Page 80 of Where She Is
“Jack used to work as a bodyguard, mainly within the Australian Government. He was highly ranked, well respected and very well connected. Daniel sent him out to Melbourne to find me and bring me back here so I could explain what happened. Jack promised to protect my relationship as long as I told you the truth.”
Tabitha comes back to her seat, leans across and touches my arm. “You are so lucky to be loved this much.”
I don’t reply as Daniel takes hold of her hand into both of his. “Thank you for agreeing to come here and talk to Hannah. Jack will see you get back to Melbourne and make sure you’re kept safe. He’s waiting for you downstairs.” She nods before Daniel guides her to the front door. I hear their murmured tones as the door closes. Daniel saddles up behind me and wraps hisarms around my waist. He nuzzles his head into my neck and whispers, “Tell me you believe her because I can’t stand this wedge between us any longer.”
I turn in his arms and lay my cheek to his chest. His heart thumps against my ear while I close my eyes and press my body firmly against him. His arms wrap around to my spine where he rubs with the palm of his hands. We break away for a moment and I lead him to sit. I don’t nestle back into his embrace. I need to make eye contact. My head swims with endless information. This all seems unreal, like a terrible film. I’ve got to take in everything that has been said and he knows what’s coming next. “You have some questions, right?”
I nod. “Tell me about Jack.”
“You know most of it now. All I have to do is fill in the blanks.” He momentarily stops, as if looking for the right place to begin. “As the company grew, dad became more of a target for the paparazzi. He wanted to make sure the family was safe, which is why we use bodyguards as our drivers and not chauffeurs. Each one has been specially trained in some form of protection.”
Then something dawns on me. “The cover-up over Louise’s death, was that Jack?”
We entwine hands and he grips mine just a little firmer.
“I can’t be sure. My belief is he had a lot to do with it. I’ve never asked directly.”
“Is this why Freya won’t talk? Because she knows these people work for you?”
“It helps, but it’s no guarantee.”
“Well, there must be something you can do. The lengths she goes to make sure your relationships fail are extraordinary. I don’t feel safe with her around.”
“I’ll never let anything happen to you, you’re all I want.” He searches my eyes and cups my cheek. “I always protect what’s mine.”
I breathe in deeply and sit up straight. I have that overwhelming feeling of Déjà vu. “If this is to work, I need to lay my cards on the table.”
“I have so many doubts flying around. The whole thing is scary. I’m just an ordinary girl, with an average job who thought travelling to Australia would be an adventure. Now I find myself in some bad soap opera with a boyfriend who owns a back catalogue of numerous broken hearts and scorned lovers, one of which is your brother’s wife. Your family has endless secrets and your drivers, who are actually bodyguards, ensure these secrets are either guarded or buried. My head hurts with all the drama. I’ve been here less than five months, yet it seems so much longer.”
I slump back onto the sofa, knowing I have to ask him one more thing.
“Daniel, how are you so certain I’m the right girl for you? How are you so sure I’m strong enough to take all the ups and downs.”
“I can tell you exactly when I was sure.” His tone lowers to a depth I could drown in. “You’re talking about the moment I caught the fire in your eyes and the pout of those ruby red lips.” His focus follows his thumb as it runs over my mouth and my breathless reply is met with the sparkle in his hazel gaze. “You were sprawled on the dirt, giving Storm some serious grief. All I could think was, who is this gritty, beautiful woman?” He brushes his finger along my jaw and down my neck. Heat rushes to my cheeks when I cast my mind back to what I must have looked like, and I catch his smile. “I thought you might be a bit of a ball-buster, but I was mesmerised. We’d spent only a short amount of time together that afternoon and it made the biggest impact on me. I loved your raw innocence, and I’d never met anyone quite so normal. You were… well, you. I want to say I fell in love with you there and then. You captivated me for sure. I wanted you and somewhere deep down I also knew you were the one.”
“Daniel—”
“Don’t interrupt, Han, I’m on a roll,” he smiles. “Those other women I’d been with wanted me because of who I was, not the person inside. It happened a lot. I got to a point where fucking without thinking was too easy. I knew their game and played it. You were different and blew my mind. Your innocence and easiness were new to me and for once, you were interested in Daniel Grant, the man. Even when you thought I worked with horses and was a nobody, you made time for me.”
I protest, “Now hold on a minute who said anything about a nobody. I was talking to this cracking cowboy bloke. Where did he go by the way? He was hot!”
We exchange a knowing smile and he shakes his head and laughs, “Yeah, yeah. Hilarious.”
He rubs his brow and slides his opposite hand along my leg. “I’m serious, Han, you and me, we’ve been through so much in just a few months. You’ve seen my fuck-ups, my reluctance to be in certain places, be with certain people and you’re still prepared to stand by me. That’s when I was certain I’d found my perfect girl. I didn’t choose you, Han. You stuck with me and I’m so grateful you took a chance. I am so in love with you, Hannah May. One hundred and fifty percent.”
Now I’m the one mesmerised by him. “I… I love you too.”
For a few seconds, he stares at me. His chest heaves to take a breath before he grabs the back of my head and pulls me to his mouth—devouring it with every ounce of his.
With eyes opening slowly, he pulls away. “You have no idea how much I needed to hear you say it.”
I laugh, “Um… I think I might.” I’m engulfed in his arms as we sink into the plush cushions. I stare out over the view dreamily while I speak my mind. “I’m sure I’ve loved you for so long, but there was always this fear you didn’t feel the same. I couldn’t go through that again. I came to Australia with high hopes of a fresh start. It was my time to find myself. Then you turned up with your sexy cowboy hat and that all went out the window.”
I glance up to his beautiful smile, “I wanted to tell you I loved you, the first time you told me, but I was scared and also shocked you’d said it at all.”
“Scared? Of what?”
“I was recovering from a hangover, caused by your so-called reunion with Tabitha. I was scared your love wasn’t real and might be a last-ditch attempt to keep me here. It’s what Rob had tried to do before I left home.”
