“Aren’t you coming to bed?” Even she could hear the panic in her voice.

Hudson gave her fingers a comforting squeeze. “I’m just getting you some Advil. I’ll be right back.”

He returned a few minutes later with two capsules and a tall glass of water.

“Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.” He studied her face as she swallowed the medicine. “That should help with the pain.”

“I’m feeling better already.”

His answering smile didn’t quite reach his eyes. She knew Hudson wasn’t buying her act for a minute, but he let it go and made quick work of the buttons on his shirt instead. Allie leaned back against the pillows, drinking in every detail. The hard planes of his chest flexing as he peeled off his shirt and tossed it onto a nearby chair; the rippling muscles of his abs curling as he lowered his pants and boxers in one fell sweep; and the firm curves of his very fine ass clenching as he pulled his pajama pants up over his thighs. It was quite a show.

When he was ready for bed, he slid in beside her, tugging her carefully across his chest and kissing the top of her head. Allie sighed as she melted into the warmth of his body. She lay like that for long moments, her breaths in perfect harmony with the steady rise and fall of his chest, until something occurred to her.

“Why did you come to my apartment tonight?” she asked, tilting her face up to see his.

He stroked her cheek with his knuckles. “I wasn’t going to let you go without a fight. I know I said I’d accept whatever you decided, but then I got your message that Julian was back in town . . .” Hudson flexed his arm over his head and ran a frustrated hand through his hair. “Goddamnit, Allie, you wouldn’t answer your phone.”

“I’m sorry you were worried,” she said quietly.

His eyebrows shot up as he lifted his head to look at her. A fistful of hair was still clenched in his hand. “Worried? I was going fucking crazy just thinking about you in the same room with that asshole.” His head fell back against the pillow and he made an exasperated sound. “Honestly, what did you ever see in him?”

“I was asking myself that same question earlier tonight.” Allie tucked her head back down against Hudson’s chest. In hindsight, she felt like a fool for ever getting involved with Julian in the first place. But hindsight is 20/20, and although Hudson’s question was probably rhetorical, Allie still felt the need to somehow justify her decisions. “Julian can be very charming when he wants to be. In the beginning he was very attentive; thoughtful, even.”

Hudson let out a short, harsh laugh.

“I know it’s hard to picture, but he was. He’d surprise me with flowers for no reason, stop by for lunch just because he missed me, or even leave little notes on my pillow.” The offhanded reference to sharing a bed with Julian slipped out without much thought and she instantly regretted it. Feeling the muscles in Hudson’s arm tense against her back, she quickly steered the conversation in a different direction. “Of course now I know he had an agenda.”

“What do you mean, agenda?”

“Julian was only marrying me so he could gain control of Ingram Media. He told me tonight that someone is buying up stocks and my dad is in serious danger of losing the company. All of it—the newspaper, the magazines, even the cable network. I guess Julian promised to give him the cash he needs to regain control.” Allie sat up, wincing at the pain in her ribs. The sudden movement made her head swim, but it didn’t stop the pieces of the puzzle from falling into place. “It all makes sense now.”

Confusion creased Hudson’s brow. “What does?”

“My dad’s plan for an early retirement. It was so sudden. One minute he’s working eighty hours a week, and the next he’s saying he wants to scale back, work on his golf game like the other board members. Whoever is behind this takeover must be getting close.”

“What makes you say that?”

“This whole rush to the altar. My guess is Julian was holding onto the cash until after the wedding. Moving up the date didn’t have anything to do with a cancelation at the Drake. It was all about saving the company. I didn’t think anything of it at first since everything about our relationship had moved quickly. It was a whirlwind romance from the moment my dad introduced . . .”

“Oh my God . . .” Allie choked on a strangled sob. “It was a setup from the beginning. I was just another asset for them to leverage. A way to keep the company in the family.” Shame burned in the pit of her stomach. “How could I have been so stupid? The three of them have been playing me like a fool this whole time.”

Tears streamed down her face and Hudson reached for her, pulling her back into his arms. “Shh, I’ve got you.”

Allie curled into him as the emotions of the day came crashing down around her. Hudson held her tight as she sobbed quietly against his chest. Sometime just before dawn, when there were no more tears to cry, she finally drifted to sleep in his arms.

Chapter Thirty-nine

Allie’s eyes fluttered open, one more than the other, and she winced. She didn’t need a mirror to tell her how bad the swelling was. Her half-open eyelid told her all she needed to know. She blinked and the face across from hers came into focus. Hmm, talk about a sight for sore eyes. Literally. She could definitely get used to waking up to Hudson’s beautiful face on the pillow next to her. Of course the mornings she woke to him between her thighs weren’t too bad either.

“Good morning.”

She gave him a sleepy smile. “Good morning. How long have you been awake?”

“Not long.” Hudson scrubbed a hand over the rough stubble that grew in overnight. “How do you feel?”

Allie took stock of her injuries. Her eye was obviously more swollen but her head seemed to have improved. She touched the bandage covering the right side of her forehead. What had been a pounding throb was now a dull ache. She moved slowly, testing her limbs. Arms and legs seemed okay. “I still have a bit of a headache, but other than that I feel pretty good, considering.” She rolled to her side and sucked in a sharp breath.

“Ribs?”

She nodded. “Just a little stiff.” The pain subsided quickly and she gave him a reassuring smile. It wasn’t merely for his benefit. Despite everything that had transpired, she felt oddly at peace after her night in Hudson’s arms. “Thank you for taking such good care of me last night.”

“My pleasure.” He lifted his hand, brushing her cheek with his knuckles. “There’s nothing I wouldn’t do for you, Allie. Though I do wish you’d have let me take you to the hospital. You really should have an X-ray.”

“Honestly, it feels much better today.” Allie tried to remain impassive as his fingers touched her, probing gently.

“They could be cracked. Or broken.”

“Or just bruised,” she countered.

He scowled, clearly unconvinced.

“I promise, if it’s still hurting tonight, I’ll go to the ER.” Allie shifted closer and Hudson wrapped an arm around her, his fingers brushing rhythmically down her back. She let out a small sigh. Nearly everything about her life had been turned upside down, but in that moment she was perfectly content to ignore the rest of the world and concentrate on the one thing that was absolutely perfect. Selfishly, she wondered how much time she had until the alarm clock would burst her happy bubble. “What time is it?”

Hudson glanced over his shoulder at the clock. “Eight.”

“Oh, shit! I need to get ready for work.” Allie bolted upright in bed. Whoa! Her brain lagged behind, slamming into the front of her skull upon arrival.

“Absolutely not.” Hudson gripped Allie’s shoulders, gently pulling her back down on the bed. “You’re badly bruised and you need your rest.”