Blake stared at his wife and had an overwhelming sense of pride. He couldn’t remember anyone every diving this deep into his past and concluding everything so perfectly. Samantha listened and truly heard what he said. “Exactly.”

“Tell me then, why work so hard to hold onto his money? It isn’t like you need it.”

“I considered walking away. But my sister, who only knows the lifestyle we were raised in, and my mother for that matter, don’t deserve to have their life ripped away. Not to mention we’re talking a hell of a lot of money.” He laughed, trying to put the somber walk down memory lane behind them.

Samantha appeared to simmer on the information for a few minutes as the last rays of the sun sizzled into the ocean.

“You know something, Blake?” she asked, her eyes left his and stared into the fading sun.

“What?”

“I’m starting to think you’re more martyr than mercenary.”

He huffed out a laugh, reached over, and took her hand in his. “This coming from a woman who married me to secure her sister’s care.”

Samantha snapped out of her haze and squeezed his hand. “Oh, no. Jordan.” She started to push up from her comfortable position.

“What is it?”

“It’s Saturday. I forgot about my weekly visit with my sister.” Samantha pulled her hand out of his. “I’ve got to go.”

“Isn’t it too late?”

Samantha waved his question away. “Of course not.” She sent him a curious glance. “Do you want to come with me? See where all your money’s going?”

Blake had a dozen things he should have been doing instead of revealing his past to his wife. He didn’t want to do any of it. “I’d love to meet your sister.”

Chapter Seven

“This place is amazing.” Eliza spun full circle in the middle of Blake’s formal livingroom. “I can’t believe you didn’t jump at living here the minute you guys came back from Vegas.”

“It didn’t feel right.”

“But it does now? What’s changed?” Eliza flopped down on an overstuffed sofa and crossed her legs.

Samantha lowered her voice even though the cook was busy preparing their lunch and the maid was upstairs doing god-knows-what. Blake needed to spend the day in his office, which left Sam with little to do. “We’re getting more comfortable together, I guess. The security here isn’t something I could manage in Tarzana.”

“You got that right. That Neil guy is kinda scary if you ask me.” Eliza walked around the bulky man when he met her at her car.

“He doesn’t say much.”

“He didn’t say anything to me. Just stared at me.”

“Blake insists he’s harmless to those who aren’t messing with him.” Samantha found herself in one of the Queen Anne chairs facing her friend. The soft silk pantsuit she wore drifted over her skin and made her feel like she wasn’t wearing anything at all. With the extra time on her hands, Sam took more time getting dressed in the morning, more time preening for her day.

When Blake joined her at Moonlight, Samantha was faced with the full force of her marriage to a man as rich and handsome as her husband. He charmed the staff and won more than a few smiles from Jordan. Ever since Jordan’s stroke, her ability to express her needs had been difficult. Expressive aphasia was what the doctors called her condition. Sam often finished Jordan’s sentences to keep her sister from being overly anxious and frustrated. Blake seemed to understand the situation and worked hard to ask yes and no questions and avoid subjects that would bring on stress.

Yet when they were working their way out of the home, Blake found an administrator and like a switch, his charm turned off and the business side of him shone through. He wanted to know about security in the home. How did they keep Jordan safe from strangers walking into her room? Who was by her side when it wasn’t mealtime? A rapid stream of question he could have asked Samantha were fired off and answered before she could interrupt. His sincerity over her sister’s care and safety kept Sam from being upset with him. Yet after they’d left the home he started to question Moonlight’s ability to care for Jordan, and Samantha became defensive.

“It’s the best home for people in Jordan’s situation. Most homes are geared for older, Alzheimer’s-type patients. Moonlight specializes in younger patients with developmental problems.”

“Why not care for her at home?”

Of course, that would have been ideal, but Samantha couldn’t afford that kind of round the clock, in-home care. She’d tried to do it on her own but failed. Blake had realized how upset the conversation was making her and had dropped the subject.

“I’m glad Neil is on your side. I wouldn’t want to be that man’s enemy,” Eliza said, snapping Samantha out of her thoughts. “So, what are we going to do with Alliance?”

She’d given a lot of thought as to how to proceed with her business. The fact was, taking on the role of being Blake Harrison’s wife was going to take up the majority of her time and leave her jet setting all over the globe. As it was, her passport had arrived first thing that Monday morning and she and Blake were arranging their departure for early Wednesday.

“I have a proposition for you.” She waited until Eliza turned her eyes to her before starting. “I’ve worked too hard to lose everything I’ve worked for with Alliance, but I’m obviously going to be unavailable over the next few months.”