Emma Darcy - Australia - In Bed with a Bachelor - The Costarella Conquest / The Hot-Blooded Groom / Inherited - One Nanny

His thumbs were dragging across the skin on the back of her hands, wanting his words to sink in, go deep, expel the nastiness of the motivation that her father had given him. The earnest sincerity in his voice, the blaze of need to convince her in his eyes… Laura believed he spoke the truth. She wanted to believe.

‘You should have told me what you were about to do, Jake,’ she blurted out. ‘It wouldn’t have been so bad if you’d told me.’

His mouth twisted into a rueful grimace. ‘I didn’t want to spoil our last night together, bringing your father into it, bringing my family background into it. And telling you wasn’t going to change anything.’

‘It would have prepared me.’

‘Yes. I see that now. I’m sorry. I thought you’d understand. What we had was time out of time, Laura.’ He squeezed her hands hard. ‘You must let it go and move on.’

‘I don’t want to, Jake. It was too good to let go. You must feel that, too,’ she pleaded.

He jerked his head in a sharp negative. ‘There’s no way. Your father will see to that and bucking him would make things much worse for both you and your mother. You told me she needs you. And you still have to get your uni degree for the career you want. Any association with me will cost you too much.’

If he was under surveillance… Yes, it would be too risky. The tensions at home were volatile enough already. Yet letting this connection she felt with Jake go… Everything inside her railed against giving it up.

‘What about when this is all over, Jake. Could we pick up again then?’

He shook his head but there was a pained expression on his face as he answered, ‘The process of indicting your father for corruption may go on for years, Laura.’

‘Is he guilty?’

‘Without a doubt.’

‘Will he go to jail?’

‘He’ll be ousted from the industry. It’s unlikely that any further action will be taken.’

No relief for her mother. No escape unless…

‘Once I get my degree and hopefully a well-paid position, I’ll be independent. And perhaps I can persuade my mother to come and live with me. We’ll be free and clear of my father.’

‘Perhaps…’ he repeated, but there was no belief in his eyes.

Her hope for at least some distant future with him was being crushed. It begged for a chance to survive. ‘Do you really want this to be goodbye, Jake?’

‘No. But I can’t honestly see any good way forward,’ he said flatly.

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