The Fixed Trilogy: Found in You(66)

I pulled away, looking aimlessly for a tissue.

Hudson pulled a handkerchief from his pocket. Who the hell carried handkerchiefs? There was still so much to learn about this man.

“Don’t be silly,” he said, dabbing at my eyes. “First of all, I own The Sky Launch so I’m legally responsible for anything that goes on in regards to employees and the people they interact with.”

I hadn’t thought of that.

He ran his thumb gently down the side of my face. “But more importantly, if you’re in a mess of any sort, then so am I. Not legally. But because you’re mine. And I’m yours. And that means I’m tied to you in every way. Good and bad. If you can’t see that, then we have no chance.”

Oh, god. The enormity of it hit me. I’d put all we had in jeopardy, put us at risk. “I really f*cked everything up.” I felt the color leave my face. “Oh, god, Hudson.”

He tilted my chin up with one finger and kissed my nose. “You didn’t f*ck everything up. I can fix it. Now that I know.”

“What will you do?” I had a brief flash of men in trench coats meeting up with Paul in a dark alley. Sad that the thought brought a smile to my face.

“I wouldn’t do anything illegal, if that’s what you’re thinking.”

Damn, he could read me so well.

“I’ll offer Party Planners Plus a deal with Fierce in exchange for terminating the contract with The Sky Launch. Fierce is a bigger name and can offer a better payout. They’ll still be working with the Pierce name. Kresh will have nothing to complain about.”

“Good plan. Thank you.” If I’d only come to Hudson in the first place, he would have arranged a deal like this and I wouldn’t have put anyone—myself—in a precarious position. My stomach churned with self-loathing. “I’m sorry, Hudson. I’m sorry you have to clean up my mess. I’m such an idiot.”

“Shush up.” His arms were around me again, holding me, comforting me when it was the last thing I deserved. “Stop feeling guilty. It’s our mess, remember? And I want to clean it up. It’s one of the things I’m capable of. Let me.”

“All right.” I took a deep breath, letting all my worry and regret out as I exhaled. “All right, I’ll let you.”





Chapter Sixteen


Hudson pocketed his damp handkerchief, and I could feel his disposition change, could feel him moving away. “Now, Alayna. What else do you need to tell me?”

“What—what do you mean?” I was still recovering from the last horrific confession. What other information did I need to disclose? At this point, I was ready to spill everything.

Hudson took his jacket off, folding it and setting it on the back of the sofa. “When we started this conversation, you thought I was talking about something else. Someone else.” His eyes pierced me. “Who did you think I was talking about?”

Honesty. I owed him honesty. “I thought you were talking about David.”

“David Lindt?”

“Yes.”

He backed up until he was leaning against the wall. I hated that he needed the support. “You told me there was nothing between you and David.”

“There’s not. Anymore.”

“But there was.”

“Yes.”

I could see the pain across his face. It killed me. It was exactly how I’d feel if I found out there had been something with him and Celia. I wanted to go to him, to hold him like he’d held me, to make it better.

I stepped toward him, but he put a hand out to stop me.

“It was nothing, Hudson. We were sort of together. But not really. We didn’t go on dates or anything or tell anyone about us. Just, when we worked late, alone…things happened.” The words tasted awful in my mouth.

“Did you sleep with him?”

“No. Things never went that far.” This hadn’t been the first time the subject had been broached. “You’ve asked me this before and I told you no then as well. I wasn’t lying.”

He shot me a challenging glance. “I also asked if you had wanted to and I never got a straight answer.”

“I don’t know the answer.” I considered leaving it at that. But I knew it would always hang over us unless I let it all out. “Yes. I suppose I did. Once upon a time. But not now.” Again, I wanted to move toward him. This time I stopped myself before he did. “There’s nothing now, Hudson. You have to believe me.”

It was after several long seconds that he spoke. “I do.”

“You do?” I couldn’t hide the shock from my voice.

“Yes. You don’t look at him the way you look at me.”

“Of course, I don’t.”

“But he looks at you the way I look at you. The way I imagine I look at you.”

“No, he doesn’t.” Yes, David had feelings for me, but they didn’t compare to the way Hudson felt about me. “You’re exaggerating.”

Hudson straightened and began pacing. “I’m not. It’s a problem and I can’t have it continuing.”

“What does that mean?” I knew the answer without having to ask, the dread washing over me in a thick wave.

“It means he’s going to have to leave The Sky Launch.”