London Falling (33 page)

She was doomed.

Simon. She had to find Simon. She whirled back to the Tube stop. Simon worked in The City. She’d find his office and find him. Because she didn’t think she could deal with this again. Not alone.

This time, at least, she had Simon.

Simon felt numb. He stared at the wall behind his desk where he’d basically lived for the past decade of his life. He hadn’t moved in the two hours since his father had left him. And he still didn’t know what to do.

He had to find a way to keep the bank and keep Aimee, because he couldn’t face losing either one. If he did what his father wanted, he’d lose Aimee. If he went with Aimee, he’d lose everything he’d worked for. And why would she want to be with him after that? He’d lose both.

Neither one was an option.

The only way through this was to change his father’s mind. Somehow, his father had transferred all of his anger about Kathryn to Aimee. If Simon got the business back, his father might listen to reason.

His phone buzzed. He hit the speaker button.

“There’s someone here to see you,” his administrator said.

Simon rubbed his eyes. He didn’t want to deal with anyone right now. He leaned forward. “I’m busy.”

“It’s Aimee,” his administrator replied.

Relief swept through his system. Aimee was here. Aimee would help. He hung up the speaker, stood up, and strode to the door. Aimee stood with her back to him and it was all he could do to not sweep her into his arms right then and there.

“What do you mean, he hung up?” she asked his administrator.

“Aimee,” he said.

She turned to face him. He smiled at her, but to his surprise, tears filled her eyes.

“What happened?”

Her face crumpled. It had to be something bad if she was almost crying.

He crushed her in a massive hug, wanting to give comfort and feeling completely helpless. Aimee grabbed onto him. He moved his hand through her hair and squeezed her tight. His administrator wisely got up and left.

“What happened?” he asked again. He would kill whoever did this to her.

“My …” she started, but hysterical laughter choked the rest of her sentence.

Simon pulled her into his office and shut the door. He guided her to the couch and sat down next to her, holding her deathly cold hands in his. Dear God, he hoped his father hadn’t gotten to her. “Whatever it is,” he said, trying to rub some heat back into her hands, “we’ll deal with it together.” He wanted to tell her that he loved her and he’d do anything for her, but now wasn’t the time.

Aimee took a deep breath. “I found a ticket home today.”

“You’re upset because you’re leaving?”

But Aimee shook her head. “I went to go pick it up this afternoon. And someone stole all my money,” she said, her voice cracking on the last few words.

He didn’t know what to say, so he pulled her into his arms and stroked her back. Didn’t she know that he would do anything for her? He’d find a way to make it better.

“I had the money in my pocket and someone pick-pocketed me on the tube.” Her shoulders lifted on a deep breath. “All that work for nothing! All those stupid cupcakes and all that time. And now I have no way to get home.”

He drew her even closer. “Shh,” he said. “It’s going to be okay.” Thank God that was it. He felt terrible for her, but this was something he could handle. “I’ll buy your ticket home.”

She pulled back to look at him. Her eyes were shiny and bloodshot, but she still looked beautiful. He waited to see her answering smile, but she frowned instead. Didn’t she realize what that meant? How their relationship had changed? How much he trusted her?

She pulled her arms out of his hands. He felt the loss immediately. “You can’t give me money now.”

God, he loved her. His father was wrong about her, because she cared more about his need to stay above the law than her need to get home. He shook his head. “It doesn’t matter anymore. It looks like we’ve lost the business anyway.”

“You lost the business? I’m so sorry.” Now she hugged him in comfort.

He pulled her back so he could see her face. “So, you see, it’s no longer an issue.”

She wrinkled her brows in confusion. “That’s not why I won’t take your money.”

Simon put his hand on her leg because he had to touch her. “Then why?”

“Because we you know.” She circled her hand in the air as if that would explain it.

He stared at her in confusion. And then understanding dawned. “You won’t accept it because we’ve had sex?”

“Shhl” she said, looking around, as if someone else was in his office listening to them. She turned back to him. “I won’t prostitute myself.”

His bark of laughter even caught him by surprise. “You’re joking, right?”

He’d never in his entire life met a woman who would turn down a gift because they’d had sex. In fact, the opposite was true. They usually expected something once they’d had sex. Something grand. And expensive.

“I won’t take your money.”

His breath came out in an annoyed sigh. Why did she have to make everything so damned difficult? He stood up and paced in front of the couch.

He had to get rid of this frustrated energy. “It’s not like you didn’t earn it.”

Her head snapped back like he’d slapped her. “I can’t believe you! After watching my mom prostitute herself for drugs, do you actually think I’d ever do that?”

“Do you actually believe that I would think that about you?” Would she ever trust him? “I was speaking of the cleaning. And the cooking.”

“I can’t.”

Stubborn woman! He whipped around and stalked over to the window.

He just had to change her mind. He turned around, but the door had opened between them. He could see the back of his father’s body.

“Glad to see Simon broke the news,” his father said. “I knew I could count on him.”

Simon’s stomach dropped to the floor. He had to get his father out of here before he ruined everything.

Aimee wiped the tears from her face. Simon’s dad looked like he’d won the lotter’y. Simon, on the other hand, looked like he’d just watched his car driven straight into the Thames.

“What news?” Aimee asked, looking to Simon.

“It’s nothing,” he said, stalking over to face his dad. His father turned to face him in surprise.

“Didn’t see you there,” his dad said.

“Obviously,” Simon said. “Can you give us a few minutes?” He was trying to move his dad out the door, but the man held his ground.

What was going on here? Simon was practically shoving his dad out the door in an effort to keep them apart. She got a sick feeling in her stomach.

“What?” This time she addressed his dad.

“You’re going home.” His dad crossed his arms. While he didn’t quite grin at her, she could tell he was gloating.

Why did he hate her so much? And how did he know she was planning to go home in a couple of days? Was he having her followed? Or was Simon’s house bugged? Please, don’t let that be the case. “I was,” she said.

“You are. You’re leaving tonight.”

Tonight? That was never the plan. “I’m not,” she said. She looked to Simon for confirmation, but when her eyes met his, he looked away.

“Simon?”

Simon shook his head and sighed. “We need some privacy,” he said, and somehow managed to push his dad out the door, shut it and turn the lock.

For several moments, he leaned his forehead against the dark wood of the door. Finally, he sighed and turned to face her. His eyes pleaded with her for understanding.

She started trembling.

“My father gave me an ultimatum today.”

“What?” she whispered. But she knew. She already knew. It had something to do with her. Simon stood apart from her, his arms hanging impotently by his sides, as if he didn’t know how to break it to her. “Just tell me,” she said.

Simon turned and walked toward the windows. He looked out the window as he spoke. “He gave me a choice. You.” He turned to face her. “Or the bank.”

Aimee’s skin turned cold. She already knew which one he’d choose. “How could he do that?” Her voice sounded thin and tinny to her ears.

Simon put his hands in his pockets and spoke without emotion. “He’s still the majority owner. He controls the bank. Who’s on the board. And who runs it.”

Aimee’s throat tightened. “He’d make you give up your position?”

“Not just my position.” Simon swallowed. “He’s threatened to disinherit me.”

“Over me?” Not after everything Simon had done. She felt a fresh wave of tears, but she held them back. Simon had been forced to sacrifice his own life for the future of the bank. And now, it seemed, he was being forced to sacrifice her.

“I’ve been thinking about this all afternoon. I’m sure it has nothing to do with you personally. He’s upset about losing the royal family’s business and, for some reason, his anger over that and his anger at Kathryn, his ex-wife, is being projected onto you. Whatever it is, it’s completely irrational. I honestly think he’s lost his mind.”

Aimee hugged herself against the emptiness. Couldn’t Simon see that this wasn’t about her? Sure, some part of his dad’s hatred might have something to do with his anger at his ex-wife, but that wasn’t the driving force.

His dad hated her because she was a threat to his control over Simon.

After their New Year’s Eve confrontation, she’d done a lot of thinking, and his dad’s motives were crystal clear. His dad’s self-confidence was shaken when his teenage son was able to step in and fix the bank he’d driven to ruin.

With the way he tried to hide the financial troubles at the bank and at home, his dad had to be compensating for massively low self-esteem. And thinking that he was the mastermind and the one in control of all Simon’s actions helped him get through the day. He deluded himself into thinking that Simon couldn’t do anything without him, because if Simon was a success, then his dad would lose his identity as a successful banker.

But Simon would never believe that. He wanted his dad’s approval too desperately, so he’d allow his dad to control his life forever.

“What are you going to do?” she asked.

He rubbed his hand across his face, as if he could wipe away his confusion. “I don’t know.”

And that told her everything she needed to know. She wanted to shake her fist at him, kick him, and do anything to make him see the truth about his dad, but it still wouldn’t change the situation.

Simon had to break up with her. It was only logical. Deep down, she knew that they weren’t meant to be together, but lately she’d begun to hope.

Damn hope. She knew better. Why hadn’t she kept her senses? She wanted to wail and cry, but years of practice allowed her to force the pain deep down.

But sweet and caring Simon didn’t want to hurt her feelings, which is why he didn’t break up with her immediately. Before, he’d had an easy out, with her return to Seattle.

It all made sense now. That was why he offered her the money for the plane ticket home–it was an easy way to break up with her. He’d made the decision, but he just didn’t know how to do it nicely, especially now that she wouldn’t accept his money.

Had he even struggled with his choice? It hurt to know that he’d been able to let her go so easily. The pain that she’d struggled to suppress began to work its way out. Just like everyone else, he’d never cared about her. She was just convenient. Well, she couldn’t wait around for the axe to fall–she would break into a million pieces.

She had to break up with him first.

She clenched her fists against the tears that threatened to fall once again No way would he see her weakness. She had to be strong. Hard. She knew how to do that.

“I’ll save you the trouble of figuring out what to do.” She crossed her arms. “I don’t want to see you anymore.”

He snapped to attention. “That’s ridiculous. We can figure a way out of this.”

She couldn’t sit around and wait for Simon to break up with her. She wasn’t going to be the one whose feelings were crushed and left like the dead remains of a carcass. She couldn’t face it.

“I’m sorry, Simon. I’m breaking up with you.”

He walked over to her and grabbed her arms. “You can’t do that!”

“I just did, she said. And there s nothing you can say to stop me.

Chapter Fifteen

Simon’s mind raced. This wasn’t supposed to be happening. They were supposed to discuss the situation and come up with solutions together.

“Aimee–”

She stood up, looking like the Aimee who’d arrived on his doorstep, not the Aimee he’d come to know. “You should have had the balls to tell me yourself,” she said.

“You never gave me a chance!” Simon dropped his voice. The tone of his voice wouldn’t do anything to convince her to change her mind. “You were upset. I was planning to tell you.”

She just stared at him.

“You have to tell me why you are doing this,” he said. “Let’s talk about it.”

“What is there to talk about?” She shook her head. “You only kept me around because I think you secretly didn’t want to win the royals’ business.”

“That’s preposterous!” Of course he wanted the business. He’d been working his entire life to get the business. His family had been working on it for over 400 years.

“I don’t think so. You’re motivated by adventure. And risk. If you got the royals’ business, that would be over. You’d have to be more conservative with their money. And be very careful not to do anything that would threaten that business, even after you got it. I was just a convenient excuse.”

“That’s not even remotely close to the truth. If you remember correctly, I did everything I could to get rid of you. In the beginning.”

“I think that’s called denial. But whatever makes you sleep better at night.” She paused to look him in the eyes. “It’s over.” She walked over to the door, but she paused and turned to face him. “For what it’s worth, thank you for helping me.” And then she walked out the door and out of his life.

Simon stared at the empty spot where she’d stood only moments before.

What in the hell had just happened? He’d started his day happier than any human being had a right to be, but now everything had turned upside down.