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“Next time,” she repeats. The corner of her mouth lifts as I gesture for her to walk out with me and shoot my driver a quick text.

Standing outside the pub’s massive door, she points behind her as I drop my mobile back in my pocket. “I’m just down this way. My car is in the carpark by my office.”

“Would you like a proper escort? I do moonlight as a knight,” I tease, desperate for just a few more moments with her, never knowing when it might be the last. Before she knows.

“Well, who could say no to an offer like that?” She starts walking, and I fall into step beside her.

“Thanks,” she offers, keeping her gaze straight ahead as we walk. “For dinner, walking me…and for what you did at the Anderson retreat.” She surprises me by bringing it up.

“Anyone would have done the same. He is a little prick who needed to be put in his place,” I tell her, and she stops and turns toward me.

“Not just that.” Her eyes burn in to mine. “What you did after…staying with me, taking care of me. Not everyone would have watched a stranger fall apart like that and not sprinted in the other direction, or tried to take advantage of the situation, so thank you, Cohen. Thanks for making me feel safe, that night and tonight.” We stand staring at each other, and I decide now is a good time to tell her.

“Scarlett, there is something you should know.” She looks at me expectantly. “Alan Anderson was arrested last week.” Her hand flies up to cover her mouth. “He had been making advances at a woman in the office, but she wouldn’t come forward, afraid for her job. Then one night he attempted to take things too far when he bumped into her leaving the same club. There were witnesses. She pressed charges and others came forward.” She stares at me in shock, so I continue.

“Turns out, he was even blackmailing a couple women who he’d had similar run-ins with, but no one had proof. Until some deleted emails from his account resurfaced and were sent to the detective handing the case. He’s locked up now. Do you understand what I’m saying? He can’t hurt you again.” My blood boils as I recall his hands on Scarlett and his nails marring her perfect creamy skin. He had to pay.

“I…Cohen, I don’t know what to say.” Relief flutters across her face, then her expression falls. “I should have come forward sooner. I could have prevented this.”

“Shhh. That’s not why I told you. I didn’t want you to be scared. And all the other incidents were before.”

“Wait, how do you know all this?” she questions me, before realization dawns in her eyes. “The emails. Computers. It—it was you?”

“You can’t tell anyone, but yes. He needed to pay for what he did to you, all of you. I knew you didn’t want to be involved because of the merger. I knew a rat like him would have a few skeletons, and I knew where to look. When he was arrested, I had already been digging.”

“How long?” she asks.

“Since that night.” My jaw clenches, and I look away.

“The merger! The press will have a field day with this.” Her voice raises an octave.

“Old man Anderson has handled it all, although I’m surprised he didn’t at least mention it so you could be prepared should there be a leak. But it seems he’s called in a lot of favors to keep it out of the press. He’s leaving him locked up, letting him pay for his sins,” I explain, and she takes it all in.

“I’m adding vigilante to your resume,” she jokes awkwardly. “But thank you. For what you did, for telling me.”

I’m glad to finally have it out in the open. The first of many things…

“You need to stop thanking me,” I tell her as we resume walking.

“Then stop saving me,” she whispers, barely loud enough for me to hear, but her words echo in my mind. I wish I were the man she keeps thanking, but he’s only part of me.

We walk in a comfortable silence, down the wet pavement, our fingertips brushing ever so often. I have the urge to grab her hand in mine, but I fight it like my life depends on it. I’m not really the handholding, bouquet bringing kind of guy. Throwing her against the wall for a kiss, or maybe a quick moment of pleasure is usually my style. That’s all I’ve ever known. She deserves more.

I can’t give her hearts and flowers. I close my hand into a fist so I don’t grab hold, sure I won’t want to let go. I’m angry we didn’t meet under normal circumstances, where she wasn’t in the crosshairs of my revenge.

Thunder booms overhead before the sky opens and unleashes on the city. We take off in a sprint, and she takes my hand in an attempt to steady herself. My fingers lock tightly around hers as we try to outrun the fat, wet drops pelting us. Just as I thought, it fits perfectly in mine. She stops in front of her office and pulls me under a large black awning.

The force of stopping so fast has me crashing into her. Wet clothes cling to our bodies, a sorry excuse for a barrier as she is sandwiched between me and the stone wall that houses PAN Industries. She looks up at me, blinking away the rainwater dripping from my hair as I lean my head down and wrap my hands around her hips. My fingers curl into the soaked fabric.

We’re frozen in place as the rain continues to fall in a curtain just beyond the awning. I’m standing at the edge of a cliff, about to fall off the edge and take her mouth with mine, when the building door burst open and a security guard steps out.

“Miss Scarlett? Are you all right? Do you need me to call a car?” His voice booms, startling us both, and we jump apart.

She smiles at me like a teenage girl caught with a boy after curfew before turning to the guard. “Thanks, Howard. I have my car tonight. Just waiting on the rain to let up.”

“Do you need an umbrella?” He asks, looking between us.

“No thank you. It seems the damage is done. Have a good night,” she politely dismisses him.