AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Lacey nodded. ‘Yes,’ she said, knowing the answer to that much at least was fairly easy. He had told her he was determined to protect Ruby and she believed him.
She handed Ruby back to Milly and tugged her phone out of her pocket. But, before she had the chance to switch it back on, the commotion from outside became deafening.
She rushed to the window. ‘What the...?’
A long black limousine had pulled up at the kerb, followed by two more cars. The army of press rushed the vehicles, the camera flashes and shouts reaching a crescendo of sound and fury. Several burly security guards leapt out of the cars behind the limo and proceeded to push the tidal wave back.
Then Brandon stepped out of the limousine, spoke to the driver, who also appeared, then took the steps to Lacey’s front door in quick strides. He ignored the shouts and long lenses with a steely determination borne of familiarity, she suspected. Her own heart galloped into her throat, though. Relief was followed by a stupid feeling of euphoria.
He had come to rescue them, to rescue his daughter.
His gaze locked on her face—implacable, determined, but strangely devoid of judgment. She stared back at him, frozen for a moment in the tractor beam of those cool green eyes. Then he nodded at the front door.
She scrambled off the sofa and rushed out of the flat to open the front door.
He stepped inside, then slammed the door, shutting out the paparazzi and the barrage of noise behind him.
‘Thank you for coming,’ she said, feeling giddy with relief and something that felt disturbingly like exhilaration. Why should she be so happy to see him? When everything about this situation was a disaster?
The anxious knots in her stomach tightened. He had made what he wanted clear yesterday, and he would not give up on his goal.
Reaction streaked through her—visceral and volatile and yet somehow helping to stop her knees from dissolving—when he cupped her elbow and led her back down the corridor.
‘You have five minutes to pack what you need. You and Ruby are relocating to the Cade estate in Wiltshire. You’ll be safe there until this dies down. I have a secure apartment Milly can stay in near here if she doesn’t wish to join you there.’
She could have objected. He wasn’t giving her a choice. And it would mean resigning her job. But, given her editor was likely to fire her soon anyway, and with the feeding frenzy outside still audible, did she reallyhavea choice? As they re-entered the living room, and she saw Ruby’s head cradled on Milly’s shoulder—her little girl trying to hide from the scary noise—the decision was made for her.
She would accept Brandon’s offer of a safe place to stay, and deal with any strings he might attach to it later.
‘About time you showed up,’ Milly said, rushing towards them both. ‘I’ll take the flat, thanks. I’ve got to get to work.’ she added, clearly having heard the conversation in the hallway. ‘Here.’ Lifting Ruby, she handed her towards Brandon. ‘Ruby, Mummy’s friend Brandon is going to hold you while Mummy and me pack some stuff to take with us. Then we can get away from the annoying people outside, okay, baby?’ Milly coaxed when Ruby continued to cling to her.
Lacey felt Brandon tense beside her. Her heart bounced painfully in her chest, knowing how big a deal this was for him. From the frown creasing his forehead, she suspected he had never held a child before now. But when Lacey stepped forward, intending to defuse the moment and take Ruby instead, her little girl lifted her arms towards Brandon—trusting him instinctively.
A sharp frown furrowed his brow, but he hesitated for less than a second before scooping Ruby into his arms.
‘I don’t like the shouting, Mr Brandon,’ Ruby said, before shoving her thumb into her mouth and wrapping her other arm around his neck. She buried her head against his broad chest as Milly raced out of the room.
Lacey’s heart swelled painfully as Brandon placed a comforting hand on his child’s back and murmured, ‘Don’t worry. I’m going to take you away from the shouting.’
His gaze lifted to Lacey, who still stood rooted to the spot, trapped by the emotions charging through her body at the devastating sight of her daughter,theirdaughter, held so securely in his arms.
What she saw in his face—guarded tension, but also grim determination and fierce protectiveness—had the guilt all but crippling her. She had denied them both so much. How could she ever make amends?
But then she was jolted out of her revelry by his husky command. ‘Stop standing there and start packing, Lacey. You have exactly four minutes left now.’
Thirteen hours later, Lacey stood on the steps of the lavish sixty-room Palladian mansion she had arrived at that morning, the manicured gardens now dark as night fell. A sense of unreality settled over her—which had been chasing her all day—as she watched the Cade Inc helicopter appear and settle on the side lawn, not far from the covered swimming pool where she and Ruby had been swimming that afternoon.
Nerves tangled and tightened in her stomach.
They hadn’t spoken since Brandon’s driver had dropped Brandon at Cade Tower that morning, before the limousine had headed towards Wiltshire and the Cade estate. And, during the brief time they had been together, she had spent most of it calming Ruby down after their scary dash through the herd of photographers and reporters—only barely held back by Brandon’s security guards.
The chopper’s noise wasn’t muffled much by the nearby forest but she doubted even an earthquake would have woken Ruby, who had gone to sleep hours ago in the suite which had been prepared for them—complete with a slew of new toys for Ruby—in the house’s east wing.
It had been an exhausting day—not least because Lacey’s mind had replayed the parting words Brandon had whispered to her as Ruby slept in her car seat for the last thirteen hours straight.
‘Marriage is the only way to solve this situation, Lacey. Next time I see you, we are going to have that conversation again.’
Lacey clasped her arms around her waist to control the speedy thumps of her heartbeat as Brandon emerged from the chopper flanked by Daryl and another assistant she didn’t recognise. He strode towards her, his dark suit pressed against his tall physique in the downdraft from the blades.
