Joshua pushed the man harder into the closet and looked at Jade. She looked so innocent and beautiful, her green eyes full of trust in him. He gave her a shaky smile and said, “I believe Jade. She would never lie to me.”
Jade’s mouth softened and her eyes brightened.
“Can you please call security, love?” he asked.
She nodded and grabbed the phone on the desk. Joshua noticed her hands shaking but she explained that a man had attacked her in her room and answered their questions.
“Please,” Gabe begged, trying to squirm free. “I wouldn’t have hurt her. I just needed that money.”
Joshua glared at him. “Needed it for what?”
“My sister’s dying. I needed it for her treatments.”
Joshua studied him but heard a harrumph behind him. He turned and Jade was off the phone and had her toned arms folded across her chest. “You told me you’d get another million during the ‘distraction over my death’ then you could disappear into the Caribbean.”
Gabe shrunk against the wall and wouldn’t meet Joshua’s gaze. Joshua really wanted to hit him, but he wouldn’t let himself stoop to that level.
The door pounded and a call of “Security!” came through.
“Can you get that, love?” Joshua asked, not wanting to release this scum.
“Sure.” There was something in her eyes that concerned Joshua. The fear was wearing off, and she was processing that her priest was actually Joshua.
The security burst into the room. Joshua released Gabe and straightened, knowing he cut an imposing figure. “I’m Joshua Jewel. This man attacked Jade Jardine in her room and has also been embezzling from my company. Please detain him and I will be there momentarily to explain the situation fully and work things out with the authorities from the U.S.”
“Yes, sir.” They didn’t question him, simply took Gabe’s arm and wrenched him out the door. Gabe trudged away with shoulders rounded, not even protesting.
Joshua took a deep breath, and turned to face Jade. “Are you okay? Did he hurt you?” He should’ve asked that immediately. If Gabe had hurt her Joshua would chase those men down, and pummel Gabe.
“I’m fine,” she said, folding her arms across her chest.
“Okay.” Joshua didn’t know what to say now. What to do? She definitely wasn’t fine. He’d sent that email but would she believe that he did trust her after all of this? He hadn’t told her he believed her when he should’ve. “I’m sorry, Jade.”
Maybe she’d fall into his arms for rescuing her from Gabe and then they could work the rest out. The grim look on her face told him he wasn’t going to be that lucky.
“You’re Priest?” She glanced at the open balcony door then back at him, cutting off the long, heartfelt apology he needed to make.
The timing was horrible. He’d done everything wrong. How was she going to react? “Yes,” he admitted.
She blinked up at him and then shook her head. “You lied to me. It’s hard enough to believe you wouldn’t accept the truth about me not being the thief, but to outright lie to me? To pretend you had some suite up high on the ship, then listen to everything I said about you and Jesse?” Her eyes glinted, hard and cold as the stone she was named after. She was obviously livid but controlling herself. “I can’t believe the man I thought I loved could do that.”
Joshua swallowed hard. He needed to tell her about Jesse too. This was imploding fast. How was he ever going to make this right? He was losing her. No. He’d already lost her. He wanted to slam his fist into something, preferably Gabe’s face, but this was all on him.
He stood straight and said, “I’m so sorry. I didn’t know if I could trust you at first, and I’ve made so many mistakes trying to figure it out. I love you, Jade, and I want to make this right with you, earn your forgiveness and your trust.” He was groveling but he didn’t care. He’d do anything for her.
Jade held up a hand. “Don’t. Just leave.” Her voice cracked. She cleared it and said quietly, “Please leave.”
Joshua didn’t have a choice. He’d messed this all up. He’d thought she was lying when in reality he was the only one lying. He wished he could beg and plead his case but one look at her and he knew she wasn’t going to listen, or care, to any excuses he might make.
With one last glance at her, he turned and walked from her room. The door closing behind him was worse than any funeral bell ringing. He and Jade were done.