The morning sun is barely over the water, signaling a new day, and I hate it. I’m leaving New Zealand, and worse, I’m leaving Amelia. We finally had the talk last night about our schedules, and our plans to see each other. I never thought I’d be doing the long-distance thing, but Amelia is worth it. I’ve racked my brain to think of ways to make a change or transfer here for Knight Industries, but nothing makes sense in a way that is good for the company. I have too many people depending on me, their families depending on their employment. I know I have to leave her behind, but it kills me. Amelia has become as essential to my life as the air I breathe.
My hand dips into my pocket, and I run my hands over the satin material again. It’s an insane thought. Some will argue it’s too soon, and I must be crazy or just caught up in lust. It doesn’t feel too soon, though. Everything about Amelia feels right, and I like the way I am with her in my life. Another day without her might destroy me. I also want her to feel confident in us when I leave. At this point, I’ve done and said everything I can think of to make her feel secure, which means that the rest is up to her, for her to trust me. I hope that it isn’t easier said than done.
“What are you thinking about.” I feel her words, soft and husky at my back, her bare arms wrapping around my middle. I let my hand fall on hers and hold them to my skin. I hope she can feel that the way I imprint her touch on me. I never want her to let go.
“You,” I tell her honestly. I can feel her plump lips smile against me.
I turn in her hold. Her head tips back to look up at me, her pink locks tickling my arm. I take her chin in my fingers and gaze down at her before dropping a soft kiss to her lips. They already look red and puffy from my kisses last night, and I’m already itching to get back inside her. Amelia is my addiction; I am completely obsessed.
“I know that look.” She smirks and shakes her head. She tries to pull back, but I hold her closer.
“You have no idea everything you do to me.” I shake my head and her eyes soften, her body melting into my hold. “I love you.”
“I love you,” she tells me right back, without hesitation.
I take a step back. “Amelia, I tried to think of a good time to do this, but I don’t think there will ever be a right time. I already know I can’t live without you. I know we have things to figure out, but I have no doubts we’ll make it work. I can’t leave here today though, until I know you’re mine.”
“I am yours.” She bites her lip, and there’s a small flash of worry in her eyes.
I hold her gaze and see my whole life in that ocean color. Without hesitating, I drop to my knee and take out the black, satin box. Amelia’s eyes widen.
“Zander.” Her voice hitches and her hands clutch her heart.
“I might have already loved you that day I first found you under the willow tree. I thanked my lucky stars the second time you were there, and even though you hated me, I couldn’t leave you. I definitely loved you the time I asked you to meet me there, that time I like to think we started over. You’ve been the constant in my changing seasons, even when I didn’t know it. I will always hate myself for what I did to you, but I will spend the rest of my life showing you how important you are to me and how much I love you. Amelia, will you marry me?” I pop the lid and Grandma Bee’s ring shines brightly against the dark fabric. A four-carat emerald cut diamond encased in rose gold and smaller diamonds on the band.
Tears stream down Amelia’s cheeks. She knows how much this ring means to me. I fought to have it. Was denied over and over again. I blamed her for keeping it, even when it was always meant to be hers. I just needed to figure that out. And now that I have, there is no other person in the world I can imagine wearing it, except Amelia.
“Yes,” she breathes out so quietly, I almost think I didn’t hear it right. “Yes,” she says again, this time louder and filled with confidence.
I rush her, picking her up off the ground and holding her body to my chest. She holds me tight, her entire body shaking in my hold. I quickly set her back down and grab her hand, sliding the rose gold band up her finger and imagine that…it fits her perfectly, as if it was made for her.
I’m not back in the U.S. for more than three hours when York texts me.
York: I hear congratulations are in order.
Me: I’m glad you finally connected with her. Amelia has been trying to get ahold of you.
York: I know, I’ll have to talk to Lacy about it. She knows if it’s Amelia, I always take it.
York: Well, welcome to the family officially. This is weird.
Me: You’ll get used to it.
York: You and my sister? Yeah, not likely.
Me: I love her, York. I’ll never hurt her again.
York: No, you will not. And if you do, this time, I’ll be bringing the shovel to bury your dead body.
Me: I’m glad she has you, but it won’t ever happen.
He quits responding after that, and by the time I get home, I’m completely jet-lagged and exhausted. I collapse on the bed, not even bothering to check the new notification when my phone dings again.
The next morning, all hell breaks loose.
By the time I get into Knight Industries, I’ve already received a dozen emails and security notices. I’ve tried reaching York, but have yet to hear from him, my blood boiling under my skin. There is no way this is real. I pace the conference room, a nervous-looking Katie stands with a notepad clutched in her fists. I hit dial again, and this time, the phone connects.
“Zander, why do I have fifty missed calls and all these emails.” York’s face fills the screen, and he looks concerned, but also confused.
“You tell me.” I keep my voice level even when I’m dying to go off on him.
He frowns. “I don’t know, jackass, that’s why I’m calling. I didn’t have my phone. It was left in my office by accident.”
“Did you or did you not sign off on the Dominion expansion without consulting me?” I grit out, my eyes boring into my best friend’s. I don’t want to think he’s doing something underhanded, but the proof is there. His signature is on the line. and we never discussed it. Even worse is that his percentage is two points higher than mine. I’m not hurting from the cut, but it sends a clear message to our associates that more control lands with Allister Holdings.
“What?” He flips around to his computer and starts clicking. I keep silent on the other end of my line. “We last talked about it before you left. I have a note here that I gave it to my secretary to give to Katie for you to sign. I have it here, we both were receiving twelve percent. What’s the issue?”
“The issue is that I never saw it. Katie is here, you never received it until today, right?”
“That’s correct, sir. I’m sorry, Mr. Allister, but I never received it from your secretary until today,” Katie interjects.
“And it states you would be at fourteen percent and I’m at twelve.” I turn back to York. His brow is furrowed and he’s glaring at his computer screen.
“I don’t even have a draft of the contract being sent or signed,” he exhales, “I don’t know what happened.”
“I’m going to have internal affairs look into it,” I tell him, trying to ease the tension in my shoulders.
“Be my guest,” York grunts, “maybe they can make sense of it. I wouldn’t do something shady like that, you know that.”
I nod my head because, deep down, I do. I can’t shake the feeling, though, that Allister Holdings will always be more powerful than Knight Industries. And even though York and I work our asses off to be a united front, I worry that power and control could go to York’s head, if given the right incentive. His competitive nature gets the best of him at times. He’s never given me the impression he would do anything like that. My past likes to haunt me though. My grandfather was very adamant on doing everything on his own. We hang up from our call and Katie has a list of people to contact for both of us. York stated he didn’t trust his secretary at the moment and would be going around her.
With one crisis averted, I pull out my phone and glance again at the text message from last night. My stomach clenches, and rage thunders in my ears.
Unknown: Zander, please talk to me. I’m sorry! I need you to call me. I have something to tell you about Allister Holdings. I can’t over the phone though. Love, Your Care-Bear.
My finger hovers over the delete button. I have zero interest in talking to her or hearing her bullshit. I just wonder what she could possibly know or have heard about York’s company. And with the issue from today, the timing feels off. Carrigan has no reason to contact me and as far as I know she’s never kept in contact with York. Not that he’s told me anyways. They also used to be friends when we were in school, but when she cheated on me, he dropped her just as fast as I did. York denied having anything to do with the contract. I also haven’t had the best luck getting him on the phone lately and neither has Amelia. My mind thinks back to the day he called me out for not paying attention in the board room. Was it a power play? I quickly send that email to internal affairs so they can start their investigation. Unease slithers in my chest. I don’t delete the message. I also don’t respond.
Another text comes through, this time it’s a picture. I open the message and read what looks like a screen shot from an email.
Unknown: My friend was York’s secretary. She said that she was fired because York found out she knew about him trying to run deals without you knowing. He and Amelia are trying to ruin you. I know you don’t trust me, but I have everything Lacy saved. She was too scared to come forward.
My thumb hovers over the text. I can’t make my mind believe what I’m reading. I feel the blood rushing from my face as they keep coming. Each image is more damning than the next. I don’t know what to do. It can’t be a coincidence after what happened today.
Me: Send me all of it.
