Victoria could feel her anger boiling in her blood, and she struggled to keep calm as she walked out of the club. The cold
night air hitting her lungs was the only thing she could use to soothe her weary mind. “That man,” she muttered under her breath as she stepped into the darkened alley. He thought he was being kind? He thought that he was doing me a favor by being such a jackass and forcing me to tell him to stop? Malcolm was rich and entitled and he didn’t exist in the same reality that she did. There was no way she could ever trust a man like that, and she felt foolish for ever believing she could.
“Just let him try to keep pushing me around with his money. I’ll stick a stiletto so far up his ass it’ll make his head spin,” she snapped to no one. She couldn’t stand this feeling of loss, even though she was the one that just walked out on him. Why couldn’t he just be understanding and kind? Why couldn’t he just read her body and listen to her words and know she couldn’t deal with sex? She had wanted to be near him, but she had wanted his affection and sensitivity, not a mindless tryst. His aggression was hurtful, and she fought to keep her emotions in check.
My mother was right. He might be a billionaire, but he is no different than any normal man. Whatever. I don’t have time to stress about this, and I need to focus on getting home. The situation disgusted her and she needed to take a break from walking to breathe. She leaned against the side of a building, struggling to get her heartbeat under control. She hated the way that Malcolm could turn on her at a moment’s notice and get inside her head. It’s my fault for getting too close. I should have known better. Why am I so dumb?
She stepped out to the sidewalk and scanned the street for a cab. There was one parked on the other side of the street, waiting for a fare. She lifted her fingers to her lips and whistled sharply. The driver turned to look for the sound and drove his cab up to the curb for her to get in.
A sense of relief washed over her as she stepped into the small space in the rear of the cab. She was going home, away from Malcolm and his depraved world. The feeling of Malcolm’s lips against hers and his hands caressing her skin was clear in her mind. Thinking about him caused a shudder to travel through her body and she began to violently shiver. He doesn’t give a fuck about me at all. He never did. He just wants to put his cock inside of me. I’m just a body to him. God, I need some ice cream or a long drive. Both.
“Where are you going, young lady?” the cab driver asked in a good natured way. He was an elderly man with a kind smile.
“Home,” she said softly. “West Albion and North California Avenue, please.” She leaned back into the seat and felt her muscles release all the tension she had been carrying.
“Buckle up!” the driver said with a light chuckle as he stepped on the gas.
She felt the car jolt forward quickly, and her lips pulled into a thin smile. “Thank you so much,” she said as she rolled her shoulders, relaxing them and feeling her breathing get under control.
“For what, sweetheart?” the driver asked as he made a sharp right turn.
“Driving like you have somewhere to be,” she responded softly as she stared out the window.
The driver chuckled lightly. “A pretty girl like you shouldn’t be in such a hurry. I’ve been driving this cab for years and it’s the same story with everyone. All in such a rush to get from point A to point B that they forget to look around.”
“Then why do you drive so fast?” she asked curiously.
“More fares before my shift ends,” he responded, cackling lightly.
Victoria couldn’t help but smile at the sweet man. Little droplets of water began to hit the glass, slowly flowing across the window. That’s nice, she thought to herself. The weather suits my mood. The driver wasn’t daunted by the increasing slickness of the road, and maintained his hastened pace. She could hear the rain pattering against the glass as it mixed with the soft sound of the wheels racing over the asphalt. It was the most soothing sound Victoria had ever heard; a melancholic melody sung by nature and machine. Each harmonic beat washed away her worries and stress, replacing those feelings with serenity.
“Almost there, sweetheart,” the driver announced.
Victoria hadn’t even noticed the passage of time; her eyes had closed without her permission and she had nearly drifted into sleep. “Thanks,” she said quickly as she wiped her face with the palm of her hand. It was a little embarrassing to be caught asleep, and she found it very unusual. She was always anxious and edgy when someone else was behind the wheel, but this driver was so skilled that she was able to relax. “How much do I owe you?”
“Don’t worry about it,” he responded softly. “You look exhausted. Just get some sleep.”
Victoria looked at the man with wide eyes. His kindness shook her to her very foundation and she could feel tears beginning to prickle the back of her eyes. “Thanks. You are without a doubt the nicest cab driver in the world.”
“I don’t know about that,” he said with a chuckle, “but I can tell that you’ve had a shitty day by the look in your eye. I’m sorry that offering a free ride is all I can do to cheer you up.”
She extended her hand toward the cab driver graciously. “If I see you again I’ll pay triple your normal fare.”
The driver took her hand and respectfully shook it. “You’re always welcome in my cab,” he said kindly.
As she stepped out of the vehicle and began running to her apartment to avoid getting soaked, her mind wandered to Malcolm. She could clearly remember the brokenhearted look on his face when he had told her that his daughter was missing. There had been such misery in his eyes. Maybe I should have gotten over the past and done the right thing, she thought sadly. It was too late now; she had been forced to work on the assignment anyway. Hopefully Malcolm would find Claire, but Victoria didn’t think it was wise to continue being a part of his life after that.
Stepping into her apartment, she was greeted by nothing but darkness. It was comforting to be alone right now, and she rested her head against the door once she closed it. Sighing deeply, she turned on a light and moved toward her bedroom. The red silk was damp and clung to her skin as she began to strip it off gratefully. She couldn’t wait to get into some warm and comfortable clothes.
A loud sound startled her.
Victoria’s head snapped toward the door and she took tentative steps toward it. Looking through the peephole, she saw a figure in a soaked suit standing outside. His head was lowered and she could not make out his identity. She jumped a little when he pounded the door again.
“Who is it?” she asked cautiously.
“Just open the door, Victoria.”
The sound of his voice drew a tired sigh from her chest. “I’m not sure that’s a good idea, Malcolm.”
“Please,” he urged her, gazing through the peephole with desperation.
“I’m here to apologize.”
Against her better judgment, Victoria’s hand reached out to grasp the doorknob. Before she could talk some sense into herself, she found that her hand was unlocking and opening the door. She studied her visitor calmly for a moment, watching the rainwater drip off his chiseled chin and expensive clothes.
“This is right out of a bad rom-com,” she said with annoyance. “What are you doing here?”
“Victoria,” Malcolm said softly as he shoved some wet hair out of his face. There was a small puddle of water forming around his leather shoes in the hallway. “I’m sorry. You were right about everything. I was using sex to forget-and replace-real emotions. I was using it to run away. I was using it to hurt you. Can you ever forgive me?”
She hesitated. “I don’t know,” she said with a tired shrug. “Look, Malcolm. I’ve done what you asked of me. For now, our business is complete. Why don’t you just go home? Or back to your club, or whatever.” Victoria began closing the door, but frowned when Malcolm’s foot darted into the doorway.
“Please listen to me,” he told her gently as he pushed the door back open. “I’ve done some thinking and made some critical changes.”
She sighed in exasperation. “What changes, Malcolm?”
Reaching into his breast pocket, Malcolm pulled out a small metal case. He opened it up and retrieved a piece of paper that was completely dry, and extended his hand to give it to Victoria.
She curiously leaned forward to determine what the paper was, but she recoiled when she saw that it was a check. “Dammit, Malcolm!” she said in frustration. “I don’t want your fucking money. Get out of my apartment building before I call security.”
“Look at it a little more closely, Victoria.”
Clenching her fists to control her anger, Victoria leaned forward to study the check. Her tiredness and emotional state made the numbers and letters distorted for a moment before she was able to focus on them. It was a check made out to her…
For one dollar.
“What the heck, Malcolm?” she asked in confusion, rubbing her temple. “One dollar? Is this some kind of… oh!” A flash of hope flickered across her eyes; she realized that she couldn’t even deposit that single dollar with her bank accounts all frozen and locked down. “Unless… did you…?”
“Yes,” he told her with a nod. “This is symbolic. Your identity has been returned, along with your bank accounts and funds.”
Victoria was quiet for a moment as the shock began to fade and be replaced with relief flooding her body. “Thank god,” she whispered, feeling suddenly very weak. She abruptly moved over to her couch and allowed herself to collapse down into the cushions. She placed her face in her hands and tried to fight her tears. “This has all been such a nightmare.”
Before she could fully process the information, she felt a weight in the couch beside her and a tender hand on her back. “I couldn’t leave things the way they were once I saw what it was doing to you,” he explained. “Victoria, you need to understand. I’ve lost everyone in my life. My parents, my wife, my daughter. Everyone I’ve ever loved is gone-and it’s my fault. I pushed them all away with my lust for money and power. I don’t want to be that person anymore. I don’t want to lose you, too.”
Victoria lifted her head to study Malcolm’s eyes for honesty. She shook her head at what she saw there. “I never thought I could pity a billionaire,” she mused in wonder.
“All the money in the world can’t change the fact that I’m a miserable man, my treasure.” He gave her a halfhearted smile as he softly stroked her hair. “Sometimes people treat me like I’m some sort of superior alien species, just because I’ve worked harder and been successful in my business. But at the end of the day, I’m just a lowly human being-just an ordinary man who makes an extraordinary number of mistakes.”
Too exhausted to really think about her actions, Victoria felt herself leaning against him. Both their bodies were wet and clammy, and their skin and clothes were beginning to get cold and uncomfortable. She found herself nuzzling against Malcolm’s neck for warmth and comfort, and he placed her one-dollar check onto the coffee table so that he could wrap both of his arms around her.
“I just don’t understand why you would do this to me in the first place,” Victoria said as she leaned on Malcolm’s chest and stared at the wall. “I mean, thanks for fixing it… but I’m never going to be able to trust you again.”
Malcolm’s body grew very tense. He hesitated for a moment before responding. “Would you believe me if I said that-no, I shouldn’t discuss this.”
“What?” Victoria demanded. “Say it. I deserve to know.”
Taking a deep breath, Malcolm reached down to place a few fingers lightly under her chin and lift her face until he was staring into her eyes. “This wasn’t all about blackmail, Victoria. I needed to mess with your financials and identity to protect you.”
“To protect me?” she repeated, as all her reporter’s senses came alive. She wondered if she was only on alert because she didn’t want to believe that he was truly a monster that had taken pleasure in causing her harm. “From whom?”
“I can’t say much, Victoria,” he said gently. “I know it’s a lot to ask, but I really do need you to trust me.”
“Is it Brantford?” she demanded fiercely. “Did he threaten me because he found out you were closing in on Claire?”
Malcolm shook his head. “No,” he said in almost a whisper. “Brantford is powerful, but he’s nothing compared to-dammit, Victoria. I can’t say
any more about this. You need to stop asking questions.”
She felt a smile tug at her lips. “Really, champ? You want me to stop asking questions?”
His lips broke into a sheepish grin. “I realize that it sounds like I’m asking a shark to stop swimming, but I’m dead serious, Victoria. If you value your newly returned life, you’ll stop asking questions. The answers will get us both killed.”
She wrinkled her nose in frustration. The embers of her curiosity had been stirred into a blaze within her chest, and she struggled against the burning need to know. If it wasn’t for a large and violent yawn that flooded her chest with oxygen, she would have probably tried to badger him for more information. A wave of sleepiness reminded her that even vicious sharks need to rest. “Fine,” she mumbled. “I’ll let you off the hook-at least for tonight.”
“I will beware of that hook in the future,” Malcolm said with a faint smile. “You look like you haven’t slept in a week, my treasure.”
Another yawn interrupted her answer. “Thanks to you, I barely have,” she confirmed.
Malcolm’s face was covered in guilt as he glanced down at his watch. “I should probably let you get some rest. I have to get back to the club, anyway. It’s against protocol for me to leave, and it’s probably bad for business.”
He had already risen from the sofa and taken a step toward the door when Victoria reached out to touch his wrist.
“Maybe,” she said hesitantly. She took a deep breath as if preparing herself for rejection to her ridiculous proposal. “Maybe… you could stay here for the night?”
He turned to stare at her with visible shock on his face.
“Because of Claire,” she blurted out quickly. “I mean, your loyal subjects at the club are going to have to get used to your absence, won’t they?”
“What do you mean?” Malcolm asked
Victoria blushed as she spoke nervously. “It will be hard to party all night, every weekend, when you’re raising a nine-year-old girl. If you’re going to neglect her that much, you might as well leave Claire with her mother.”
Malcolm’s eyes softened as he gazed down at Victoria. “I would never do that,” he promised. “When I find Claire, I’m going to either shut down Club Luxe or let my partner take over as king.” A smile touched Malcolm’s face. “I’m sure Dominic would love that.”
“Dominic?” Victoria said in shock. “Chloe’s Dominic? He’s your partner?”
After a moment of confusion, Malcolm noticed a framed photo of the two girls on the wall. “Chloe is your roommate!” he said in realization. A deep chuckle left his chest. “I didn’t realize that my partner was dating your friend.”
“I thought he was just a bartender,” Victoria said in awe. “Chloe’s going to flip. She really liked him, too! Why are you rich bastards so full of secrets?”
“It’s what makes us irresistible,” Malcolm said with a twinkle in his eye. “You’re going to force me to expose all my secrets someday-won’t you, Victoria?”
She found herself gulping as she was met with the tenderness and passion of his eyes. “Malcolm…”
“I would love to stay the night,” he said, taking both of her hands and guiding her to a standing position. “I would love nothing more. Except one thing-will you accompany me to Argentina to search for Claire in the morning?”
Victoria smiled in relief at his words. “That would be great, Malcolm.”
He nodded, squeezing her hands. “I’ve been searching for my daughter for so many years. I can’t think of anyone I’d rather have by my side when I finally see her again.”
Her heart soared with his words and she felt herself blush under the sincerity of his gaze. “I’ll be there every step of the way. I never leave a job unfinished.”
“Thank you, Victoria.”
“Now,” she said with a mischievous glint in her eye. “Let’s get you out of those wet clothes so we can get some sleep.” “Gladly.”