Summer locked the door after Conner, cursing herself for speaking too much. Conner wasn’t an idiot; she knew he’d figure things out sooner rather than later. It amazed her; he didn’t call her out before this. She couldn’t work with him as Merina did. She needed to find an alternative way for the information. How would she do this, though? Should she leave right now? Try to sneak away and catch an early flight home? If he didn’t catch on to her identity, she could hide out and tell him she didn’t want to fly home with Gabriella and Joseph. But if he did, she wouldn’t be able to stay at her apartment. Summer knew she’d have to make herself scared for a while. Could she, do it? Could Merina live on the lam for several years? Summer knew she couldn’t wait around for that. She had to go to the airport and check upcoming flight destinations. Ana could help settle the things she had going on in town. She was packing the last of her
When he stormed into Summer’s, no, Merina’s bedroom, Conner expected her to deny who she was. Or prove him wrong. Instead, she pulled off the stupid wig and dropped it at their feet. Her story had changed little at all, and she answered his questions with no resistance or a struggle. That didn’t mean he was any happier with the situation or her. He desired a solution to this issue. He didn’t want his father putting her in jail. Look at what she did and why. To show her father she was better than her idiot stepbrother, and then what? Abandon the company to their failings? What would that accomplish? He remembered how he’d needed patience with her back then, but now. Now she was pushing it. Conner took her suitcase and her purse. Hoping that would keep her from leaving while he retrieved his phone. With her baggage in his room, he called his father, with the bathroom doors open so he could see her. Suddenly, Conner didn’t trust her. He ope
“She’s both skilled and new here. Why?” Merina overheard Ian’s words from behind the door. Right now, her stomach became tied up in knots. She remembered how he treated her at work and how different it was to when their families appeared on good terms. Now she didn’t want to see his genuine anger. Merina knew she needed to prepare herself for the worst. The police were coming up here and Ian would tell them everything. Then he’d press charges. “Summer’s Merina MacGregor, Andre MacGregor’s daughter.” Merina listened at the door. Unhappiness seeped from Conner’s voice. Shocked, scandalized is what Merina heard, and it made her wince. The outcome won’t turn out good, and she had limited options. She couldn’t escape. Ian sat there a moment in silence before Merina heard him chuckle to himself before he asked Conner. When he had sobered up and grew serious. Ian asked his son, “Is she still here?” “She’s in her room. Why aren’t you
“Merina, go back into your room. Put your wig back on. I’m glad to see you didn’t cut your hair or dye it that hideous color. Let Conner and myself answer their questions first. You just listen and don’t you dare go off script?” No need for Ian to provide additional details about the threat. He didn't have time. “Alright, fine.” Merina didn’t appear happy to Conner. She seemed lost, unsure of which direction to take. “What about my father? Is it my responsibility to release him from jail? “One thing at a time, Merina. Now go do as I’ve instructed you.” His father said to Merina. His father’s voice took on a sterner tone as she resisted and questioned him. He stared at her with a stern look as she closed the door. Please open the door and invite them in.” “Dad, before I do. What are you planning on doing? How can you think that she’ll marry me? Or that I’ll want to marry her?” “Really? You’re my son. I know you and where you’v
Merina listened in at the door. She couldn’t believe how Conner spun their situation. Nothing she said would help her situation and everything he said found traction with his father verifying it. How would her father react when officers spoke to him? This solved nothing if her father didn’t go along with it. A knock on her bedroom door startled Merina at one point and when she opened it, Merina found Conner there. “Are you up to speaking with the police officers, Merina?” She knew he didn’t mean, ‘are you able to speak to them?’ as in, did she feel too upset to speak? Conner’s intention was for her to adhere to the story, causing no trouble for anyone else. “Conner, you know this doesn’t help us. Fine, I’ll speak with them, but I don’t believe it’ll help us in the end. Everything we’ve worked for is now down the toilet and we won’t be able to recover it.” Merina played up her part as the temperamental scheming heiress. It wasn’t something she’d neve
Conner stepped into the elevator and pretended that he knew what Merina spoke of. He didn’t know whether he should celebrate or scream at her. She knew what was going on. She was skilled at gathering evidence and knowing what to search for. Here he stood questioning for the last few hours if her information could be invalid or outright wrong. Despite knowing the consequences, Merina risked everything. If he’d told the facts as they were, she could have destroyed her career and ended up in jail. Her father and his could have ended up in another battle. Conner licked his lips, thinking about the short but sweet kiss and how he might not have experienced it. Or had a chance at more. Damn, his father did it to him again, the old dodger. He knew somehow Conner wanted more and set them up. Did he plan this since her first interview? Or was having her marry him his way of taking her from Andre MacGregor? Conner got to enjoy it and avoid the mes
Merina did her best to make the most of an unpleasant situation. Honestly, she didn’t see the bad. It meant she wouldn’t have to suffer her father’s neglect or have a creepy stepbrother pester her. Having explained and proven the assault on her, they returned to the elevator. She considered how marrying Conner would lead to intimacy. She didn’t doubt that. That had her all but climbing the elevator walls with sexual frustration. She couldn’t remember her last encounter with a man. But her mind lingered on the unsatisfying kiss from earlier and the promises he’d given her years ago about rocking her world as she rode his cock. What teenagers say could be embarrassing, but the honest promise behind it, had her panties so wet her thighs felt the dampness. Then Conner stopped the elevator without warning and damn, he was kissing her like they only had tonight. His hard body pressed her into the mirror and hardwood wall of the elevator as he
Gabriella wasn’t having the night she thought she’d have. She’d wanted to bop on Conner’s cock for the rest of the evening. Not thrown out of his suite by that bitch of a personal assistant. She bloody well was something personal to Conner, and Gabriella hated Summer’s interference at every turn. Intentional or not. She wanted Summer gone. Now she was answering questions from a cop, and it annoyed her because now her father somehow found himself arrested along with Andre MacGregor. What caused Andre to hit her father and start the hotel fight? She didn’t know. Yeah, she’d dated Galen for a while and Ian MacGregor didn’t like her hanging around his company while they dated. She wanted to access MacGregor Industries’ computers to get the information her father needed. So, she used Galen to get access, however; she didn’t need to sneak around. Galen loved to brag about his work, and he’d open the computer to her. Showing her the documents and explaining much of wh