Rescue Me

by Faye Avalon

  “At least you’ll be close to home while you study.”

  She’d considered moving away from London. With Gabe at the helm of Mallory Hotels, at some stage their paths were bound to cross. It was something she couldn’t change, so she would simply have to accept it.

  “Anyway, it’s your turn to start the game this time,” she said, amazed at the difference in her father. He still saw a counsellor regularly, and he seemed more at ease than he had for a very long time. Dark circles still clouded his eyes and he needed to put on more of the weight he’d lost, but the pallor of exhaustion was gone and he was beginning to look more like his old self.

  She watched as he set up the board. “Are you really feeling stronger?”

  He looked up, his brown eyes sparkling. “Most definitely. I’m going back to the office in a couple of weeks—just two days a week—but it will be good to be involved again. Gabe has arranged an assistant for me. I’ll have little to do but give orders and watch everyone run around after me.”

  Maddie wasn’t really sure how she felt about that. The last thing she wanted was for her father to work himself into the ground again while trying to make amends for his mistakes, but she had to let him do what he wanted, just as she was doing. After Gabe had officially taken over as majority shareholder, she had signed the forty percent of Mallory shares back to her father, resigned her role in the company and left without working notice. She refused to feel guilty about that and decided that Gabe could sue her if he wanted. She’d like to see him try.

  Thirty minutes later, Maddie played a losing move and the game was over.

  “Walk with me a little,” her father said. “I’m due my daily constitutional.”

  Outside, Maddie slipped an arm through her father’s and drew in the beautiful scents that came off the immaculate and incredibly pretty grounds.

  “Did you know that Oscar has had all his assets frozen?”

  Maddie did know. “Good. At least he’ll have to answer to those he swindled.”

  “If Gabe hadn’t stepped in, it could have affected us badly. Oscar’s shares in Mallory’s would have been tied up in red tape for a very long time.”

  Why did her father continue to insist on mentioning Gabe? “Well, it wasn’t entirely altruistic, was it? He had plenty to gain. He now owns the majority of your business.”

  “We could do an awful lot worse than having Gabe at the helm. The company’s in good hands. He’s excellent at what he does, has an exceptional head for figures and impeccable business sense. I’ve never known a man with better instincts.”

  “What are you? The Gabe Harrington fan club?” She raised her eyebrows. “It’s a pity he couldn’t have used those instincts to warn you two years ago. He must have known Oscar was into all kinds of murky stuff, yet he stood by and watched you make bets with the man. He said nothing when you used my shares as stake money.”

  “Gabe didn’t even know about the bet.”

  Maddie stopped and turned to look at her father. “What?”

  “I made a side bet with Oscar. Gabe didn’t know—nobody did. In fact, when he found out about it, he went to Oscar and tried to buy the shares back—at a considerable profit to Oscar, I might add. But Kingston wouldn’t budge. He wanted a foothold in a business with a stellar reputation. What better way to enhance his own questionable reputation than to become a shareholder in Mallory Hotels?”

  She tried to focus, to concentrate, but only one thing her father said seemed capable of holding her attention. “Gabe tried to buy back my shares?”

  “More than once, as it happens. He knew how ashamed I was at having tricked you into signing them over to me.” He paled considerably. “I will never forgive myself for that.”

  Maddie swallowed. She had initially been furious with her father but had come to understand that it had been his addiction driving him to do what he did. “I don’t want you blaming yourself anymore. Let’s go and sit down.”

  Pleased to take the weight off her own shaky legs, she made for the nearest bench. When they were seated, her father reached for her hand.

  “I asked Gabe not to tell you what I’d done, asked him to cover for me by telling you I’d lost the shares to him. He refused at first, saying that you had a right to know, but I begged him. I knew you were falling for him, and I mistakenly thought you’d accept it more easily if you believed I’d lost the shares to Gabe. As Gabe pointed out, it was a ridiculous request to make, but I was so ashamed about what I’d done.”

  Maddie tried to process it all, but this whole conversation was making her head throb. “He never told me, not even when I accused him of plotting to get them.”

  She’d put him on trial and found him guilty. She’d refused to even talk to him.

  “The man has integrity,” her father said firmly. “While he was trying to sort out my mess, Gabe lost out on a lucrative deal that set him back financially. Oscar put in a counteroffer on a group of hotels along the Italian Riviera that Gabe was negotiating for. By the time Gabe got wind of it, the deal was signed.”

  “He never told me any of this.”

  “He’s a good man. He wants to protect you.”

  “I don’t need protecting.”

  “That’s very naive of you, my darling. All men worth their salt want to protect their woman.”

  Her heart jolted. “I’m not Gabe’s woman.”

  “You love him.”

  Maddie wasn’t prepared for the sob that caught in her throat. She turned away and shook her head.

  “You love him,” her father repeated. “And he loves you. Of course, you’re both too stubborn to admit it.”

  “He doesn’t love me,” she said, trying to control the tremble in her voice. “All he loves is the thrill of the deal. As long as there’s a profit involved, he’s a happy man.”

  She was being harsh. She knew that. But one good deed didn’t make up for everything else. Yet, was she really surprised by what he’d done to protect her father—and to protect her?

  “If all he cares about is profit, why has he worked out a deal where I can get back equal shares in the company? Since Gabe took over, the price of Mallory shares has rocketed, so why would he be prepared to give up part of such a lucrative investment to make us equal partners?”

  Maddie’s heart, already thudding with the revelations, hammered in her chest. “I wouldn’t get too excited. I’m betting he had to pay through the nose to get Oscar to sell the shares back to him, and as you said the share price has escalated since then. Whatever deal Gabe’s worked out for you won’t be one you can easily afford.”

  “Gabe’s offering me the shares back at the same market value they were at the time I lost them to Kingston. Which is the very same price he paid Kingston to buy them back.”

  What? Had she heard right?

  “How the hell did he manage that? Oscar wouldn’t have sold them at a loss.”

  “Gabe wouldn’t tell me.”

  Despite her thumping heart, Maddie huffed. “Why change the habit of a lifetime?”

  “You’re too hard on him, Maddie. Cut him some slack. He doesn’t do everything with an eye for profit and not always for his own benefit.”

  “Right.”

  Oh, God. She was being a right cow, but it was too painful to let down her guard. Too painful to let hope slide through the shadows, to throw light on what she had allowed herself to believe. What if she opened herself up, only to be destroyed again? She didn’t think she could survive that.

  “You needed a reference for your course from your last employer. Who do you think gave you that?”

  “You did.”

  Her father’s eyes sparkled. “I’m not the owner of Mallory Hotels.”

  Though her mind raced, Maddie recalled the wording on the acceptance letter.

  Glowing testimonial from your previous employer.
>
  Exceptional talent.

  Extraordinary potential.

  Would have no hesitation employing again.

  While she’d thought it a little over the top with praise, she’d shrugged it off as a father’s prerogative. But if it was Gabe, had he done that out of guilt, or did he really have that much faith in her abilities? And, if so, maybe she’d been wrong about why he’d offered her that job.

  “I need to think.” A million butterflies invaded her stomach, and her heart seemed lodged in her throat. “He’s secretive, annoying and frustrating as hell.”

  She hadn’t realised she’d said it aloud until her father laughed. “We can’t all be perfect.” He squeezed her hand again. “Think on this. Gabe has done much for this family, for this company. He may be secretive, and that’s frustrating at times, but his intentions are good.”

  Maddie’s eyes grew dangerously wet, and a tightness moved into her chest. Her father was right. Gabe had helped them in so many ways, yet his only reward from her had been condemnation.

  She needed to see him, talk to him. If what her father said was true, he wasn’t the only one who had some explaining to do. She would need to apologise for the bad things she’d accused him of. Hopefully, he would allow her to do that, and, please God, he’d be more forgiving than she’d been.

  “Dad? I’ve got something to ask you. Would you do me a favour?”

  * * *

  In the boardroom of Mallory’s London HQ, Gabe checked his watch. He’d give Derek Mallory another few minutes and then call to see if the man was okay.

  His jet had touched down only a couple of hours ago, his primary reason for the UK visit to attend the meeting Derek had requested. Gabe had an idea what was on Derek’s mind. He’d been chomping at the bit to get back on board at Mallory’s, but Gabe didn’t want to throw him back in the deep end too fast and had been adamant that Derek ease himself back part-time and on the understanding he would make full use of the support Gabe had arranged.

  “Can I get you some fresh coffee, Mr Harrington?”

  Distracted, Gabe looked up into the friendly smile of his London-based PA. She was smart, efficient and amiable, but Gabe found it virtually impossible to return a smile as genuine as the one she offered him. His general mood was cantankerous of late, and more often than not he pissed himself off, let alone anyone else.

  “I’m okay,” he returned, checking his watch again. “Could you check with reception? Find out if there’s been any calls from Derek Mallory as to why he’s been delayed?”

  “Certainly, sir.”

  Gabe had given up asking the staff at the London office to quit calling him sir. Mallory Hotels was old school, and a certain deference remained between employee and employer. He didn’t much care for it himself, but when in Rome and all that.

  He didn’t much care for a lot of things these days, if the truth be told. Maybe he needed a vacation. Maybe he needed... Maddie.

  Fuck. He was an idiot. If she’d wanted to mend any fences, she would have contacted him. He didn’t like the way things had ended between them. Didn’t like that she had quit her job at Mallory’s without even the courtesy of giving notice. In matters of protocol, it seemed he was as much old school as anyone else.

  His assistant left the boardroom and, alone, Gabe felt the gloom wrap around him like the proverbial well-worn coat.

  Shit. He was a miserable bastard these days. He still enjoyed the cut and thrust of business, but the day-to-day running of his interests, and the minutiae that came with it, irritated the hell out of him. The spark might not have gone out, but it had waned.

  What this whole mess has taught me is that I don’t want to be involved in the dog-eat-dog world of business.

  Maddie’s words haunted him. Dog-eat-dog. Was that how she thought he did business? Was it true? Maybe. He sure as hell went after the things he wanted and didn’t stop until he got them.

  All except Maddie.

  Drumming his fingers on the table, he considered how many times he’d stared at her number on his cell these past weeks. Too many times for his damn comfort. He’d never called, of course. She’d likely refuse to pick up anyway. But hell, he missed her. Missed her so damn much it was painful.

  Everything seemed empty. He seemed empty. Walking around like his insides had been sucked out of him, leaving a kind of echoing shell.

  Christ. He was pitiful.

  He’d even resorted to roaming his Monaco apartment while mentally reciting the names of the artists whose work adorned his walls. Remembering how, with her head tilted to the side, Maddie had scrutinised the composition, the colour, the artist’s use of light and shade. He hadn’t even heard of half the terms she used, but now he found himself looking at the artwork with a critical eye.

  It made him feel closer to her.

  It made him miss her even more.

  Shit. He’d even visited a couple of freaking galleries during his brief visits to London, not wanting to admit that part of him hoped for a kind of synchronistic meeting. A casual bumping into her in one of those weird coincidences that often occurred.

  Yeah. He was a pitiful mess.

  A pitiful fucking mess who’d fallen in love with a woman who wouldn’t give him the time of day.

  At the tap on the door, Gabe’s first thought was, at last. His second, when the door opened, was fuck.

  Maddie strode in like she owned the place, stealing the breath clean from his lungs and shooting his pulse rate to dangerously high levels. For a freakish moment, he wondered if he’d summoned her out of thin air.

  She wore her hair piled on top of her head, neat and slick, complimented by the sharp grey business suit. Walking up to the table, she pulled out a chair and sat while he hovered half in and half out of his own chair. “Good morning, Gabe.”

  Hitching the front of her jacket together across the silky white blouse beneath, she got comfortable. Gabe caught a glimpse of cleavage, the edge of a lacy white bra, before his view was obscured by the jacket.

  He’d heard people describe how their heart jumped into their throat, and now he understood what that meant. His was firmly jammed there. But fuck, she was so damned beautiful. Her eyes gleamed with light and energy. Her mouth, pale pink and glossy and so desirable he wanted to reach across, yank her into his lap and kiss the life out of her.

  Seemingly oblivious to his self-inflicted torture, Maddie plonked the file and the bag she carried onto the table in front of her. “Dad couldn’t make it this morning.”

  Gabe nodded, or tried to. All he seemed to manage was some bizarre movement that mimicked one of those nodding dogs in the backs of people’s cars.

  “He’s okay?”

  She smiled, and he thought that if he’d been standing she’d have cut him off at the knees. “Absolutely fine. Doing really well. Thank you for insisting he comes back part-time for now.”

  She was all businesslike and efficient and so bloody sure of herself that Gabe wanted to retaliate. It wasn’t right that she could be so matter-of-fact about being in his presence after all these weeks when he was suddenly a ball of freaking nerves.

  He did the nodding-dog thing again. Fuck. He had to get a grip.

  Drawing in a breath, she opened the file, then looked straight at him. The punch of her gaze hit him full in the gut. “In the interests of full disclosure, you need to know that I asked Dad to make this appointment with you, but it was really for me.” She slid a folder across to him. “I have a proposition.”

  He took a moment to get his head in gear, his pulse quieting down, then dropped his gaze to the folder before returning it to hers. “What kind of proposition?”

  “It has to do with my shares. Dad told me about your plan to allow him to buy back the shares for the same price he originally sold them to Oscar, and while I’m curious as hell how you managed to do that, it’s not what I’m he
re to discuss.”

  Intrigued, faintly unnerved, Gabe sat back. He hoped he looked a damn sight more relaxed than he felt. He hadn’t had time to steel himself against the sharp punch to his system of seeing Maddie again. Hadn’t had the opportunity to make sure that the sight of her, the scent of her, the promise of her, couldn’t pierce through that barrier he’d erected inside himself.

  Leaning forward, she clasped her hands on the table. “The last time we saw each other, you offered me a job.”

  “And you threw it back in my face.”

  “I wasn’t in an especially good frame of mind at the time. Things are different now.” Her no-nonsense attitude caused Gabe to wonder where the woman who thought she wasn’t a good business negotiator had gone, but then he caught a glimpse of uncertainty in her eyes. He grabbed on to it, found it reassuring that he wasn’t the only one floundering around in an unpredictable torrent of God knew what.

  “The thing is, Dad explained what happened in Monte Carlo two years ago. About Oscar, the side bet and how you reluctantly agreed to cover for him—for my dad.”

  Okay. Gabe didn’t particularly like where this was going. Was she about to lambaste him for keeping all that from her?

  “That was between us.”

  “I know, and although I don’t much like all the subterfuge, I now appreciate your position at the time.”

  It was too soon to breathe a sigh of relief. She had an air about her that indicated she was mentally ticking items off a list, and he had an inkling there was more on the subject to come. More opportunities for her to point out his shortcomings.

  “When you offered me that job, I thought it was because you felt guilty, or you were throwing me some consolation prize. But I found out that it was you who gave me the reference for the design course, and it made me consider that you really did offer me that job because you thought I could do it.”

  “I don’t make job offers to people I don’t think can live up to the task. It’s business, and in business I don’t make offers out of the kindness of my barren heart.”