Built Strong (Middleton Hotels 3)

“Then it’s canceled. You didn’t hold up on your end, and with that attitude, you’ve made that decision easy. I’ll hire someone else. Now where is Morgan?” I asked, looking around the room for her. It was mostly open space with a small conference room and an office.

She inched closer, anger in her eyes. “What do you care? You just used her anyway. Get out of here before I call the police.”

“Listen, Ms. Strong, if you don’t tell me where Morgan is, I will look for her my damn self.” I was in her face. Never in my life had I ever disrespected a woman like this, but I won’t be kept from Morgan.

“No, you won’t. Please leave, Mr. Middleton,” Morgan said, coming down the stairs with her face covered in pink tear stains. I moved right past her sister, wanting nothing but to find out what I did to make her cry. “I thought you said it wasn’t about the contract.”

She backed up a step, but I wasn’t going to let her get away. “This isn’t. I don’t know what the fuck happened from the moment I walked out the door until this nut got to you, but I’ve hurried as fast as I could to get to you only to see you covered in tears and your bulldog trying to guard you.”

“What about your other woman?” Megan hissed. I arched my brow and slowly turned my head to her, ready to bite her fucking head off. The look I gave her had her inching back as well. She was annoying the fuck out of me.

“Ms. Strong, one more word from you and I swear when your sister and I get married you won’t be welcome.” She gasped but didn’t say a word. I turned back to Morgan. “What’s she talking about?”

Once she steadied her breathing, she answered, “She said she heard you tell someone you loved them this morning as you were leaving.”

I looked between the two women, then chuckled hard as fuck, shaking my head.

“I don’t see anything funny about it,” Morgan snapped.

“You might. I left your house this morning feeling like nothing could stop me. Smiling like a fool, I called my brother t

o thank him for you. That’s who I said I love you to. I told you last night there wasn’t anyone else and there’s never been. I wasn’t lying. Look,” I said, pulling out my phone and call log. “Here, look at the first call of the day. What does that say?”

“Jake,” she said, ducking her head in shame.

“He even asked if I was blind when I gave the project to you after knowing the truth. I told him you were talented. He trusts me enough to believe in you. I told him there was something in the water out here or that the hotel was our lucky charm. Listen, Morgan, I know we don’t know each other that well, but I need you to trust me. I have no intention of letting you go, ever. I told you that last night, right?” She nodded. “I want to marry you,” I confessed.

“You’re nuts.”

“I also believe I told you that yesterday and even blamed you for making me that way. I knew the moment I saw you that you were the one. Even if you hadn’t let me stay with you last night, I would still be running to you after work.” She tucked her head down, refusing to look at me. I cupped her jaw and lifted her eyes to me. “Tell me you don’t want this. I can’t let you go, so I’ll spend more time trying to convince you. I’m not leaving until you tell me that this isn’t over between us.”

“I don’t want you to go, Julian. I’m sorry. I should have asked.”

“Well, seeing as we didn’t have each other’s numbers. it would have been pretty hard. I’m not mad that you believed it. We’re so new and she’s your sister,” I muttered that last bit out. A pain in the ass sister, but one with good intentions.

“I’m so sorry, Morgan. I really am. I wouldn’t do anything to hurt you. It’s just…” Megan paused, trying to admit she hurt Morgan for nothing.

“You thought that I was being taken advantage of. I know, Meg. You’ve been my protector and best friend. I didn’t mean to ruin the big deal for you, Meg.”

“You didn’t ruin it,” I replied. If anyone would have killed the deal it was her sister, but fuck, I wasn’t going to let this get in the way of her showcasing her talent.

“But you just said-”

“I know what I said. If you’re not doing the project, then no one else here will. I want your designs. They are great and deserve to shine in a Middleton Hotel.”

“Mr. Middleton.” I turned to Megan who was wiping tears from her eyes. I didn’t mean to make her cry. My mother would be pissed at me for sure. Hell, my dad would be furious. “I’m sorry. I was just trying to look out for Morgan.”

“She told me you’ve been there for her through the toughest time in your lives. I understand that. I would be on my brother if I heard his now wife tell someone she loved them. I can’t say I’m pleased with her tears and I hope nothing like this ever happens again, but I get where you were coming from. It was wrong for me to even step through that door last night. Ethically, I fucked up, but hell if I regret it.” My eyes were back on Morgan and I pulled her down off the step and into my arms. “Marry me.”

“Okay,” she whispered, looking at me, her eyes filled with unshed tears.

“And no more tears, unless they’re happy ones. My parents would rip me a new one if I made you cry.”

“I can’t wait to meet them,” she said, looking at me with the smile I missed all morning.

Oh, she had no idea how soon that would be. They were chomping at the bit to meet her. “They can’t wait to meet you either.”

“You told them?” She gasped.