A Royal Amnesia Scandal(19)

Cursing under his breath, Luc stepped back. “Get in here.”

Slowly, Kate crossed the wet patio, hugging her midsection against the cool drops. She brushed by him, shivering from the brief contact and cringing the second he stepped back and broke the touch.

“I just—”

“I’ll be in my room.” He cut her off with a wave of his hand as if she was nothing more than a nuisance. “Don’t take this as a sign that I care. You can stay in here until the storm passes, and that’s all.”

Luc went to the dining room table, picked up a candle and walked away, leaving her shivering in the darkened living room. The pillar on the coffee table flickered, but she couldn’t see much beyond the sofa. Kate sank down, pulling her feet up onto the cushion, hugging her knees to her chest.

Closing her eyes, she dropped her head forward and sighed. For the first time in her life she prayed the storm would stop. She had to get to her cottage, pack her things and call for someone to come and get her.

The hurt that had settled into this house was more than she could handle, and she didn’t want to be here when Luc came out of his room. She didn’t want to see that anger, that wounded look in his eyes again, knowing she’d put it there.

Whatever they’d had, be it their professional relationship or this fake engagement, she’d ruined any chance of ever having Luc in her life again. She’d taken what didn’t belong to her, and she had no choice now but to live with the consequences.





Twelve

Luc must be insane. That was the only explanation for why he found himself crossing the path between the main house and the cottage so early in the morning. He hadn’t slept all night. Every moment since his fall kept playing out in his mind like a movie, only he couldn’t stop this one.

Kate’s rigidity when he would initially touch her, her hesitancy to make love to him, why she was so adamant about him not buying her things at the market. The signs were there, but he’d assumed she was his fiancée, and she’d never said any differently. She’d had time, plenty of time, to tell him the truth. Even if the doctor hadn’t given the order to not feed him any information, Luc was pretty sure she still would’ve kept up the charade.

Now that he’d had time to think, he’d fully processed how deeply her betrayal had sliced him. How could someone get so far into his life, work with him every single day, and manage to take advantage of him like that? Had he been that easy to manipulate? More important, how far would she have been willing to take that twisted game she’d played?

He wanted answers and he wanted them five minutes ago. He wasn’t waiting another second to find out what the hell she’d been thinking to even contemplate getting away with such a potentially life-altering, monumental lie.

The anger raging inside him didn’t stem just from her deception, but from the fact he’d fallen for her; making her betrayal even worse, Kate knew the emotional state he was in, just coming off a major breakup. Not only that, she knew he didn’t date, much less sleep, with staff. How could she claim to care about him and then betray him in the next breath?

Even now that he knew everything, he still cared. He still ached for her, because with his old memories, he also had fresh ones. Memories he’d made with Kate, now tarnished by lies.

As Luc stepped into a clearing of lush plants, he glanced down to the dock. He froze when he spotted Kate standing by the water, two suitcases at her feet. She was not leaving without telling him why the hell she’d done this to him. She didn’t get to escape that easily.

Marching toward the steps leading down to the beach, Luc had no clue what he’d say to her. She had plenty of explaining to do, but there was so much inside his mind, so much he wanted to say, he didn’t even know where to start. He figured once he opened his mouth, things would start pouring out, most likely hurtful things. He couldn’t care about her feelings just yet...if ever.

Kate jerked around as he approached. The dark circles beneath her eyes, the red rims, indicated she’d slept about as well as he had. The storm had lasted most of the night and he truly had no clue when she’d ended up leaving the main house. He’d closed the bedroom door, wanting to shut her out. Unfortunately, his bedroom was filled with visions of Kate.

The shower, the bed, her pair of flip-flops by the closet door, her robe draped across the foot of the bed. She was everywhere, and she’d wedged herself so intimately into his life, as no other woman had.

She’d had so much control over the situation and she’d used that power to consume him. Now he had to figure out how the hell to get out from under her spell, because even seeing her right now, with all his bubbling rage, he found his body still responded to her.

Damn it. How could he still want her? Anything that had happened between them was dead to him. He couldn’t think back on those times, because just like this “engagement,” they meant nothing.

Her eyes widened as he came to stand within inches of her. “I’m waiting for a boat. My father is sending one of the guards to pick me up.”

“Why?” Luc asked, clenching his fists at his sides. “Before you leave, tell me why you lied to me.”

Her head tipped slightly as she studied him. “Would it matter?”

Strands of her long, dark hair had slipped loose from her knot and were dancing about her shoulders. She had on another of those little strapless sundresses, this one black. Appropriately matching the color of his mood.

“Maybe not, but I deserve to know why you would betray my trust and think it was okay.”

Dark eyes held his. Part of him wanted to admire her for not backing away, not playing the victim or defending herself. The other part wished she’d defend herself and say something, so they could argue about it and get everything out in the open. He needed a good outlet, someone to yell at, and the perfect target stood directly in front of him.

“I was shocked at first that you thought I was your fiancée,” she told him, her pink tongue darting out to lick her lips. She shoved a wayward strand of hair behind her ear and shrugged. “Then I wanted to see what the doctor would say before I told you otherwise. He said not to give you any information, so I didn’t. I didn’t want to lie to you, Luc. I was in a tough spot and everything blew out of my control before I knew what was happening. I tried to keep my distance, but once we had sex, I wanted more. I took what I shouldn’t have. Nothing I can say can change that fact, but I am sorry I hurt you.”

Luc propped his hands on his hips, waiting to hear more, but she remained silent and continued to hold his gaze. “There has to be another reason, a deeper motivation than you simply being afraid to tell me.”

Kate’s eyes darted away as she turned her back to him and focused on the water again. Not a boat in sight. He still had time to get answers from her before she left.

“My reasons are irrelevant.”

He almost didn’t hear her whispered answer over the ocean breeze. With her back to him, Luc wasn’t sure what was worse, looking her in the eyes or looking at that exposed, creamy neck he could practically taste. He would never taste that skin again.

He cursed beneath his breath, raked a hand down his face and sighed. “What were you trying to gain?” he demanded. “I’m giving you the opportunity to say something here, Kate. Tell me why I shouldn’t fire you, why I shouldn’t remove you from every aspect of my life.”

The low hum of a motor jerked his attention in the direction of the royal yacht moving toward them. Kate said nothing as she turned, picking up her suitcases.

Here he was gearing up for a good fight, and she couldn’t even afford him that? Did she feel nothing at all? How had he misread her all these years?

If she wasn’t going to talk now, then fine. He wasn’t done with her, but if she needed to go, he’d let her. She could stew and worry back in Ilha Beleza. Luc actually wanted her uncomfortable, contemplating his next move. She deserved to be miserable, and he had to steel himself against any remorse.

His mother had always taught him to respect women, which he did, but right now that didn’t mean he had to make her life all rainbows and sunshine, either.

“Go back to the palace,” he told her, hating how she refused to look at him. “I’ll be home in a few days and we’ll add on to that schedule we finalized the other night.”

Kate threw him a glance over her shoulder. “What?”

Luc stepped around her, blocking her view of the incoming boat. He waited until her eyes locked onto his. “You’re not quitting. You’re going to be with me until I know what game you’re playing. And don’t try to get sneaky once you’re back. I have eyes and ears everywhere.”

Her chin tipped up in defiance...a quality he’d once admired when she was speaking with the media or other pushy individuals. “I think it’s best if I resign.”

Luc gripped her shoulders, cursing himself for having a weakness where she was concerned, considering all she’d done. “I don’t care what you think is best. You’re mine until I say otherwise. You started this game, Kate. You’re going to see it through to the end.”

Pushing away from her, he stalked toward the main house. Not once did he consider glancing back. He was finished looking over his shoulder to see if anyone was stabbing him in the back or betraying him. From here on out, he was regaining control, and he was damn well going to come out on top.