Chapter 5 - The Heir Nobody Knew AboutAdeline stared at Roarke.
“Owns it?”
Gideon laughed through the phone.
“Ask her mother.”
Roarke ended the call.
Adeline shook her head.
“No.”
He turned to her.
“Maybe.”
“I don't own anything.”
“You may.”
“How?”
“The Orion Trust.”
He showed her the documents.
Her name appeared everywhere.
She was the beneficiary.
The hotel.
Several shipping companies.
Property.
Investment accounts.
Everything.
The fortune had never belonged to Roarke.
It belonged to the trust.
Roarke's father had been only a steward.
Adeline had inherited the controlling share when she turned twenty-five.
She had never known.
Gideon had spent years trying to find her.
The cleaning job had been the perfect disguise.
Or so Adeline thought.
She stared at the papers.
“Why didn't my mother tell me?”
“She wanted you to have a normal life.”
“And now?”
“Now you have to choose what to do with it.”
Adeline shook her head.
“I don't want any of this.”
Roarke looked at her.
“You wanted to protect Posy.”
“Yes.”
“You wanted to help people.”
“Yes.”
“Now you can.”
She looked at him.
“What would you do?”
“I'd make sure no one could ever use money to control you again.”
She smiled faintly.
“That's a very Roarke answer.”
“What is a Dela answer?”
“To give it away.”
He stared.
“All of it?”
“Not all.”
“How much?”
“Enough.”
She signed the first document.
A charitable trust.
Medical funding.
Housing.
Legal services.
Children's programs.
Roarke watched.
“You're giving away hundreds of millions.”
“I never earned it.”
“But it is yours.”
“That doesn't mean I have to keep it.”
He smiled.
“That's why they didn't deserve you.”
“Who?”
“People who think wealth makes them important.”
She looked at him.
“Are you one of those people?”
“I used to be.”
“And now?”
He answered honestly.
“I'm trying not to be.”
That mattered.
Then Posy ran into the room.
“Dela!”
She smiled.
“Hey.”
Posy looked at the papers.
“Are you rich?”
Adeline laughed.
“Apparently.”
“How rich?”
“Very.”
“Can we buy a pony?”
Roarke smiled.
“A pony?”
“Yes.”
Adeline shook her head.
“We're not buying a pony.”
Posy looked disappointed.
Roarke whispered:
“We can discuss it.”
Adeline stared at him.
“Don't encourage her.”
He smiled.
“Too late.”
For one moment, they were simply a family.
Then Gideon's men attacked the building.
Windows shattered.
Security alarms sounded.
Roarke moved instantly.
He pushed Adeline behind him.
“Stay down.”
Silvio took the west corridor.
Dorian locked the exits.
Adeline grabbed Posy's hand.
They ran toward the service elevator.
A bullet struck the wall.
Posy screamed.
Roarke reached them.
He pulled both sisters behind a concrete pillar.
“Are you hurt?”
“No.”
“Good.”
He looked at Adeline.
She was shaking.
He held her face between his hands.
“Look at me.”
She did.
“You're safe.”
“What if we're not?”
“I won't let anything happen.”
She swallowed.
“I believe you.”
That sentence hit him harder than any bullet.
He kissed her forehead.
Then stood.
The attack lasted six minutes.
Gideon's men fled.
But they left a message.
A photograph of Posy.
Taken in the hospital.
On the back:
Next time, she doesn't survive.
Roarke's expression went cold.
Adeline watched him.
“Don't.”
“Don't what?”
“Become the monster everyone says you are.”
He looked at her.
“I won't.”
“Promise.”
“I promise.”
He handed the photograph to Silvio.
“Find Gideon.”
This time, Silvio didn't hesitate.
“We will.”
That night, Adeline sat beside Roarke on the hotel roof.
“I don't know how to be rich.”
“You don't have to.”
“How do you know?”
“Because you weren't good at being poor either.”
She laughed.
“What does that mean?”
“You refused to beg.”
He smiled.
“You'll figure this out.”
She rested her head on his shoulder.
“Maybe.”
They sat quietly.
Then Roarke said:
“You could leave.”
She looked up.
“Why would I?”
“Because my life is dangerous.”
“So is mine now.”
“Yes.”
“And you're dangerous.”
“Yes.”
She smiled.
“Then we're even.”
He laughed.
And for the first time, neither of them pretended what was growing between them was merely gratitude.
It was becoming love.
May you like
But before either could say it, Gideon made his next move.
He took Posy.
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