“Your father was right. Someone doesn’t want you to inherit his company.”
“I don’t believe anyone—”
“When I went to Emory’s locked drawer to get the copy of your birth certificate, it was open, which means someone knows.”
She knew he was right, but didn’t want to accept it. “What if I publicly say I don’t want Emory’s money?” She felt as though she was trying to push a boulder uphill.
“You could, but what if that won’t make a difference? Emory has already decided that no matter what, his family won’t get the company.”
She didn’t have an answer for that.
“And what if the killer decides you’re a threat to them while you’re still living? Emory might change his mind if you die before him. The danger’s not going to go away.”
His arguments were ugly and persuasive.
“Emory’s solution seems the best way to deal with the problem,” he added.
“By marrying you?”
He nodded.
“My own personal bodyguard.” Her gaze met his. She felt his will pulling her to agree. There was such passion in the man, and she knew that only too well. But his passion—his loyalty—was for Emory, not her. Her eyes fluttered closed, not wanting him to see her pain.
“I’ll think about it, Hawk.”
“You do that, Renee.”
He walked out the door, leaving Renee staring at the closed door.
Renee knew he was going to break her heart again.
After making sure that a private guard was posted outside Renee’s door, Hawk made his way to Emory’s room. “Emory, you were right. Someone’s after Renee.” Hawk explained what had happened.
“Is she okay?” Emory demanded, his expression full of anxiety.
“Yes.”
“How are you?” Emory glanced at Hawk’s arm.
“It’s nothing.” He rubbed the back of his neck to ease the fear twisting the muscles into knots. “I was almost too late.”
“So I was right to be concerned when you discovered the drawer open,” Emory sighed.
As Hawk had told Renee, when he had gone to get Renee’s birth certificate from a secured file in Emory’s office, he’d found it unlocked. The key hadn’t been in the place Emory had said it would be. When Hawk informed the older man of the situation, he offered to come up with a protection plan for Renee. Emory insisted that marriage between the two of them was the best way to keep her safe. “I’m afraid so. Now I think Renee believes us.”
Emory frowned. “After you two get married, we’ll announce it to the world.”
Hearing Emory speak of that event brought Hawk a mixed bag of feelings. With his track record of a failed marriage and his parents as a miserable example, Hawk didn’t expect he would be good at being a husband. And yet…
He slipped his hands into his pockets. “Do you have the files that the private detectives gathered when your son was kidnapped? I’d like to look at them along with the police records. Maybe I can see something with a fresh eye after all these years.”
“All right, Hawk. I don’t want anything to happen to my child. Or to you.”
“If I have anything to say about it this time, Emory, you’ll not lose this child. You have my word on it.”
Of course, Hawk didn’t know if he could live up to the promise, but he would die trying.
“All right, Hawk, you win.” Early-morning light streamed into her hospital room, outlining Hawk’s tall frame as he leaned against the wall. Her breakfast tray was untouched, a testament to the fact she would throw it up if she ate. “We’ll get married, but it will be in name only,” she warned. Since she didn’t see another way out of the mess, they would marry, but she wasn’t willing to risk her heart again. “No sex.”
Hawk stared at her, then nodded. “Then let’s go down to city hall and get the license.”
“Sounds good, then you can drive me to work.” Too bad that it didn’t sound romantic. It sounded more as if they were closing a business deal.
But, of course, that was exactly what they were doing.
Chapter 2
“Hawk looked down at the marriage license issued by Harris County. The event he’d tried so hard to avoid for the past five years was about to come to pass.
“Here you go, sir,” the clerk said, handing Hawk the change for his twenty.
After pocketing the money, he turned to Renee. She stared at the paper in his hand as if it were a snake coiled to strike. Apparently, her reaction to this marriage wasn’t any better than his. “Ready to leave?”
She nodded, her face pale.
“Are you all right?”
“I’m fine,” she muttered.
They were halfway down the hall of the courthouse when she stumbled against him. His arms shot out, catching her as she collapsed.
“Damn.” He scooped her up and walked to a nearby bench. Sitting, he cupped her face. “Renee?”
“Oh, dear, what’s wrong?” a woman asked.
Good question, he thought to himself. Was the reason she fainted due to the wound on her head or was it a reaction to them getting the marriage license?
“Would you like me to get a wet paper towel from the bathroom?” she asked.
“Thanks.”
The woman hurried away.
“Come on, sweetheart, wake up.” If she didn’t come around he’d call the paramedics.
“Here’s the towel,” the woman said, offering it to him.
Carefully, Hawk brushed the towel over Renee’s face. She moaned and her eyelids fluttered. Relief flooded him.
“Why don’t I get her something to drink?” the woman suggested.
Hawk nodded, his attention focused on Renee.
Confusion, then embarrassment filled her eyes. “What happened?”
“You fainted.”
Her brow knitted into a frown. “I never faint,” she replied, struggling to sit up.
“Maybe it has something to do with your wound. We should go back to the hospital.”
“No, I don’t think so. I didn’t eat this morning. The oatmeal they served at the hospital looked like paste.”
“Here you go, young lady,” the woman said as she returned. “Try this soft drink. It might help.”
Renee took the can and slowly sipped it. After a moment the color started to return to her cheeks.
The woman glanced at where they had just come from. “Are you two going to get married?”
“Yes,” Hawk answered.
“Congratulations.” The woman walked to the office beside them and opened the door. The strong smell of coffee hit Renee like an eighteen-wheeler and her stomach roiled. She pressed her hand to her mouth and looked around for the bathroom door. Spotting it, she ran across the hall.
Alarm raced through Hawk, and he started after Renee.