Page 55 of His Haunted Desire

“The storm will quieten down. The police will arrive. They’ll catch the killer. I’ll pay you. And then we’ll go on with our lives.”

“Will your grandma put you back in the will even if the Retreat was cut short?”

“The deal was she wanted to see me settled and happy at the Retreat. Here I am, settled, happy. I don’t see how she can deny it. If she does, I’ll have to accept it.”

“You’re spending half your life savings on me.”

“You’re worth every penny.”

“Maybe I should take a closer look at Grandma’s bills. What if she needs less?”

“Don’t,” I tell her firmly. “We had a deal. I’m sticking to it.”

“I didn’t know how much it was, though.”

“Push that guilt down, Aurora,” I tell her. “You and your grandmother have got it too hard for you to worry about this. If you don’t accept that money, I’ll get it to your grandmother anyway.”

“Thank you,” she says softly. “Not just for this. But for… understanding. Why can’t I let this go past this Retreat?”

She’s thanking me for stamping down on the only shred of feeling I can remember having for a woman.

“You’re welcome,” I say ruefully.

CHAPTER 21

AURORA

The next morning, I stand at the window, watching the rain streak down the glass. The wind batters the landscape, pushing the trees and the grass, knocking roof tiles onto the ground. Raiden walks up behind me, enveloping me in his arms so that I can sink against him.

“It looks like the police won’t be getting here this morning,” I murmur.

“No,” Raiden agrees. “The good news is that we’ve managed to contact the mainland. They know the situation. Hopefully, we’re dealing with an easily startled drunk idiot and not a master assassin.”

“An easily startled drunk idiot who cut the power before doing what they did?” I mutter.

“Fair point. But they also got the wrong man.”

Thank God, I almost say, but I’m giving myself whiplash. I can’t think about what I must be doing to him. It’s not fair to either of us.

“Grandmother has asked everyone to attend breakfast,” Raiden says.

I face him. He presses against the small of my back with his hands. I’ll never get tired of that warm…protectedfeeling he invokes. Even if it has to end.

Chill, Aurora.

“Why does it sound like you’re hatching a scheme?”

He cocks his eyebrow. “It does?”

“Hmm.”

“We’re going to tell everyone that the police are on the way,” he says, “and then we’ll see who panics.”

“I still can’t believe anyone would do this to you.” I walk my fingers along his chest. “Unless there’s something you’re not telling me? Some, I don’t know, feud? An ex-girlfriend with powerful connections?”

“I’m not a perfect person, but I can’t think of any reason why anyone would do this to me.”

“You swear?” I say.