Never Too Late (30 page)

The lad hastened her towards the front desk. From the entrance, it had seemed a mile away, but the blistering pace he set in his flat shoes had her precariously mincing past waist-high vases sprouting cream tiger lilies, and an elegant sitting nook complete with brown leather armchairs and a couple of portly occupants. A chandelier that was really a snake of lights coiled into a ball, hung like a floating mini-sun above her, and everywhere she looked glass and marble glittered with a gilt-edged sharp-toothed efficiency that had her quailing with lowliness. And it wasn’t helped by the cool expression on the face of the dark-suited desk clerk as she stumbled up to him.

Her cheeks flamed. She needed to get her act together and fast. Looking the part obviously wasn’t enough; she’d have to behave as if she swanned in and out of places like this every day of her life.

The bellboy leaned her case against the dark marble of the front desk and murmured something to the clerk, then with a grin and tiny bow for Molly, left them.

The clerk typed something into the screen beside him before politely holding out a slim keycard in a touchpad. “Mademoiselle King? Your suite is ready. If you would please choose a four-digit number, I will secure your card for you.”

She stared at the touchpad as if it would leap out of his hand and bite her. “I didn’t book a suite.”

“You are here at Monsieur Solarin’s invitation.” The clerk’s French-accented voice slowed with polite patience, as if he was speaking to a particularly imbecilic guest. “Your suite is automatically booked for you, and you are free to use any and all amenities at Chateau Blanc of course. It is at Monsieur Solarin’s courtesy.”

She gaped at him. This wasn’t a holiday. And she certainly wasn’t here to run up a ginormous tab and expect Damon to pay. On her own she would never afford even an hour in this place, let alone a night. The plane ticket and arranging for Ben to collect her were things she would forever be grateful to Damon and Lilayni for, but pride meant she refused to impose further. 

“Please… I’d like to see Mr Jake Hennessy?”

The clerk’s eyes widened in shock and she stared back confused. Wasn’t it the done thing for guests to ask to meet one of the other members here? 

The man’s gaze flicked over the low neckline of her dress before the deadpan mask of professionalism settled again. “Ah… Monsieur Hennessy. I shall of course request a meeting for you tomorrow, Mademoiselle.”

Realization dawned. He thought she was a floozy on the make, trying for a meeting with Jake. Mortification gave way to outrage that promptly kicked her nervousness into the ditch. “Not tomorrow. Now. I need to see him now. It’s… it’s an emergency.”

The clerk’s eyebrows rose. “Emergency?”

“Yes. Emergency.” She hoicked her case up on to the desk, ignoring his frown of disapproval, and opening it, shoved everything in it this way and that in her search. “This.” Her hand closed around the thick brown envelope and yanking it out, she waved it under his nose. “I need to give him this. Immediately. It’s an emergency.”

He backed away a step, his frown deepening as he glanced over the rumpled contents of her case: her old parka, faded jeans, and scruffy flat shoes that were wrapped in a plastic bag. She glared at him. Too bad if her meagre possessions insulted his high-class sensibilities. 

“Mademoiselle, it is not possible to disturb our members like this. If it is an emergency…” His disbelieving gaze flicked over the envelope she clutched. “I suggest you contact Monsieur Hennessy’s office first.”

“Look, Mr Hennessy is Mr Solarin’s business partner, isn’t he? And I’m here as Mr Solarin’s guest, correct? Then don’t you think I might have a legitimate reason for wanting to see Mr Hennessy?”

The clerk shrugged. “It is not for me to decide. If Monsieur Solarin himself were to contact us, then perhaps…?”

She slumped against the desk. She needed another tactic. Aggravating the man wasn’t getting her anywhere. “Please,” she said, quickly stuffing things back into her case and setting it at her feet. “Mr Hennessy knows who I am. If you just tell him Molly King is here, I’m sure he’ll see me.”

Would Jake see her? She bit her lip, not wanting to entertain the thought that he might well class her as a stalker and ask the management to kick her straight out. 

A few minutes. That’s all she needed. A few minutes of his time.

But the clerk was already shaking his head. “If you would sign in for your suite, I am sure we can arrange something for tomorrow.”

The bellboy returned with a finely dressed older couple in tow.

“One moment please, Mademoiselle.” And with obvious relief, the clerk moved towards the newcomers.

Molly lunged forward and caught his arm, her voice rising. “I’m not going away until I see Mr Hennessy. I’ll stand right here, all night, if I need to.”

All eyes were on her, but she glared at the clerk defiantly. They didn’t know what they were dealing with. She’d studied at the school of Nate, and she’d show them stubborn like they’d never seen it.

 With a nervous placating smile to paper over the fact he wasn’t in total control here, the clerk excused himself from the couple and shooting Molly an exasperated glance, picked up a phone. “Very well, Mademoiselle. I shall attempt.”

Relieved, she nodded and waited on tenterhooks. Please let Jake answer. Please.

The clerk spoke in rapid French down the receiver. She picked out Jake’s name and what sounded like “rest oo rahn” just as the man shot a surprised look at a spot past her. She glanced over her shoulder at a glass wall at the far end of the lobby, past a giant curving staircase. Glowing candlelit tables were arranged beyond the glass. A restaurant. Jake must be there. 

She moved like a shot, clutching her envelope, her heels clip-clopping wildly on the marble floor as she half ran and half stumbled towards the glass wall.

“Mademoiselle!” 

The clerk’s urgent call came from behind her and she ignored it, her entire being set on getting to Jake.

And there he was. 

But moments from rushing through the glass door, she froze on legs of lead. Her heart thumped in her throat as she recognized his beloved profile, the swept back golden hair, and the mirth on his face as he threw his head back in laughter at something the smiling woman opposite him had said.

Elka.

All hope evaporated like fine mist in sunshine, and the envelope shook in her tight grasp. 

Why had she really come here? She’d told herself it was to end things once and for all, to move on, but what had she really hoped for? This image of him and Elka, close, absorbed in each other, if anything told her she had no future with him—not now, not ever—this was it.

Her gaze locked on the couple, she took one tiny step back.

Jake smiled and took a sip of his wine, a full-bodied red to go with their main course. The food was flawless, the wine flowing, and the company entertaining once he’d decided to be the perfect host. He’d discreetly put the order in for his plane to be readied and he had an hour to kill. It made sense to enjoy it.

Elka’s hand found his on top of the table and squeezed. “Darling, this is such fun. Why do we not do this more often?”

Alarm bells clamoured in his head and placing his wine glass down, he carefully extricated his hand from hers. He had to let her down, but gently. “Elka…” A prickling sensation on the back of his neck, like he was being watched, brought him to a frowning stop. 

He turned his head and his gaze collided with hers through a pane of glass as she stood there like an ethereal water nymph ready to flee.

Molly?

For a moment, he didn’t trust his eyes. That dress. Her hair, usually so wild and carefree, pulled and restrained into smooth flowing curls. But then her eyes widened in panic as if realizing she’d been seen and she took a couple of steps back.

Hell!

The enraged blood of the predator roared through him and he sprang up, throwing his napkin on the chair, and completely ignoring Elka’s stunned protests as he strode towards a petrified looking Molly. 

He shoved the glass door open. She dared come to him? Now she wasn’t escaping that easy.

It was all Molly could do to stand her ground and not give into the terrified temptation to run as Jake strode down on her. Even then she couldn’t tear her gaze from him. In all the time they’d been apart, love hadn’t withered, but merely sharpened to a point that it was now a physical pain. She drank him in, his tall broad form, his strong handsome features. Her thirsty soul revelled in the sight of him again.

Was her love for him shining in her eyes? She couldn’t be sure, but there was definitely no answering love in his blazingly furious gaze as he came to stop in front of her. In her towering heels she now reached a little above his shoulder, but that was of small comfort as she stared up at him, trembling.

“You’re better than I expected.” His disdainful gaze raked her up and down from head to toe and back, lingering on her neat curls. “I thought you’d take your bounty and run, but here you are, all done up and back for more.”

Her stomach dropped and she clutched the envelope tight. She’d guessed right. Giving her Barrowdene had been nothing but a test. The disdain in his eyes cut deep, but reigning back the tears that threatened, she raised her chin. “You’re wrong, Jake. That’s not why I’m here.”

“Really?” he said, his lips pulling back on a silent snarl. “Surprise me. What’s all this in aid of?” He waved a hand over her revealing dress and impractical heels. “Did you realize the country innocent act wasn’t working and decide to step it up a notch? Am I supposed to be so overcome by this come-fuck-me getup that I take you back?”

She gasped, words clogging in her throat as she stared at him stricken. “You…” She shook her head. “Go to hell! Just go to hell!” She ripped open the top of the envelope with shaking fingers, pulled out the sheaf of papers inside, and thrust them at his chest. “This is yours. Take it. I haven’t signed it, and I want nothing to do with it.”

Frowning, he clasped the papers and took them from her before skimming the contents of the top sheet. 

A rogue tear escaped her eye and she dashed it away. How could he still affect her like this? What she wouldn’t give to rip this senseless love from her heart and stamp it into the dust. She straightened her spine, anger her only shield. “I never wanted anything from you.” He looked at her and she met the accusation in his amber eyes with her steady ones. “Nan and I, we don’t need charity. We’re doing fine by ourselves. You can keep Barrowdene, Jake, and I haven’t touched a penny of your money. I’m only here because I wanted to tell you this to your face so there’d be no doubt.”

“You came all this way to say this?” His eyes narrowed. “What are you playing at?”

Christ! It was like pushing a mountain. He would never believe her. But in the sudden light of truth, her impulsive drive to see him face-to-face didn’t seem quite as noble as she’d painted it. Hadn’t she secretly hoped to see a spark of feeling in him? How foolish.

“Jake, darling, is this important?” Elka’s voice had them both looking at her as she sashayed over. Her clinging red velvet dress left little to the imagination and made Molly’s dress look like a shroud. 

Molly ground her teeth. So he liked it when this woman dressed to impress, but how dare Molly herself forget her lowly status and try the same?

She regarded Elka with an icy glare. “No, not important.” And then turned the glare on Jake. “Believe what you want. I don’t care. You can get back to your evening now. I won’t disturb you again.”

She turned away from him, determined to escape as quickly as possible before she broke down into an uncontrollable mess of tears, but she’d barely taken a step before he grasped her arm with a strong hand and pulled her back, slamming her into him. She gasped and struggled for balance, one hand pressed against his chest, the shocked question in her eyes cut off by his cold gaze.

He steadied her, his hand tight on her arm as he turned to Elka. “Excuse me, Elka. Something urgent has come up.”

“But, darling…” Angry red crawled up Elka’s face and she stared from him to Molly and back. “This cannot be so important that you would leave.”

“I’m afraid it is. My plane’s on standby, and it will take you wherever you need to go.”

Elka opened her mouth as if to say more, but then shut it. Shooting Molly a glare that had enough venom to kill a herd of wild elephants, she stalked past them, going towards the wide staircase without a backward glance.

The flustered looking desk clerk hurried up to them, Molly’s case in his hand. “Monsieur Hennessy, is everything all right?”

Molly tried to pull away from Jake, but his grip turned to steel, and she glared up at him.

“Everything’s fine.” Jake’s face was stony.

The clerk’s nervous gaze flicked to her. “If Mademoiselle requires to leave, I shall be more than happy to accompany her to her car.” He held the case up hopefully.

“Yes, please. I’d like to leave right now,” she said, lunging for the case.

Jake got there first, taking the case from the man. “Have my car brought around, and as for the one waiting, send it away.”

“No! You can’t just send it away. I have a plane to catch and I’m not going anywhere with you.”

A muscle jerked in his taut jaw, and his hard amber eyes glittered. “Walk with me, or I’ll carry you out of here.”

The clerk tried and failed to hide his shocked expression, and Molly glanced around at the few couples and businessmen in the lobby. Jake would do exactly as he threatened. She had no doubt. And choosing not to be hoisted off like baggage in front of everyone, she nodded meekly, 

Jake’s hold on her arm relaxed and his brief nod sent the clerk rushing away, jabbering urgently into a small phone as he scurried.

She seethed as Jake guided her outside, and they arrived just in time to see the tail lights of Ben’s car recede as it pulled away from the hotel entrance. There went her best chance of getting away from here. Her return flight was in a couple of hours and she could only hope Jake would help her get there on time, her only other alternative being to go back and beg that clerk to arrange a taxi to the airport for her, and by the looks of it that wasn’t going to happen, not with Jake breathing down her neck.