Page 75 of Blackmailing the Bad Girl

“And that’s one more reason I need to keep you out of my mess.”

“So you’re going to run away?”

“I have no choice.”

“There’s always a choice. Trust me, Summer. We’ll get through this together. And if it all turns bad, I’ll wait for you.”

She pressed her lips together and wiped her hands over her face. Christ, he’d made her cry. All he wanted was to keep her safe, make her happy. But when she moved her hand, her face was resolute.

“You don’t understand. If Trenton comes after me, there’s other stuff he could find, and I can’t risk it.”

They sat in silence for what seemed an age. “When?”

“On the sleeper train, tonight.”

“Will you be safe? Will they not trace you there? Wherever you’re running to?”

“I’m going as Sarah Daniels. They’ll never find me. I have the paperwork. I’ll be fine.”

He had to get out of there. Or he might beg. What happened if she gave in, and stayed, and everything turned to crap? What would he do if he were directly responsible for her being locked up again? What if hecouldn’tkeep her safe?

There was one thing he could do for her. Maybe the only thing he was good for. He got to his feet and crossed to where he’d dropped his jacket when they’d come in. He found his checkbook in the pocket and a pen and went back to her. He wrote the check quickly, almost making a mistake and writing it to Summer Delaney, but he remembered just in time. She was Sarah Daniels now. He signed it, tore it out, and handed it to her.

“That should help you stay out of sight.”

She glanced down at it and her mouth dropped open, but no words came out.

“I’ll phone the bank. Tell them to expect you. There will be no problems.”

“Thank you,” she said, but her eyes were troubled and her face pale. It wasn’t the normal expression of someone who’d just been given a million pounds. But then, hadn’t he always known she wasn’t in it for the money?

“Well, I’ll always be good for one thing.”

Suddenly her expression was fierce. She glared at him. “You’re good for lots of things. You’re the best.”

“Just not good enough.”

He couldn’t leave without touching her one more time. He closed the space between them, then leaned down and kissed her softly, feeling her lips move under his. He straightened. “I love you. But I guess sometimes love just isn’t enough.”

And he was out of there.

…

Summer stared at the closed door for a long time after he’d gone.

Her chest hurt. She guessed that was the sensation of her heart breaking. She glanced down at the check in her hand. A million pounds. That was the amount of money she’d stolen from Trenton. Maybe she could go see him. Give it back. But she knew it wouldn’t finish there.

The man had a reputation for vindictiveness. He’d pursue her, even if he had his money.

Maybe she’d frame the check instead. Keep it as a memory of Nik. She hated that he thought money was all he was good for. He was one of the best, truly good people she had ever come across.

She sniffed.

She wanted her mom.

She had to be at the train station at eleven, but she was going to go see her mom first, to explain that she wouldn’t be around for a while. And she wasn’t looking forward to it. Though really, nothing could be worse than that meeting with Nik. Just so long as her mom never realized that the real reason she wouldn’t stay and risk Trenton remembering was because they might trace the money back to her mother. That money enabled her to live a full and independent life instead of in some home, dependent on other people to do everything. Especially if Summer was back inside.

She couldn’t risk it.

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