“Emily, I think this is my fault.”
“What do you mean?”
“When my people told me you had some red flags in your background before I knew the whole truth, I wasn’t as careful with that information as I should have been. I assumed you had falsified your identity to get to me, not to protect yourself. I was selfish and careless.”
She listened to him scold himself as the guilt washed over him, and she felt the strangest sense of calm. She could hear Caroline’s voice: You’re Emily Webster, you always have been. Her father’s voice: He’s a good man, truth be told I trust him too. And for quite possibly the first time, her own voice. Loud and clear.
“Nathan, stop.”
“God, I’m so sorry.”
“No. Don’t.” She grinned.
“What’s got you so cheery suddenly? I can’t let you disappear again, Emily. I won’t.”
“I won’t.”
“Then what?”
“I’ve been outed. So, I’m coming out.”
“What do you mean exactly?”
“I mean if someone wants to try to take me after all this time, bring it on. I have my father and JT. I have Caroline and all of her work resources.” She got nose to nose with him. “I have you. That’s really all I need.”
“And I have an army, literally.”
“Nathan, you are an army.”
“I’m ready to fight if you are.”
She needed to make something perfectly clear.
“I don’t mean I’m ready to face this because you have an arsenal of weapons or a team of Navy SEALS, Nathan. I’m ready to face this because you have this.” She took his hand and placed it on her chest over the swell of her breast. “You have my heart. And that makes me feel like I can handle anything.”
“I’m going to take such good care of it, Emily. You have no idea.” He took her hand and placed it on his chest mirroring her actions. “And I expect you to do the same.”
She leaned down and placed a kiss where her hand had been. She stared up into his wide, brimming eyes. They didn’t need words. They were making a commitment, a silent pledge. Nathan reached up to tuck a loose strand of hair behind her ear as the pilot popped his head out of the cockpit.
“Nathan, I just got a call from the terminal building. The paps are gathered in droves. Someone tipped them off.”
“Fuck,” Nathan muttered. “Let me call Chat.”
“He’s on the tarmac. In a rented sedan. The Range Rover is out front as a decoy. He knew your phone would be flooded so he sent me the info. We’ve cleared an exit for you out a service road. You’ll be back home before the photographers realize you’ve taxied.”
“Thanks, Will.”
“You never need to thank me.”
“I know, but thanks anyway.”
The pilot just shook his head good-naturedly and disappeared back into the cabin.
“Well, you’re officially famous. For fifteen minutes anyway.”
She laughed.
“That’s fifteen minutes too long.”