Hard(66)
Fuck. The bounce of her chest reminded me of what I’d miss when I walked out the door. Her quick smile would make me regret leaving.
“I didn’t think you’d show,” she said.
“I got your text.”
For a split second, a burst of gratitude gentled her. It disappeared as she glanced over my jeans.
“You aren’t dressed!” Shay started to pace the kitchen. I assumed she hid from her guests. “We’re supposed to be all fancy.”
Her asshole friends tried to make amends by throwing her a formal dinner party—even if Shay paid for it all. They hired a party planner to organize cocktails, entertainment, menus, all the bullshit that came from the money Shay never wanted to acknowledge.
She had her hair, makeup, and nails done for the event. Her ebony curls fell over her shoulders and down her back. Her lips puffed, begging for a kiss. She was the most beautiful, stunning woman I never met, and I walked away from her. From happiness and pleasure and every chance I had at finding a life beyond the service.
What the hell was wrong with me?
Why didn’t she want me?
“I’m not staying.” My voice raged in my ears, too loud for me to handle. I shook my head. It didn’t help clear the ache or the ringing. “I’m out.”
Shay groaned. She leaned over the island in the kitchen, pushing away a platter of prosciutto wrapped melon that apparently disgusted her.
“Zach, I told them you’d be here. They wanted to meet you.”
She didn’t get what I said, but I couldn’t decipher what she wanted. Why the fuck was everything so loud? Clatters. Crashes. Laughter from the front room.
“You have to meet them,” she said. “It’ll look rude if you don’t.”
“Bullshit.” My voice rasped. “You want me here because you couldn’t deal with them alone in your big mansion where you fuck your step-brother.”
“Real classy, Zach. It isn’t about that.”
“Like hell.”
She eased away from the food. “What’s gotten into you?”
“You tell me.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” She crossed her arms, like it’d protect her or something. All it did was push those beautiful breasts higher. “Christ, you’ve been acting so weird. First you storm out of the house for a week with no contact, and now you come back to piss with me?”
“I’m just realizing a few shings.” Did I slur? What the hell? I cleared my throat. “Things. I’m figuring shit out.”
“Zach, is that your luggage?”
“Yeah.”
Her voice caught. “Are you…leaving?”
Like it mattered. Like it wasn’t what she already wanted.
“Where are you going?”
“Anywhere.”
I didn’t care where it was, so long as I got away from the bright lights and the echoing ring blasting through my ears. I rubbed my forehead. It didn’t help.
“But…” She kicked the door closed as laugher from the parlor flooded in. It picked at my head—tiny needles imbedding in my skull and breaking off. Better than the usual vice that crushed me. “I know we’ve had a rough week—”
“A rough week? Shay, for Christ’s sake, we’ve never had a good week.”
“That’s not true.”
“I’m not dealing with this anymore. You never wanted me here. You never wanted me to have the money. You never wanted to fall in love with me. So that’s it.” I held her stare as the tears crossed her cheeks. Oh fuck. Each drop burnt through me. “I’m out. Done. Take the mansion. It’s yours. Take the inheritance. I’ll sign it over to you.”
“Zach—”
“All I wanted was a shot with you.” I rubbed my eyes. Nothing helped the pain and now my fucking heart broke on top of it. “I fucking love you, Shay. But if you need time or have to think about it, then I got my answer. Enjoy your house. Enjoy your money.”
“Zach, you don’t understand.”
I pushed away from the island. Mistake. The walls bent and the floor buckled. I stumbled. Shay rushed forward to steady me. I didn’t need her help. Just waited for the ear-piercing ringing to stop echoing in my goddamned brain.
I blinked. It didn’t clear my vision. Shay was a dark shadow against a burst of light.
Something was wrong.
She gripped my arm, her voice sounded hollow and distant.
“Zach, please. I’m scared. You have to hear me out.”
Too late. I tried to understand. She didn’t want to open up to me.
I pulled away. She didn’t let me go.
“I’m pregnant!”
Now the ground really did slip from under me. I grabbed the island again. My heart thumped too hard, too fast, too out of rhythm.