Total pages in book: 105
Estimated words: 100277 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 501(@200wpm)___ 401(@250wpm)___ 334(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 100277 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 501(@200wpm)___ 401(@250wpm)___ 334(@300wpm)
“What’s with the suspense?” I tried to tease as he closed the door behind us.
Rafe didn’t smile. My pulse raced.
He sighed heavily, wearily, worry puckering his brow, and that shut me up.
Gesturing to the bed, we both sat down on its edge, our bodies turned toward one another. What the hell was going on?
“I wanted to explain everything to you first before Hugo makes his apology to you. I have his and my father’s permission to share what’s been going on, so you have some context.”
Oh crap. “Okay.”
Rafe squeezed his eyes closed and then opened them on another sigh. It was like he was trying to expel the tension out of his body with those exhales. “Hugo has been stressed for months, which is probably why he’s been acting more of an ass than usual.”
“Stressed about what?”
“Things have been difficult in the shipping industry over the past few years and Hugo hasn’t been successful in trying to keep the business out of danger.”
Oh no. My expression fell. “Rafe . . . I . . . what does that mean?”
“We’re vulnerable. Mercurious is vulnerable. We’re losing too many contracts because of new domestic shipping regulations. A Chinese company with a lot more clout than us wants to buy us out, and Hugo thinks he might have to sell. Our trust funds are safe, I’m okay financially, and my parents’ retirement fund is safe, but in Hugo’s mind, that isn’t enough. He was carrying the weight of that. Stupid. Because all that matters is that my family wouldn’t be living in the gutter, which we’d be far from doing. His priorities . . .” Rafe shook his head. “Hugo has a different idea of poverty than the rest of us.”
“I see.” I bet he did.
“Yeah. Anyway, I don’t think it was just about losing his, our, wealth.”
“He didn’t want to fail your dad,” I surmised. “He didn’t want to be the one at the helm when all your dad’s hard work sank.”
Rafe looked so sad. “Exactly.”
“Poor Hugo.” I never thought I’d say that.
My boyfriend shook his head in amazement. “You are . . . where did you come from?”
Warmth spread across my chest as I reached for his hand. “What happens now?”
“He finally confessed everything to my dad, but my dad, being my dad, already knew the company was in trouble. He was just waiting for Hugo to come to him. I wish he hadn’t. Hugo has been a bastard to everyone because of this stress. Including you.”
“Does your dad have a solution?”
Rafe nodded. “Selling Mercurious. Dad thinks they can open it to bids. We won’t get what it’s worth because it’s carrying some debt from the last few years, but a bigger company could integrate it into theirs and make bank, so we’ll still make a lot of money off the sale. The hard part is negotiating terms for our employees and making sure they’re taken care of. That’s important to all of us.”
Because they were good people. Even Hugo, apparently. “What will Hugo do after the sale?”
“Dad would like to broker a deal that keeps Hugo on in some capacity.”
“Right. Is Hugo better for telling the truth?”
“Oh yeah. He apologized to me and I believe him. And he wants to apologize to you.”
“He doesn’t have to.”
“Yes, he fucking does.”
My lips twitched at Rafe’s stern pronouncement. “All right.”
* * *
• • •
Our drive home was subdued. Just like dinner.
While Hugo had apologized profusely to me and said, despite his stress at work, there was no excuse for the things he’d called me, there was still a weight on his shoulders. It was visible. Perhaps the worst of it had lifted, but I sensed a deep sadness in him. I think his family did too, because the conversation was quiet and stilted.
Even Charmaine asked why we were all acting strange.
Once we returned to Rafe’s apartment I half expected Rafe to collapse on the couch and brood, but he didn’t.
He locked the door behind us, met my gaze with a heated look that surprised me, and took me by the hand. Heart racing, I let him lead me into the bedroom.
Rafe whipped off his sweater and threw it on the floor. I instinctively reached out to smooth my hands over his pecs and down his strong abs. Rafe took me by the wrists to stop me, but only so he could push the sweater off my shoulders and slip his fingers under the hem of my blouse to pull it up and off. When he dropped it to the floor, he muttered, “Good riddance.”
“What—” My question was swallowed in his kiss. My breasts crushed to his chest. He held me in his arms and moved his mouth over mine in a long, slow, delicious kiss.
My emotions from the last few weeks had been sitting on a ledge and for some reason, the way Rafe kissed me tonight tipped those emotions over the edge. They fed into the kiss as I wound my arms around his neck and curled my fingers into his soft, thick hair. Our tongues stroked in lazy exploration.