Page 42 of The German's Guilty Pleasure
“Are you okay?” he asked, worry creasing his handsome features.
“I’m fine,” I promised. “I got too hot outside. I’ll be fine once I have some water.”
“Please letMutterknow we are back and that we will be down to see her in a bit.”
Seth punched the button on the elevator. “You got it.”
When we reached the penthouse, Lars swiped his key through the door and helped me to the couch. “Let me get you some water.” He darted to the kitchen where ice rattled, and water poured from the fridge door. He carried the glass back in and handed it to me. I took a long drink of it and lowered it to my leg.
“Thanks.” I didn’t make eye contact with him or look anywhere but at my feet. I couldn’t, or I would start crying and never stop, I was sure of it.
He knelt in front of me and took my hand. “We know who uploaded the information to the website.”
“It wasn’t m—”
He put his finger to my lips. “I know it was not you. It took me some time to track it backward. I focused on the idea that the only way to get pictures of the device was to have a key to the room, and it all came into focus. I had never lost track of my keys.”
“I always have my keys, Lars. They’re always clipped to me.”
“I know, which is what was confusing me. Until I remembered the day of your allergic reaction. The EMTs took the keys off your belt. They tossed them on the desk and it was hours until I got back to the office after that. I was up here being a coward with my head in my hands scared to death of losing you.”
“You’re saying someone stole the keys, took the pictures, and posted them online? Who and why?”
“Lexie, because she was jealous,” he said in a breath.
I went to stand but nearly toppled over until he steadied me. “Lexie? There’s no way Lexie did this!”
The look on his face told me it was true. “She admitted it yesterday, Serenity. We fired her on the spot and had security stay with her until her belongings were packed. She is gone. We agreed not to press charges, but only because the website admin was able to confirm no one had downloaded the information.”
I lowered myself to the couch again, afraid my knees wouldn’t hold me up much longer. “Why? What was she jealous of?”
“Us,” he answered quietly. “Lexie wanted to be the woman I held every night. The fact it was you made her angry.”
“If she got rid of me then she could have you for herself.”
He nodded, his lips in a grim line. “It almost worked, too. I almost fell for it until every time I closed my eyes, I saw that look on your face when you ran out of here. I already knew you would not jeopardize the company, but I had to be sure. Everything went so wrong.”
“I overreacted, too,” I whispered. “I ran to your office because I had exciting news to tell you, but then I saw Gretchen there. Your faces told me something was wrong.”
He shook his head and cupped my cheek in his warm palm. “No, you reacted the way anyone would react if they were being accused by the man they love of trying to ruin them.”
I laughed softly and looked to the ceiling, so I didn’t cry. “How do you know you’re the man I love?”
“Muttertold me.” He winked sheepishly. “She said it was more obvious than the nose on my face.”
I rubbed away a tear that had fallen down my cheek. “I told her maybe two or three nights before that how I had fallen in love with you, but I didn’t want to tell you and scare you away. You were finally moving on after Lam and I didn’t want to put you into a tailspin.”
He nodded, biting his lip. “I know, sweetheart. My first mistake was not telling you I loved you that night you came home from the hospital. It was on the tip of my tongue, but I was still afraid. I was afraid of losing you. What I did instead was push you away. I know I do not have the right to ask this of you, but can you ever forgive me?”
My hand caressed his face lovingly. I didn’t think I would have the chance to touch him again. To love him again. “I could see how you would think it was me, Lars. I understood that part. What hurt was how you accused me without a second thought.”
“Oh, there were hundreds of thoughts that it could not possibly have been you. I lost it, fear overtaking my common sense, and it was easier to push you away than let you hurt me that way.”
“You accused me because then you got the control?” He nodded, and I blew out a breath. “I’m sorry you felt that was your best defense against getting hurt again. I should have seen it for what it was, but I was too hurt myself.” I grasped his face in my hands and brought him to my lips. “I forgive you, Lars, and I love you.”
He sat next to me on the couch and pulled me into his arms. “God, I love you more than I have ever loved anyone before. I have been petrified for three damn days that I screwed up the most important thing in my life forever. Speaking of forever, I want you by my side for it. I want you to be the one to run this company with me, and I want you to be the one who tests all the new products with me.” He wiggled his eyebrows and I laughed through my tears. “I promised myself if I found you, and earned your forgiveness, I would not hesitate to tell you all the things I should have said before. Things like I love you, I never want to be without you, and will you marry me?”
He dug in his pocket and pulled out a diamond ring, kneeling on the floor and holding it out. “Serenity Matthews, will you do me the honor of becoming Serenity Jäger? Will you walk with me always, have my babies, and grow old with me? Will you be my wife?”
