Page 48

I completely blindsided her in front of Alessio and Luciana. But I had my reasons.
One day, when she has children of her own, she will understand the lengths a person has to go to in order to protect their kids.
A knife twists at the thought of her starting a family with another man, and I chide myself.
It’s not like she owes me anything. We aren’t a couple. I never claimed her. We have no future anyway. It was just a fling.
I’ve tried to tell myself this, over and over. But somehow my mind still doesn’t get it.
It feels like I’m running from the truth. I thought my attraction to Quinn was limited to our physical relationship, but the reality is that I miss her.
We have some unfinished business, and I don’t want to live with the regret of not clearing the air between us before she has to leave to go back home.
So, I do something that’s rare for me. A first, even.
I put my ego aside and make an appearance at the influencer event that night.
She can ignore my messages all she wants, but she won’t be able to turn down my request to talk to her.
She spots me from a distance, and I give her a knowing look.
It’s the first time I’ve put my eyes on her in days, and she still looks just as good, albeit looking more tired than usual.
Jealousy claws at me as I ponder over if she’s already found a replacement.
Surely, someone as charming and young as her has an entire line of men waiting at her beck and call.
I realize she’s never mentioned any prospective men in front of me. I’ve always taken it as a sign that she isn’t interested in anyone else, but now I’m wondering if it was just because she didn’t want to upset me.
Is it possible that she was playing me this whole time?
Does it even matter when I never gave her any assurances myself?
My mind is a mess, and time seems like it’s slowed to a crawl.
I message Valentino to cut the event short, not willing to wait any longer.
Quinn is halfway to the exit when I intercept her. She has her head down, refusing to look at me.
“Can we talk?”
She glances up at me finally, and I can’t quite place the steely look in her eyes.
At best, she’s perfected her poker face. But at worst, she’s moved on.
“I’m not sure if…”
“Quinn, this has really gone on for too long now. We can have this conversation here, in front of everyone, or we can go to my office. The choice is yours.”
She reluctantly nods and follows me into my office.
I’m not one to get nervous, but it’s all I feel as she stands at a distance, arms crossed, waiting for me to speak.
I don’t even know where to begin. It feels like an eternity has passed since we last spoke.
“About the other day… With my kids.”
Her eyebrows furrow. “What about it?”