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But it had been easy to say to Sadie...and necessary.
And she’d looked at him and smiled and said, ‘I love you too,’ as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. As if she’d had no idea what a gift she’d just given him. Accepting him so unconditionally.
So he’d proposed to her with the ring. He’d offered to change it if she didn’t like it, but she’d told him it was perfect.
And then she’d looked at him, concerned. ‘Can you afford this?’
Not for the first time he’d felt his conscience prick hard—because he hadn’t ever told her about his family history. He’d known he would have to one day but, shamefully, he hadn’t wanted to risk her looking at him differently. Especially not at that moment.
He’d liked the person he was with her. Anonymous. No ties, no toxic family baggage, and so he’d just said, ‘Don’t worry about the cost. I used some savings.’
That moment when Sadie had accepted his proposal had been one of the happiest moments of his life. Happiness. He’d never truly understood that emotion until he’d experienced it with her.
Quin had waited for something terrible to happen—because he’d grown up in a world where emotions weren’t permitted, where awful things happened—abandonment and emotional neglect. But nothing awful had happened and he’d forgotten about the danger. Until the day she’d disappeared. Then all the declarations of love and their promises to be together for ever had curdled in his gut, turning to acid and then to ice.
But the ice was in danger of melting now. Had been as soon as Sadie had said, just a short while before,‘I wear it every day’, and slipped the ring back on her finger with something almost like defiance.
That moment had almost eclipsed the dress—the dress that made her look like she’d been dipped in liquid gold. But now, here in the back of his car, with a mere foot between them, the ring could no longer eclipse the dress.
Her scent—delicate, but with undertones of something potently sexy—permeated the air around them. The dress clung to every curve and dip. Cut down low between her breasts. Baring her back and the vulnerable length of her spine.
Quin had never seen Sadie like this because when they’d been together they’d lived a very simple life. No social engagements. Certainly not ones like this, where the paparazzi lay in wait. He could see them now, up ahead, cameras flashing as various celebrities and VIPs emerged from their cars, as they were about to do.
As if following Quin’s line of thought, Sadie turned to him, her hair falling around her shoulders in soft waves. She wore hardly any make-up, but sheglowedand her eyes looked huge, her lashes so long. But her mouth was tense. It made Quin’s fingers itch to touch it...make it lose that line.
When she spoke, she sounded nervous. ‘Quin, I’ve never been to anything like this in my life... I only got as far as meeting you at that party in New York. I don’t know what to do.’
A surge of protectiveness rose up in him before he could stop it. He said gruffly, ‘Just follow my lead. Stay in the car until I come and get you.’
The car came to a stop. Quin got out and opened Sadie’s door, putting out his hand.
He saw her reluctance, but he said, ‘It’ll be fine—trust me.’
She looked up at him and he saw the way her expression had gone blank, as if she was retreating somewhere inside herself. As her hand met his, he wondered if this was what she’d had to do for four years. Hide behind a mask as well as a fake identity.
She stood up and they walked towards the steps that led up into one of San Francisco’s oldest and most iconic buildings, where the exclusive charity event was being hosted.
As soon as the paps realised who he was, they went into a frenzy.
‘Hey, Quin! Over here...’
‘Who’s your date? Quin!’
Sadie was gripping his hand so tightly her nails were digging into the back of his hand, but Quin just smiled and stopped for some photos. He looked down and saw Sadie’s dazed expression.
He extricated his hand from hers and put an arm around her waist. She looked up. He said, ‘Relax...they can’t touch you.’
She smiled weakly. ‘This situation is literally my worst nightmare...nowhere to hide.’
He shook his head. ‘There’s no more hiding.’
He knew that the statement he and his team had prepared, stating that Sadie was the mother of his child and that they were reunited, would be dropping just about now, to coincide with their appearance together tonight. And a sense of satisfaction that he didn’t want to investigate too closely rolled through him.
Sadie felt giddy, but she put it down to the sparkling wine that had fizzed up her nose and down her throat. She gazed around in awe at the decadent surroundings of one of San Francisco’s most gilded buildings. She needn’t have worried about her dress standing out. With all the gold on the walls and muraled ceilings, she positively faded into the background.
Quin hadn’t let her go—either keeping an arm around her waist or holding her hand. She relished the contact, greedily and guiltily soaking it up, knowing it was only for appearances. He’d told her about the statement now being released, revealing her identity as Sol’s mother.
Maybe her giddiness was also due not only to Quin’s proximity, but to the fact that her past on the run was well and truly behind her. She couldn’t be more visible now. People were looking at her and whispering, but Sadie couldn’t care less. She felt safe beside Quin.