His to Keep: A Billionaire Romance (His to Have Book 3) by Piper Hayes
Authors: Piper Hayes
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is it. The moment is almost here. My heart is racing as I think about everything Blake and I have gone through to get to this point. Then the doors open and Ben and three federal marshals in blue jackets march into the lobby.
“This should be fun,” my father says as he reaches over and grabs my hand.
“I think we have company,” Blake says when Ben steps into the room. “Ladies and gentlemen, I would like to introduce you to my good friend, Ben. He’s joining us today from the Federal Bureau of Investigation. As many of you know, the FBI has been investigating this company and me personally for financial malfeasance. I am excited to announce that the company has been cleared of any wrongdoing. Ben, how can we help you?”
Ben nods towards Jacob and the marshals surround him. “Jacob Fletcher, you are under arrest for conspiracy, fraud, and the attempted bribery of a federal judge.” The marshals spin Jacob against the wall and handcuff him. Two of them rush him out of the room and out of sight. It’s over. It’s done. The plan actually worked. My plan actually worked. I sigh a deep sigh of relief, but then Blake speaks up again.
“Ladies and gentlemen, I have been assisting the FBI in their investigation of Jacob Fletcher as part of a plea bargain. I regret to inform you that I am resigning from this company effective immediately. I am very proud of what we’ve built here, and I believe in the team we have in place. I hope to return one day, but I must do so only once I have told the whole truth to each and every one of you. My name is not Blake Bennett. It never was. I took that name when I first moved to New York in an attempt to shed my past, but now I understand that you can’t run forever. You have to face the facts and take a stand for what you believe in. It took someone special to make me see that. I can’t live a life that’s based on a lie.”
Blake holds up one finger like he’s telling Ben to hold off for just one minute. Blake walks over to me, turns my chair around and leans in to kiss me one last time. His lips are sweet and soft, and I don’t know for sure what’s going to happen when this kiss stops, so I pull his tie and hold the kiss for as long as I can. When he finally does pull back, he quickly kisses my temple and whispers, “I think Italy will have to wait.”
Ben and the marshals lead Blake out of the room, and everything erupts into chaos. The dozen board members are either yelling at each other or shouting on their phones, trying to make sense of the scene that just unfolded in front of them. I’m stunned. I don’t know what to think, I go to get up and chase after Blake. I want to demand to go with him wherever he goes, but my father stops me. He grabs my wrist. “Catherine,” he says, “Everything is going to be fine, but you have to let him go.”
No, I can never let him go.
CHAPTER 20
CATHERINE
“House arrest?” I ask. It’s been two weeks since Blake resigned from the company and turned himself in. His story made national news. Somehow, the whole story got out, his past in Florida, the fight with Jacob, the plan to start a new life. People went wild. Overnight, Blake became a household name. Not the name he had chosen for himself all those years ago. His real name. Since the story broke, the media has been portraying him as a hero, but Blake wants none of it. According to him, the only thing that matters is our relationship.
Blake is sitting on the edge of his couch. He’s just gotten back from finalizing his plea deal with the government. He crosses his leg so that his heel is against his other knee. He pulls the cuff of his pants up and taps his ankle. “Tracking device and all,” he says. “Eighteen months house arrest followed by two thousand hours of community service,” he says.
“And the company?” I ask.
“Damien will keep me informed of the day to day, and my friends on the board will help to represent my
“This should be fun,” my father says as he reaches over and grabs my hand.
“I think we have company,” Blake says when Ben steps into the room. “Ladies and gentlemen, I would like to introduce you to my good friend, Ben. He’s joining us today from the Federal Bureau of Investigation. As many of you know, the FBI has been investigating this company and me personally for financial malfeasance. I am excited to announce that the company has been cleared of any wrongdoing. Ben, how can we help you?”
Ben nods towards Jacob and the marshals surround him. “Jacob Fletcher, you are under arrest for conspiracy, fraud, and the attempted bribery of a federal judge.” The marshals spin Jacob against the wall and handcuff him. Two of them rush him out of the room and out of sight. It’s over. It’s done. The plan actually worked. My plan actually worked. I sigh a deep sigh of relief, but then Blake speaks up again.
“Ladies and gentlemen, I have been assisting the FBI in their investigation of Jacob Fletcher as part of a plea bargain. I regret to inform you that I am resigning from this company effective immediately. I am very proud of what we’ve built here, and I believe in the team we have in place. I hope to return one day, but I must do so only once I have told the whole truth to each and every one of you. My name is not Blake Bennett. It never was. I took that name when I first moved to New York in an attempt to shed my past, but now I understand that you can’t run forever. You have to face the facts and take a stand for what you believe in. It took someone special to make me see that. I can’t live a life that’s based on a lie.”
Blake holds up one finger like he’s telling Ben to hold off for just one minute. Blake walks over to me, turns my chair around and leans in to kiss me one last time. His lips are sweet and soft, and I don’t know for sure what’s going to happen when this kiss stops, so I pull his tie and hold the kiss for as long as I can. When he finally does pull back, he quickly kisses my temple and whispers, “I think Italy will have to wait.”
Ben and the marshals lead Blake out of the room, and everything erupts into chaos. The dozen board members are either yelling at each other or shouting on their phones, trying to make sense of the scene that just unfolded in front of them. I’m stunned. I don’t know what to think, I go to get up and chase after Blake. I want to demand to go with him wherever he goes, but my father stops me. He grabs my wrist. “Catherine,” he says, “Everything is going to be fine, but you have to let him go.”
No, I can never let him go.
CHAPTER 20
CATHERINE
“House arrest?” I ask. It’s been two weeks since Blake resigned from the company and turned himself in. His story made national news. Somehow, the whole story got out, his past in Florida, the fight with Jacob, the plan to start a new life. People went wild. Overnight, Blake became a household name. Not the name he had chosen for himself all those years ago. His real name. Since the story broke, the media has been portraying him as a hero, but Blake wants none of it. According to him, the only thing that matters is our relationship.
Blake is sitting on the edge of his couch. He’s just gotten back from finalizing his plea deal with the government. He crosses his leg so that his heel is against his other knee. He pulls the cuff of his pants up and taps his ankle. “Tracking device and all,” he says. “Eighteen months house arrest followed by two thousand hours of community service,” he says.
“And the company?” I ask.
“Damien will keep me informed of the day to day, and my friends on the board will help to represent my
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