Page 74 of The Heiress

Armored.

A police escort led us there. It was all so bizarre and yet…right. This was my life now. One of extreme wealth. I walked different. Resigned, yes, but also…as if the whole world was watching me.

Because they were.

I fell asleep on Jace again, waking up as we began our descent into Key West. I braced for another barrage of photographers and their telephoto lenses trying to snag a photo—any photo—of Baby Victoria.

As much as I wanted to lean on Jace all the time, I couldn’t. I had to walk alone. Not only because I was the one the world wanted to see, but because bringing Jace into the spotlight wasn’t an option. As a member of my security team he was just another incredibly fit guy in shiny sunglasses following me around. But at my side he’d be my boyfriend. They’d dig until they found a name, his past, his connections.

“I did a decent job of covering my identity as far as my business is concerned,” he said. “But it won’t stand up to this level of scrutiny. It’ll take a day, if that, to figure out I’m not the kind of guy Victoria Stroman should be hanging around with.” He scrubbed his face the way he tended to do when he was frustrated and stuck. “I have connections though. I can make a lot of this go away. It just takes time.”

“I have time, Chief of Security Malone.”

It got me a smile at least.

Jace delivered me to the house and then left. More mysterious business to attend to, apparently. But Storm, Riddick, Home Run, and three others I recognized were already down in the security offices getting briefed. They were all part of Jace’s band of brothers. Younger, no visible tattoos, kind smiles. They’d all meld into the role of bodyguards as easily as they morphed into anything else.

Much like the first time I walked into the Key West mansion, Jace took my elbow, looked into my eyes, and whispered, “I’ll see you soon. If you need anything, call me. I’ll be here in a minute.” But unlike last time, he finished that promise with a kiss.

Oh my, how my life had changed.

“Samantha,” Georgia breathed. She hugged me. It still felt forced and awkward, but I was getting used to her quirks. “How are you?”

“Overwhelmed.”

“I’d say it gets easier but...Come, let’s enjoy another Key West tea before we send you off to the wolves. We have much to discuss.”

The mimosa went straight to my head and I didn’t fight it. In fact, I really enjoyed the feeling. It was the most relaxed I’d been since dancing with Jace in the park.

“Clancy says your visit went very well. You should know that he never has time to say much of anything, let alone praise. You made quite the impression on him.”

That at least broke through my buzzy calm. I even smiled (which strangely felt like I hadn’t done that in ages.) “I like him too. He wants me to work for him.”

Georgia laughed. “That’s just like him. All he thinks about is the research, not at all about the company that is funding his research.”

“Well I liked him too. I am happy to work with him any time.”

She clinked her glass against mine. “Everything is in order. All the legal work will be taken care of tomorrow. You have a court appearance. After that you will officially be a Roark. Your trust will become yours, as well as your shares in the company.”

Tomorrow was a big fucking day. “What about the kidnapping investigation.”

Georgia’s hand flitted through the air. “They’re still digging.”

“Aren’t you concerned?”

She slowly set her glass down beside her plate. Then she folded her hands in front and looked me straight in the eyes. “I’m fucking terrified. As long as you were still a Rossi, still unassumingly safe and ensconced in your research, you were safe. You will never truly be safe again. Stromans and Roarks have a way of dropping dead. We’re constant targets. My daughter’s life is in danger simply for existing. Yes, I’m concerned.”

I’ll admit my blood pressure skyrocketed as I listened to her. The constant reminder that I was a target to anyone who wanted to take a shot at our empire had a way of increasing my anxiety.

“Is there a specific threat I should be aware of?”

“It’s not your kidnapper who worries me. For all we know they’re dead. Or never understood who you were. The threat is much closer.”

“Am I old enough to get some details on the Feyereisens yet?”

She licked her lips and then gave in. “For many years, the last twenty at least, Tristram and Hiten Feyereisen have wanted to control Roark Corp. They’ve insinuated themselves onto our boards, our executives, and the FBI believe they’ve had a hand in at least a few of our unfortunate deaths. There’s no proof I can show you, but the circumstances all point their way.”

“Can’t we push them out?”

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