“I tried to give him the check back after the press conference.I told him it was a mistake to accept it.It felt like taking it meant I owed him.Like his money was buying something.”
“Your silence?”Jude suggested.
Harmony shrugged, and Damien’s gut sank.It wasn’t possible that she made the whole thing up.She couldn’t have.
“I don’t know what he would have wanted me to be silent about.I called nine-one-one when I saw those men going into his building, and that was it.”
“But it felt like he was paying you off?Is that what you’re saying?”
Harmony took off her glasses and rubbed the bridge of her nose.Damien wanted to hold her, to protect her, but he had to let Jude ask the questions Damien was too scared to ask.
Could he have missed the truth about Harmony?
No.He dismissed the thought as quickly as it flashed through his mind.There was no way.She didn’t want to take the reward.She wasn’t going to.Until he convinced her to do it.Damien was the one who said she should consider it.
It was his fault Grant Pickens knew who she was.
“It felt like he was using it to put me in the spotlight.He said most people would be thrilled to be indebted to him.”
“Not you, though.”
She exhaled a mirthless laugh.“I’m used to being on my own.I…” She lifted her gaze to Damien and smiled.“I never thought twice about anything different.I like my work, I like what I’m doing.The money… People always come up with these big things they would do if they got a bunch of money.Buy a car, or a house, or take a trip.My dad always taught me to work hard.To help people.To be a good person.I know it’s very possible to do all that and have a ton of money.There are people out there who are doing it, donating millions of dollars every year to support organizations that are doing good.I feel like that was always what I imagined I would do.That I would help people if I came into a bunch of money.”
“Is that what you did?”Jude asked.
Harmony shook her head.“I haven’t had time.The money is sitting in my account.It feels like all it’s brought me is trouble.Like it’s a curse.”
“Is that why you feel like Grant Pickens was paying you off?”
“No.I guess I can’t really explain that feeling.I just know he’s dangerous.”
Jude’s eyebrows jumped up.“And how do you know that?”
Harmony shrugged one shoulder.“The last thing he said to me was he wouldn’t dream of hurting me with so many witnesses.”
“He said what?”Damien barked.
Harmony’s gaze swung to his.The fear in her eyes was real.
“Why didn’t you tell me before this?”
She shook her head.“I don’t know.I guess I hoped I was overreacting to what he said.Everything else seemed to be… Nothing traced back to him.I thought…”
“You thought it was all a coincidence,” Jude provided.
“Yeah.”
“Shit, Harmony.”Damien pulled her into his arms.She clutched at him, holding on as if he was the only thing keeping her together.She trembled in his arms, and he cursed himself for not seeing how terrified she was.
Never again.He wouldn’t let Grant Pickens, or anyone else, get to her ever again.
Harmony felt betterafter admitting the whole truth to Damien about Grant Pickens.She tried so hard to convince herself she was overreacting to his words, especially when Damien said they didn’t find anything about the man.But people didn’t make threats like that unless they expected to not get caught.
She wanted to forget all about Grant Pickens.And for a while, she did.She let herself get lost in Damien and her work and pretend life was normal for her.
But now that she saw Grant Pickens with the man who broke into her apartment, she knew it was all connected.She didn’t know how or why, but she knew it was.Which meant she had to be careful until the police…
What?Proved he was involved in his own company’s attempted robbery?Why would he do that?And they didn’t even take anything, so what was the goal?
