Redemption [Part Four] Read online

  COPYRIGHT AND LICENSE INFORMATION

  REDEMPTION- PART FOUR

  Copyright © 2018 Kate Benson

  All rights reserved.

  2018 Edition

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form without written permission from the publisher, except by a reviewer who may quote brief passages for review purposes. If you are reading this book and you have not purchased it or won it in an author/publisher contest, this book has been pirated. Please delete and support the author by purchasing the ebook from one of its many distributors.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental or, if an actual place, are used fictitiously. The publisher does not have any control over and does not assume any responsibility for author or third-party websites or their content.

  The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of various products referenced in this work of fiction, which have been used without permission. The use of these trademarks is not sponsored, associated, or endorsed by the trademark owner.

  Edited by: Chasing Sophie Publications ©

  Cover Design: Dana Leah, Designs by Dana

  Print layout & eBook Design: Deena Rae, E-BookBuilders

  Contents

  Redemption

  Dedication

  Acknowledgments

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Also by Kate Benson

  About the Author

  Redemption

  ADAM

  After months of keeping our secret, Bella and I were sure we’d find a way to stay together, to keep our romance from taking us down.

  We’d been so careful, taken every measure, every failsafe option there was to stay under the radar.

  My cousin, the rightful heir to the Avery fortune, found out anyway.

  Now? He’s out for blood.

  I swore I’d keep her safe, promised I’d do whatever it takes to make sure this side of my life never touched her.

  I had no idea that promise would be so impossible to keep.

  I’ve already failed her once.

  I’d be damned if I do it again.

  ISABELLA

  I still can’t believe how quickly I fell for Adam.

  We spent our first two months in a whirlwind, keeping our secret from the world until one day, it spilled to the masses.

  We faced losing everything.

  My career, my reputation, my freedom…

  I’d risk it all to keep him.

  The problem with that is that he would, too and he had more to lose than anyone I’d ever known.

  He asked for my trust, earned it plenty of times over, but how far would he go to keep me?

  Am I destined to be the reason his empire comes crashing down?

  Or would we somehow find redemption?

  Redemption: Part Four

  is the multi-POV follow-up to

  Redemption: Part One, Two, & Three

  a spin-off from

  The Promise Series

  which was previously released in

  The Vault: A Sinfully Sexy Collection.

  Dedication

  To my husband, like so many others.

  I love you

  Acknowledgments

  I kind of suck at these…

  I’ll finish writing these tonight and send them out into the world and then spend an hour or two, lying in bed while I stare at my ceiling, confident I’ve forgotten someone.

  Here goes my best shot at keeping it from being you.

  Thank you, God, for giving me this love of love stories. Thank you for helping me stay motivated and thank you for helping me make this dream a reality. Please let me keep it for the rest of my days.

  Thank you to my husband, Sean, who I love with a fire I ever knew I could possess. It’s because of you that I even believe in love stories and I hope you know that each and every one I write is a love note to you, proclaiming how completely I belong to you and you alone.

  My parents and grandmothers, who I will always call my first and most adoring fan club. I love you and miss you terribly and hope you’re as proud of me as I am of you.

  My brothers and sister, thank you for being here for me always, even when I’m crazy. Especially when I’m crazy.

  My closest friends, the ones I call when I’m happy or sad or pissed off or just need to hear a voice that makes me feel like I matter in the vast world outside this office. Thank you for picking up and being there and making me smile.

  Heather and Charlie, you’re the best girls in the world and I’d eat you up, I love you so. Thank you for everything you do for me always.

  Amber Garcia, thank you for helping me get Adam and Bella out into the world. You’ve been such a blessing!

  Deena Rae Schoenfeldt and Dana Leah for making my book baby beautiful. You’ve both outdone yourselves again!

  My Babes! I love you. I love you more than swiss cheese and comic books. Do you know how serious that is? Well, it’s serious and I mean it. I love all of you like crazy.

  My readers. There are millions of books and for some crazy reason, you’ve chosen to read mine. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

  My beta team for The Redemption books: Heather, Jenna, Charlie, Nikki, Patti, Amy, Christie and Sara. I had no idea how in love with these books I would be when I started this last year. Thank you for sticking with me through the journey and swooning right along with me over Mr. Avery.

  Special thanks to Michelle Dare, Angel Justice, Angie Tucker, Leona Lewis and the amazing people who have shared this book and helped me bring it to the world. I couldn’t have done this without you!

  Finally, my characters. Adam and Bella, you’ve stolen a piece of my heart. Don’t give it back, it’s forever yours.

  Sophie, I love you more, my sweet girl.

  Until next time…

  XO Kate

  Redemption

  Part Three

  “Meet me in the corridor of your soul.

  Invite me to the hidden chambers.

  Show me the light behind your eyes.

  Teach me the rhythm of your blood.

  You are the secret I crave to discover.”

  — Dean Jackson

  Chapter One

  ISABELLA

  “I’m sorry, Mr. Avery,” John offers as he glances into the rearview, his eyes apologetic. “They swarmed the garage right after I spoke with you. I tried to call and give you a head’s up, but…”

  “It’s alright,” he shakes his head, cutting him off as he moves closer to me in my seat. “Just get her out of here.”

  “Yes, sir,” he nods, the sound of the engine coming to life giving me no comfort as he presses down on the horn, issuing a warning blare to the people surrounding us.

  They barely budge.

  “Oh, my God!” I exclaim, my heart pounding inside my chest as I take in the growing mass of flashes still surrounding the car. “What the fuck?”

  “Bella, watch your m-”

  “Are you kidding me?” I cut him off, my voice hitched in panic and his jaw tensing at my blatant defiance. “Don’t you dare tell me to watch m
y mouth right now, Adam! What the hell was that? How did they get into the garage?”

  “I don’t know,” he admits, shaking his head as he pulls me closer, pressing his lips to my hair as he tries to calm me. “There are cameras and security everywhere,” he reasons. “He must have paid one of the guards off. It’s the only explanation.”

  “How would he even know I was leaving with you?” I demand. “We were so careful.”

  “I have no idea, pumpkin.”

  It wasn’t until Adam took my hand and led me through the mass of screaming reporters that I grasped just how many people were waiting for us inside the garage with Simon. I’d seen firsthand how crazy things had gotten when Adam took over, even thought I was prepared. However, nothing could have prepared me for that.

  It was bedlam.

  It was the first and only time I’ve ever felt unsafe with Adam.

  His driver, John, navigates through the crowd, finally pulling out of the dark space and into traffic. The bright light seeps into the windows from outside illuminating the second mass of paparazzi waiting for us at the exit, pulling an expletive from his lips. Adam tucks me into his chest, hiding my face despite the tinted windows. The mob of photographers is chasing after us, filling the car with their obsessive demands until they begin to shrink in the background behind us. My hands are shaking, my breathing ragged as I think about what’s just happened, what it could mean for Adam’s future with the company, his future with me.

  Once we’re in the clear and on the expressway, heading toward his penthouse, he pulls his phone from his pocket, although his attention on me remains unwavering. The faint sound of Richard’s live-in assistant comes across the line and Adam barks into the phone, making me pity the victim of his frustrations. A moment later, the line clicks again, and I hear Richard’s voice spill through the receiver, making Adam’s hold on me tighten.

  “We just left Avery and Simon was waiting for us in the garage with a hoard of reporters,” Adam admits, his voice strangled with fury. “Did you tell him anything?”

  A moment passes, Richard’s voice faint as Adam’s grip on me eases, his head shaking in annoyance.

  “How the fuck did he find out then?” Adam demands, his voice pulling me back. “Aside from my personal staff, who is legally obligated to keep their fucking mouths shut, you’re the only person that knew about her, Richard.”

  I pull away slightly and lean into the seat, the combination of cool leather and Adam’s palm reaching for my knee to give it an affectionate squeeze offering me some comfort. I feel his gaze on me and want nothing more than to turn to him, find sanctuary in him, but I can’t. I know the second I look at him, the very instant his hazel eyes meet mine, I’ll fall apart.

  That’s one thing I simply can’t do right now.

  I lift my hands to my face, trying my best to steady my breathing as I gently rub my temples. Remnants of bright light still lingers just behind my eyes, making it impossible to focus.

  Maybe that’s best, I think to myself as I release a defeated sigh.

  “Yes, I’ll wait,” he barks into the phone, his tone relieved of some of its edge, but not much until his hand moves higher on my thigh. “Baby, everything’s going to be alright.”

  “How?” I manage, my voice so broken, it sounds like an imposter. “How will it be alright, Adam?” My resolve slowly begins to shatter, just as I knew it would, the second I face him. “How the fuck is anything ever going to be alright again?”

  “Shh,” he whispers, his eyes softening immediately as he pulls me close once more. “It just will,” he promises, kissing my hair. “I swear to God I won’t let anything happen to you, Bella.”

  “Adam,” I sigh, resting my hand against his chest as I glance up, searching his gaze before I clamp down on my lower lip with nerves. “You don’t get it, do you?” I smile sadly, shaking my head. “I don’t care what happens to me,” I admit, tracing his lips. “I can go somewhere else, get another job and start over, but you?” I manage, choking on my emotions. “You’ll lose everything just trying to spare me.”

  “I’m not going to lose anything. I just need you to trust me, okay?” he vows, bending to kiss the tip of my nose. I give him a nod, swallowing the lump in my throat as he presses his lips to mine. He sees my sadness, senses my hesitation and kisses me once more. “Relax, princess. Daddy’s gonna take care of it.”

  “Okay,” I whisper, taking his hand in both of mine and settling it on my lap as he returns his attention to his phone call.

  I trace the band on his right hand, biting hard on the inside of my cheek to keep from crying and praying he doesn’t notice. When the pad of his thumb gently brushes over mine, I glance up finding him watching me.

  “Stop,” he mouths, his eyes soft despite the command.

  I release a few deep breaths, trying to steady myself. I’m nearly there when my cell phone begins to vibrate beside me in my bag, tugging at my attention.

  I reach inside to retrieve it and immediately wish I hadn’t.

  In addition to the half dozen texts filling my screen from my family and Christie, my social media accounts are completely on fire. Not only has everyone in my personal life already caught wind of the reports that are obviously all over the social pages, so has everyone at the both local papers and worst of all, Avery Finance.

  My name is plastered everywhere from The Post to the local tabloids. I scroll through the first few headlines and some are so ridiculous, I’d find them laughable if I wasn’t in the process of fighting off this pesky nervous breakdown.

  Isabella Baxter: The Woman in CEO Adam Avery’s Life

  Snag a Mogul: Isabella Baxter’s Secret Weapons Revealed

  Who is Isabella Baxter?

  How Isabella Baxter Seduced the City’s Most Eligible Bachelor

  I’m Sorry, Miss Baxter… Are Your Boobs for Real?

  “Mio Dio…” I whisper, dropping my phone onto my lap and focusing my attention on my now rapid breathing.

  In less than ten minutes, I’ve gone from an overlooked, random employee to the center of the city’s most exciting new untold story.

  Except I’m not.

  There’s nothing exciting about me save for the man whose life I’m currently threatening to unravel at the seams.

  It seems my quiet little life is no longer such.

  When we pull up to his building a few minutes later, the reception isn’t any less overwhelming than it had been leaving the office. They surround his car, Adam pulling me to his chest and shielding me from their cameras as we enter the private security gate leading to his garage. I take comfort in knowing his personal security is much more tightknit here than at the office. Yet, when the door closes behind us, the car growing dark before taking on the soft glow of the fluorescent lights overhead, I know it’s safe for me to pull away, but I can’t force myself from him. Instead, I remain tucked into his chest, clenching to the fabric as the sob builds in my throat.

  “Richard, I need to call you back,” he says into the line, hanging up immediately and reaching for me. “What happened?” he asks, taking me in. “Baby, you have to calm down. You’re going to hyperventilate.”

  “I’m trying,” I admit, finally pulling away and pushing deep breaths out before inhaling fully, my best attempt at avoiding passing out as my vision goes hazy. “What the hell are we going to do, Adam?” I breathe heavy. “It’s already everywhere. The papers, online, all over the message boards at Avery…” I choke out. “My mother is losing her shit right now.”

  He takes my phone from where it’s still resting on my lap, a quick glance making him hold me closer before pulling me into his lap to straddle him.

  “Bella, it’s okay,” he promises, smoothing my hair before he pushes the door open, keeping me secure in his arms. “Hold on to me, kitten,” he whispers, lifting me when my
grip tightens. “Good girl,” he croons. “We’re home now, darling. You’re safe.”

  ADAM

  By the time I’ve undressed her and given her something for her nerves, Isabella is fast asleep in my bed. I stand over her, watching her sleep for a long moment before I move into the living room and slowly begin pacing, my palm moving to my jaw in concern.

  Save for the impending lawsuit from my cousin and likely, attempted removal from the board, I’ve grown used to this, taken it for granted even. Isabella hasn’t. I’ve always known that, which is why I tried so hard to protect her from it. However, I don’t think I realized until I saw the panic in her eyes this afternoon as she fell apart in my car just how overwhelming it would be for her.

  “You’re going to wear a hole in the floor if you keep pacing like that, kiddo.”

  The sound of Vera’s voice pulls my attention toward my doorway, surprising me.

  “I thought you’d gone home for the day,” I admit, moving toward the bar for a drink.

  “Not quite, sir,” she says, offering me a sympathetic smile, rubbing my arm with motherly affection. “I will be soon, but I wanted to make sure you didn’t need me for anything else before I did.”

  “You helped raise me, Vera,” I smirk, recalling the hours I spent next door with her as a boy while my mother worked two jobs to support us. “You know you can call me Adam, don’t you?”

  “You may have mentioned it once or twice, but old habits,” she chuckles before giving me a shrug. “How is Miss Isabella holding up?”

  “She’ll be alright, thank you,” I sigh, giving her a small smile of appreciation. “We’re both going to be okay. Isabella is just a little overwhelmed to say the least. Tonight was a lot for her to take in.”

  “I can only imagine,” she admits, shaking her head. “It takes some getting used to, that’s for sure, but she’s a strong, smart girl. She’s going to pull through and be just fine. You’ll see.”