Page 4 of The Billionaire's Final Treasure

Her mother’s eyes light up and she eagerly but carefully reaches for the knot on top of Kori’s head. A moment later, her cascade of hair flows down past her shoulders and the old woman begins to gently run her fingers through it. Kori waits patiently and soon, her mother’s eyes grow heavy and she falls back onto the bed, asleep.

I hurry back to Kori’s room to wait for her. When she sees me, her exhausted eyes light up. But just for a moment. Then they fill with tears that break my heart. Her fire has been extinguished.

“I really can’t go out tonight,” she explains. “My mother’s in a bad way. It was a different nurse again and it takes her so long to adjust. I may not even be able to go to class tomorrow.”

She told me how important her cosmetology classes are and the thought of her missing out on something she loves makes my fingers curl into fists. How can I fix this for her?

What I really want is more time with her now, not later. I eye the monitor in her hand. It has a tiny screen on it that shows video of her mother’s room.

“How far is the range on that?”

She shrugs. “I don’t know, maybe a couple hundred yards. I’m so sorry, Finn, but all we can do is sit on the balcony. That is, if you want to …”

The fact she seems unsure of how much I want to spend time with her almost makes me laugh. I don’t care where we are … I want to give her another adventure, even if it’s just a little one. This poor girl needs some time away from this suffocating apartment.

“Give me twenty minutes,” I say. “Then meet me on the fire escape.”

The hint of fire is back in her eyes and I slip out her window with a smile.

Chapter 5

Kori

I stare after him, yearning to follow him out the window. He’s even more handsome than I remember. The shock of seeing him in my room sent a wicked thrill up my spine before I remembered that I’m trapped here tonight. What does he have planned for me in twenty minutes’ time?

More than anything, I want more time with Finn, but my mother is worse than usual. I should be responsible, because she’s certain to wake up in the night, disoriented and upset. If I don’t get to her side within minutes, all hell will break loose. I was lucky that I got her calmed down so easily before. I wish the home health service could get it together and send her someone with the proper compassion for someone so mentally ill, but I know they’re stretched thin to begin with. It’s not as easy as to care for someone like my mother compared to someone with a broken hip.

Oh, I’d love another whirlwind time like last night. Sitting out on the fire escape will have to do, and I’m relieved he’s willing to do it. Someone as adventurous as he is will surely get bored soon, so I better make the most of this all while it lasts. I change into my prettiest dress; a gauzy, black halter dress that has a low-cut front, but still hangs to my knees. Alluring but demure.

Do I really want to be demure around Finn, though? The things I want from him almost scare me. They feel so right, but it also feels too big too soon.

He’s out on the fire escape right on time, stirring me from my thoughts. When I climb out to see him, he tells me to get on his back.

“No questions,” he says, giving me a look that has me pressing my thighs together.

He takes the monitor from me and tucks it in his jacket. I climb on, clinging to his muscular shoulders and breathing in his spicy, expensive scent. This time, we go up instead of down. My hair flows all around us as he climbs over the ledge to the roof.

My heart melts and my eyes light up once I see what he’s pulled together. Several candles surround a blanket spread out on the roof, with a bottle of wine and an array of snacks from the bodega around the corner.

“Not bad for twenty minutes,” I say, beaming at him.

He takes the monitor out and hands it to me. Sure enough, it’s still working and my mother is restless, but still sleeping. It only took three minutes for him to climb up here, so I can relax. If she wakes up, we’ll be able to get to her in time.

“Thank you,” I say, gratitude flooding me at the chance to be free again.

He taps on his phone and soft dance music begins to flow from it. With a grin that has me already leaning toward him, he pulls me into his arms. We dance around the rooftop with my beloved city lights as a backdrop. His hard body feels perfect close to mine, as if I belong there, pressed against him like this. His hands roam up and down my back, making my breath catch in my throat.

Soon, he whirls me to the blanket and we settle down to sip a little bit of the wine and nibble on the cheese and crackers.

“Thank you,” he says.

“For what?” I ask, stunned.

His slow smile makes my center shift. “I love dancing with a beautiful woman.”

My cheeks heat up, but the look in his dark eyes tells me he’s sincere. He pulls a small bag from his pocket and shakes it out over the blanket. Sparkling jewelry tumbles out and he places an emerald choker around my neck, his fingers gliding along my throat and raising goosebumps that he smooths away. He takes my wrist and slides a thick gold bangle on, then adorns my fingers with rings until I’m laughing at the silliness of it.

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