Page 46 of Catching a Con Man

“I’ll ask her. Amanda…” Holden tailed off as he looked beyond me. I turned in my chair to see what he was gawping at and froze.

Ade should not have been in my kitchen. It was weird, seeing him stood in the doorway, perfection surrounded by peeling paint and mysterious stains the landlord hadn’t sorted. But there he was, in all his brilliance. Though his face was in a state of shock. And he was still wearing one of the dressing gowns from the guest suite. My heart thumped irregularly at the sight of him.

“Did we wake you?” Holden asked.

Ade’s mouth quirked up slightly into a smile. I stood, well aware I was still wearing my police-station issue clothes. “I came as fast as I could when they said you’d…you’d…”

And I realised he hadn’t moved forward, and neither had I. We took a step together, and then another, and then his hands were reaching for my face and holding me.

“He will never hurt you again,” Ade said before our lips touched. “Never, never, never,” he said between kisses.

I could feel the tears welling up as we kissed, and then Ade just held me for a second, our foreheads touching as he did. “I love you,” he whispered. “So much. I know it’s quick, but I need to tell you now. And I will keep you safe from my father, whether or not you love me back.”

“I love you too,” I confessed.

“Sandwich? Tea?” Amanda offered.

I looked at her and laughed through the tears. “Got anything stronger?”

“Coffee it is,” she said, heading over to put the kettle on.

“I’m guessing you bailed him out?” Ade was looking at Holden. “I’ll pay you back, I promise. And we’ll fight whatever charges my father has levelled in court. I’ll pay for the best lawyers money can buy. I’ll…”

“Breathe,” I said. I moved away from him for a second to pass the papers Holden had showed me. “Holden has sorted it all.”

Ade read through the papers for a second and then collapsed into a chair. “My God, Holden. You’ve done all this for Tyler?”

“Naturally.” Holden smiled and reached for another bacon cob.

“Thank you again, Holden,” I said. “It’s way too much, but…thank you.”

“If you think this is too much…” Ade hesitated for a second. “I want you to have access to everything. My accounts. Company shares in your name. I don’t want you to be relying on my good graces to feel secure. I don’t want you doubting your place in this environment.”

“Ade, no. I can’t be…no. I can’t. That would be…way too much. And it would make your father feel like he’d done the right thing.”

“Fuck my father. This is about my feelings for you.” Ade looked angry, though I knew it wasn’t directed at me.

“And I know you have those feelings if I’m rich or poor. And when I’m paid, I’ll be richer than I’ve ever been anyway. You’ve done enough. You havealldone too much to help me, and there’s nothing I can do to repay that.”

“Well, shit,” muttered Holden. “That makes things awkward.”

“Awkward…how?”

“You’re legally my heir now. And my money was going nowhere when I died, anyway.” Holden shrugged.

“Wait. What?” I asked.

“Money, dear. I have lots of it. And as my only heir, a rather large chunk of it will go to you when I die. Oh, and Michael convinced me to send you over a little stipend now, just a monthly token of our love for…family. I’ve no doubt you’ll be getting a call from the bank in the next few hours.”

I collapsed into the seat next to Ade. “No. No, you can’t. I’m not…I’m poor. I don’t think you get…I don’t do money. Have money.”

“Well you do now.” Holden stood up. “I’ll call you. And I want you both back in Switzerland soon. Tyler, I’ll have my accountant call you with some financial advice. But welcome to the family.”

Then he was gone, passing Amanda a business card on his way out of the kitchen.

“Well, I guess I better look for a new flatmate,” she said. She pocketed the card.

“No, I’ll still live here,” I said automatically.

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