Page 52 of Daredevil Lady and the Mysterious Millionaire (The Hidden Hearts Collection #3)
He traced the curve of her cheek, the line of her temple with his lips, murmuring, “What more does it take to convince you, woman? I’m not the sort to go down on one knee and spout poetry. Besides I never thought you’d be so silly as to want that.”
“I’m not. I just wish that you would— you’ve never even said that you love me.”
“I told you how much that I want you. It’s the same thing.”
“No, it isn’t.” She wrenched herself out of his arms. “Maybe you just want me the same as you wanted to be rich, to own a house on Fifth Avenue.”
“That’s ridiculous, Aurora Rose”
“Is it? I just wish that I could be sure you believed in something besides the power of your money.”
“Are you still expecting me to become the kind of champion Addison was? I’m no dream chaser, Rory. I told you that at the outset.”
“But I am,” she said, “which is likely the biggest obstacle between us. Now, if you will excuse me, I have to get dressed. I did tell you that I have to go to the warehouse this morning.”
“There is no point in your doing that.”
Rory had been marching toward her bedchamber, but she paused, taken aback by the terse note in his voice.
“What do you mean by that?”
“I mean you won’t be able to get into the building. I’ve already been down there myself this morning. The locks have all been changed.”
“The locks?” Rory repeated numbly. Locked out of the warehouse? A sick feeling churned inside her, but she was not surprised. Hadn’t she been dreading this day for months, knowing she was so far behind on the rent? The warehouse owners had at last reached the end of their patience.
She raised desperate eyes to Zeke. “Oh, Zeke, I have to do something. The government contractor is scheduled to come back tomorrow.” It cost her a great deal to make such a request, knowing how Zeke felt about her balloon company, but she swallowed her pride.
“Isn’t there anything you can do to help me? ”
“I’m afraid not, my dear.” He lowered his gaze, as though he were unable to meet her eyes. “You see I am the one who had the locks changed. I bought the warehouse.”
Rory stared at him with incomprehension. “You? You bought it?” A shaky laugh escaped her. “Great heavens and are you now planning to evict me?”
She wished he would smile, tell her this was all some sort of horrible joke, but the set of his mouth remained firm.
“It won’t make any difference, you know,” she said with far more conviction than she felt. “I’ll simply move my business elsewhere.”
“You can’t do that either. Hell, Rory, your crazy company is so far in debt to the banks, it won’t be difficult to buy up your notes and have your equipment impounded.”
Rory stared at him, disbelief warring with a feeling of stark betrayal. She could hardly comprehend it. Her worst nightmare was coming true, but it was not some stranger responsible, some cold-hearted banker, but Zeke, the man she loved.
“No,” she choked out at last. “I suppose nothing is too difficult for the great Mr. J. E. Morrison.”
“Rory.” He tried to take her hands, but she pulled away from him. “Damn it, Rory, be reasonable. I told you that when we were married, you wouldn’t have to worry about that ridiculous company anymore.”
“I knew you didn’t approve, but at least I thought at least would try to understood how much that ridiculous company means to me. If you truly cared for me—” One tear escaped to trickle down her cheek. She dashed it angrily aside. “How could you do this to me?”
Although he looked uncomfortable, Zeke folded his arms across his chest. “It’s for your own good.”
“My own good?” Rory cried bitterly. “No, Mr. Morrison, I don’t believe you were thinking about me at all, only what you wanted. Just because you are afraid to have any dreams, you can’t bear for anyone else to have them either.”
He flinched at that, but Rory was too caught up in her own misery to care. She paced off a few agitated steps. She wanted to fling herself at Zeke, rail at him, plead with him. But Kavanaughs didn’t beg, and she could tell from the implacable set of Zeke’s jaw that it would do her no good.
“You won’t get away with this. I’ll fight you.” But even as she made the threat, she knew it was hopeless. He had wealth, power on his side, and a ruthless obstinacy she couldn’t hope to match. The tears flowed freely down her face now, too swiftly for her to stop them.
In sheer frustration, she gave a stack of the boxes a savage kick, sending them flying across the room. “You can just take your damned trousseau and get out of here. I never want to see you again.”
Zeke swore, but he attempted to gather her into his arms. “Blast it all, Rory, I’m only trying to prevent you from breaking your neck. Stop acting as though I was some kind of a monster.”
“You are a monster” She struggled wildly to break free of his embrace, her grief tumbling out in a rush of bitter words she didn’t mean, trying to hurt him as he was hurting her.
“Everything Tessa warned me about you was true. You do ruin people’s lives.
No wonder your mother died grieving for you. ”
Zeke couldn’t have looked more stunned if she had dealt him a blow to the face, but Rory was beyond the point of caring. When his arms dropped to his side, abruptly releasing her, she sagged onto the chair. Burying her face in her hands, she gave vent to a flood of hot tears.
A deathlike silence settled over the flat. She felt a tentative touch upon her hair, but shrank from it. Then she heard Zeke fling something on the parlor table. His footsteps echoed across the room, and then she heard the slam of the door as it closed behind him.
Rory glanced up, tears yet streaming down her cheeks. Good, she thought savagely. He was gone. But instead of fiercely rejoicing, she only wanted to weep anew, as though her heart would break.
Sniffing, she groped for her handkerchief, her vision clearing enough to see what Zeke had left behind. If he had had the effrontery to leave that diamond ring, she would?—
But she paused, sitting frozen as she focused on the object glinting upon the parlor table. It was not the diamond, but a heavy metal ring of keys.