Heart's Desire Read online

  She’d never seen her uncle so worked up. He was always in control and never lost his cool; however, right now, he looked ready to pull his salt and pepper hair from his head.

  “Sir, please relax. Your client needs you right now, and if you can’t settle down, I think you need to recuse yourself from this case,” the deputy said.

  Nathan looked hard as steel, his eyes barely registering any tenderness as they took in her presence. “That would probably be best anyway, Gray. Seems like this might be a conflict of interest.”

  Uncle Trevor shot daggers at him, lunging toward the doorway, only stopping when the deputy wrapped an arm around his chest and forcibly pulled him away. “That’s it! Into this room.” The deputy pushed her uncle into one of the other smaller offices as Justin came running into the office, pushing his way past her, freezing when he saw Nathan.

  “What in the hell, Nathan?” Justin spun to face her. “Please, tell me you’re not a part of this.”

  “I just got here. I don’t even know what’s going on.” She turned back to Nathan. “What is going on?” Jessie looked from one man to the next, waiting for someone, anyone, to provide some sort of answer.

  Nathan pushed himself from the doorframe and ambled toward them. Jessie clenched her jaw.

  Was he seriously going to strut toward her like he had nothing to prove? Like some sort of superhero who’d just rescued the damsel in distress? She might be itching to throw her arms around him, to feel him under her hands, but she wasn’t about to tolerate this macho bullshit from him any more than she would from her brother.

  “Does this look like an Old West shoot out? Spit it out already, Maverick. I don’t have all day.”

  The corner of his lips curled into a grin and that damn dimple sunk into his cheek. “I’ve missed you, Jess.”

  Her heart might have done several flips in her chest at his words and the way her name slid from his lips. Not to mention the way the green in his eyes seemed to skim over her from head to toe, heating every inch of her along the way, but he didn’t need to know any of that. She folded her arms and cocked her hip to the side, waiting for him to answer.

  “You had our accountant arrested for embezzlement?” Justin’s voice was strained, and Jessie could tell he was aching for a fight.

  “Brendon is CFO, and the only person with access to the Heart Fire Industries account, the only person who could touch that money. He was the only person able to access funds from each one of you, and now, the Heart Fire Industries account is empty. If he diverted those funds, Justin, that’s embezzlement, whether you trust me or not.”

  Jessie noticed Nathan wasn’t quite able to keep the hurt from his eyes at the thought of Justin not having faith in him. She looked at her brother. He was torn, and she could understand why. He’d known Brendon since they were kids, but what else was it going to take to convince him Brendon had lied?

  “Is this about Jessie?”

  And again, it was none of his business who she dated. She turned to her brother and shoved a hand against his chest, knocking him back a few steps.

  “About me? Why would anything be about me? It’s always about you and Julia or the ranch. Nothing is ever about what I want.” She pushed against his chest again. “What goes on between me and Nathan is none of your business. I don’t remember asking for your permission, Justin. Whether you realize it or not, I’m an adult woman who makes her own choices. The way Mom and Dad taught me.”

  Justin looked down at her and grabbed her wrist gently. “Jess, you don’t know what you want or need.” His sweet, mocking tone made her feel like a child, and she was done with him treating her like she needed his help.

  “Don’t ‘Jess’ me. I didn’t ask you to take Dad’s place. I love you, but that’s something you can’t do.” She jerked her wrist away from him, angry tears filling her eyes. “Why can’t you see I don’t need your protection?”

  “Because you do,” Nathan moved closer to where she stood.

  “You have no right to be involved in this discussion at all.” She turned on him. “You lied.”

  “I didn’t—”

  She held up a hand. “It may have been a simple omission to you, but you didn’t tell me about your family. I trusted you.”

  “I know you did. I just didn’t know where things were going between us.” His eyes flicked toward her brother and back. “How was I supposed to bring up something like that?”

  She looked between Nathan and Justin. “What is it with the two of you?” She slapped her brother’s arm. “You think you need to guard me like a vestal virgin.” She shook her head. “Guess what? This isn’t the Roman Empire, and I’m not a virgin.”

  “Jess!”

  “And you’re so worried about what Justin will think that you can’t make a decision. You need to grow a pair. Maybe stand up to my brother. Unless you lied, and this really was just a fling to you.”

  Jessie turned to Deputy Chase McKee, who looked confused by their family drama. The poor guy had known Jessie and Justin forever and had just returned to the force. Jessie wondered if he wasn’t getting far more than he bargained for. “Do whatever you need to: press charges, book Brendon, whatever. Let these two handle everything. It seems to be what you do best anyway. I have a ranch to run.”

  Jessie walked out of the office, leaving every man in the building staring after her, and for once, she didn’t care one bit if it made her the family failure. This time, if she failed, it would be on her own terms, and she would do it splendidly.

  “SHE CAN’T DO that,” Trevor yelled, as he rose from the desk. “Justin, you need to talk some sense into her.”

  Justin looked from Nathan to the father and son, both cuffed like common criminals. “Let’s figure out what’s going on.” Nathan nodded and headed toward the office where Brendon waited with the sheriff, but Justin stopped him with his hand. “You better believe I’m going to kick your ass for hurting my sister when this is over with.”

  “You already did,” Nathan argued.

  “Then I’ll do it again.” Justin said, not leaving any further room for argument. He sat on the edge of the sheriff’s desk and let Nathan take the chair. Then he addressed Brendon “I don’t know what’s going on, but as your friend, man, seeing how your dad is losing it in the next room, you might want to appoint someone else.”

  Brendon ran his shackled hands through his hair, hitting himself in the forehead. “I didn’t do this. Not really.”

  “Wait,” Nathan warned, glancing back at the sheriff. “Do you want your father in here?”

  “Don’t say anything, son, until I can make some calls.” Trevor’s voice carried through the thin walls of the offices, while they could see the deputy trying to calm him again.

  “I don’t need an attorney. I didn’t do anything wrong.” Brendon’s voice was tired, but it didn’t stop the sheriff from pulling out a pad of paper and a small recorder.

  “Then tell me what happened, Brendon, because I really don’t want to believe you’d do this.” Justin shook his head, disappointment showing.

  “Before your parents went on their trip, your dad came in and said he wanted me to open an account and to set up recurring transfers from the ranch equal to fifty percent of the monthly income. He just said it was to help Jessie down the road and that he’d explain more once the companies were incorporated. Something about rescuing horses.” He buried his head into his hands again. “But then they were killed. I never touched that money, Justin.” He looked up at all three men. “Not once in the six months the account was open. I should have said something but, honestly, I forgot about it until this guy came asking questions.”

  “Jessie was drowning in debt, almost declaring bankruptcy, and you forgot about the account?” Nathan knew he sounded dubious, but the man’s story was asinine. “This is just your word against a dead man’s.”

  Brendon shook his head, slowly. “No, my father knew. He set up the incorporation. He and your father were the first ones
on the board of directors. After the trip, they were going to add the three of you. And I’m not the only one with access to the account; I’m just the first listed because I’m the CFO. Justin, you’ve got to believe me, man. You’re like a brother to me.” He looked up at Justin with watery eyes full of regret. “And you know how I feel about Jessie. I would never do this to her.”

  Nathan’s jaw clenched at hearing Brendon even mention her name. He gripped the arm of the chair to keep from pulverizing the man.

  “I think we need to have a chat with Trevor.” The sheriff’s voice broke through the rage blinding Nathan. “Maybe he can shed a little light on this situation.”

  “I don’t need light; I need air. The stench of bullshit is beginning to choke me.” He rose and walked out of the office, the glare of the sunlight reflecting off the windshields of cruisers, nearly blinding him.

  He leaned against one of the cars and took a deep breath, the heated air of late spring rife with car exhaust nearly choking him. Or maybe it was the fact that his accusation against Brendon wasn’t going to hold up in light of the man’s recent confession. Someone had stolen that money from Jessie, and he hadn’t been fast enough or smart enough to stop it before it happened. He slammed the heel of his hand against the car’s hood and stood, raking his hands through his hair in frustration.

  “Damn it!”

  “You know, I don’t think you need a vandalism charge with everything else on your plate right now.”

  Nathan spun, his pulse speeding up at the sound of Jess’s voice. “I thought you left.”

  “I did.” She shrugged. “But I came back.”

  “Why?”

  He wanted to tell himself to shut up, to stop asking questions and just be grateful for her return, but his mouth operated without consulting his brain. The same way his feet moved without his acknowledgment. Nathan buried his hands into her hair, not waiting for an answer, and sought her mouth. He didn’t need to hear the words from her; he could feel it in the way her body melted against him, in the sigh that left her lips, in the way her hands moved over his back, hungry for him.

  “Jess,” he whispered, pulling back only far enough to lean his forehead against hers. “I left to keep you from getting hurt. My father’s a criminal. He’s been stealing money and hiding it in offshore accounts all my life. He saw you as a threat to his operation and said if I ever returned here, he’d destroy your family. I was young and stupid and powerless to stop him if he carried through on his threat. So I let go of you and tried to convince myself I’d done the right thing.”

  His thumb traced her cheekbone. “But when Justin called, I couldn’t let the ranch go under. Not if I could help. And since I’m telling you everything, when I went back, he wanted me to help him falsify his books, but I refused. I never actually lied to you.”

  His hands curved around her jaw, his thumb caressing the hollow of her cheek. He needed her to believe him.

  She smiled up at him, her hands covering his. “Nathan, thank you for telling me the truth about your family, but as for the lying, let’s mutually agree you walked a fine line in a gray area.”

  “I should have known you’d have to have the last word.” He smiled down at her, relieved. “I should have told you.”

  “Yes,” she agreed. “You should have, but—”

  Trevor pushed open the door of the station as one of the deputies followed him and Brendon outside. He had a broad, evil grin on his lips when he turned toward Nathan. “Well, looks like the charges against Brendon were dropped. Prepare yourself for a lawsuit, Mr. Kerrington. It’s going to be an expensive one.” He looked past Nathan to Jessie and shook his head. “Your father would be so disappointed.”

  Nathan felt the agony come off Jessie in waves, and the fact that this man would say something so deliberately cruel and hurtful infuriated him. He wasn’t about to let it happen. “Sue away, Gray. I have the truth and million-dollar lawyers at my disposal. I doubt we’ll lose. You, on the other hand . . . ” Nathan shrugged.

  Trevor laughed. “Then, by all means, take your best shot, young man. I’d be glad to drag this out long enough that you end up with nothing left. Not to mention how the world would love to hear about the financial tycoon who went after a frail old man living on nothing but his retirement. You play chess, Mr. Kerrington? This is what we call, ‘check.’ ”

  Nathan took a step toward the old man as Justin stepped between them. “Don’t. Not now,” his friend muttered. “Let’s go back to the ranch.”

  “It will really be a shame to see another Kerrington reputation go down in flames.”

  “Ride with me, Nathan.” Justin ordered. “We need to talk.”

  Jessie looked up at him, worry creasing her brow, but Nathan knew his friend, and there was a wide chasm between them now that needed to be bridged. Jessie might have said differently, but Nathan knew, as much as Justin’s accusation had wounded her, she adored her brother and longed for his approval.

  “I’ll meet you at the ranch, okay?” He pressed his lips to hers briefly. “We’ll finish our discussion then, too.”

  She chewed at her lower lip. It might have been less than a week, but he needed this woman. Unfortunately, right now, her hulking linebacker of a brother stood between them. He walked Jessie to her truck and went back to meet Justin in front of the police station.

  “Excuse me, Mr. Kerrington?” A deputy met him at the front of Justin’s truck. “Could we speak with you for a moment?”

  “Go ahead,” Justin said. “This can wait until you’re finished.”

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  NATHAN EYED JUSTIN as he climbed into Justin’s pickup and fumbled with the recording device in his pocket. This wouldn’t be his first time going undercover for the police, but he didn’t want them taping any personal conversations about Jessie if he could avoid it.

  “Is this where I get to ask about your intentions for my sister?” Justin’s jaw clenched, and Nathan could tell he was trying to control his temper as he backed out onto the road. “Dude, you slept with my sister. I never would have done that to you.”

  “Not without telling me first,” Nathan finished for him. Justin rolled his eyes and gave him a frustrated glare. “You’re right. I should have told you there was something going on between us. I should have told you about it when I stayed with you at the ranch that summer. But I was trying to protect you, and her. My family held a lot of sway back then, and when they threatened to destroy your parents’ business and your future if I didn’t stay away from her . . . ” Nathan shook his head. “How was I supposed to tell you that?”

  “They couldn’t have done anything.”

  “That’s where you’re wrong, Justin. They could and would have.” Nathan ran his hand over the small device in his pocket, muffling what it would pick up. “Money can buy a lot of things, Justin and my father had plenty at his disposal to bribe people to destroy your family. I couldn’t take that chance. I cared too much.”

  “So you blew her off, never called? God, I feel like a fool for telling you how worried I was about her then. The whole time, you knew it was because of you. And then you just took off, like our friendship meant nothing. You were the closest thing I had to a brother.”

  Nathan took a deep breath. What could he say? Justin was right. He could hear the disgust in Justin’s voice.

  “What about now?”

  “I’ve cut all ties to my father. He’s going to lose his case and will be too hard-pressed trying to stay out of prison to worry about me.”

  Justin eyed him. “I mean, what about you and Jess?”

  “It was—is—confusing. I don’t know where she stands, Justin, but I always planned on coming back. There’s nothing on earth, not even you, that’s going to convince me to leave her again. Unless it’s what she wants.”

  Justin slammed on the brakes, veering onto the shoulder of the road, and put it into park. “You love her?” Nathan didn’t deny it—nor did he look away. “I thought you didn
’t believe in falling in love.”

  “I don’t. I didn’t,” he clarified. “But Jess—” He didn’t know how to explain it, but Jess had taken all his plans for his future and turned them upside down. She made him wonder if his entire life had simply been one long wait for her to step inside and show him the way to right his wrongs.

  “Yeah, I get it. It’s Jess. She has a way of throwing a wrench into things when you least expect it.” He arched a brow and laughed quietly. “And it’s usually for the better.” Justin pulled back out onto the highway. “I guess I can learn to deal with the two of you together, provided you don’t hurt her again.”

  Nathan chuckled and shook his head.

  “What’s so funny?”

  “You. Thinking you could stop me.”

  Justin shot him a warning look. “I knocked you on your ass once already. Don’t make me do it again.”

  “You know she wants to turn the ranch into a horse rescue, right?” He watched Justin’s shoulder slump.

  “How is that even going to be possible? With how expensive horses are to keep, without guests, how would she even feed them?” Justin shook his head. “And now? How can we recoup a loss like this? Fifty thousand dollars?”

  “I have some big investors lined up for her.” Justin looked over at Nathan suspiciously. “I met with a few while I was in New York, and I have three lined up here in California willing to make some big start-up donations, if she becomes a nonprofit.”

  “To rescue abused horses?”

  Nathan nodded. “I think your father was trying to get the dominoes all lined up for it before they went on the trip—the incorporation, the transferred money. Jess made a comment once that she thought your father lied to her. After what we just heard from Brendon, it all makes sense that your father was trying to set this up for her to start her operation.”