by Anna James
Ethan frowned and pulled the phone from its holder. Off. “I guess I forgot to turn it back on after dinner.” He pressed the power button.
Hayden’s brow arched up, a curious expression on his face. “Dinner?”
Ethan laughed. “Yes, with Emma.”
Hayden frowned. “Sullivan?”
“Yes.”
“Do you think seeing her is a good idea given the situation?”
“She’s a child, for goodness’ sake. My goddaughter. She has nothing to do with the shareholders dispute.”
“Maybe not, but her mother’s company is leading the investigation, and her father…”
Ethan dragged a hand through his hair and shook his head. “What about Ryan?”
“He…” Hayden gestured with his hand as if waving off the notion. “I contacted Robert Fisher, and he’s agreed to meet with you tomorrow. Now—”
“What. About. Ryan?” Ethan grated.
“Forget about him. It doesn’t matter anymore.”
“You brought him up, so I believe it does.”
Hayden glowered, his lips tightening into a thin line. “You weren’t the only one Ryan betrayed.”
Hayden had given Ryan his job at Montgomery all those years ago as a favor to Ethan. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“There were some issues. They came to light just before his death.”
“What issues?” He wasn’t aware of any problems having to do with Ryan, at least none related to the bank. Then again, he’d been in Paris at the time. If there’d been trouble, why not tell him then? Why bring it up now? Damn it. Why the hell was Hayden being so cryptic?
“Ryan was fired a couple of days before his accident.”
Ethan let out a harsh breath. “What? Why?”
“Over a period of about eight months, Ryan underwrote a series of high risk loans that were defaulted on. Montgomery lost millions. I believe he received kickbacks for approving the loans.”
His jaw dropped open. “Are you sure?”
Hayden sighed. “I can’t prove it, but we found a record of deposits made into an account after each loan was approved.” He paused and looked Ethan in the eye. “The account is in Rachel’s name.”
No! Ethan felt as if he’d been punched in the gut. “There’s got to be some mistake.”
“It’s no mistake, Ethan.”
He swallowed hard. “Okay, fine. The account is in Rachel’s name. Ryan must have opened it.” Rachel would never knowingly take part in illegal activities.
“Maybe.”
No maybe about it.
“But how do you explain the steady withdrawals from the account since Ryan’s death?”
Chapter Thirteen
Rachel hit the save button, closed the file, attached the summary report to her e-mail and hit send. Done. Finally. She leaned back against the chair and rubbed her throbbing temples. One more item left on her list of things to do today, get Emma to her doctor appointment, then she could go home and relax and maybe this nagging headache would go away. Reaching into the top drawer of her desk, she grabbed the bottle of extra strength Tylenol, dumped two into her hand and popped the tablets into her mouth. She swallowed them down with water from the bottle sitting on her desk and powered down her computer.
“Hi, Rachel,” a deep male voice greeted.
She lifted her face. Ethan stood in the doorway and, oh my, her stomach did a little flutter. Lord, it was good to see him again. Hear his warm, gravelly voice. See that sexy smile. Her insides melted. “Hi, stranger. Long time no see.” Was that low, throaty voice hers?
“Too long,” he agreed.
Countless times over the last month, she’d wanted to pick up the phone and call him just to see how he’d been doing. She hadn’t, of course. Wouldn’t. The shareholders dispute wasn’t settled yet, which meant no contact with the Montgomerys. Instead, she’d spent the time working like a mad woman, caring for Emma and doing her best not to think about Ethan. “What have you been up to?”
“Traveling back and forth to Paris when necessary. Some issues have cropped up as a result of the shareholders dispute here in New York.”
“Nothing serious, I hope.”
He shook his head. “Nothing I can’t handle.”
“What are you doing here at McKenna and Hirsh?”
“I had a meeting with Jarrod. What about you? I thought you were working at home while Emma recovers?”
She nodded, and wasn’t this the tiniest bit awkward? She wanted him to come in and sit down so they could have a proper conversation, so she could stare up into those amazing eyes. “I had a meeting with a new client earlier.”
He smiled and, holy cow, every nerve ending in her body tingled. “How’s Emma?”
“She’s well, but ticked off at me right now because I asked my neighbor to stay with her while I’m here.”
“She’s too young to stay by herself.”
Rachel shook her head. “Not according to her, and I do let her stay alone for short periods of time, but not today.” She stared at his sumptuous mouth and wanted it on hers again, only longer this time. The last time had been much too brief.
“…return to school?”
Rachel blinked. Man, she needed to stop fantasizing and get a grip—fast. “Her post-accident checkup is this afternoon. She’s already missed a month of the new school year because the doctor wanted to make sure Emma was fully healed before sending her back to boarding school. I’m hoping he’ll give her the okay to return next week. Tell me about your meeting with Jarrod. Is there any resolution in the shareholders dispute yet?”
“No. Not yet.”
Damn! “I’m sorry to hear it.”
“Me too.”
Rachel disengaged her laptop from the docking station.
“Are you heading out now?” Ethan asked.
“Yes. I’ve got to make a quick stop at the market before I go home and get Emma for her appointment. I want to pick up some of her favorite ice cream and make sundaes after dinner to celebrate her recovery.”
“I’ll walk out with you. There’s something I’ve been meaning to ask you.” He extended his hand toward her when she met him at the door. “Let me take the briefcase for you.”
Rachel handed him the bag. “Thanks. What do you need to ask me?”
“It’s about your account at Montgomery.”
“What account?”
“The savings account you opened about four years ago.”
Rachel frowned. “I didn’t open any accounts at Montgomery four years ago.”
“You’re sure? This one would have been separate from the joint accounts you and Ryan held at the time. Maybe you started a Christmas club account or a college fund for Emma?”
“No.” She wouldn’t have opened either. They’d put the addition on the house four years ago, and with the second mortgage, there hadn’t been a dime to spare.
“Maybe Ryan opened one in your name?”
“I don’t think so.” Rachel couldn’t recall him mentioning anything of the kind. Why would he open an account for her and not tell her? He wouldn’t. “What’s going on, Ethan?”
“We found a savings account in your name. It’s been open for about four years now.”
“Well, it’s definitely not mine. I closed the only accounts Ryan and I had at Montgomery a short time after his death.”
Ethan nodded. “There must be some mistake. Don’t worry about it.”
“Okay.”
They reached her car. Rachel paused before unlocking the door and turned to face him. “It was nice to see you again. Take care, Ethan.”
“I will.”
He leaned in and, oh yes, he was going to kiss her again. His lips brushed over her cheek. Her heart sank like a led balloon. Definitely not the type of kiss she’d been hoping for.
He frowned. “Rachel?”
Lifting his hand, he touched gentle fingers to her forehead. “You’re burning up.”
She shook her head and wis
hed she hadn’t when the world started to spin. Her knees buckled, and she sank to the ground.
Ethan moved quickly and scooped her into his arms.
“I’m fine,” she protested. “Just a little dizzy.”
“No, you’re not. You’re sick, and I’m not letting you drive in this condition. I’ll take you home. We can come back for your car when you’re feeling better.”
“I need my car. I have to take Emma to her follow up appointment.”
“You need to rest. I’ll take Emma to see the doctor.”
“But, Ethan…”
“No buts, Rachel. I mean it.”
Chapter Fourteen
Rachel pulled on a nightgown and slipped between the crisp, cool sheets of her bed. “Come in,” she called at the sound of a light tap on the door a moment later.
Ethan placed a glass of water and two tablets on the bedside table. He pressed his palm to her forehead. “You’re still warm. What time did you take your last dose of Tylenol?”
“Right before you came into my office. It hasn’t kicked in yet.”
He shook his head. “That was over an hour ago.”
She grabbed his arm. “Emma’s appointment.”
“I’ll get her there on time. Don’t worry.”
“Remember to—”
“Show my ID to the nurse so they know who I am. I won’t forget.”
“Ethan?”
He pressed his cool lips to her forehead. The action calmed her. “What?”
“Thanks.”
He brushed back the wisps of hair stuck to her face. “You’re welcome. Now, try to get some rest.”
Her eyes fluttered shut. The last thing she heard was the soft click of the door closing.
Rachel paced back and forth in the small confines of her living room. The sound of a car door closing had her stopping in mid-stride. A moment later, Ryan walked through the front door.
“Hi,” he grunted and went to the staircase.
She arched her eyebrows. “Where have you been? It’s after nine. You were supposed to be home by six thirty so I could go to the meeting at Emma’s school regarding changes for the upcoming school year.”
He climbed the first stair and stopped. He turned to look at her. “Sorry, something came up at work.”
Rachel strode toward him. “The bank closed hours ago.”
“I told you something came up.”
Rachel folded her arms and glared at him. “At the bank?”
“Yes,” he sneered.
“That’s bullshit, and you know it. You weren’t at the bank today.”
“I don’t know what the hell you’re talking about.” He climbed the next stair.
“Curtis Johnson called three times today looking for you.”
That got his attention. He turned and stared at her. Something flashed in his dark, brooding eyes. Panic, fear? No. That couldn’t be right. “What’s going on, Ryan? You’ve been acting really weird for the last few days. Is everything okay at the bank?”
His eyes hardened. “I don’t owe you an explanation.”
“Like hell you don’t. I’m your wife. I—”
“My wife?” he spat. “You’re my wife all right, but only because you forced me to marry you.”
Pain and outrage radiated through her. “How can you say that?”
“You got pregnant with Emma, didn’t you?”
She let out a withering laugh. “I’m pretty sure you were there, too. I didn’t get pregnant by myself.”
He glared at her.
“Ryan, what’s wrong with you? Why are you bringing this up after all these years?”
He came back down to stand in front of her, invading her space. His nostrils flared. “Maybe, I’ve finally had enough of you, of Emma, of being trapped. And maybe I never wanted to be a father. Did you ever think of that?”
She gasped. “Ryan!”
His cell phone rang. Ryan pulled it from his pocket and answered. He grunted a few terse words, then cut the connection and strode to the door. “I wish I never met you. You’ve ruined my life.”
The door slammed shut, and he was gone.
The loud bang startled her, and she realized she must have fallen asleep on the living room sofa waiting for Ryan to come home. The banging sounded again. Who could be at the door at this time of night? It was probably Ryan. He must have forgotten his house keys. With wooden movements she trudged to the door and opened it. Her eyes widened. Oh God, oh God, oh God. “Can… Can I help you, Officer?” she stammered.
“Mrs. Sullivan?”
Rachel nodded.
“There’s been an accident.”
An image of Ryan, hard and angry flashed before her eyes. No! She screamed.
***
The blood curdling scream had Ethan bolting off the sofa and taking the stairs two at a time. He threw open the door to Rachel’s bedroom and found her thrashing around in the bed. Moving quickly, he gathered her into his arms. “Wake up, Rachel. Wake up.”
When she continued to thrash he shook her gently. “Come on, sweetheart. You’ve had a nightmare. Now, it’s time to wake up.”
She moaned. Tears streamed down her face. Her eyelids fluttered and then opened. “Ethan?”
He breathed a deep sigh of relief. “Yes. I’m here.” He laid a hand across her forehead. Her skin felt cool to the touch. “You were dreaming.”
Her eyes finally focused on him. “I was?”
“Yes, and it must have been bad because I heard you screaming from downstairs.”
She shuddered and twisted at the ring on her right hand. “I was remembering the night Ryan died.”
Oh damn. He eased her away. Had their conversation earlier sparked something in her subconscious? “Does it happen often?”
She exhaled a sharp breath. “No, thank goodness. It’s been over a year since the last time.”
He touched her cheek with his fingertips. “Your fever’s gone. How do you feel?”
She offered him a small smile. “Hungry. What time is it?”
His gaze flicked over to the bedside clock. “It’s five thirty in the morning. You slept more than fifteen hours.”
She laughed. The sound was sweet music to his ears and made him grin.
“No wonder I’m starving.”
He stood and offered her a hand. “Come on, I’ll make you some breakfast before I leave for work.”
“Wait, you’ve been here all night?”
He nodded. “Yes.”
“But, I thought you were going to leave after you brought Emma home from the doctor?”
“I’d planned on it, but we went to dinner after her appointment. When we got back here, she asked me for help on a school assignment—it’s good to see she’s keeping up with her class. Anyway, we worked for a while and when she went to bed I checked on you. You still had a fever. I planned to stay until eleven and administer your next dose of Tylenol. I must have fallen asleep because the next thing I heard was your screams.”
Rachel grabbed her robe from the hook behind the bathroom door, slipped it on and walked out into the hall. Ethan followed her from the bedroom and stared, no ogled, her fine, nicely rounded ass. He couldn’t help it. He imagined her sans robe and nightgown. His brain conjured vivid images of her lying naked on his bed while he… Don’t go there. He couldn’t stop himself because somewhere along the line, over these last few months, he’d decided he wanted her.
Back wasn’t the right word because she’d never been his to begin with, but that didn’t matter anymore. She would be. If only he could bide his time until this damn shareholders dispute was settled.
It wasn’t easy, and if she looked at him again the way she had yesterday afternoon in the parking lot, he’d do more than break his word or brush his lips over hers.
“You coming, Ethan?”
Get a hold of yourself, man. You’re not some randy teenager who can’t control his baser instincts. “I’m right behind you.” He followed her downstairs and into the kitch
en. “How do you want your eggs cooked?”
Rachel sat at the table. “Scrambled, with cheese, please.”
“Toast and bacon?”
“Yes on the toast. No bacon. I mean we don’t have any.”
“You got it.” He reached into the cupboard and grabbed a bowl and frying pan. Whistling, he beat the eggs together with some milk and poured them into the pan. He added a slice of American cheese he found in the refrigerator. While her meal cooked, he toasted two pieces of bread, then buttered them. When the food finished cooking, he slid the eggs onto a plate, laid the toast beside it, then placed the dish on the table, and sat down next to her.
“Where’s yours? Aren’t you going to eat?”
“I’ll get something from the cafeteria when I get to the bank. Emma’s pediatrician gave her the all clear yesterday. The doctor indicated he’ll e-mail you the paperwork you need to give to the school, and she can go back to her classes on Monday.”
“She must have been thrilled to receive the news.”
“I’ll say. She tried to convince me I should let her have ice cream for dinner.”
Rachel laughed. “The child would live on ice cream and hamburgers if I let her.”
“Let’s not forget pizza,” Ethan added.
Rachel grinned. “You’re right.”
“Are you talking about me?” Emma asked.
“Yes.” Ethan flashed a smug smile.
Emma came toward them rubbing her sleep-filled eyes and yawned. She sat at the table. “Did you tell Mom I asked you to come with us when we go back to my school this weekend?”
He’d hope she’d forget about her plea because he already knew Rachel’s answer. “No.”
“Is it okay if Ethan comes, Mom?”
Rachel’s long silence put Ethan on edge. “Maybe another time, Emma.”
“But—” Emma protested.
Rachel drew in an audible breath. “Yes, Ethan. You’re more than welcome to join us if you want.”
“Yippy!” Emma shrieked.
He grinned. “Great. I’ll see you Sunday morning.”
Chapter Fifteen