Toni

Toni spent the next few days planning press conferences and meetings with board members, to put her plan into place. She was lucky to find that some of her father's old cronies were still loyal to him and ultimately, to her. They were never in favor of Zac taking over the corporation when James passed, and Toni had no trouble convincing most of them she was capable of taking over the helm in her father's stead. It helped that she worked for the company for so many years with her dad. It gave her credibility with the board members, and they trusted her when she said she knew what she was doing. Toni just hoped she could live up to their expectations.

Talking to the board members cost her though. Some of them remained loyal to Zac and she knew as soon as she ended the call, they would be on the phone with him, filling him in on her plans. That was just fine with her. She wanted Zac to know she was coming, and she was gunning for him. A little fear would keep him on his toes, but it would also mess with his mind and possibly lead him to make a mistake. She'd be ready, either way.

Nico was a nervous wreck, going over plans and talking with Jace and the local authorities. He wasn't leaving any stone unturned, and Toni worried she was asking too much of him. She would never want to put him in danger, and asking him to go back to the Isle of Palms to face down her past, may prove to be disastrous.

Toni hired Mr. Shields to take her on as a new client. He was getting all the court documents into place to prove that she was indeed her father's daughter. Her DNA test had come back as a one hundred percent positive match that she was James Bernston's daughter, and the court would have to uphold her father's wishes, in his will. His company's board was another matter altogether. They held the power to vote in or out a sitting president, despite who held a majority of the shares. Her father had set it up that way years ago. She worried Zac would have enough support to keep his seat as president of the company, even after she regained ownership of it, and the thought of having to work that closely with him terrified her. She hadn't shared that bit of knowledge with Nico either, knowing he would never allow her to go back to the company if Zac were still working there, day in and day out. Toni would just have to cross that bridge when she came to it because worrying about something that could happen in the future was just too much for her to handle right now. She had enough on her plate.

Nico came barreling into the hotel room and found her sitting in the middle of the bed, her makeshift office surrounding her. "Hey, Jace just texted me." Nico seemed out of sorts, and she couldn't help but smile at his self-imposed frenzy. He was always so passionate about everything he threw himself into and apparently, that included taking her on as his new project.

"And," she prompted. He looked her over and got onto the bed with her, crumpling up her papers and shoving most of her things to the floor. "You look so fucking hot, sitting here working, baby," he growled. She giggled against his lips as his tongue sought its way into her mouth. Toni was beginning to like Nico's mood swings. Her favorite was his passionate side and the way he always seemed to want her. She had to admit she felt the same way about him.

Nico pushed her back against the mattress and she willingly let him climb on top of her body, covering hers with his muscle-toned form. She wrapped her legs around his waist and cradled his erection against her core.

"Was there something else you wanted to tell me, Nico?" she asked between kisses and nips, as he took his time working down her needy body. He made her feel so alive, the way he loved her, leaving her wanting everything he was willing to give to her.

"Mmm," he hummed against her neck, nipping and biting his way down to her breasts. "I talked to Jace and a friend of his on the force." He stopped talking again, sucking one of her nipples into his mouth through the thin fabric of her t-shirt, completely distracting her.

"Nico," she cried out. Toni wasn't sure if she was yelling his name from the pleasure, he was bringing her or if it had to do with the way he was distracting her from the news that was obviously important enough to come barging into their hotel room like a crazy person.

"Sorry," he growled. "I just can't seem to keep my hands off of you lately," he admitted as if that were a bad thing.

"I'm not complaining about the amount of attention you give me, Nico. I'd just like to hear the rest of your news before you continue," she said, giving him an exaggerated wink. She loved that she could make him laugh—he always seemed so serious.

"Jace said his buddy called him this morning. He's on the force and has been a part of your father's case." Nico paused, looking her up and down again, and she rolled her eyes, trying to cover herself with her hands.

"No, not until you finish your story," she insisted.

"Fine, but then I get to do whatever I want with you, honey," he grumbled. She pretended to think about it but then gifted him with her smile, letting him know she would always be up for doing whatever Nico wanted her to, in bed—or anywhere else for that matter.

She nodded and Nico quickly finished telling her how Jace's friend had called to tell him James's death was being investigated as a homicide now. He wouldn't tell Jace why that was, or what evidence they had, but there was something suspicious that had them investigating foul play.

"Wow," she whispered, covering her mouth with her shaking hand. She suspected someone had a hand in her father's death. And if she were taking wild stabs at guesses, Zac would be at the top of her list. But to hear that the local authorities on the island believed her father hadn't killed himself was like taking a breath after being held underwater for too long.

"I know, baby. It's a lot to take in, but it's good news, right?" Nico seemed unsure of himself, and she hated that he felt that way around her.

"Yes, thank you for telling me, Nico. It's very good news." Her voice cracked with raw emotion.

"Aw, honey. I didn't tell you this to upset you. I wanted you to be happy." Nico pulled her into his arms, and she laughed.

"These are happy tears, I promise. I'm just so happy I wasn't imagining the fact my father wouldn't ever kill himself," she admitted. She couldn't put her finger on it, but Nico wasn't telling her something. Toni just needed to figure out what it was.

"Is there more?" she hesitantly asked. Nico eyed her, as if surprised she could read him so well. Honestly, she was a little surprised by that fact herself.

"Yes." He stood up from the bed and she almost regretted asking her question. "Zac has disappeared." Nico paced the floor, running his fingers through his hair as if trying to figure out what to do next.

"Are we in danger? Do the authorities have any idea where he went?" she asked.

"No, they have no clue where he is," Nico admitted. "And I have no fucking idea if we're in danger or not at this point. I just wish we could stop playing this fucking game and go back home. I have research and you have your old life to get back to." Nico stopped pacing and she stood to wrap her arms around his tense body.

"Nico, is that what you're worried about? I don't want that old life back, it's gone. I want a new life with you now. I'd just like to add some bits and pieces from my former life to remember who I am. I'm so happy you want to marry me, and I can't wait to start that new chapter with you. I want to be your wife, but I also want to run my father's company and make sure Zac spends the rest of his life behind bars for what he's done to me—to us." Nico sealed his mouth over her own, kissing his way in. She loved how he took what he needed from her and right now, he seemed to need every reassurance she could give him. He was her future, her life and there was no way she would ever chance losing him. Not to her past and not to Zac Bierman.