AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Where is she?” he demanded. “Where is my wife?”
“Presently we are pulling out of the lot at the office complex.”
“We? Hailey is with you?” Stefano asked in fear knowing it would mean his secret was out and he needed to be able to explain it to her himself.
“She is in your car. I am following as always. I will let you know where she is headed once I have an idea of it,” Artemis assured him.
“The instant you believe you have an idea call me. I have to see her soon.”
“I will Stefano; I have never let you down when it comes to her before, have I?”
“No, you have done everything I’ve ever asked to keep her safe. I just need to hold her now, assure her that I am safe.”
“I have no doubt that will be soon,” Artemis said before ending the call to keep track of where Hailey went without being seen.
“Would you like to explain what you mean by that conversation?” Theo questioned and he looked up to see the group waiting for answers.
“It is someone I hired to keep Hailey safe, to watch over her while I could not,” he stated hoping they simply thought he meant recently.
“When?” Elena asked her hand resting on Daniel’s chest as he held her close.
“Does it truly matter at the moment? He knows she is safe and will soon let me know where she is going. She went to the office…perhaps to get something from her office in order to avoid others seeing her upset in the coming weeks.”
“I think it matters greatly Stefano,” Theo stated. “You looked stricken when you asked if Hailey were with him. Why would you be so worried for her to know you have someone keeping her safe without them interfering with her life?”
“Because he’s been watching over her for years, hasn’t he?” Elena asked. “How long has it been Stefano? You left after Kyra’s eighteenth birthday and went to Greece. I dare say you hired the man there as you were speaking only Greek to him.”
“I hired him after the New Year’s party you threw. Kyra let it slip that Hailey had brought a date to it and suddenly I discovered how capable of jealousy I truly was. Is that what you wish to know?” he said rubbing his forehead as a headache appeared. “I left because I knew I loved her, knew I wanted her to be mine and only mine, but I was not going to force her into anything. I wanted her to love me on her own terms. I stayed away so I would not push things too quickly, but Artemis kept watch over her for me.”
“And what all did you ask him to do to keep her safe?” Elena asked softly.
“Need I spell it all out? If a man got too near to her, Artemis would inform me while finding out whatever necessary about him to ensure that nothing happened to Hailey because of them. I have purchased many businesses solely to remove obstacles and deterrents. No, she does not know, and I never wanted her to know. I knew she would not be happy if she knew that several men who could have meant more to her than they were ever allowed to, left her life because Artemis stepped in and made it clear that they were to leave, or risk ruin any way possible.”
“You knew all along that she worked for the company you purchased?” Leann asked in shock.
“Yes, I have had the option on it from the moment she started working there. I did not interfere in her work, simply made it possible for me to step in if necessary, to protect her. I had originally wanted to wait until this year to move things forward, but when Artemis informed me that she was seeing someone new, and things seemed to be getting more serious than the others I knew I wouldn’t be able to let her go without at least seeing if she could possibly love me in return. I would have come sooner but I was in delicate negotiations in Greece and when Artemis next sent through a report, it was to say that the cretin she had been seeing left a bruise on her cheek after hitting her. That bastard was lucky I was in Greece at the time, or he would have been dead.”
“Elliot?” Olympia stated and he nodded.
“Artemis followed my orders to get rid of him, taking the more legal approach instead of the one I would have taken…but it ensured he left town and did not begin to touch her again. That is when I told Carter I would buy the company and we started negotiations. I was not about to sit around allowing anyone else to harm her. I arranged our meeting and from there…she came to love me on her own.”
“You can’t keep this from her Stefano. We all know and soon she will find out I’m sure. It would be best coming from you,” Daniel warned him. “Tell her yourself or you will regret it. Do not risk thirty years of regret son, it is not worth a few nights or weeks of silence or anger. She loves you, tell her.”
“I will…I will but first I have to hold her again, let her know I’m still here,” he said, and the group nodded giving him their word that they would not tell Hailey what they knew.
He paced the room until the phone rang and he let out a full breath of relief at Artemis’ words.
“She’s at church; I suspect she thinks the others are likely to still attend this morning.”
“We’ll be there before it starts,” he replied hanging up as he looked around at the others. “She’s at church; we should go.”
“We’re right behind you, son,” Daniel stated, and Elena nodded following him to the car as hope bloomed in his heart.
Chapter 23
Hailey saw her parents’ car pull into the lot and smoothed her dress down taking a calming breath. She saw them get out and move towards the stairs giving her the strength to follow. “Mom…”
“Oh Hailey, thank goodness,” Leann said pulling her into a hug inside the vestibule. “Are you alright?”
