heard him go up the stairs, she left the note and picture and then rushed to the front door.
“Stormy? What’s up with the bag?” Nick asked, blocking her escape.
“Hey, Nick. I . . . um . . . I’ve got to go,” she said, trying to decide if she could rush him to get past.
“Go where?” He wasn’t budging.
“I just have to go,” she told him.
“Stormy . . .” He seemed at a loss for words.
“Please . . .” Her voice choked. “No!” She pushed past him, and in his surprise he let her go.
She rushed out to the waiting cab, nearly weeping again, she was so grateful it was there. Getting into the backseat, she told the driver to just go. He was confused a moment, but then he pulled out onto the street, not asking any questions.
She told him the address of where they were going after he was a couple blocks away from the house. She leaned back, grateful to have gotten away in one piece.
“What the hell?” The cab driver suddenly swerved, making Stormy’s stomach heave. “I’m sorry ma’am. There’s a problem.”
She looked out the window and was horrified to see Nick’s truck blocking them. Had he chased the cab down?
“Stormy, come with me!”
He’d thrown open her door and was standing there looking fierce.
“Nick, what in the world are you doing?”
“I’m keeping you from making one hell of a mistake,” he said, reaching in and taking her arm.
“Ma’am, do I need to call the police?” the cabbie asked, only looking half interested in what was going on.
“No, you don’t need to call the flipping police,” Nick snapped. “Do I look like a maniac?”
The cab driver’s brows rose up as if telling Nick that yes, indeed he did.
“No. You don’t need to call the police,” Stormy said before things got too out of control.
Nick tossed some money at the cabbie, then grabbed her bag and her arm and led her from the cab and to his truck. She reluctantly allowed him to drag her behind him.
She climbed into his dirty truck. “Are you kidnapping me?” she asked, getting some of her bite back.
“Yes,” he said, not worried about her temper.
“Well, since you got rid of my ride, then you can take me where I’m going,” she told him. Even though she wasn’t sure she wanted any of the Armstrong men to know where she was going, she wasn’t left with much choice now. She could go to the train station. Then he wouldn’t have a clue.
“Take me downtown to the train station,” she finally said. She would accept his ride, but not listen to him.
“Cooper’s at the doctor’s office,” he said, his voice sounding solemn.
She didn’t want to bite, but she couldn’t help it. “What’s wrong?”
“It’s bad . . .” he began.
“Nick, what happened?” she demanded.
“Okay, it’s not too bad, but he sent me in case you were doing exactly what you’re doing, and trying to run away.”
“Ugh!” She threw her head back and sighed in disgust.
“Why are you running, Stormy?”
She was silent for a while, but he just waited, glancing at her now and then with an anxious expression. She knew she wasn’t getting out of this.
“Look, I thought we had something together, your brother and I. Now, I see he’s just greedy, that I could have been any woman. I just so happened to be the one around when he got the urge to add to his bank account.”
“You do have something,” Nick insisted. “What you heard . . .” he began when she stopped him.
“I heard you loud and clear, Nick. Does he or does he not get a large sum of money if he marries?” she demanded.
Nick squirmed in the seat next to her and she had her answer, though she wasn’t getting out of the truck until he said it out loud. She needed this. She needed to let go. She gave him a hard look until his shoulders sagged and he let out a sigh.
“Yes. We all get the second part of our inheritance when we marry. But, I guarantee you that Cooper cares about you. Him dating you has nothing to do with that stupid clause in the will.”
“I don’t believe you,” she said with a sigh. Her anger was draining, and she just felt empty inside. Her fingers gently skittered across her flat stomach. What was she going to do now?
“He loves you, Stormy. I know my brother and I know how he feels,” Nick insisted.
This was why she