Chapter 9 - The Man She Almost Married
Derek had proposed to Harper at Promontory Point on a warm September evening.
He had arranged candles.
Champagne.
A photographer hiding near the rocks.
Kinsley had helped coordinate everything.
Harper remembered crying when Derek lowered himself onto one knee.
She remembered believing that moment was proof she had finally been chosen.
Now, three years later, she returned to the same place wearing a hidden microphone provided by Roman Vale.
No candles.
No champagne.
No illusions.
The lake was steel-gray beneath the setting sun.
Roman waited two blocks away.
He hated the arrangement.
Harper could hear it in his voice through the earpiece.
"Still time to reconsider."
"Stop."
"That isn't a no."
"Roman."
"Fine."
A pause.
Then more quietly:
"If Derek reaches for you, I'm coming in."
"Understood."
"If he raises his voice—"
"Roman."
"Fine."
Harper smiled despite herself.
Then she saw Derek.
He stood near the same stone railing where he had proposed.
Dark coat.
Hands visible.
He looked exhausted.
Bruise on his jaw.
No charming smile.
Harper stopped ten feet away.
"Derek."
His face changed when he saw her.
"Harper."
For several seconds neither spoke.
Then Derek looked at her body.
Automatically.
His eyes paused at her waist.
Harper noticed.
She wondered how many times she had unconsciously adjusted herself under that gaze.
This time she didn't.
Derek said, "You look different."
"I feel different."
"Vale dressing you now?"
Harper almost laughed.
"Still trying."
His jaw tightened.
"I know you're angry."
"That's a surprisingly small word."
"I messed up."
"You committed federal crimes."
"I meant Kinsley."
"Interesting priorities."
Derek looked toward the lake.
"I never meant for you to find out that way."
Harper crossed her arms.
"How was I supposed to find out?"
"I was going to end it."
"When?"
He didn't answer.
"Before or after you married me?"
"Harper—"
"Before or after you put seventeen million dollars in accounts using my identity?"
Derek's face hardened.
"I did that to protect you."
She actually laughed.
The sound startled him.
"There it is."
"What?"
"Your favorite sentence."
Derek stepped closer.
"I knew if the accounts were spread out, nobody would be able to pin everything on one person."
"You mean you."
"On us."
"There is no us."
He flinched.
Good.
Harper hadn't expected that to feel satisfying.
"Derek, where's the ledger?"
"I'll give it to you."
"Now."
"Not until you listen."
"I'm listening."
Derek looked around.
"Vale watching?"
Harper said nothing.
Derek smiled bitterly.
"Of course he is."
"What do you know about my father?"
His expression changed.
"There she is."
"What?"
"The question you actually came for."
"Answer it."
Derek leaned against the railing.
"Your father was smarter than Roman's entire family."
Harper waited.
"He discovered Viktor's network years before anyone else."
"I know."
"He also discovered Roman was trying to leave parts of the family business."
Harper frowned.
"What?"
Derek glanced toward the lake.
"Roman doesn't tell you everything."
Harper's chest tightened but she didn't react.
Derek continued.
"Roman hated what Viktor was doing."
"Trafficking."
"Yes."
"He wanted out?"
"He wanted Viktor out."
Harper remembered Viktor saying Daniel saved Roman's life.
"Why would my father care?"
"Because Roman secretly gave your father access to company records."
Harper froze.
"What?"
Derek smiled.
"Roman wasn't just some innocent man your father saved."
Harper's pulse accelerated.
"Roman helped him."
"Yes."
"Why didn't Roman tell me?"
"You'll have to ask your new boyfriend."
"He's not—"
She stopped.
Derek's smile widened.
"Interesting."
"Focus."
"Your father and Roman had an arrangement. Daniel gathered evidence. Roman gave him internal access."
"So when Viktor discovered my father..."
"He discovered Roman too."
Harper felt cold.
"That's why Dad traded himself."
"Partly."
Derek looked almost sympathetic.
"Daniel convinced Viktor that Roman knew nothing."
Harper swallowed.
"My father protected him."
"Yes."
"And Roman let him."
Harper's anger flickered.
But she remembered Roman at the church.
The guilt on his face.
There was more.
"There was no time, was there?"
Derek studied her.
"You're defending him."
"I'm asking."
Derek shrugged.
"Maybe."
"Where were you in all of this?"
He looked away.
"I was nineteen."
"Working for Viktor's lawyer."
"Interning."
"You knew my father."
"I saw him."
"And later you targeted me."
Derek's face tightened.
"At first."
Harper's stomach twisted.
"Stop saying at first."
"It's true."
"You found me because you thought I had evidence."
"Yes."
"And then?"
Derek stepped closer.
"Then I fell in love with you."
Harper stared.
No dramatic music.
No relief.
Nothing inside her moved.
Derek seemed surprised.
"You don't believe me."
"I believe you believe it."
His face hardened.
"What does that mean?"
"It means whatever you felt didn't stop you from controlling me."
"I was trying to help."
"You told me to lose weight before our wedding."
"Because you said you wanted to."
"I said that after you spent six months criticizing my body."
Derek's mouth closed.
Harper continued.
"You convinced me I was lucky you wanted me."
"I never said that."
"You didn't need to."
His eyes lowered.
For the first time, Derek looked ashamed.
Harper almost wished that mattered.
It didn't.
"What about Kinsley?"
Derek's jaw tightened.
"Mistake."
"She's pregnant."
His face changed.
So he did care.
A little.
Harper saw it.
"You knew."
"Yes."
"And you wanted her to end it."
"I can't have a child right now."
Harper shook her head.
"This isn't about convenience."
"You don't understand."
"You're right."
Her voice became cold.
"I don't understand how someone can turn every human being around him into an obstacle or asset."
Derek looked wounded.
"That's Vale talking."
"No."
Harper stepped closer.
"That's me."
Silence.
Then Derek reached into his coat.
Roman's voice immediately filled Harper's earpiece.
"Harper, move."
Derek slowly removed a small envelope.
"No weapon."
Harper stayed still.
He handed it to her.
Inside was a bank key.
"Where's the ledger?"
"Safe deposit box."
"Which bank?"
"North Federal."
"Why give me this?"
"Because Viktor is going to kill me."
Harper stared.
"You're asking me for help."
"I'm giving you everything."
"Not everything."
Derek looked at her.
"Where's Viktor?"
"I don't know."
"Where's Marcus?"
"With him."
"What does Viktor want?"
"The signature key."
Harper touched her necklace.
Derek noticed.
"It's there?"
"No."
"Harper."
"Don't."
He stepped closer.
"You don't understand what that key can do."
"Apparently unlock evidence."
"It can also unlock control of seventeen million dollars."
Harper frowned.
"What?"
Derek looked toward the lake.
"Viktor didn't lose the money."
Roman's voice went quiet in her ear.
Derek continued.
"I stole it."
"We know."
"No."
He looked directly at her.
"I stole it from Viktor and put it somewhere he can't access without Daniel's key."
Harper's heart pounded.
"Why?"
"Insurance."
"Against him?"
"Against everyone."
Derek smiled faintly.
"I learned from the best."
Harper felt disgust.
"Where is it?"
"The ledger will show you."
He started walking away.
Harper called after him.
"Derek."
He stopped.
"Why did you sleep with Kinsley?"
He turned.
For once there was no manipulation in his face.
Only weakness.
"Because she looked at me the way you used to."
Harper stared.
"Before you started seeing me clearly."
The honesty surprised her.
Derek continued.
"You stopped needing my approval."
"No."
Harper shook her head.
"I started realizing I was never going to earn enough of it."
He looked away.
Harper almost felt sorry for him.
Almost.
She held up the bank key.
"If this is a trap—"
"It's not."
"How do I know?"
"You don't."
He walked away.
Then Roman's voice came through the earpiece.
"Do not follow him."
"I'm not."
"Good."
Harper waited.
Roman arrived two minutes later.
He looked furious.
"You let him get too close."
"Hello to you too."
"He could have had a weapon."
"He didn't."
"You didn't know that."
Harper removed the earpiece.
"Stop."
Roman's anger paused.
"Derek told me you helped my father."
Roman went still.
Harper held his gaze.
"He said you gave Dad access to Viktor's records."
Roman looked toward the water.
"Yes."
"You left that out."
"Yes."
"Why?"
"Because telling you means admitting your father died because he was helping me."
Harper's anger shifted.
Roman continued.
"I gave Daniel files. Viktor discovered a leak. Daniel convinced him I wasn't involved."
"And traded himself."
Roman nodded.
"He saved my life."
Harper whispered, "You were twenty-nine."
"Old enough to know better."
"You didn't kill him."
"I involved him."
"He was already investigating Viktor."
"I made it easier."
Harper moved closer.
"Roman."
He looked at her.
"My father chose."
"So did Julian."
"And both choices hurt people."
Roman's jaw tightened.
Harper touched his hand.
"That doesn't mean you carry every consequence forever."
His eyes dropped to her fingers.
Then back up.
"I don't know how to stop."
"Maybe you don't stop all at once."
The air changed.
Roman stepped closer.
Harper didn't move.
His hand lifted toward her face.
Paused.
Permission.
Harper leaned into his palm.
Roman exhaled.
Then kissed her.
Softly.
Nothing like the frantic danger around them.
No demand.
No possession.
Just one careful kiss beside the lake.
Harper's fingers curled into his coat.
For the first time in years, being touched didn't make her wonder whether she was good enough.
Roman pulled back first.
His forehead rested against hers.
"This is a terrible idea."
"Probably."
"You've known me four days."
"Longest four days of my life."
A quiet laugh escaped him.
Then his phone rang.
Elias.
Roman answered.
His expression immediately changed.
"What?"
Harper watched.
"Say that again."
He lowered the phone.
"Derek never made it out of the park."
Harper's stomach dropped.
"What happened?"
Roman's voice hardened.
"Someone took him."
"Viktor?"
"Most likely."
Harper looked at the bank key.
Roman followed her gaze.
"Derek gave us the ledger location."
She nodded.
Roman said, "Then Viktor will know that too."
Harper's pulse accelerated.
"Race you to the bank?"
Roman gave her a look.
"That wasn't funny."
"A little."
They hurried toward the vehicles.
But ten blocks away, inside an unmarked van, Derek Langdon sat handcuffed across from Viktor Saran.
Viktor smiled.
"You gave Harper the key."
Derek said nothing.
Viktor leaned closer.
"Excellent."
Derek frowned.
Viktor's smile widened.
"Because the safe deposit box was never the trap."
He lifted a phone displaying live footage of Harper and Roman entering their car.
"She is."
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Continue to Chapter 10…
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