Coming Home: The Damaged Series - Book Three Read online

  “I want you to marry me, Rowan.”

  Chapter Four

  Bennett’s voice was matter of fact and Rowan’s mouth dropped open.

  “Wh-what? You don’t even know me.” It was impossible to conceal how shocked she was.

  He tugged her and she moved closer. “I’m an excellent judge of character.”

  Quirking her brow, she asked, “You sure about that? It seems your business acumen abandons you with women.”

  “Touché. I admit several missteps in that area.”

  “Marriage seems pretty extreme for someone you met three days ago. I mean, you know it will fuel the competency suit.”

  “I need someone who will fight with me and for me, Rowan. I told you my beneficiaries are trying to take everything I’ve worked for, sell it off piece by piece, and split the profits…how did you feel about that?”

  “It made me furious. Hire a thousand of the most aggressive shark lawyers in the United States to rip them to shreds. Put a microscope on everything.”

  “Like what?” he asked with interest.

  “All of it. Every aspect of their lives from their acquaintances, to their work history, and academic performance. I’d shine a bright light on every minute and show them you’re willing to keep them tied up in court for the next hundred years.”

  Bennett grinned. “What else?”

  “I’d evict them from any properties you own and cut off every single line of credit paid for by you. Don’t leave them hungry or homeless...but take away the lifestyle that means so much to them. Give them economy cars to drive, grocery limits. Then, once you have them shaking in their boots, offer realistic settlements. Present them as a final offer once you have them begging for mercy. Either take it or you won’t see a dime for decades.”

  “The prospect of living in a tiny apartment or driving a Toyota would send them into fits.”

  “Exactly. I live off of less than a hundred dollars a week. I bet cutting them down to five thousand a month would make them feel desperate and oppressed.” Staring into his gorgeous green eyes, she added, “I’m sure there are hundreds of people willing to fight for you, Bennett. The last damn thing you need is another wife and believe me, your family would pounce on me as a gold digging bitch.”

  The silence drew out between them. Then a slow smile spread across his face. “Five more minutes with you and I’ll be completely in love for the first time in my life.”

  She was unable to formulate a thought. Her eyes felt huge in her face.

  “I’m almost fifty-eight, Rowan. It’s unlikely I’ll live another year. I haven’t been with a woman in four years. The realization of how many times I fucked casually, taken women simply because they were available and willing, has never struck me as gluttonous until this moment. Perhaps this is judgment for how I lived my life.”

  “No. I don’t believe that. Terrible people have strong hearts that beat even while they commit atrocities. It’s not judgment...just a critical organ that’s exhausted.”

  He stroked his fingers through her hair. “The texture and color of mink.” Placing his hand flat on her chest, he said, “Your heart is pounding, Rowan.”

  She didn’t know if she was supposed to say anything but found she was beyond speech.

  “Marry me. Fight for me. When I die, you’ll never have to worry about working another day in your life.”

  “I’ll fight for you but I won’t marry you or take a dime of your money. Before I met you, I held you in high regard as a philanthropist and businessman. I don’t require a piece of paper or money to do the right thing. Refusing to allow you to be stripped of your accomplishments is the least I can do.”

  “I’ve spent my entire life knowing when a goal is within my grasp.” She snorted. “Let’s negotiate, Rowan.”

  With a grin, she told him, “There’s the Lion of Finance.”

  “You move into my house.” Her eyes went wide. “Together, we’ll drive my ex-wives and children into signing multi-million dollar settlements. I’ll provide the money. You provide the passion. James shall be our muscle.”

  “Move into…”

  “I’ll draw up agreements to protect you. If you feel I’ve treated you fairly, we’ll marry and you’ll become my sole heir. You’ll spend whatever time I have left sharing your spark.”

  “My counter-offer is simple. I’ll help you fight your family and when they’ve been sharply reprimanded for their greed, if you feel the need to marry me on an emotional level, we can discuss it then.”

  “Are you afraid you might grow to love me, Rowan?”

  “I’m afraid to love anyone. Love is painful and you’d be easy to love, I think.” Far too easy, she added to herself.

  In a whisper, he asked, “Did someone break your heart?”

  “Years ago. If I fell in love with you and then lost you, the pain would be excruciating.”

  His eyes were so green, so filled with life as he stared at her. It wasn’t right that he was facing his own mortality so young.

  “I’m going to teach you about it being better to have loved and lost than to never have loved at all. That will be my goal, Rowan – a lesson for both of us in the time I have left.” She nodded slowly but couldn’t fully hide her fear. “You’re so solidly in the world. You’ll learn about yourself and I’ll learn to use a part of my heart I’ve never engaged before. Perhaps the exercise will do it good.”

  “Why me?”

  “I told you, I have a good feeling about your character.” He winked. “I can’t touch you sexually but having your gorgeous body beside me as you tote around a brilliant mind and the heart of a lioness isn’t exactly a drawback.”

  “Oh, man.” She swallowed hard. “You’re diabolical.”

  Reaching out, he ran his finger over her cheek. “Spend a year with an old man who needs your help, Rowan. Change the course of your life with one choice.”

  “You’re not an old man. You just have a sick heart.”

  “Already you soften. Give me a year, darling.”

  Nodding slowly, she whispered, “Alright, Bennett. I’ll give you a year.”

  “I won’t let you regret it.” Tightening his fingers around hers, he asked, “Won’t it be fascinating if ours becomes a great love affair? No one would ever see that coming.”

  After three days, Rowan already saw it coming.

  It frightened her to the core.

  Chapter Five

  They drove for half an hour in companionable silence with Bennett holding her hand.

  “Why were you on campus, Bennett? The other day...why were you there?”

  “I’m an alumnus. The University of Texas was the first school I attended. It was not the last but I’m sentimental about it. Hometown, home state, and so forth. I was signing off on next year’s scholarships. I like to look the dean in the eye to make sure they go to the most qualified applicants.”

  Rowan smiled. “Not just mediocre students who fit a certain criteria?”

  “Hmm. It’s happened in the past. I don’t give a damn if your family came over on the Mayflower, attends church three times a week, and donates to the troops...if your test scores are shit, you can get in line behind a kid whose name you can’t pronounce if they have the grades.” He met her eyes. “Or a young woman without a possession or relative to what may or may not be her name.”

  Eyes wide, she wanted to ask but didn’t.

  “How small the great wide world can be, Rowan. Five years ago, a different man than the one who sits here now looked that same dean in the eye and asked why a girl with the best math scores in the state was in the rejection pile. In the acceptance pile was a milquetoast creature with a cross around her neck, a sterling recommendation from her pastor, and abysmal test scores across the board.”

  Bennett shot his cuffs as the limo turned through massive iron gates. “That she was particularly weak in math - while applying and almost receiving a mathematics scholarship - infuriated me.” Brilliant green eyes focused on h
er. “There was no photo with your submission. After we met, James and my assistant pulled your school records. I was right about you five years ago and I’m right about you now.”

  James opened the door with a bow and reached in to brace Bennett’s arm. “Sir.” When his boss was upright, James extended his hand to Rowan with a smile. “Ma’am.”

  She worked her way to the edge of the seat and the driver helped her stand. Then he lifted her easily and carried her across a courtyard and through twelve-foot-tall double doors into a mansion. Bennett walked beside them.

  A high voice said, “I wasn’t able to get a motorized chair until tomorrow morning but a standard one will do with James pushing.” A woman who resembled a delicate bird walked around the corner and smiled up at Rowan. “Hello, Miss Foxe. I’m Mary-Margaret. Put her down, James. Poor thing.”

  “It’s a pleasure to meet you, ma’am.” James placed her carefully in the wheelchair. “I didn’t expect to see anyone. Excuse my appearance.”

  “Nonsense. You look lovely. I’m Bennett’s assistant. I have been for forty-two years. I understand I’m going to be giving you a crash course in what we do day to day.”

  “I’m sorry...what?” Rowan asked in confusion.

  Bennett explained, “If you choose not to marry me, I want you working for me. If you choose to marry me, I want you working for me. Either way, a job hunt is unnecessary.”

  “I have a degree but zero experience, Bennett.”

  “Mary-Margaret knows more about this company than I do. She’s going to show you the charity division. How it works, money going in, and where it’s distributed. I already know you can handle the math and technical aspects. What I want to know is if it sounds like something you’d enjoy?”

  Nodding, she whispered, “Yes. Very much.”

  “Excellent. A few days to get you back on your feet first. I need to get on the phone with every vicious lawyer I’ve ever met but I’ll see you at dinner. James will show you to your suite. It’s across the hall from mine. Your belongings at the dorm will be transported here. A car has been assigned to you and your driver can assist you in getting your license if you wish.”

  “A-alright.”

  He smiled at her and reached out to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear. “Overwhelmed?” She nodded. “It might not appear to be the case but you are in control, Rowan. If you choose to leave, no one will stop you. I hope you choose to stay. There’s incredible opportunity here.”

  “Bennett, I-I haven’t earned this.”

  He winked. “I haven’t put you to work yet.” He turned to walk down the hall with Mary-Margaret at his side. “Get her settled, James. Make sure she has everything she needs or wants. I’ll be in my office.”

  “Wonderful to meet you, Rowan!” his assistant called.

  The driver pushed her across a foyer big enough to be a hotel lobby and Rowan realized there was an elevator cleverly blended into the surrounding wall. On the third floor, James pushed her across the hall and into a bedroom she never would have dreamed sleeping in.

  “Bennett has been ordering you things for three days. Not even I know what he’s bought. Consider it a high-stakes Easter egg hunt.” Rowan laughed. “Your stuff will be here tomorrow but there are clothes in the closet for you. Expect more to arrive.”

  “Uh…”

  James crouched in front of the wheelchair. “I was like you, Rowan. I came from nothing. Cycled through foster care. Was on track to fuck up my entire life. I was seventeen when I met Bennett. I tried to steal his wallet and almost got my arm broken by his security.”

  “Are you serious?”

  “Oh, yeah. My life changed that day because Bennett enjoys puzzles. Your life will change, too. Some ways will be subtle and others will be glaring. Soak it all up, take it all in, and roll with whatever comes at you. You will never, ever regret it.”

  “Okay.” He held her gaze with caramel eyes just like Nina’s.

  “If someone had asked me a few years ago if Bennett Jefferson was the type of man to believe in love at first sight, I would have laughed in their face.” James shook his head slowly. “I wouldn’t laugh now.”

  “I’m nervous.”

  “No one will hurt you here. Bennett can’t touch you without risking a devastating heart event. Let him share his life, his money, and his knowledge with you. Give him a final puzzle to put together, Rowan.”

  “I might have a couple of pieces missing…”

  “He enjoys a challenge.” Standing, he pointed out the computer station, phone to the first floor, and the entrance to the bathroom. “Acclimate yourself and I’ll be back to get you in a few hours. Call if you need me sooner.”

  “Thanks for talking to me.”

  “Of course. We’re going to be partners in crime. I’m curious to watch what you do with unlimited funds. See you later.”

  Rolling over to the bed, she locked the chair, carefully got out of it, and lowered to the mattress.

  Staring at emerald fabric draping the four corners, she was reminded of Bennett’s eyes.

  After a short nap, she got back in the chair and rolled to the elevator outside her room. On the first floor, she waited for a member of Bennett’s staff to point her to his office.

  The man nodded and stepped behind the chair to push her down the hall. He tapped lightly on a carved door before swinging it wide.

  Bennett, James, and Mary-Margaret froze to look at her.

  Clearing her throat, Rowan said, “I took a quick nap to process. I’m good to go and there’s a lot to be done. I don’t need my leg to help.”

  The others smiled at her. Then they slammed information into Rowan’s brain at top speed.

  Just the way she liked it.

  Chapter Six

  Over the next month, Rowan was educated on the inner workings of Bennett Jefferson’s world.

  Mary-Margaret and James were the closest people in the tycoon’s life and he trusted them implicitly. Within days, the three of them showed Rowan through words and actions that she was already part of their inner circle.

  Bennett’s own family had been small. His parents had passed years before, and his children by his ex-wives were horrifically spoiled.

  His influence on his son and two daughters had been minimal since their birth mothers demanded and received primary custody after divorcing their father.

  They were all older than Rowan.

  After dinner one night, Rowan and Bennett sat together on a comfortable sofa in his den and she asked him about them.

  “I fought for custody because I thought I should but when I lost, I wasn’t as upset as I should have been. I know how that sounds.” He sighed heavily. “I worked all the time and I never expected to have children. Particularly not with the women I married.” Meeting her eyes, he confessed, “Not that they necessarily had children with me.”

  “Bennett.” Shocked, she reached out to take his hand. “They’re not yours?”

  “John definitely isn’t. The math never added up with the girls.” He shrugged. “Considering how much I traveled, I wasn’t surprised or overly upset. Their mothers’ actions weren’t their fault. It wasn’t right to penalize them for infidelity they had no control over.”

  “Were you faithful to your wives?”

  “No.” Her eyes widened. “Surprised I’d admit it?” She nodded. “I was a horrible husband if you measure it by normal dynamics like being present, showing affection, and being faithful.” His fingers squeezed hers. “I needed to be married so I married. I needed children so I accepted the children presented to me.”

  “Did you love them?”

  “I tried with the children but they started hating me somewhere along the way and it never stopped. I resorted to buying their affection and obedience.” Leaning his head against the sofa, he confessed, “I didn’t love their mothers. I pretended for a little while but we all knew it was a lie.”

  “Did they love you?”

  He laughed. “Hardly. I wasn’t ar
ound enough to love. When I was around, I kept our interactions minimal, polite, indifferent.” Turning his head, he stared at her. “I have regrets.”

  “Everyone has regrets.” Wrapping his hand in both of hers, Rowan whispered, “It sounds lonely.”

  “It was. Your life was lonelier.”

  “No, Bennett. Emotional isolation is separate from belongings, status, or how many people are around you. It hurts.”

  He returned to staring at the tray ceiling far above them. “The more I felt it, the more I worked to numb it. Eventually, I convinced myself that I didn’t care, that I didn’t need those connections in my life.”

  “And now?”

  “I’m facing the end of my life. I tried to mend fences with the ex-wives and their children. I wanted to see them settled before my death.” His laugh was bitter. “They wanted it all and when I explained there were obligations to be met, that I was placing the bulk of my holdings in trust, they filed the first lawsuit.”

  “I’m sorry, Bennett.”

  “I’m closer to James than the offspring who carry my name. Mary-Margaret has always been like a protective older sister to me. I was content with their company as I waited for my heart to quit.” Meeting her eyes again, he added softly, “And then suddenly, there you were, Rowan.”

  Lifting her hand, he kissed the back. “I wasn’t searching. I didn’t have an agenda. The day I met you, everything seemed clear for the first time in a decade. The way you think, the way you process the world, it captivated me. I wanted the chance to know you, for you to know me. I never wanted anyone to know me.”

  “I’m sure you’ve met many incredible people in your lifetime, Bennett.”

  “Not like you. You’re tethered to nothing. Other than your kind Miss Jeffries, you’re a clean slate, Rowan. You can’t imagine how rare that is. I see so much in you - in the things you’re going to do and learn in your future. I want to be part of it, to give you the knowledge and resources you’ll need to change the world, to make it better.”