Sway With Me(63)

Braden frowned. “What did you do?”

“I confronted Samantha about Africa and somehow, Portia managed to catch the moment Samantha tried to rekindle our relationship by kissing me. Unfortunately, I didn’t find out until after she’d taken off and disappeared.”

Braden shook his head. “I’ll keep an eye out for her, but I’m guessing she grabbed a taxi outside the hotel lobby.” He smirked and pounded Ryan on the back. “I’m sure she’s at the house ready to tear you a new one. Go home. Apologize. Grovel on your knees and give her a couple orgasms. She’ll forgive you. I mean, you’ve told her about Sam, so she knows what she’s like.”

Ryan’s chest tightened. “I was going to explain everything to her tonight.”

“Explain what?” Sean asked as he ambled up.

Braden grimaced and took a swig of his beer, ignoring Sean. “Go.”

Ryan dashed out the ballroom. He didn’t wait his turn at the valet kiosk, instead cutting to the front of the line and shoving a hundred dollar bill into the kid’s hand. He ignored the glares and the vocal displeasure from the people waiting in line. Nothing mattered but getting home to Portia.



A minute later, he jumped into his car and raced out of the parking lot. He drove as fast as he could without getting a speeding ticket and prayed Portia would listen to him when he got home. He should’ve told her everything before tonight. Then he wouldn’t have had to surreptitiously slip out of the ballroom to speak to Samantha. He could’ve spoken to her with Portia at his side, where she belonged.

He parked in the garage and threw open the door. “Portia!” All the lights were out, but he sensed her presence in the house, her vanilla scent lingering in the air. Taking two at a time, he rushed up the stairs, calling her name the whole way. When he got to their bedroom, he tried to open the door, but found it locked. Damn, he didn’t even know it had a lock. He knocked on the door. “Portia. I know you’re in there. Open the door and talk to me, baby.”

“Don’t ‘baby’ me, you jerk,” she said from inside the room.

His gut tightened. “Let me explain.”

The door flew open. Although her face was dry, Portia’s eyes were swollen and bloodshot, and her nose was red. “I saw you and Samantha kissing.”

It killed him to see how much he’d hurt her. “It wasn’t what it looked like.”

“Really? Because it looked like your lips were pressed against hers.”

“She kissed me. It meant nothing. She’s an old girlfriend.”

Her face crumbled and tears slid down her cheeks. “From what I saw, you were kissing her back. Ryan, just admit it, I don’t fit into your world. You belong with someone like her. It just took me until tonight to really understand that. We’re not good for each other. Goodbye, Ryan.” Without giving him a chance to speak, she slammed the door.



Ryan heard the click of the lock.

Fear gripped him as he realized she wasn’t going to allow him to explain. He could shout the truth at the top of his lungs, but at this point, she wouldn’t believe him. Portia needed more than words to prove how much she meant to him.

Ignoring the urge to kick down the door and beg for forgiveness, he turned and walked away, leaving Portia alone in their bed. If his plan worked, this would be the last night either one of them would sleep alone again.





Chapter 18



The quality of mercy is not strained.

It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven

Upon the place beneath. It is twice blessed:

It blesseth him that gives and him that takes.

William Shakespeare, Merchant of Venice, act 4, scene 1

Portia forced her lids open, the morning light filtering through the window. This was the last day she’d awaken in this bed. In a couple hours, she and Ryan would meet with George to discuss what they’d do with the house now that they’d met the conditions of Alexander’s Will.

From spending most of last night crying, her eyes felt swollen and gritty, like she’d sanded them with some of that paper Ryan used on his wood. The tears only stopped when Zeus curled up on the pillow next to her and purred her to sleep. No matter what happened between her and Ryan today, Zeus belonged with her.

But where did she belong?

A ringing brought her out of her musings. She stretched to pick up the cell from her nightstand and looked at the display. Sighing, she hit the green button to take the call. “Hi, Mom.”

Reina didn’t bother with pointless preliminaries. “Don’t give up on him. I know things seem impossible right now, but you just have to listen and follow the signs.”