Roman-2(Lane Brothers, Book 5)(193)

But Sasha should have known that the whole world would be against them. From the intrusive paparazzi to Thomas’s junky sister leaking a sex tape, to his calculating publicist, Pippa, tricking her into a faux engagement, there was never going to be a happy ending for the young journalism intern and her older, famous beau.

Yet, it had been Sasha’s own actions that had caused the demise of her relationship with Thomas. The one thing that Thomas Lloyd could never forgive was betrayal, and Sasha had let her ex-boyfriend, Chris, kiss her in a moment of weakness. Then she’d lied to Thomas about it, shattering his trust forever. That moment, more than anything else they had gone through, had led to the end of their relationship.

“I was such an idiot,” Sasha said, as she sobbed to her mother.

Julia stroked her hair tenderly. “I must admit, I thought you were far too sensible to get caught up in all that kind of stuff. Award shows and modeling contracts, that’s not you, Sasha! You were always so studious.”

“I-I know,” Sasha stammered. She wished she could explain it, even to herself. “I don’t know what happened. It was just…Thomas. I just couldn’t resist him.”

“You mean you’re in love with him.”

Sasha shook her head. “No. No. It wasn’t like that. I mean that there was a chemistry between us.”

She thought back to the amazing times they’d had sex together, the way their bodies had fit together perfectly, like jigsaw pieces, the way their mouths had moved against one another’s in perfect symmetry. Thomas Lloyd was a sexual magnet, and she just couldn’t pull her body away from him. But there was no way she could explain that to her mom....

“He was...persuasive, I guess,” she concluded with a little shrug.

Her mom squeezed her hand and gave her a knowing look. “You fell in love with him.”

Sasha was going to protest again when her stomach sank. Had she fallen in love with Thomas Lloyd? Was that what that magnetism was, that feeling that no matter what she was drawn to him?

Yes, she and Thomas had shared some amazing times in the bedroom, but it was also true that they’d bonded on a deeper level. Sasha was the first woman to whom Thomas had shown his scarred body, the first woman with whom he’d made love in the shower and with whom he’d explored his kinky fetish. There had been more to them than just lust and sex. There had been genuine affection.

But the last thing Sasha needed right now was a broken heart to go along with her bruised ego.

She stood up, attempting to halt the conversation in its tracks.

“Coffee?”

Julia smiled. “It’s nice to have you home.”

Sasha patted her mom’s shoulder. “It’s nice to be home.”

But as she walked along the hall towards the kitchen, she couldn’t ignore the feeling of grief sitting deep in her stomach. She was in love with Thomas Lloyd. And she, not the world, had driven him away.

***

Sasha and Julia sat at the kitchen table together, sipping cups of steaming black coffee. Sasha had noticed that the house had gotten shabbier since she’d moved out. It had taken her a long time to find the cafetière, and when she had, she’d discovered it was covered in dust and grease. Her mom just wasn’t able to care for herself as well as she once had. And that meant the MS was progressing.

Sasha felt a wave of guilt wash over her. Though her mother had always wanted her to succeed and follow her dream of becoming a journalist, Sasha still felt bad for putting her own needs over her mother’s, especially since she’d given it all up in the blink of an eye for Thomas Lloyd.

“How are things here?” Sasha asked tentatively, her hands wrapped around the steaming mug.

“Fine,” Julia replied.

It was her stock reply, but Sasha knew better. She raised an eyebrow. “Really?”

Her mom shifted in her seat. “Well, it’s gotten a little messier since Chris stopped coming around.”

Chris. At the sound of his name, Sasha felt ice spread through her body. His betrayal hurt her more than anything she’d been through. Chris had always loved and supported her, even when she’d chosen her studies and career over him. He’d always been like one of the family. But that was something being with Thomas had taught her—sometimes, even family couldn’t be trusted.

She clenched her hands around the porcelain mug with anger. “Did you watch him on TV?” she said through her teeth.

She regretted it as soon as the words were out of her mouth. Part of her didn’t want to know. The things Chris had said about her, the sexy secrets he’d given away, the person he’d painted her out to be—a manipulator, a seductress, a cheat—they were things she never wanted her mother to hear about her. But she needed to know how clued up her mom was on the situation.