Risking It All: London Calling Book Three (26 page)

Safety is overrated, anyway.

Blue eyes shining, she clasped Natalie’s hand, squeezing.
 

Leap.

Her thoughts coming back to the present, Natalie bit her thumbnail. Was she a coward, like her mum and Dominic said? Instead of standing strong, was she really no more than that scared little girl, afraid her father wouldn’t love her enough to stay?

And safety wasn’t overrated, not when she applied it to Dominic. He’d signed up to help Sebastian and the mysterious Angeline with their dangerous mission. What if something happened to him?
 

Her breath hitched. She couldn’t bear it.
 

Suddenly, her feelings were crystal clear. She’d been a blind fool, clutching her grudges close to keep Dominic at a distance. If he got hurt, or worse, she’d never recover. There was no other man for her.
 

Ruby cleared her throat to get Natalie’s attention. Natalie had forgotten the younger woman’s presence.

Blankly, Natalie asked, “I’m sorry?”

“The package.” Ruby shook her head. “It’s pretty large, ma’am.”
 

Natalie felt about a hundred years old when Ruby referred to her that way. Sighing, she said, “Please call me Natalie. If you can’t carry it, how will I?”

“I figured you could open it to see what was inside. Then we’d figure it out. I don’t know how heavy it is. It’s more bulky.”

Ruby always seemed amused with the world, and this was no exception. Natalie stopped being difficult. “Okay, show me.”

She followed the younger woman down the stairs. Diverted by the sounds and sights of the busy games, she missed the quick hand signal Ruby flashed a busboy.
 

“Do you mind if I check in with my relief? I want to tell them I’ll be right back.”

Natalie nodded then waited off to the side while Ruby whispered something in the ear of another croupier, presumably the person covering her table. Natalie wasn’t sure why she dithered, she knew the way to the back entrance. Turning, she took two steps toward the back of the room when Ruby caught up with her.

“Sorry.” She sounded breathless. “I’ll show you. It’s pushed a little out of the way.”

Natalie wondered where they could possibly push anything in the narrow alley between the club and gardens, especially if it was sizable.
 

At a rapid clip, Ruby led Natalie through the casino’s main floor and into the kitchens, bypassing the dining areas. Avoiding the white-clad chefs milling about in regimented order, Natalie wondered, not for the first time, how they avoided chaos and achieved such harmony.

Waving for her to catch up, Ruby waited by the rear exit. When Natalie approached, the young woman quickly slipped behind her as the door seemed to open of its own volition.

Natalie didn’t have time to question what was happening when she felt Ruby’s hands push her through the exit. Before she could protest, she saw a man standing a few feet down the alley.

She squinted, her feet moving her closer. “
Frank
?”

Dominic’s driver executed a short bow. “At your service.”

“But—” Her words were abruptly cut off as someone grabbed her from behind and heaved her over their shoulder in a classic fireman’s carry.

Surprised, she sputtered, “
Dominic
?”

He had the cheek to reply, “At your service.”
 

She grabbed at his waist as his laughter threatened to shake her loose. Here he was, the man of her dreams, kidnapping her. He was real, alive, and solidly sexy.

Of course, she’d be damned if he thought she’d be a pushover.
 

Balling one hand into a fist, she held on with the other while pounding him in the back. All she got for her trouble was a hard smack to her behind.

“Stay still, woman. I don’t want to drop you.” He was walking her toward his car, where Frank stood with the rear door open as if nothing was amiss.

“Put me
down
,” she gasped.

“As you wish, my love.” He flipped her upright then shoved her into the car to sprawl along the back seat. Pushing his way in beside her, he calmly instructed Frank to drive.

Speechless, struggling not to burst into wild laughter, she scrambled upright. He was a madman, ogling her legs with obvious good humor. She hastily tugged at her skirt, pretending outrage, even though she was crazy in love with him.
 

Still, their last meeting haunted her. Clearly, he wanted her. But had she ruined anything more? Moreover, could she finally drop her armor to trust in him again?

“What are you doing?” she exclaimed. Avoiding his eyes, she looked around her. Champagne was chilling in a bucket, and the car was filled with roses.

“You didn’t come back to me, so I came after you.” He lazily tipped her chin up with one finger. “I’m crazy about you, Toff.”

She stared, speechless. “I thought we were over, Dominic.
You
ended it.”

“Ah. I wondered if that’s how you’d see it.”

“How else was there?” It came as a shock to realize how much it hurt.
 

“I walked away—
temporarily
—from the little you offered. There’s a difference.”

“What makes you think I’m offering anything else?” God, she’d missed him. Even now, she had to bite back a smile at his outrageousness.

“You will before the night’s over.” He winked. “Now why don’t you shimmy over here and give me a kiss?”

“I do not
shimmy
.”

She did her best to ignore him as he guffawed with laughter.

“See Frank? This is why I love her.”

Weakening, but refusing to acknowledge it, Natalie angled her chin, looking down her nose at him. “I demand you let me out. This minute.”

He reached over and poured a flute of champagne, leaning close to hand it to her. The effervescence tickled her chin.

“Keep it up, Toff. You know how hard that prissy tone gets me.”
 

Horrified, she glanced at Frank to see if he heard. Dominic, damn him, laughed harder still.
 

“Frank, are we nearly there?”

“As you speak.” The car rolled to a halt in front of a high rise building in Canary Wharf. Natalie hadn’t even realized where they were going.

She crossed her arms tight over her chest. “I am not stepping foot out of this car. Take me back to Club Hobart.”

Dominic tilted his head, surveying her. He turned his attention back to Frank. “She’s got herself bunched up like a corpse, Frankie. Do you want legs or shoulders?”

She took a sip of champagne before she realized what she was doing. Pale gold, its bubbles exploded over her tongue, making her think of buttery toast, crisp apples, and ocean air. She bit back an instinctive moan by clenching her teeth. “I am
not
stepping out of this car.”

Cheerfully, “That’s okay, sweetheart. Frank and I are going to carry you.”

She stamped her foot. “No, you will not!” She flung open her door and sprung out before she noticed both men grinning at each other. Heaving a breath, she began marching down the street, her hand stuck out for a taxi.

The world spun on its axis as Dominic scooped her up, this time holding her in front of him, draped in his arms. The scent of crushed roses had her looking down to see him clutching a bouquet in one hand.
 

Ready to blister the skin off him for manhandling her, she stopped herself. He hadn’t hurt her, in fact, was gentler than she’d known he could be. Frankly, it was dead romantic.

Suddenly, she couldn’t catch her breath. He was so handsome, yet infinitely more than that to her.
 

“Nat?” His forehead wrinkled. He wasn’t breathing either. He lifted his chin, sending Frank back to the car.

“Where are we?” Bemused, she kept her eyes on his face while he took her into the building and asked a porter to take them upstairs. To his credit, the man never looked twice at the unusual picture they presented.

“You’ll see.” They got off on one of the upper floors. The porter opened a door then stepped aside so they could enter. He disappeared once they were fully inside.

Dominic continued through a short gallery before a room opened up around them. Open plan, it contained a kitchen and a large space for living and dining areas. Right now, it was empty.

Dominic set her down. Bemused, she walked in a slow circle, taking in the high ceilings and floor-length windows. Behind her, Dominic grabbed a crystal tumbler from a kitchen cabinet and put the roses inside. Turning back to him, she asked, “Who lives here?”

He finished filling the glass with tap water, setting it on the kitchen island. He checked his watch. “As of nine hours ago, I do.”

“You bought a place.”

“I needed one.”

She glanced away. It hurt to look at him, not knowing if they could each be what the other needed. Hugging herself, she faced him but kept her eyes lowered. “Dominic, why have you brought me here? I thought we said all there was to say.”

“I don’t think so.”
 

He was like a statue, leaving her to bridge the gap between them. “I’m not sure what you want from me. And I’m afraid you can’t be who I need you to be.”

He flinched. “You’re wrong, Nat. If only you would see.”

She tightened her jaw, determined not to cry. All she could smell was wild roses. All she could see was him. “I’m not. Only yesterday I found out you’ve been lying to me. Again, Dominic. It never ends.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Sebastian. You told me you’d let it go, but you didn’t. You kept nosing around and now you’ve got yourself mixed up in a business I knew nothing about and is likely to get your killed.” The last came out on a wail. She pressed her fingers to her eyes, willing the tears back.

He reached for her then let his hand drop back to his side. “You’re right. There’s nothing I can say.”

“Why? Why do you have to lie, over and over again? I swear sometimes you do it only because you can’t help yourself.” She paced to a window, blind to its extraordinary view.

“Not true, Nat. That’s not fair, and it’s not true.”

“Then why?” she cried. Being near him was tearing her apart. She’d pined for him as if he’d been gone from her life for years rather than days.

“Because I love you,” he whispered. As she jerked her gaze back to his, he continued. “I do. And I thought I could protect you from someone else hurting you.” He sighed. “I know I’m not perfect, Nat. I have flaws and faults and weaknesses. But this time, I wanted to help you. That’s all.”

She believed him. But this conversation was too important to rush. For once, she’d make sure the important words were said, rather than the wounded, spiteful ones. She tilted her head. “Why did you lie a year ago?”
 

He made a sound in the back of his throat then took off pacing. She counted a hundred steps at least, from one end of the room to the other.
 

“I’m sorry. I will keep saying it until you believe me.”

“I didn’t ask that. I know you’re sorry.” Finally, she really did. Something inside her shifted, making room for more. “Dominic?”
 

He kept walking, head down.
 

“Please look at me.” When his mossy green eyes lifted, she looked straight into them. “I forgive you. Completely and totally.”

He took one jerky step toward her then stopped when she held up her hand.

In spite of her extraordinary desire for him, or perhaps because of it, she forced herself to finish. It was past time to know everything. And to have more than the physical. “What I need to know is why you did it. Were you helping someone else? Looking out for someone? Or did you just do it for the money?”

He grimaced. “For the money. Don’t try to absolve me, Natalie.”

Something didn’t make sense. The very first time they met, he’d knocked her for six with his stunning looks and fatal charm. But that wasn’t all there was to him. Far from it. She moved toward him, inhaling his peaty, smoky scent. She linked her hands to keep from reaching for him.
 

She couldn’t, not yet.

“Who got the money?”

He froze. “What?”

“The money from the business you gained from Bennett. Who got it?”

He rubbed his hand around his neck, flushing. “I don’t know what you mean,” he hedged. “I got the money. Of course.”

She prowled close, running a finger down his cheek. “Now you
are
lying.” He seemed to lean in to the caress. “Who ultimately got the money? You didn’t need it. Look at this place.” She waved her hand, encompassing the empty elegance of the space. Not quite as modern as she’d have guessed for him, but suited to her perfectly.
 

He backed away one step. She followed. “Tell me. You asked me to see. I think I’m starting to. Answer the question.”

“My dad,” he blurted. “And Dev’s father. I wanted them to retire without worries. I siphon the money to their investment accounts. Dev and Bennett handle their finances so they never question it.”
 

She rolled onto her tiptoes to kiss his lips. After a moment’s hesitation, he jerked back.

But that moment told her everything she needed to know. “Lo and behold, I have an honorable man before me.” She swept her gaze down his lean height.
 

“I’m not. Stop this.”

“But Dom, this is what you wanted. You kidnapped me and dragged me across town to your new flat. It could do with some furnishings, but it’s nice. Is that all you needed? My approval?”

“No Nat,” he groaned, giving in and encircling her with his arms. “I need
you
.”

She straightened his collar then hooked her finger in his shirt, pulling him to her. Pressing her slimness against his masculine bulk gave her a boost of confidence. He was hers. “I need you too. But I can do better than that. I
love
you. I suppose I always have.”

He stared then swallowed. “Just like that?”

She laughed. “Just like that.” She recalled his behavior after his return to London. With a powerful sense of feminine confidence, she knew his feelings must have hit him like a ton of bricks. Just as hers had. “The same as you, I’d say.”