style="font-size:15px;"> Several seconds passed before he realized he’d been locked in a dream. The same dream he’d experienced since he’d been told that his father and Leo had died in the train accident. He’d spent so many nights wanting to fix it. To rescue his father and Leo. It had been too late, but he still wanted to save them.
He still had to try.
Sucking in a deep breath of air, he rose from his bed and paced from one end of his bedroom to the other. The wetness on his skin began to dry. It had been a dream, although years ago, some of it had been all too real. He couldn’t have done anything about it when it had happened. That tragic reality swept through him for the hundredth time. He couldn’t do anything about it now, either, he thought, inhaling deeply.
Rafe thought of Joel and Nicole. He could do something about them, he thought. And he would. Nothing would stop him. He would never be helpless again.
Early the next morning he put together a plan.
His BlackBerry rang, interrupting his thoughts. He glanced at the caller ID.
“Maddie,” he said to his assistant. “What’s up?”
“I thought you should know that Mr. Argyros is in town and he’s been asking for you more than once. I get the impression he may be looking to acquire.”
“He’s always worked with Livingstone in the past. He may just be trying to work another deal.”
“True,” she said.
He felt a familiar gnaw of hunger—the possibility of winning. “How long is he in town?”
“I don’t know for sure, but I think he said something about three more days.”
Rafe raked his hand through his hair and stifled a sigh. He was accustomed to making quick, difficult decisions. This one was a little more difficult than usual, but it didn’t stop him. “Okay, I need you to find a house for me.”
“A house?” his assistant echoed. “Wow. Did you have anything particular in mind?”
“I have a son. Changes need to be made. I’m bringing my son back to Miami with me.”
A long, full silence followed. “A…son?” she whispered.
“Yeah. I’m bringing his—” He paused, narrowing his eyes. “Mother.”
“Oh,” she said.
“It’s complicated.”
“Sounds like it,” she said.
“I’ll give you more instructions tomorrow.”
“We have to leave for Miami the day after tomorrow,” Rafe said as he made an unexpected visit the following night.
Nicole gaped at him. “Excuse me?”
“It’s business. I can’t wait any longer and I won’t leave Joel behind.”
Nicole’s stomach clenched. “Why not? Joel has been fine here with me.”
“Joel’s my son. I won’t leave him behind. I’ll never leave him behind again.”
She saw his deadly determination and felt a chill shoot through her. “It’s not that easy. Joel doesn’t even know you. Do you have any idea how traumatic this will be for him to be jerked away from everything he knows?”
“Then come with him,” he said.
Nicole blinked. She’d spent the previous evening making arrangements with the private investigator and making contingency plans to leave the country with Joel. “I don’t know what to say,” she said.
He shrugged. “If Joel is really your priority, it should be an easy decision.”
“But I have a job.”
“Take a leave of absence.”
“You make it sound so easy.”
“It is,” he said, his eyes dark with determination and daring. “What’s most important to you? Your security or Joel’s?”
She took a shallow breath. “Joel’s security is most important, of course. I just don’t understand why this has to be done immediately. Why can’t you take care of your business and then we can arrange for a getting-acquainted visit next month?”
He shook his head before she finished her suggestion. “Not next month. Now. My son is going to live under my roof. I’ll be arranging for full custody. You can either help or get out of the way. I can get a court order by tomorrow morning.”
“How am I supposed to make all these arrangements? Get everything packed?”
“Don’t worry about packing. I can pay for everything you and Joel could need or want.”
She shook her head. “You just don’t understand. Security doesn’t always come from money and things. It comes from people and familiarity.”
“I’ll be that person for Joel. My home will become that place for him, too.” He paused three heartbeats. “Are you coming or not?”
“You’ve given me no choice.”
“You’re valuable to my son. I’ll make sure you’re well-rewarded financially.”
Anger roared through her. “I don’t want your money,” she told him. “If I wanted money, I could turn to my father and play his game. Maybe you’re no better than he is,” she said, spitting out the words, giving him the ultimate insult.
Rafe shrugged. “You’ll find out soon enough,” he said. “My private jet will take us to Miami no later than Thursday morning. Let me know what you need, but be ready.”
“Why do you want him?” she demanded. “It’s not as if you’ll pay any attention to him. It’s not as if he’s suffering without you. Why must you have him with you when he’s clearly thriving without you?”
“He may be thriving now, but no one can know the future. Not even you. I won’t have my son go through what I did. I’ll protect him with every cent of my fortune.”
“A father is more than money and fortune,” she said. She knew that more than most. “What is it going to take for you to realize that?”
“I have time to learn what I need to know about being Joel’s father as long as he’s with me, and that’s going to start the day after tomorrow.”
Fuming, fussing, full of fear, Nicole wrangled a leave of absence from her boss and began to pack. She needed to take Joel’s favorite books and stuffed toys, and his favorite blanket, the photo collage of Tabitha and his baby-picture scrapbook.
Terrified at the prospect of losing him, she put herself on fast-forward. She had a job to do. She needed to focus on that, not her fear. In the back of her mind, she held on to her plan of taking Joel and fleeing from the country. If Rafe was a bad father.
As
