The Broke Man I Loved Was a Billionaire

HARPER'S POV

Adrian read Nolan's message once.

Then he handed my phone back.

"Do you want him here?"

"No."

"Then he doesn't come inside."

I sent a reply while Adrian watched the window.

Do not come here. Contact Hannah about my belongings.

Hannah answered my forwarded message within minutes. She would speak to Nolan's office in the morning. If he appeared and refused to leave, I should call the police.

Adrian made a brief call outside.

When he returned, I asked who it was.

"Someone who can help if we need it."

"Another neighbor?"

He hesitated.

"Someone I trust."

"What if he causes trouble for you?" I asked.

"He doesn't get to decide who stays here."

"He thinks he can decide most things."

"Does anyone ever tell him otherwise?"

"Only people he needs."

Adrian glanced at the message.

"What does he need now?"

"Money. His family expanded their hotels too fast. He's been talking about some investment group for months."

"Vale Meridian?"

I looked up.

"You know it?"

"I've heard of it."

"Nolan says their boss never meets anyone. Every time an appointment gets postponed, he takes it out on everyone around him."

Adrian rubbed a hand across his mouth.

"What?"

"I'm making sure I understand."

"You don't need to understand his business."

"No," he said. "I need to understand what you think he'll do."

I looked toward the locked door.

"Make me feel stupid. Make you feel small. Then call it a favor."

Adrian's gaze returned to mine.

"He won't be welcome."

I should have asked more.

Instead, I locked Rosa's door and slept badly.

The knock came before nine.

Rosa had gone to collect bread from the village. Adrian sat in the boathouse kitchen, sorting the mail. I was setting mugs on the table when a man appeared beyond the glass.

I recognized Nolan's driver, Cole.

He held Mom's recipe box.

"Delivery for Miss Ellis."

I opened the door as far as the chain allowed.

"Leave it outside."

"There's a receipt."

"Put that outside, too."

He tilted the box. Through its glass lid, I saw Mom's handwriting on the top card.

Lemon Cake.

My hand moved to the chain.

Adrian said my name sharply.

I was already opening the door.

Cole stepped forward. Nolan came around the side of the porch behind him.

Vivian followed, wearing white.

"Honestly, Harper," she said. "You could have chosen somewhere with decent parking."

I tried to close the door.

Nolan caught it.

"We need to talk."

"No."

He pushed inside.

Adrian moved between us.

"You've been told to leave."

Nolan looked down at him, then around the room.

The chipped cupboard. The repaired chair. My borrowed cardigan hanging by the stove.

A smile spread across his face.

"This is where you've been?"

"Get out," I said.

"You traded my house for this?"

"I left because of what you did."

Vivian sighed.

"She's still saying that."

Adrian picked up his phone.

Nolan knocked it from his hand. It struck the floor beneath the table.

"Don't," Adrian said.

Something in his voice made Cole stop.

Nolan barely noticed.

"Harper, get your things."

"I'm not going anywhere with you."

He grabbed my upper arm.

I pulled away, hard enough that he lost his grip.

"Touch me again and I'll scream."

Vivian shut the door.

"Nobody needs another performance."

I reached for my phone on the counter.

Cole got there first.

"Give it back."

Nolan nodded toward a dining chair.

"Sit her down. We need five minutes without hysterics."

Adrian drove his chair forward.

"Let her go."

Cole caught my arms while Nolan kicked the wheel sideways. The chair struck the edge of the rug, tipped, and crashed to the floor.

Adrian landed hard.

I screamed his name.

Nolan seized the loose cord from the curtain. Cole forced me into the chair.

I fought until the old wood rocked beneath me.

"Stop moving," Cole muttered.

"Then stop holding me."

The cord tightened around my wrists. Vivian stood in front of me, checking her camera.

"Now we can have a sensible conversation."

Adrian pushed himself onto one elbow.

His left leg was trapped beneath the fallen chair.

"Untie her."

Nolan crouched.

"You giving orders now?"

"Untie her and leave."

Nolan put his shoe against Adrian's shin.

I lunged forward. The chair scraped across the floor.

"Get off him!"

He pressed down.

Adrian's face drained, but the sound he made stayed behind his teeth.

Vivian turned her phone toward him.

"Does he know she does this? Finds someone to look after her, then makes everything his fault?"

"He hasn't done anything," I said.

Nolan lifted his foot, then brought it down against Adrian's other leg.

Adrian folded around the pain.

"Stop!"

I could not reach him.

The cord burned my wrists. I tasted blood where I had bitten my lip.

Nolan looked at me.

"There she is. Now you care."

"He's hurt."

"Apparently."

Vivian sat on the table.

"Harper, just admit you exaggerated. Nolan apologizes for the video. You apologize for frightening everyone. We all move on."

"You scattered my mother's ashes."

"It was an accident."

"You watched them blow away."

She glanced at Nolan.

"See? This is why I wanted a witness."

Adrian reached beneath the table.

Nolan saw his hand closing around the phone and stamped beside it. The screen cracked under his heel.

"Bad idea."

"Police will come," I said.

Nolan laughed.

"For a lovers' quarrel?"

"You tied me to a chair."

"Because you tried to attack Vivian. Again."

Cole shifted near the door.

"Nolan, maybe we should..."

"Shut up."

Nolan opened his wallet.

He took out several bills and let them fall beside Adrian's hand.

"How much did she promise you? She doesn't have a job anymore."

Adrian looked at the money.

Then at me.

"Harper. Keep looking at me."

Nolan kicked a bill farther across the floor.

"If you want it, crawl."

"Don't," I whispered.

Adrian's jaw tightened.

"Please don't do that for me."

His eyes stayed on mine.

"I won't."

Nolan's smile disappeared.

He leaned close enough that I could smell his expensive cologne.

"You were always so concerned about being useful. Here's your chance. Tell him to apologize, and I'll help him back into his chair."

I looked at the man on the floor.

He had offered me breakfast. A lamp. A place at a table.

And I had brought this through his door.

"I'm sorry," I said to Adrian.

Nolan straightened, satisfied.

Adrian shook his head.

"Not to him. Not for this."

Vivian rolled her eyes.

"You're very convincing. Is this what you do? Find lonely women and play the wounded gentleman?"

Adrian reached for the edge of the fallen chair.

Nolan planted his foot against the frame.

"Stay down."

For a moment, nobody moved.

Then Adrian's expression changed.

I had seen him amused, patient, and tired.

I had never seen him look at anyone as though he had already made a decision that could not be undone.

"Take your foot off my chair," he said.

"Or what?"

"Your financing application is on my desk."

Nolan blinked.

Vivian laughed.

Adrian did not look at her.

"My name is Adrian Vale. I own Vale Meridian. I'm the man whose signature you're begging for."