Kane threw up his hands and spoke slow, as if he was trying to tame a wild animal. “Sierra, I know this is a shock. I know you’re pissed and don’t blame you. I wanted to tell you immediately, but I spent the time trying to find a way to save Flirt. I made a spreadsheet of every other property in the area that has potential and we’ll go through them one by one. You can yell and scream at me, I deserve it. I’m sick that I even got this job but there was nothing I could do. I just need you to try and understand.”
Her eyes widened. Was he serious? Was this a joke? Did the man she love actually believe he had no other choice but to take the juicy deal to destroy Flirt?
And hadn’t even second-guessed she should be warned?
She’d dropped right into one of her sister’s fictional worlds, but this was a hostile, sci-fi revenge story. Not a romance.
Her voice sounded far away. “I need to get some things straight. You’re employed right now with Duncan. But you were given an opportunity to—prove yourself with Stealth?”
“Exactly. Duncan, was the one who came to me after realizing I was being held back. If I close this deal, I move to a full-time position at Stealth. The pay is outstanding and so are the opportunities.”
“I see. But in order to get this, you need to close down three beloved stores in Duck. And this will occur within the month, no matter how we try to fight.”
“Yes.” He moved forward but she jumped back. Frustration radiated from his figure, but he kept their distance. “God, what do you want me to say? I know you’ll need some time to process. I know this sucks and sounds horrible—but Sierra, it doesn’t matter if I walked away from the deal. I already tried to stop it, and they clearly said if it’s not me, someone else will take over. The end will still be the same.”
“Except you wouldn’t have been the one to do it.”
Confusion shimmered in his green eyes. “I was going to walk away, I swear. But I thought maybe if I stayed, I’d be able to push hard for some concessions. Ways to help you that someone else wouldn’t. Does that make sense?”
She looked at him while her heart crumbled slowly in her chest. What was left was numbness and grief twisted together.
She’d been so wrong. There was no trust between them. And he would always choose his career first.
Kane always chose the money. God, in a sick way, how could she blame him? He’d been trained his whole life to look after himself and his brother. Everything else had to be sacrificed.
Including her.
He just couldn’t see it. Kane was a master at rationalizing all of his actions in order to get everything he wanted.
Thankfully, her body and mind shut down for safety. “I think you need to go.”
“Sierra, we need to talk—”
“No, Kane. I mean it. I need to be alone right now. It’s too…much.”
He muttered a curse. His hair was ruffled and mussed from the hours her fingers ran through the strands. Her inner thighs still burned from the sting of razor burn. Kane’s mouth firmed in a thin line as he regarded her. “Okay. I’ll leave you alone to process. But then we need to talk this through and figure it out.”
Sierra turned from him, desperate for distance. “Sure.”
His words came out with implacable command. “We will talk later.”
She heard him get dressed, sensing his hot stare behind her, but he finally left.
Dear God, what was she going to do?
Tears stung her eyes. Her emotions were raw from last night and the terrible truth he’d just shared. Maybe more sleep? She’d wake up a bit clearer and decide from there?
Sierra climbed back under the covers but the scent of clove and spice haunted her. Her head spun with endless questions and scenarios but everything led to one conclusion.
Kane had not chosen her.
Oh, he gave solid reasons of why he decided to remain on the deal. But the bottom line?
Work would always be more important than her.
And that was something that she may not be able to forgive. The one thing she needed more than anything.
The one thing Kane Masterson may never be able to give.
