As if there weren’t enough obstacles to their reunion, he noticed the spark missing in Yara’s eyes. She appeared too sanguine about everything and Kade couldn’t determine if she was just trying to remain strong for her parents, so he decided to wait it out, allowing her to deal with everything that happened to her in her own way.
For now.
Christmas and New Year’s came and went with no celebration.
And a week after the first of the year, Kade was getting really twitchy about having his girl all to himself.
Standing in front of her parents’ unit in the upscale Park Avenue district, he rang the doorbell. This building had a doorman and a concierge. It made Yara’s apartment look like a dump.
Sully opened the door and gave him his usual disapproving look. “Yara’s not ready.”
“That’s okay, I’ll wait,” Kade replied evenly.
The older man scowled then stepped aside to let him in. He had to hand it to her dad. He looked fit for his age. He was wearing a tee, with sleeves cut off, and athletic shorts. The sheen of sweat on his face indicated he’d just finished a workout.
Both men headed to the kitchen.
“Coffee?”
“Sure.”
Sully returned with two steaming mugs and set one in front of him. The first morning Kade had come by, Sully didn’t ask whether he wanted cream or sugar. Kade didn’t, but found it amusing that Yara’s father assumed Kade didn’t want any, or he thought any self-respecting man would drink his coffee black, or he was simply being an ass.
They didn’t talk. Sully was busy checking his emails and Kade did the same. This was their routine until the women joined them. But as each day passed, he could feel the man churning like a volcano about to explode and his polite hostility wouldn’t last.
Yara’s father tossed his phone on the table and glared at him.
Yup, here we go.
“Not really sure what language you understand, Mr. Spear, but I thought we agreed you’d give my daughter space.” That had been Sully’s request on the day they retrieved their daughter from his warehouse loft; he hadn’t repeated until today.
“I’m not sure you understand, either, sir. That is exactly what I’m doing. If I weren’t giving your daughter space, she would be living with me right now. She would be sleeping in my bed every night.”
Sully’s face turned ruddy, his jaw hardening. “Now look here—”
“With all due respect, I understand where you’re coming from. You blame me for everything bad that’s happened to her, but Tink and I agreed we wouldn’t let that affect our relationship. Your daughter is twenty-eight-years old, capable of making her own decisions, and it’s only because of these extreme circumstances that’s she’s tolerating your overprotectiveness.”
Kade inwardly winced because he had those tendencies as well when it came to Yara.
“Overprotectiveness?” Sully sputtered.
“Do you deny that you’re staying in town and keeping her close so you can meddle in our relationship?”
Sully winced. “It’s not that. I’m trying to make it up to her.”
When Kade didn’t say anything, he continued. “Something Jeff said. Saying he’d been more like a father to her.” The older man shook his head. “He’s been my best friend for forty-five years. How could he do this to us?”
“Well, it happened. Best you can do is move on.”
“You think it’s easy? His blue eyes flared.
“Your daughter is trying her best. If you don’t let this go, you’ll drag her down with you.”
“I still don’t want her around the likes of you,” Sully pointed out, voice rising.
“I don’t want her around the likes of me either,” Kade said, knocking a closed fist on the table. “But I’m not going anywhere.”
“My daughter nearly died twice because of you, you fucker!” Sully shouted.
“Sully!”
Kade tried not to laugh at the sudden “oh shit” expression that came over Sully’s face as his wife strode into the kitchen. Zareen Emerson was wearing a shapeless terrycloth robe, but she was honed in elegance and fire as she strutted to her husband’s side.
“What is it we talked about?” she demanded, resting her hands on her hips.
Sully glowered into his coffee. “Stop blaming Spear for what happened.”
“And is that what I’m hearing you shout at the top of your lungs?”
“I wasn’t shouting.”
A delicate brow, so much like Yara’s, shot up.
“Okay, I was,” he mumbled. “He’s not good enough for her.”
Kade agreed, but he didn’t give a fuck.
“My father said the same thing when you pursued me,” Zareen reminded him. “So why do you give Kade such a hard time now?”
“It’s a father’s job.”
She rolled her eyes, again, so similar to the way her daughter did.
“You know we’re as much to blame for not seeing what Jeff was doing,” Zareen told him.
“I know. Come here, baby,” Sully crooned, yanking Yara’s mother onto his lap and nuzzling her neck. “I don’t like it when you’re mad at me.”
“Oh, ewww,” Yara said in mock-disgust as she joined them in the kitchen. “Get a room.”
She was dressed in a gray one-piece dress that hit above her knee with sexy, tall boots that made her hot as fuck. Her dark amber gaze teased him, and her kissable lips curved into a smile. Kade reached out, hauling her to his side and kissed her with more fervor than usual given they had an audience.
“Wow,” she breathed.
Kade ignored the glare coming from across the table. As far as he was concerned, he’d held off long enough and had given them—and he meant Sully—enough time to come to terms that this roughneck was staying in Yara’s life.
Still, he didn’t like the smirk on her father’s face as they ate breakfast. Kade found out why before they left for the ERAF offices.
“Don’t forget dinner with Massoud Rostami this evening, pumpkin.”
Yara winced before smiling at Kade reassuringly, her eyes promising to explain later.
Kade had a feeling he wouldn’t like the explanation.
“Is Massoud Rostami the Iranian billionaire?”
Kade didn’t waste any time asking once they were in his pickup truck. Every morning, without fail, he took her to the ERAF offices. He needed to see her every day, however brief. It was a far cry from when they were in Yemen when they would spend almost every hour together. He wanted that back, but they agreed they needed to address the unfinished businesses in their lives. Hell, they haven’t had sex yet. Heated make-out sessions, yes, but opportunity and timing were never right, especially with her being worried about how Sully was handling Jeff’s betrayal. As far as Kade was concerned, her old man was handling himself just fine.
“Yes, he’s the one—”
“The hydrobeans. I know,” he clipped. “Are Sully and Zareen going with you?”
“No. This is my show,” she said. “I told you I was planning a research trip to Yemen.”
“Yes, and I’m coming with you,” Kade said, shooting her a glance.
She smiled. “I know. So you better get your shit together.”
“Let me worry about that. Your dinner with Rostami … is it social or about the aquifers?”
Yara hesitated too long before she said, “He’s a donor.”
He didn’t respond, just gave a brief nod. His fingers tightened on the steering wheel. There was something she didn’t want him to know and he didn’t press. Kade didn’t go into battle unprepared. And since he was determined to get his relationship with Yara back on track, he’d better do some digging on this Rostami guy. Just because he and Yara were on the same page where their relationship was concerned didn’t mean he considered her a foregone conclusion. Far from it. It wasn’t that their connection wasn’t there, it was, but it was more like a mirage. The sweet promise of it was there, just beyond his grasp, a
nd it was frustrating him.
“So, what else is on your calendar today?” He adjusted the radio and the voice of Tim McGraw filled the car.
“Well, the feds are interviewing us again because of Jeff’s illegal business dealings.” Illegal mining along the border of Oman and Yemen and smuggling products out were both criminal.
“How are the donors reacting to the news?”
One of the tabloids published a very damaging piece on ERAF a few days prior. Amazingly enough, Elliot Denton defended Yara and said the foundation was taking the matter very seriously to see if any funds had been misused or stolen.
“The PR department is busting their asses to set the record straight, but even Sully’s star power wasn’t able to prevent the withdrawal of some of our key donors.”
“Sorry, Tink.”
“We expected it.” Yara exhaled deeply. “Jeff’s illegal revenues were being funneled through a shell company through which he’d make sizable donations to ERAF, but he had profited from the smuggling. We have to open our books to the feds. ERAF is a separate entity from Kennedy Holdings but, since Jeff managed both, we’re open to public scrutiny.”
“And, you, how are you handling it?”
She hitched her shoulders, as though suddenly weary. “One day at a time. Asking myself if I should have done more. I’d seen the signs of Uncle Jeff’s heavy drinking. I knew he worked a lot.” She puffed a derisive laugh. “The smuggling thing blindsided us.” Yara turned her gaze out the window. “I saw how much he genuinely cared for the people we help. It tears me up inside that he was willing to have me killed to protect his illegal business. Even if he did try to put a stop to it in the end, it still … sucks.”
Kade reached over and took her hand in his and she clutched his fingers, welcoming the support, as if it were her lifeline. There was nothing he could say that wasn’t said already. All he could do was be here for her as she handled the complex feelings she had regarding the mess Kennedy left behind.
“So how about you?” she asked, glancing at him. “How’s the inventory coming along?”
Kade grimaced. “Finally got all the assets entered into the system,” he grumbled. “Such a pain in the ass to get them straight in the books. Good thing Roarke is helping.”
Her fingers squeezed his. “You’ll get it right.”
Too soon they arrived in SoHo.
He watched her disappear into the building before pulling away and returning to New Jersey. He had a plan. By the end of today, Yara was coming home with him.
34
For two weeks, Kade worked hard with his lawyers to come up with an acceptable settlement with Max’s attorneys. Yes, his former friend was facing several charges from murder to attempted murder, but Max still deserved his cut of the business, if only so Kade could break off all ties with him. He could never forgive Max for even thinking of hurting Yara.
Kade was able to find a buyer who could give them a fair price for their company warehouse and most of their equipment. When all was said and done, everyone would be getting more than enough money to start over. Yara was his end goal and he was doing whatever it took to become a man worthy of her.
He resolved to be patient as she worked through her own issues, but apparently that patience had hit its limit. Sully was a grown-ass man, he had his own woman for comfort and didn’t need his daughter. As for Kade, he was quickly growing frustrated that he couldn’t be there when Yara had her nightmares, not only about Brody, but Al-Fayed as well. She assured him they weren’t bad, but he’d rather be by her side when she had them. But Massoud Rostami’s interest in Yara sealed his determination to bring her home with him that night.
So here he stood in front of L’Ami George restaurant where the price was at least three hundred dollars per head. Without an analyst, he had to do his own research and do some hacking on his own. Finding out Rostami sent her a floral arrangement that cost more than all the flowers Kade had sent her in the past weeks was a punch in the gut, but he shook that off like any fighter worth his salt in the ring.
He had to admit—Rostami had his aces. He was a philanthropist, a biotech-guru and apparently, one of the most eligible bachelors on the planet. On paper, he and Yara were well-suited, but Kade understood her strengths and her compassion in a way Rostami never would.
He clocked Rostami’s security at the entrance, chatting with the valet. If Kade were running an executive protection program, that man would be fired. Kade moved easily under the restaurant awning and it was only then did the agent notice him.
Alarmed, Rostami’s man tried to head him off, but another guy wearing a leather jacket and faded denims intervened.
Len Whitlock.
Now, that was a person Kade wanted on his side.
“It’s okay. He’s with me,” Len said, clasping Kade by the elbow and pulling him to the side of the restaurant. “About time you showed up.”
“Sully still worried about Yara?”
“He’s become downright paranoid since the attack in her apartment.”
Kade tipped his chin at the restaurant. “What does Rostami want with her?”
Len’s brow arched. “Obviously they have common interests.”
“The aquifers.”
The other man nodded. “They both share the same culture, run in the same social circles. They’re good for each other.”
Kade squared his shoulders. “You’re telling me to back off.”
Len smiled. “No. Yara loves you, but you know how parents are, thinking they know what’s best for their kids. Rostami is good for her, but he’s not what she needs. I really should kick your ass for the Brody incident, but I knew it was you who saved her from whoever had her in Yemen.”
Kade grunted, glancing back at the restaurant and anxious to go get the girl.
The other man must have read his mind. “Well, go ahead then. Go get our girl.”
That evening was torture.
Yara should be flattered. Massoud was a suave dinner partner. He pulled out her chair, knew how to order the right wine, and allowed her to make her dinner choices. She was more than surprised when she received an ostentatious flower arrangement from him that morning. It wasn’t her style and did nothing for her compared to the delight she derived from the simple bouquets Kade sent.
When she and Massoud talked about the internal workings of the aquifer, Yara found herself nodding to sleep. This wasn’t what she expected from their donor meeting. She tried to steer Massoud into giving her contacts in his biotech industry in support of a research project she was spearheading in Yemen.
She wasn’t the nuts-and-bolts type of person—that was Tariq. She was finding her strengths in something else. She wanted to be a visionary. Where everyone was simply putting a Band-Aid to every humanitarian crisis, she wanted a more structured solution. One that would have long-term benefits for the people they helped.
“I heard their pastry chef is one of the most imaginative in Manhattan,” Massoud said as their server laid a square plate of five miniature sweets in front of her. Intricately spun sugar adorned the selection.
It was beautiful but, again, she felt no joy. It was then that Yara knew.
Eating this perfectly plated dessert, in the company of this perfectly attired handsome gentleman, in this perfectly appointed dining room didn’t register a blip compared to the exhilaration she felt eating a bacon and hash brown MRE at that secret pond back in Yemen, because it was in that moment that her heart had fallen in love with Kade Spear.
Yara had been in a cloud of melancholy ever since she left Yemen. The anxiety of Kade’s possible court-martial, the terror from Brody’s attack and, finally, the devastation from Jeff’s death and betrayal all conspired to lock her emotions in a world where she was content going through the motions. Kade had been patient, but she sensed her reprieve was at an end.
And, as though her thoughts willed him into being, he was suddenly in front of her.
Her lungs heaved as her heart made the
connection to its other half.
The rush she hadn’t felt since that day in the pond when they professed their love for each other came roaring back and her throat closed.
Kade loomed above their table, scowling at Rostami, and then at her, the maître d’ sputtering behind him.
“Let’s go.” He clasped her arm and gently pulled her from the chair.
Her cheeks flamed, both from outrage and giddiness. Of course she had to shake her arm from his grasp.
“What are you doing?” she hissed.
“Yara, who is this man?” Massoud stood and looked around, probably for his security.
“Her boyfriend, motherfucker,” he snarled.
“Kade!” Yara gasped. “Stop making a scene.”
Suddenly they were crowded with Massoud’s security and Len. Thank god.
Massoud smirked. “Obviously, she doesn’t want your company.”
Yara didn’t like Kade’s slow grin. “Well, I’m the one who sees her every morning. What do you say now, asshole?”
Massoud stared at her accusingly. “Yara, what does he mean?”
Yara seethed and seeing smartphones being held up to record the scene was beyond mortifying.
“I’m leaving,” she declared. “I apologize, Massoud, for the interruption to our business dinner. My office will be in contact.”
Without saying another word to anyone else, she stalked off.
Yara escaped, craving the fresh oxygen of the frosty January night … and immediately regretted it. She forgot her coat, but she was so angry at the son of a bitch who, unfortunately, owned her heart.
“Tink!”
“Stay away from me, Spear!”
“You’re gonna break your neck in those heels,” he growled.
She tried to walk faster but her four-inch heels were indeed making it a challenge. Yara spotted his shadow, before she felt a coat land on her shoulders. Then she stopped walking, and her body was turned into the most delicious warmth and hugged into a solid wall of muscle.
Yara burrowed deeper into his chest. “You’re an overbearing ass.”
The Princess And The Mercenary Page 27