“You think because you left me, I don’t care what you do? Who you’re with?”
“I’m notwithElias. He has nothing to do with us. WithwhyI couldn’t marry you. I should have talked to you, told you I had doubts. Hard-core doubts, but I couldn’t. And that woman today? Rhys, people want me dead because I hurt you. And I know that’s not your fault and you’ve done everything in your power to protect me, but I don’t want a life I have to be protectedfrom. I have no doubt there is a lovely woman out there able to put up with bodyguards andwillingto live in a beautiful, gilded cage, but she’s not me. Ican’t.I hate myself for hurting you, though.”
Rhys crossed an arm over his chest, bracing the other against it to lift a hand to his mouth. He rubbed his fingers over his chin, his lips, staring at her the entire time. “Is that the only time you kissed him? The day Axel saw you?”
Her shoulders tightened to the point of pain, and her lips parted to suck in more air. Not that it did any good. She felt a bit dizzy and hated herself even more because of the truth. “What does it matter?”
His jaw locked, and she realized she’d given him the answer he sought, however unintentionally.
“Once more,” she said, deciding that now wasn’t the time to hold back. “It…Weweren’t together, Rhys. And Elias and I— We aren’t together, either. Don’t think it’s something it’s not.”
Rhys continued to study her a long moment, looking at her so intensely, she felt him search her soul, so long she had to fight the urge to squirm on her feet. Finally he said, “The only problem is that you don’t go around kissing men you don’t like, Quinley. Even I know that. It’s one of the things I loved about you.”
Breath stuttered in her lungs, her chest squeezed tight, and she probably gaped like a fish out of water as the words sank home. Sankdeep.
The truth of them bit into her until her body and face flushed again with the undeniable awareness that his words were true. She might like men, might enjoy flirting, but she wasn’t that woman kissing every man who paid attention to her. Kissing was intimate, personal. Only for those she deemed…more.
Rhys lowered his arms to his sides and straightened to his full height, eyes widening a bit as though seeing her come to awareness and now hating himself for pointing it out whenshehadn’t even been fully conscious of the fact.
He muttered a soft curse, shaking his head presumedly at himself, and then released a deep sigh.
“The guards stay in place until the threats and media attention are gone. Once it’s safe, you’ll be free of them.”
She lifted a hand and ignored the way it shook as she placed it on his chest, over his heart. Rhys stilled. “I did love you. Don’t ever think I didn’t. Youwillfind the right woman. It’s just not me.”
Rhys placed his hand over hers and gently squeezed. “If you ever need anything, come to me, Quinley. I mean it.”
Tears flooded her eyes, too many to blink away this time. So she ducked her head and used him for balance, leaning against him as she rose to her toes and pressed a kiss on his whisker-rough cheek. “If you need me, I’m here to vet your next girl. She’s got to deserve you. No slackers allowed.”
His lips quirked, and she supposed it was a good thing that they could end things with a smile. Even a sad one. They could continue talking about all the whys, but nothing would change the truth. They both knew it now.
Quinley sniffled and pulled away, giving Rhys one last glance goodbye before she made her way toward the elevator.
The moment he saw her approach, Axel left his post and joined her at the door. “Take care of him, Axel,” she said, her voice thick. “Keep away the riffraff and gold diggers.”
Axel nodded once. “Will do, Ms. Anders. Be happy to.”
ChapterNineteen
Walking up to her parents’ home felt odd.
She’d grown up in the oceanfront home and been called a spoiled princess her entire life because of it. Quinley had also taken for granted that there was always money to buy the things she’d wanted, even though she’d always resented having it used against her whenever she did something her parents didn’t like. It was their way to bend her to their will, to control her. Just like her father used her willingness—her desperate need for approval, to be the son he’d always wanted—to his advantage as well.
But right as she’d left the safety of the SUV?
Her phone had chimed, and she’d glanced down to see a text from a number she didn’t recognize. But the moment the text flashed across the screen, she knew instantly who had sent it.
To the future. Stand your ground.
Elias must have gotten the number from the group text Ana had sent to them both.
Cole had obviously talked to Ana and then told Elias of her plans and— There he was, cheering her on just like she had his restaurant idea.
Rhys’s words came back to her about her kissing Elias and why and— She shut those thoughts down, unable to deal with them right now. She had to focus on this. On this meeting, on what she knew would be an emotional barrage from her father as his temper raged over what she’d done. On where to stand her ground, as Elias had texted, and forge a new path.
Steeling herself, she tucked the phone away in a pocket and let herself into the house.
“It’s about damn time,” her father snarled from the formal living room.
