The Trustworthy Groom (Texas Titan Romance) Read online

  Hailey nodded tightly.

  “How long ago?”

  She focused on the ash trees beyond the pool and finally muttered, “The last time I went out with him was the night before I met you.”

  Brady leaned back against the cushions, pushing out a long breath. “Did you care for him?”

  Hailey’s eyes snapped to his, and they were a sparkling blue. “I didn’t sleep with him Brady.”

  He swallowed hard. William’s accusations were pinging around in his brain. He’d believed Hailey’s story from day one about William scaring her and coming after her. What if there was more to it than he understood? What if she had been with William and this Treven guy? What if Brady was the idiot here who was being played? He focused on his beautiful wife and had no clue what to say, what questions to ask, how to get the answers he needed without hurting her.

  Hailey leapt to her feet and jabbed a finger at him. “You don’t believe me.”

  Brady stood slowly. He towered over her, but for some reason, the fire in her eyes intimidated him. “I didn’t say that.”

  “You don’t have to say it. I can read it all in your eyes. You want to believe me, but you’re having doubts.”

  He spread his hands. “Of course I want to believe you. I love you, Hailey.”

  She stared him down. “But?”

  Brady kind of loved that she knew him, could read him, yet it was infuriating. “But of course I have questions. I’ve only known you a few weeks.”

  She studied him for far too long then she nodded. “I’ll spare you all the questions, Brady. You’re the only person I’ve ever told about Gage. I’ve never slept with anyone else. I thought I was falling in love with you until two minutes ago. If you don’t trust me, then maybe my dad is right and it’s time to be done with this farce of a marriage.”

  She whirled from him and stomped into the house. Brady just stood there. He should chase her down, tell her how desperately he loved her and that he would always trust and love her, but those niggling doubts were killing him. Instead of doing what he should do, he sank onto the cushioned patio chair and read articles about Hailey, Treven, and him on his phone. An hour later, he was sick to his stomach and he had no clue what he should do. He had to make a choice—trust his wife or give up on the woman he loved.

  His phone rang, and he started. It was his agent.

  “Hey Claire.” He pushed out a weary breath.

  “You okay?” she asked, her tone heavy with concern.

  “Not really. I hate all this media garbage. Why can’t they just leave us alone?” He stood and paced the patio.

  “Sorry, but you know it’s all part of the gig.”

  “I know.” He appreciated her calm right now. She’d been a good friend to him. “Hey, Claire, you’re a woman.”

  She gave a derisive laugh. “Nice of you to notice.”

  “Sorry. I didn’t mean it like that, just … I need some advice.” He shoved a hand through his hair and looked into the windows at his great room. The late afternoon sun was angling through the two-story windows. Hailey was nowhere in sight, and it was all so empty and big without her there to brighten the space.

  “That’s what I’m here for,” Claire said.

  “Hailey and I had a fight.” He managed to get the words out.

  “That’s understandable, Brady. You two have been through a lot in the first few weeks of marriage.”

  That was truer than Claire realized, and she had no clue that their marriage had started out as a farce. “I don’t know what to do. Do I chase after her or give her time to cool off?”

  “That depends on what the fight was about.”

  “I … I kind of acted like I didn’t trust her.”

  “Whoa, Brady. That’s not cool. I know the media is throwing a lot of stuff at you, but trust is huge.”

  “I know.” He blew out a breath. “I know.” He waited then said, “So I should chase her down, right?” That’s what he wanted to do. Pound down her door and apologize profusely then kiss her until she knew he was hers no matter what the media threw at them.

  “Honestly, Brady, if it were me I’d want some space. She’s probably pretty offended and ticked off right now, and you’ve both been through a lot. Why don’t you give her some time, maybe sleep on it? Everything is better in the morning. You could take her breakfast in bed and do a grand apology. Flowers and jewelry always help too. I could have some delivered, and you should sneak them into your room tonight. Then when she wakes up in the morning, she’ll see them. You could come in with the breakfast and apologize. That’ll melt her heart better than anything. Women love it when men are really thoughtful.”

  Brady nodded even though she couldn’t see him. There was wisdom in Claire’s words. Though he absolutely hated the idea of not being with Hailey for the rest of the afternoon and evening and not making things right, maybe they’d both be more reasonable and understanding in the morning.

  Chapter Eighteen

  Hailey alternated between anger and sheer misery the rest of the day. She and Brady studiously avoided each other. He stayed in his office the rest of the afternoon and evening, and she stuck to her suite, the kitchen, and the backyard. She spent most of the evening in the kitchen cooking orange chicken, ham fried rice, stir-fried veggies, and a delicious chocolate cake. She kept hoping Brady would come out and eat with her. Even though it shredded her inside to think he didn’t trust her, she loved him, and she wanted to give him the chance to love her back.

  She heard his office door open and set her fork down and turned toward the entrance to the great room from the front of the house. Maybe he would come eat, and they could talk and work all of this out. There was no way he could believe she was having Treven’s baby. Not if he knew her at all.

  The front door of the house opened and closed, and all of Hailey’s anticipations and hopes walked out the door with Brady. Her shoulders rounded, and she pushed at the food on her plate. Tears dropped into the rice. She angrily brushed them away and stood, shoving her food down the garbage disposal. She left all the rest of the food on the counter. Brady could eat it, clean it up, or leave it all out to rot. She didn’t really care at this point. Running up the stairs to her room, she slammed the door and threw herself on the bed.

  She debated if she should just leave. Her condo still had most of her stuff in it, she could go there and at least not have to hear Brady’s every movement, but something in her just couldn’t leave him. She’d told her dad just last night that Brady was her husband. Brady had said he loved her, and she was his life. How could all of that be ruined by some lying men and stupid media?

  The tears came steadily, and she curled on top of the covers as darkness fell outside. A hard rap came on her bedroom door.

  Hailey sat up and tried to rub away the makeup that was surely smudged under her eyes. Brady? She wanted to fling the door open and kiss him good and long then work all of this out, but she stayed on the bed, quiet and afraid that their relationship was gone.

  The door handle turned. Brady peeked around a sliver of an opening. “Hailey?” he whispered.

  “What do you want?” She flung at him.

  He pushed the door the rest of the way open. Walking slowly in, he set a gorgeous bouquet of summer flowers and a small rectangle present on her dresser. Turning toward her he said simply, “I want you.”

  Hailey leapt off the bed and ran at him. She banged her fists against his chest. “Stop doing this to me!” She screamed.

  Brady let her hit him until she calmed down then he wrapped his hands around her forearms and pulled them against his chest. “I’m sorry, love. I’m so sorry.”

  His handsome face was outlined by the light spilling in from the hallway, but her eyes were blurry from tears. “You can’t claim you want me when you don’t trust me.”

  He shook his head. “You’re right. I was so wrong to not trust you. I was jealous and stupid and confused and … please forgive me, love, please.”

&nb
sp; Hailey blinked up at him. She understood jealousy and being confused. “Say that again.”

  His face finally cracked into a smile. “What? The part about me being stupid?”

  “No. Call me love again.” Her voice broke. She loved him desperately, and he had been jealous and stupid, but if he would trust her and love her, she would forgive him time and time again.

  “Oh, Hailey.” He released her hands and tenderly wrapped one arm around her waist while cupping her cheek with the other hand. “I love you so much it hurts. Please forgive me. Please be mine, my love.”

  Hailey smiled tremulously. “Okay. Just don’t ever be that stupid again.”

  He chuckled. “I’ll try, but I am a man.”

  “I’ve noticed that.” She wrapped her arms around his broad shoulders. “As long as you’re my man, I can forgive you for being stupid sometimes.” All the pain of this evening disappeared as he smiled at her.

  “That’s good to know.”

  He dropped to his knees, and Hailey pulled back in surprise. “Brady?”

  Reaching up, he clasped her hand and turned her gorgeous wedding ring toward the hallway light. “I chose this ring because I thought it might be beautiful enough to match your exterior beauty. What I didn’t know then was how incredibly beautiful you were inside and out. Nothing can match that, my love.”

  Warm tremors raced through Hailey, increasing as his dark gaze intensified. “Hailey Knight Giles, will you marry me again?”

  Hailey tugged on his hand, and he stood, staring down at her. “Oh, Brady, you’re the beautiful one.”

  He chuckled at that. “Never been called a pretty boy before.”

  “You’re much more than pretty. I love you, Brady. Yes, I’ll marry you again.”

  Brady whooped and pulled her in tight against him. Hailey’s breath caught as his dark eyes trailed over her face down to her lips then up to meet her eyes again. Hailey slid her hands around his neck and pulled him down to her as she arched up on tiptoes. Their lips met, and light and joy exploded within her. He deepened the kiss, and she was tingling with warmth and desire.

  Brady lifted her off her feet, and Hailey wrapped her legs around his waist and continued to kiss him. He turned toward the door, carrying her out into the hallway. Hailey broke away. “Where are we going?”

  “To our bedroom, love.” He swung her door shut behind them with his foot.

  “Oh? I wasn’t aware we had a bedroom.”

  Brady kissed her tenderly and whispered, “I want to wait until we renew our vows before we truly share a bedroom, but I need you close. Will you let me hold you tonight, love?”

  “How about every night?”

  He let out a soft groan. “Sounds perfect. I don’t think I’ll ever get sick of sleeping with you in my arms.”

  Hailey kissed him thoroughly then. He carried her up the stairs but stopped halfway up the staircase and turned, pressing her back into the wall and took his time kissing her mouth then her neck then her mouth again.

  An explosion ripped through the air. Brady pressed her harder into the wall, his body shielding her from the debris flung at them. Hailey slid to her feet, screaming in horror. Her bedroom, the one they’d been in mere seconds ago was on fire. Bits of the wall had exploded out and struck Brady’s back and the hallway wall and stairwell.

  Brady cursed. “Run!” he yelled at her, grabbing her hand and dragging her down the stairs. They made it to the first floor and ran out the front doors into the night. Brady stopped, and they both stared up at the second story and the smoke and fire pouring out of her window. He dialed 911 and gave them all the information they needed. Then he put them on hold and called Officer Cardon.

  Hailey shivered, even though it was a steamy summer night. If Brady hadn’t come for her … she couldn’t look at the fire anymore. Brady was still talking on the phone, but he wrapped his left arm around her and pulled her in close. Hailey turned into him, needing him and his strength right now. She heard the words he was saying to Officer Cardon, and they chilled her through. A bomb. The stalker? Someone wanted to kill her. Simply because she was Brady’s wife? How in the world had the stalker gotten into their house and planted a bomb? How had they known where Hailey slept and that they didn’t sleep together? Questions raced through her mind as she clung to Brady and sirens ripped through the night sky. The only thing that she knew was she had Brady and, no matter what, she wasn’t leaving his side.

  Chapter Nineteen

  Everyone had settled down for the night at Xavier and Izzy’s house. Her dad and mom had stayed, as if they couldn’t handle being very far away from Hailey. They’d all been so nice and accommodating to Brady, but the way they looked at him, he knew. Hailey could’ve been killed tonight, and all his proclamations about protecting her were stupid and empty. If he hadn’t gotten over his immature jealousy and insecurities and gone to her room to apologize, if he’d waited until morning like Claire had suggested … He passed a hand over his face and shook his head, but he couldn’t rid himself of the visions of Hailey being in that room when the bomb went off.

  When they’d gone through all the details with the police, several of them had believed that Claire was the stalker and had sent the bomb in the flowers or jewelry box. They’d taken her in for questioning but released her shortly after because of how fully she cooperated and the fact that there was no proof. The flowers and diamond necklace had been ordered from reputable stores and hadn’t been touched by Claire. Brady was relieved it wasn’t his agent and friend, but a selfish part of him almost wished it was. He just wanted this stalker and attempted murderer found.

  Hailey was snuggled against his chest, and he held her close, inhaling her coconut scent. Even though he didn’t deserve to have her in his arms, he wasn’t strong enough to walk away. It was dark, but he had her perfect features memorized, and he gently trailed his finger across her smooth cheek to the little cleft in her chin. A strangled sob rose in his chest. He barely held it in. If he let it loose, the entire house would hear his anguish. Hailey had almost died tonight.

  Hailey was too perfect, too wonderful. To think that he was the reason she was in danger was killing him. He couldn’t do it anymore. He slid slowly away from her and rested her head on the pillow. She stirred but didn’t awaken. Placing a soft kiss on her perfect lips, he wished she would wake up and respond, but she didn’t. He forced himself to stand, but then he froze. What was he going to do? How could he leave his dream woman, but how could he not? He had to protect her somehow, and obviously, being with him was no protection.

  The police were questioning anyone who had access to his house, but so far they had no leads on who might have planted the bomb. Everyone from the cleaning crew, grounds crew, and even his agent and the neighborhood security were suspects. It was insane.

  He forced himself to slip from the bedroom when every part of him wanted to lie back down and hold Hailey until the stalker and the media and William Fonnesbeck and everything else in the world went away.

  Creeping past the room her parents were sleeping in, he climbed the stairs. There was a light on in the kitchen. He was tempted to just slip out the front door and walk to his house. The police had spent hours investigating every inch of the bomb site. In the morning, his cleaning crew and a restoration crew would start work on cleaning then rebuilding the bedroom and fixing any fire damage. He could sleep there if he wanted. Like he’d be sleeping anyway.

  “Where do you think you’re going?” James Knight asked from behind him.

  Brady turned slowly to face him. “I don’t know where to go, sir, but I think we both know I can’t be with Hailey until they find the stalker.”

  James nodded. “I wondered when you were going to step up and take this.”

  Brady blew out a breath. “I love your daughter, sir. I’ll do anything I can to protect her.”

  “Did you see the latest news?”

  Brady didn’t want to see any more news. At least a bomb going off in his house
had stopped her old boyfriend from claiming she was having his baby. He shook his head.

  “Our friend William Fonnesbeck stepped down from the commissioner’s office today.”

  Brady’s head whipped up. “What? Why?”

  “Alleged rape of a co-worker.” James pursed his lips. “I’ve got an inside source with proof he hired Treven to say all those lies about Hailey and the pregnancy.”

  Brady felt suddenly weak.

  “Come sit down.” James instructed.

  Brady didn’t protest. He walked into the great room and sank onto the couch. He was glad the issues with William were over, but now, the reason Hailey had married him in the first place was gone. If he forced Hailey to stay married to him, he would be a selfish, idiotic jerk.

  “What are you thinking?” James asked quietly, seated on the love seat adjacent to Brady.

  “I’m glad William won’t harass Hailey anymore.”

  James nodded. “And?”

  “And I need to let her go.” His shoulders rounded. Saying the words was worse than a sledgehammer to the gut.

  James didn’t say anything. The silence from his father-in-law’s side wasn’t heavy, just contemplative.

  Brady sat up straighter. “If I announce that our marriage is annulled, the stalker won’t come after her anymore.”

  “It’s going to break her heart though,” her dad said.

  Brady pulled in a quick breath. “Do I have any other option?”

  “Not that I can see.” James studied his hands. “Maybe after the stalker is caught, you can work it all out.”

  “Maybe.” But the rock settling in his gut said otherwise. He loved Hailey so much he couldn’t stand the thought of hurting her or not being with her, but his stalker had almost killed her tonight. The only way to ensure her safety was to cut her out of his life and show the media that he had. He could only pray the stalker had left enough evidence that the police would catch her soon and Hailey wouldn’t hate him for what he had to do.