Page 46 of Forbidden Fiancé

He took my hand in his and we went down the alleyway and found a quiet coffee shop. He pulled me into a booth in the back, one where only the server would know we were there. I snuggled in next to him and he put his arms around me. I had forgotten how strong and sure his arms were, how safe and protected I felt being there.

“I can’t believe you’re here, you’re real, and I’m holding you,” Luke said.

“Me either,” I snuggled in closer to him, inhaling his scent.

“What happened between you and Ethan? How did you get away?” Luke asked.

I filled him in on the conversation I had with Ethan on the plane ride home. Luke was shocked and outraged that Ethan would even threaten to do such a thing.

“He tried to ruin your career. He hates both of us and wanted to see us hurt. He made it happen,” I said.

“What happened after?” Luke asked.

“I went back to my apartment and he went to his. I haven’t heard from him since. I thought I saw him outside my apartment a few times but he never came up and talked to me. It’s weird. Have you heard from him?”

“No. Though I tried to contact him, he has not returned my calls or texts. His mother also isn’t talking to me, though I guess I can understand why.”

“I’m so sorry. I never wanted to come between you and your family.”

Luke leaned forward and looked at me. “Natalie, you are my family now. You are the only one who matters to me. Yes, I hurt my son and did something unforgivable. But I will not apologize for falling in love or for wanting him to find that for himself with the right woman.

“He took things too far. He was the one who fractured our relationship so badly it can never recover. I saw a way for us to work through this. He saw this as a way to try to destroy me and hurt me for wrongs that he thought I caused him as a child.”

“I mean you didn’t let him have a tiger. How horrible and insensitive can you be?” I teased.

“Right? I didn’t realize how spoiled Ethan was until he spoke that night. I saw the man that he was. While I will take some blame for that, I won’t take it all. He’s his own man and has made his own choices. He was butthurt that he lost you and took the nuclear option instead of a mature one.”

“And the thing is, he doesn’t want me. I don’t think he ever did. Who marries someone because they’re a lawyer?” I asked.

“Apparently my son. You’re strong, funny, intelligent, beautiful, and insightful. Qualities that make me want to marry you. Every day with you was better than the last and every night without was dark and bleak.”

“I’m so sorry. I never wanted us to be apart, but I didn’t see any other way.”

“In hindsight, you probably did the right thing. Though watching you walk away with Ethan, not knowing if or when I was ever going to see you again was the hardest thing I’d ever done. I wanted to pull you back to me and damn the consequences.”

“I’m glad you didn’t. Do you think that Ethan still has the video? Do you think he will do as he threatened?”

“If he was going to do it, he would have done it by now. But I don’t trust him,” Luke said.

“I don’t either,” I admitted. I sighed and leaned back against Luke. We sat in silence both lost in our own thoughts and worries. Even though it felt good to be in his arms, to know that he loved me and hadn’t forgotten me, it didn’t solve how we were going to find a way to be together.

After a few minutes, I sat up and said, “So, what about you? What have you been doing? Why did it take you so long to find me?”

“I would have found you sooner if I had any way of contacting you. I had no number, no address, no last name even, so how was I to find you? Not even a way to find you on social media. I was contemplating getting a private investigator or other options or hoping that you would find me.”

“And yet you found me. I was afraid to go to your office or try to see you in person. I wasn’t sure if Ethan would be watching. I couldn’t take the risk. I felt safe coming to Havana Nights. He never knew about it and I was careful and tried not to be followed when I came there.”

“How long have you been going?”

“Every night for the last two weeks,” I said,

“Really? What about studying for your law exam?”

I looked down and couldn’t meet his gaze. “Did something happen?” he prodded.

“Nothing more than me losing the love of my life and nothing having any meaning anymore. I couldn’t study. I didn’t care about any of it. All I could think about was you and finding a way to get you back. I thought for sure you would come to the restaurant eventually. Though I was starting to lose faith.”

“If I had known where you were and was waiting for me, I would have come immediately. I would have been here before you were,” he said.