better than last time, and when Tally finally pushed her plate away, her stomach felt fit to burst. “I’m stuffed. Couldn’t eat another thing.”

  “They do the best crème brûlée here.”

  Tally sighed. “What did you have to go and say that for?”

  She could take or leave most desserts, but when that particular one appeared on the menu, her good intentions went out of the window.

  Cash waved his hand. “Two crème brûlées, please.”

  Five minutes later, the waiter placed the delicious custard dessert in front of her, and it looked so good she forgot her earlier comments about being full. She stuck her spoon through the crisp top, and the caramelised sugar gave way to a creamy, perfectly made crème pâtissière.

  “Oh my God, this is amazing.”

  She tipped up the shallow bowl to make sure she scooped up every bit of the custard. As she ate the last remnants, she noticed the bottom of the dish had black writing on it. She held it up in the dim light and saw the words, “Will you marry me?”

  Her head snapped back so fast she cricked her neck
. Ignoring the sharp pain, she stared open-mouthed as Cash got down on one knee beside her. His outstretched palm held a small blue box from Tiffany & Co. Nestled in the satin was a large oval-shaped diamond set in a platinum band.

  Tally’s hand flew over her mouth, and this time, furious blinking did not stop tears from streaming down her cheeks.

  “Natalia McKenzie, I love you more than I ever thought possible. You’re my light, my life, my heart and soul. My everything. Will you marry me?”

  She dashed away the tears with the back of her hand. “Yes. Oh, God, yes, yes, yes.”

  In a state of shock, she flung her arms around his neck. She had not seen this coming. Cash hadn’t shown even the tiniest bit of nerves. As he slipped the ring on her finger, she suddenly giggled.

  “Something funny?” he said.

  “What would you have done if I’d refused the crème brûlée? Or if I hadn’t finished it?”

  He grinned. “I honestly don’t know. I hedged my bets on the fact that you haven’t refused one yet. Every time they’re on the menu, you cave.”

  “You know me too well.”

  “I think there’s still plenty to learn. And I’m looking forward to you teaching me.”

  She held her left hand up to the light. The diamond sparkled and glinted as flames from the candles reflected off the polished stone.

  “If you don’t like it, Tiffany’s will happily exchange it for something else.”

  “Exchange it? I love it.”

  “Thank God,” he said, clasping a hand to his chest.

  “Did you tell anyone you were going to ask me?”

  “Only my mother. If you’d said no, I wanted as little public humiliation as possible. Plus Rupe can’t hold water let alone a secret as big as this, and I didn’t want to put Emmalee or Pete in a tough spot by asking them not to tell you.”

  “You thought I might say no?”

  “I hoped like hell you wouldn’t, but we’ve never talked about marriage. I didn’t know whether you’d think it was too soon.”

  She skimmed his cheek with her palm. “Not a chance.”

  His eyes shone as he moved in to kiss her. His lips were warm and soft, and Tally melted into his arms. She forgot everything except the feel of his mouth on hers and the strength of his arms cradling her waist.

  And the fact she was going to become Mrs Cash Gallagher.

  38

  Tally tucked her hand into Cash’s arm as they exited at the bottom of the Eiffel Tower.

  “If your feet are up to it, shall we take a stroll back to the hotel?” Cash said as they approached the car, where Isaac already had the back door open. “It’s warm enough.”

  “I’d like that.”

  “You can take off, Isaac,” Cash said. “We’re going to walk back.”

  “Yes, sir.” Isaac pushed the back door closed and climbed into the car. A few seconds later, it quietly pulled away from the kerb and disappeared down the road.

  As they strolled down the busy streets filled with tourists and Parisians alike, Tally couldn’t stop staring at the large diamond on her finger, her mind racing. How would she tell Em and Pete? Blurt it out? Wave the ring in their faces but say nothing? The options for fun were endless. Of course, she’d have Em do her hair and makeup, and she’d invite Rachael to go dress shopping with them. Rachael would love that. Wouldn’t she?

  “You never said whether your mum approved.”

  Cash grinned. “She told me I’d taken too bloody long and I was lucky you hadn’t got fed up and decided to look elsewhere.” His face grew serious. “And that you were already like a daughter to her. All this did was make it official.”

  Tally’s stomach tightened. The fact that Rachael saw her in that way brought tears to her eyes once more. As they splashed down her cheeks, she began to laugh.

  “I’m an emotional wreck,” she said, dabbing her face with a tissue. “Look what you’ve done to me. I’m supposed to be a hardened journalist.”

  “I knew I’d break you in the end,” he said, draping an arm around her shoulder and pulling her into his chest. “I may buy shares in Kleenex. At the rate you’re going through them, it wouldn’t be a bad investment.”

  Tally giggled. She loved it when Cash teased her. She no longer had any doubts. Cash had finally seen off the last of them. She wasn’t a size six. She wasn’t a tall, leggy blonde with tresses that gave everyone hair envy. She was a normal girl with boobs and hips and a more-than-generous backside. And she was the girl Cash wanted to spend the rest of his life with.

  “Look,” Cash said, rousing her from daydreaming. Across the road, a woman was selling flowers out of silver buckets. “Wait here.”

  He glanced both ways and, dodging a couple of cars, jogged across the road. He pointed to a few buckets. A couple of minutes later, he held up an enormous bunch of flowers. He waved them in the air, grinning like a fool as he stepped into the road.

  The next few seconds were like something out of a horror movie—the screech of tyres and the blare of horns as a car, travelling at an impossible speed, careered down the street. Tally’s gaze collided with Cash’s, and she saw realisation in his eyes—realisation that he was in the wrong place at the wrong time. And there wasn’t a damn thing either of them could do about it.

  39

  The car ploughed into Cash, sweeping his legs from underneath him. His head hit the windscreen with a horrific hollow thud before his body crashed to the ground. The driver didn’t even slow down. Tally lost sight of Cash for a second as the car ran over him before speeding away down the road.

  A scream ripped from her throat. With her legs barely holding her upright, she staggered across the road and fell to her knees. The flowers Cash had lovingly bought lay scattered around his lifeless body like a bizarre, cruel joke. His right leg was bent at an impossible angle, but it was the pool of thick, gloopy blood growing into a large circle beneath his head that had fear clogging in her throat, blocking her ability to breathe properly.

  “Help me,” she croaked, glancing around for someone, anyone. “Please, somebody help us.”

  She placed her ear close to Cash’s mouth. A faint puff of air told her he was still breathing. Barely. With trembling hands, she managed to take her phone out of her pocket. She dialled 999, before remembering they were in France. Oh God, what is the emergency number in France? She didn’t know. Why didn’t she know?

  Sirens blared in the distance. What was she going to do? He couldn’t die. If he didn’t make it, she wouldn’t want to carry on. Not without him.

  When a hand landed on her arm, she screamed.

  It was the flower seller.

  “It’s okay, madame. I have called for help. They are coming.”

  Tally began to cry, her fear-soaked brain unable to cope with the enormity of the situation. Cash—her strong, handsome, perfect man—lying broken in the middle of a Paris street. He was dying. She knew it. He’d lost too much blood. She bent her head again, but this time, she couldn’t tell if he was still breathing. She didn’t think he was.

  “Cash!” she screamed. “No, no, no. Don’t leave me. You can’t leave me.”

  Strong arms wrapped around her, pulling her away—away from Cash.

  “No,” she yelled, reaching for him, fingers splayed wide as she strained forwards. “Get off me!”

  A man wearing an orange high-visibility vest appeared in her sight line, cutting off her view of Cash. He clutched her upper arms. “Madame, we’re here to help. Please, let us help him.”

  Tally staggered backwards as he released her. “I’m sorry. He was buying me flowers.” She covered her face with her hands and sobbed. “Please don’t let him die.”

  “We are doing everything we can.”

  She couldn’t see Cash. He was surrounded by paramedics. Her throat constricted, and every breath she took was shallow and painful, her lungs burning with the effort. Fear, longing, and grief surged within her.

  “Madame, we’re ready to go. Are yo
u coming?”

  She hadn’t noticed they’d loaded Cash into the ambulance. With a nod, she stumbled inside. The paramedic tending him pointed to a seat, and Tally sank into it. They’d strapped Cash to a backboard, his neck in a brace.

  “Is he… is he…?”

  The paramedic squeezed her shoulder but made no false promises. The kind gesture brought tears to Tally’s eyes again, and she let them silently fall as the vehicle sped away, sirens blaring.

  The ambulance slowed to a stop, and the back doors flew open. All around her, people were shouting, pointing, gesticulating, and she didn’t have a clue what was going on. They rushed Cash inside, and Tally ran after him, but a nurse barred her way.

  “I have to be with him.”

  “I’m sorry, madame,” she said in perfect English. She touched Tally’s arm. “Let me show you to the waiting room.”

  Tally wrenched her arm away as her vision blurred with unshed tears. Screw the waiting room. She wanted to scream. To punch walls. To break glass. To beg to a God she didn’t believe in to spare him, to take anything from her except Cash. But apart from clenching her fists, she did none of those things. Instead, she meekly followed the nurse into a sterile waiting room full of blue plastic chairs, with a water cooler and a vending machine serving warm drinks that offered cold comfort.

  She sank into a chair and let her head fall into her hands. How could this be happening? There were so many if onlys running through her head.

  If only they hadn’t come to Paris.

  If only they’d stayed longer at the restaurant. Or left earlier.

  If only she’d stopped Cash crossing the street to buy those stupid flowers.

  One minute, her life had been perfect. The next, a stranger had ripped it apart. Fear came in waves so high she felt sure she was drowning. She needed to call Rachael but didn’t know what to say. She’d wait. For the moment. Until she knew more.

  She lost track of time. An administrator visited her, asking questions she didn’t know the answers to. Was Cash allergic to anything? Was he on any medication? Any family history of medical issues they should know about? People came and went, a few with hopeful smiles, but most were like her with flat stares and blotched faces.