Taken by Storm (Give & Take) - By Kelli Maine Page 0,36

of laughter. “You could say that.”

Merrick shook his head. “Seems to be an inherited Rocha trait. Sorry you got it.”

“It goes with the dimples,” Rachael said, placing her fingertip in Merrick’s.

“Where did he hide you?” Merrick said, his eyes narrowed on MJ. “My father.”

MJ took a deep breath and leaned back in the booth. “As far back as I can remember, I was at a year-round boarding school in Virginia. I remember some woman I called Nona when I was really little. I guess she must’ve taken care of me. I didn’t see her after I started school. I don’t have any pictures of her or anything. After third grade, the Old Man let me stay at the estate over the summers. Probably wanted to save himself some cash. God knows he didn’t want me there.”

“I was away at college,” Merrick said. “Jesus, he played us like a game of chess, moving us around the board so we never crossed paths.” He sighed, and looking a little lost turned to Rachael.

She stroked her thumb across his creased forehead and cupped his cheek. Merrick smiled and kissed her. “I don’t deserve you.”

“When did you find out he was coming here?” MJ asked Rachael. He nodded to Merrick. “You didn’t say anything.”

“I told her the first night she was at the Rocha Estate,” Merrick said. “I had some business to wrap up in Miami. I asked her not to mention my plan to you.”

“We didn’t want you to take off,” Rachael said. “I don’t know you, MJ. I wasn’t sure how you’d react if I told you Merrick was coming.”

MJ’s knee bobbed under the table.

“I didn’t want you to take off before I got there,” Merrick said. “I lived the past twenty years not knowing you, believing you’d died. I have a lot of time to make up for.”

If words had a size and shape, Merrick’s would’ve been the Grand Canyon. MJ had waited for those words his entire life. Waited for Merrick to be told about him. To come find him.

“I wouldn’t have taken off,” MJ said. “I have time to make up for too.”

Merrick’s hands clenched his coffee cup. “Your grandfather will pay for this.” His dark granite eyes met MJ’s in a silent promise.

Rachael put a hand on Merrick’s forearm. “Revenge isn’t the answer.”

“No,” Merrick said, agreeing. “Revenge only brings more loss, more desperation. But men like Enzo always pay in the end. I don’t know how it’ll happen, but it will. He won’t get away with everything he’s done.”

After breakfast, Merrick dropped them off at the airport. Standing beside the car, he kissed Rachael goodbye. “I don’t think I should leave you here,” she told him. MJ tried not to listen, but didn’t want to walk away without telling Merrick goodbye.

“I didn’t want you here in the first place,” Merrick told her. There was a harsh edge to his voice that let MJ know he wasn’t pleased with Rachael for coming. “I let that discussion go though,” Merrick said, “given the fact that you were here for MJ.”

“And the fact that you never told me about him,” Rachael said, an equal amount of cool reserve in her tone. “I let that go. For now. We’ll come back around to it though. Don’t worry.”

“Two discussions tabled for now.” Merrick wove his fingers into Rachael’s hair and cupped her head, guiding her in for another kiss. “I’ll be home soon.”

“You better be.” Rachael wrapped her arms around Merrick and held him tightly for a moment before stepping away.

Merrick reached out and shook MJ’s hand while patting him on the back. “I’ll be there as soon as I can. This shouldn’t take more than a few days to finish up.”

The sincerity in Merrick’s eyes filled MJ with something he couldn’t identify. A feeling he’d never had before. His dad would be there for him. “I’ll see you then.”

Merrick rounded the car and got in behind the wheel. Rachael and MJ watched him drive away before they turned and began rolling their bags through the parking lot toward the airport terminal.

Leaving Sandy Springs, MJ fingered the ring in his pocket with only one regret: losing his last connection to Maddie.

There was no way the man stalking toward them across the tarmac could fly the helicopter behind him. Not that MJ was judgmental, but he’d believe this guy could lift the helicopter before he could fly it. With his blond ponytail, scruffy face and piercing stare, he might have been the only person