“No, she didn’t hang around. I have no idea where she went.”
“Probably just as well. If she was the kind of person who’d sleep with the brother of the man she’s going to marry, she isn’t worth your idle curiosity.”
“Maybe,” he said quietly.
Silence fell and Bryony picked at her food, getting down what she could. She kept hearing Rafael’s damning words over and over in her head. No matter what she did, she couldn’t turn it off, couldn’t make it go away.
She was humiliated. She was angry. But more than any thing, she was destroyed. Twice she’d allowed him to manipulate her and to make her love him. Worse, she’d fallen even deeper in love the second time around. She’d been ready to capitulate and give him what he’d wanted all along. What he didn’t even need from her because he had no intention of ever honoring his promise to her.
She was twice a fool for believing him and for not being smart enough to get the agreement in writing.
She was an even bigger fool for loving him.
A tear slid down her cheek and she hastily wiped it away but to her dismay another fell in its place.
“I’m sorry, Bryony. You didn’t deserve this,” Ryan said quietly. “Rafael is my friend, but he went too far. I’m sorry you got caught in the middle of this deal.”
She wiped away more tears and bowed her head. “I’m sorry, too. I wanted so much for it all to be real even when my head knew that something wasn’t right. I should have never come to New York to confront him. I should have trusted my first instinct. He used me to get what he wanted. I knew that and I couldn’t leave it alone. If I had just stayed home, I’d be over it by now and I would have never gotten involved with him a second time.”
“Would you be over it?” Ryan asked gently.
“I don’t know. Maybe… I definitely wouldn’t be sitting here crying my eyes out, thousands of miles from home.”
“True,” Ryan conceded. He checked his watch and grimaced. “We should get you to security. Your flight leaves soon.” His phone rang, and he looked down then frowned. He hesitated a moment and then punched a button to silence the ring. Then he looked back up. “You ready?”
She nodded. “Thank you, Ryan. Really. You didn’t have to be this nice. I appreciate it.”
Ryan smiled as he took her arm and they began the walk toward the security line. When they reached the end, she turned and blew out a deep breath. “Okay, well, this is it.”
Ryan touched her cheek and then to her surprise pulled her into his arms for a tight hug.
“You take care of yourself and that baby,” he said gruffly.
She pulled away and smiled up at him. “Thanks.”
Squaring her shoulders, she eased into the security line. In a few hours she’d be back home.
Twenty-Two
Rafael dragged himself into the shower, washed the remnants of his alcohol binge from his fuzzy brain and proceeded to punish himself with fifteen minutes of ice-cold water. He’d been trying to call Ryan to find out where the hell Bryony was, but Ryan wasn’t answering. He had to get his act together and prepare to plead his case to her. This was the most important deal of his life. Not the resort. Not the potential merger with Copeland Hotels. Not his partnership with his friends.
Bryony and their child were more important than any of that. He was furious that he could have been such a cold, calculating bastard with her before. But if she’d listen to him, if she’d just give him another chance, he’d prove to her that nothing in this world was more important to him than her.
By the time he got out, his mind was clear, he was freezing his ass off and he had only one clear purpose. Get Bryony back.
He dressed and strode into the living room, surprised to see Devon and Cam both sprawled in the armchairs.
“You two look like hell,” he commented on his way to the kitchen.
Cam snorted. “You’re one to talk, alcohol boy. When was the last time you went on a bender like that? Weren’t we in college? Hasn’t anyone told you we’re too old for stuff like that now? It’s a good way to poison yourself.”
“Tell me something I don’t know,” Rafael muttered.
“So what’s the plan?” Devon drawled.
“I’ve got to get her back,” Rafael said. “Screw the deal. Screw the resort. This is my life. The woman I love. My child. I can’t give them up over some ridiculous development deal.”
“You’re serious,” Cam said.
“Of course I’m serious,” Rafael snarled. “I’m not the same bastard who would do anything at all to close a deal. I don’t want to be that man any longer. I don’t know how you stood him for as long as you did.”