The Billionaire’s Forbidden Desire(15)

A large, dark-skinned man in a suit was holding an umbrella over her, his body positioned like a shield between her and the crowd. A brown-haired fellow in his late twenties came over from the knot of people standing behind them and squeezed the girl’s shoulder—the gesture overly familiar in Dane’s opinion. The umbrella holder shot the other man a look sharp enough to draw blood and shifted closer to her. The younger man’s mouth twisted into an ugly line, but he didn’t back off.

She finally dropped her hands.

Sophia.

The sight sucker-punched him; all the breath rushed out of Dane’s lungs as he stared at her. Tears dripped from her pain-filled green eyes, staining her colorless cheeks. She looked small and forlorn standing in the rain. The man next to her whispered something in her ear, and she nodded.

Dane’s hand tensed around the umbrella handle.

What the hell? The Sophia from Mexico was Rick Reed’s only child?

He closed his eyes as everything inside him clenched tightly. She was the only woman he’d ever slept with who’d seen him appear weak. He didn’t believe in giving anybody a glimpse of his vulnerable moments. The death of his grandmother had hit him hard—she was the only person he’d really loved—and the fact that Sophia Reed was the one who’d seen him in his lowest moment made his head buzz with conflicting thoughts and feelings.

The strongest and loudest of them was that he should go over there, squeeze her hand and comfort her.

Except that would be an utter disaster.

Without a word, he turned back. No more indulging in his ridiculous sentimental moments, thinking about their night in Mexico. He was scrubbing her out of his memory, starting now.

Even if she hadn’t witnessed him at his most vulnerable, she would still be off limits. She was Betsy Ford’s daughter. Geraldine would never stand for it, and she was the only person Shirley had asked him to be kind to.

* * *

Sophia wiped her tears with the heel of one hand, heedless of appearances. She couldn’t believe her father was truly gone. Nor could she believe some of the whispers she’d overheard.

Drunk all the time. Obnoxious. Erratic. Probably doing drugs.

There were even rumors that he’d taken one too many sleeping pills on purpose, although the coroner hadn’t declared the death suicide—just an accidental overdose.

I should’ve been there for him.

She’d had no idea he’d had problems, but they explained why he’d been so distant in the last two years. Since her return from Mexico, she’d been so busy wrapped up in her disappointment, and with college… And there was the memory of Dane too…

The coffin was lowered to the dark, wet hole, and she swallowed. This was it. This horrible finality.

Her heart twisted painfully.

“Hey, hang in there, champ.” It was George, Libby’s older brother and her father’s protégé, squeezing her shoulder. Still quite young, he was an angel investor who funded promising startups, and he credited her father for helping him get started.

She managed a nod and dragged in some rain-cooled air. Clearing his throat, Chad stepped closer. She looked up, her neck muscles tensing. He never positioned himself in that particular way unless he’d noticed something that seemed off. It seemed—

Goose bumps rose all over her body, stealing her breath, and her nerve endings electrified. It wasn’t the creepy sensation she’d gotten when she’d had stalker problems. This was just like the moment she’d been caught by…

Dane.

She snapped her head up, looking around for a sign of him. Maybe he was a family friend. Her father knew lots of people. A sea of solemn faces surrounded her, their attire stark and black, but none of them had the unforgettable blue eyes or the unsmiling mouth that tormented her in her dreams.

“What’s wrong?” Libby said.

“I thought…I thought I saw someone.”

George stepped forward and almost bumped into Chad. “Who?”

“I…” She couldn’t explain it, not without sounding like she’d lost it. “I need to use the ladies’ room. I’ll be right back. Excuse me.”

She ran as hard as she could. Chad shouted and ran after her. The cold rain drenched her. Her hip ached, but she ignored the pain as she dashed across the meticulously maintained grounds.

But no matter which way she looked, there was no sign of Dane.

“Ladies room, my ass,” Chad said, finally catching up and putting the umbrella over her. “What’s wrong?”

“I thought I saw…” She shook her head. How crazy and pathetic would it sound to say that she was looking for the man she’d had a one-night stand three years ago? Chad knew the score: Dane never wanted to see her again.