Page 8 of Forbidden Billionaires: Vol. 2

"Because a part of me has always thought that you'd be better off with Tyler. That he could make you happier than I ever could. I feel like I've always just been standing in your way, holding you back from what you deserve." His forehead was still pressed against mine. Droplets of water were falling down my face, a mixture of tears and rain.

"I love you and only you."

He didn't say anything. And I knew it was because he didn't believe me. He thought I didn't love him. He thought I didn't care. He thought I stole money from him so that I could run away with another man.

"James, I've only ever loved you. I only ever will love you."

He lifted his head away from mine. "But maybe you're too young to realize what you really want."

I was trying to stay calm for his sake. I was sad and upset, but I was also angry. I was angry at him for telling me to leave. I was angry at him for not listening to me, for not trusting me. I pulled back and pushed his hands off me. "Don't throw my age in my face. Why do you always do that? Yes, I'm younger than you. But I'm an adult. I can make my own choices. And every choice I have ever made since meeting you has revolved around you. Not because I'm immature, but because you're what I want. You make me happy. Why can't you see that? I didn't take the money so that Tyler could have it. Isabella..."

"Stop." His voice was icy. He ran his hand through his hair. "Jesus, I don't care about what happened. All I care about is the fact that you're here right now with me and not with him. I forgive you. I just want to move forward. Please don't talk about him."

He forgives me?He was here right now, so why did my chest still hurt? Why did it still feel like I was drowning? "We need to talk about what happened, James. We can't move forward unless we talk about it."

"You said we were being blackmailed. I'll take your word for it. It's over now. We're going to be okay. We have to be okay."

It wasn't over now. Isabella was still out there, probably planning her next diabolical move. And despite what James said,it didn't sound like he believed me at all. "Then why didn't you call me back? Why did you just disappear?"

"Because I want what's best for you."

Before I even realized what was happening, I had slapped him hard across the face.

He looked shocked. And pissed. God, he looked so pissed. But he didn't get to be upset with me. He was the one that pushed me away. He was the one that wouldn't hear me out.

"What's best for me? How would you know what's best for me if you don't listen to me, James?" I poked him hard in the middle of the chest. "When you prefer to listen to your ex-wife instead?" I poked him again. "What's best for me certainly isn't hearing that I'm ugly on the inside. That you only ever wanted me for sex." I poked him again. "That you never loved me!" I was choking on my words.

"Penny..."

"How could you say that to me? How could you not listen to what I had to say? You never hear me, James. You never listen."

"I'm sorry. You know I didn't mean any of that. I was upset. I thought...I thought you were leaving me."

"That doesn't take it back. That doesn't undo all the hurtful things you said. All the lies..."

"I never lied to you!"

"You loved Isabella, James! I saw the notes. Every intimate detail. You talked about how excited you were to marry her. And how much you wanted children with her."

He ran his hand through his wet hair. "You don't understand."

"Then help me understand. Talk to me. Stop cutting me out of your life. Stop hiding from me!"

He lowered both his eyebrows and looked toward the coffee shop. "You're soaked. We should get out of the rain."

I wanted to slap him again. "We need to talk, James. Now. Somewhere more private than that."

He nodded. There was so much pain in his eyes, and it made me wonder if there was something else he had hidden from me. "Okay."

We both stood there awkwardly for a moment, watching each other in the rain. I wanted him to put his arms around me. I wanted him to kiss me like nothing was wrong. But I needed to know the truth and so did he. We needed to figure this out. We had to. I folded my arms across my chest.

"Where's your ring?" His eyes were locked on my naked hand.

"I left it with Rob."

"Baby..." his voice trailed off. "Please don't leave me. Please, I can't live without you." This time when he stepped toward me, I didn't push him away. I'd never leave him. The only reason I had walked out was to make sure he didn't. Because he was drunk.I didn't want him to get hurt. He needed to know that I wasn't going anywhere. So I let him put his hands on me. I let him kiss me, softly at first and then more savagely. I let myself get lost in the kiss because I needed it too. I needed to know that what we had wasn't a lie. And that maybe we could go back. Maybe we didn't have to be over. This time I didn't push him away when his palm slipped up the back of my shirt or his fingers tugged on my hair. He pulled me tightly against him. I knew he was trying to forget. I wanted to forget too. But we couldn't do that. We had to talk about what had happened. I lightly touched his chest.

"Tell me I'm not too late," he sighed. "Tell me I can fix this." His hand cupped the side of my face.