Jonah returned to his desk, his eyes never leaving his younger brother as he crossed the room and sat in his chair. Noah took a seat in the guest chair, perching on the edge as though he were preparing to make a quick getaway.
“Talk,” Jonah demanded.
“I got back from Thailand two days ago,” Noah explained. “The jet lag is unbelievable, really. I spent the first day in bed, and the next day Melody called me and told me there were whispers in the halls that the Game Town deal might not go through because of me and the money. I felt bad about the whole thing, so I went to Game Town and talked to the CEO myself.”
Noah Flynn was not known for his initiative, so Jonah refrained from interrupting him to see exactly what his angle was with all of this. There had to be an angle. Had to. Noah always had an angle.
“I explained to him what the money was for and that it was extenuating circumstances that would never happen again.”
Every word out of his brother’s mouth made Jonah angrier. “And what, exactly, was the money for, Noah?”
“Ransom.”
Well, that was certainly not what he was expecting. Was he serious? “Ransom for whom?”
“For my son.”
Jonah didn’t think his younger brother could shock him any more than he already had, but Noah was always full of surprises. “What son? You don’t have a son.”
Noah sighed. “So, about a year and a half ago, I met this doctor named Reagan Hardy at a charity event. We spent a week or so together, but not long after that, she took her next Doctors Without Borders assignment in Southeast Asia. She found out she was pregnant after she left and never told me. Her high-profile work in the community made her a target of the chao pho, the Thai mafia. They kidnapped Kai from the clinic where she was working. I didn’t know he even existed until she called and asked for help. They demanded three million dollars in seven days or they would kill Kai. If Reagan contacted the police or told anyone, they would kill Kai. I had to act quickly, so I took the money and got on a plane. I’m sorry it caused you trouble, but I’d do it again in a heartbeat.”
Somehow, the knowledge that his infant nephew had been in the hands of dangerous criminals made everything else seem trivial. “What happened?”
“I paid the ransom, and they returned him unharmed. The cops picked the kidnappers up the next day and we recovered most of the money, so I have it to pay back, as I promised. When I told Carl about it, he was understanding. It’s not the kind of thing that happens very often. He said that he wouldn’t hold that against you under the circumstances. Did he change his mind?”
Jonah shook his head. “I don’t know. I haven’t heard from Game Town. And at this point, I don’t really care.”
Noah studied Jonah for a moment with a curious look on his face. “The guy that nearly pummeled me a few minutes ago cared quite a bit. If you’re not angry about the Game Town deal, what is it?”
Jonah didn’t even know where to begin. How could he explain what he’d had with Emma and how he’d lost it?
“A woman has gotten to you,” Noah stated.
Was it that obvious? “It hardly matters anymore, Noah. She was the auditor involved in this whole mess and she lost her job because of me.”
“I’m sure you could help her find a new job. Hell, just hire her to work here.”
Jonah shook his head. He knew Emma would say no, even now. Especially now. Everything blowing up in her face was just proof that she was right all along. “She wouldn’t accept my help—I know it. Her reputation was the most important thing to her and I ended up ruining everything. Not just her job, but I screwed up us. She was the one, Noah. I love her. She’s having my baby. And what did I do? I lied to her, trying to cover up the missing money and save our asses. It all blew up in my face.”
“Is this the same woman from the Mardi Gras party? The one with the tattoo?”
Jonah could only nod. Just the mention of that night made the whole thing that much worse.
“Well, then you’ve got to fix it.”
Jonah frowned. Things were always so simple to Noah for some reason. Even a harrowing kidnapping seemed to go smoothly for him. “How? I don’t even know where to begin. I don’t think she wants anything to do with me anymore.”
“Probably not, but that doesn’t mean it can’t change. You said the most important thing to her was her reputation. So step up. Talk to her boss, tell them it wasn’t her fault and get her job back. Taking the blame and making things right for her again is something you can offer her.”
That all sounded good, but was it really enough? “What if she doesn’t forgive me? Or does, but doesn’t want me back?”
“Then you’ll have to be content knowing you did the right thing.”
For once, Jonah had to admit that Noah’s idea was a good one. He might never win back her trust or her love, but he could make things right for her reputation and her career.
“Unless, of course, you’re ready to make your big move.”
Jonah’s brows went up. “My big move?”