Page 130 of Forgotten Desires

“I would burn down the world for her.”

My sister cocks her head to the side. “So what are you going to do?”

“I’m going to start with the paper that’s trying to ruin our lives.”

* * *

“I want the company under my control by the end of the day,” I say to my lawyer.

“Mr. Knight, it’s not that simple.”

I laugh once. “Make it simple. I expect to own Metro NY by the close of business. I don’t care how much money it takes. I pay you to make things happen, so do your goddamn job.”

Ford huffs after telling me how absolutely ridiculous this idea is. He’s on the call with me as well. “You can’t do this. It’s literally the most financially reckless decision you could make!”

I need to fix this. I need to make everything better for her so when she wakes up, there’s nothing to worry about. I can do this for her.

I will do this for her.

“I don’t fucking care!” I’m standing outside the hospital. We still haven’t had an update on Brynn, and I needed some air. “Do whatever it takes. I want to be the owner and I want all employees rolled into the company payroll. Call me once it’s done.”

I hang up the phone and get a text from Asher that they’re in the helicopter, on their way now and will be here in an hour.

Kimberly comes out. “Crew, the doctor. Come on.”

We rush back in, and Dr. Carr is in the waiting room. “Hi, Mr. Knight. We went through all of Brynlee’s tests, and it looks like she’s bleeding internally. We’re prepping her for surgery now so we can go in and try to stop the bleed. I don’t know how long we’ll be in, but I’ll do my best to have someone come update you once we know more.”

“Dr. Carr,” I say, my voice trembling. “Do anything you can to bring my wife back to me. Anything.”

She nods once. “I’ll keep you updated.”

And now I wait to find out if I still have a heart.

thirty-one

CARSON

“I’m not trying to get in your business, but you mentioned you were talking about something when this happened.. .?”Asher leaves the question off.

“We were discussing something that was brought to my attention, and I didn’t want to keep it from her. I’m handling it, but I’d like to talk to you all about it.”

Rowan and Grady look up, and my sister does as well. As much as I don’t want to tell them the truth, if I do, then Brynlee won’t have to do it. I’m going to be honest with her brothers and let them come at me, not at her.

“Brynlee and I didn’t get married because we were madly in love. At least we weren’t at the time. I have always loved her. I know that may sound ridiculous, but even after ten years, the feelings I had for her didn’t diminish.” I wait, watching their reactions, but no one moves. “I was in the early stages of a horrible custody battle for Layla. Her mother had me followed and they took photos of Brynn and I together. In the prior two weeks, I’d had a lot of photos published with different women, all the publications intent on painting me as a playboy. None of them were women I was even talking to. They were business dinners, but my ex-wife was building a false case to discredit me as a steady household. My lawyer was sure that we’d lose the case if I was seen with a single woman from that point forward. I knew about Brynn’s surgery and that she wasn’t sure how she was going to afford it. I came to her one night and proposed so that we could marry and fix both our problems.”

I glance at the three of them, each with a varying expression. Asher’s jaw is clenched and keeps shaking his head. Grady looks as though he’s ready to laugh and then I look to Rowan.

He huffs and pinches the bridge of his nose. “Okay, so that explains a lot. How did we get to today?”

“The agreement we made was that we didn’t tell anyone. Partially, because the less people who knew, the better chance we’d have of it staying a secret. The other was because I hoped, in my heart, that I could win her. I wanted her back. I love your sister. I love her more than anything.”

Asher nods. “All right. I also know her, and she is clearly in love with you, but I’m going to assume something happened to cause a fight. Did you decide to leave her?”

“Fuck, no. Someone sold our story. I don’t know why, since Layla is now ours. It makes no fucking sense other than money. Brynlee was upset and felt like I betrayed her. She knew she’d have to tell you the truth and was afraid because she’d lied to everyone.”

“And our family hates liars,” Grady says with a sigh. “Sometimes I forget just how much that girl has gone through and how deep her issues are.”

Asher starts to pace. “It’s my fault. I drilled that shit into her head and I’m a hothead at times.”

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