Page 25

She worked until she felt like dropping. The exhaustion settled over her like a wet blanket, reminding her that she had been at it for the past three hours. But somehow, doing what she does best had managed to block out the troubled thoughts and what the future held for her.

Picking up her heavy tote, she left the office and closed the door behind her.

Tomorrow was Sunday and the store would be closed, unless she wanted to come in and finish up some paperwork.

But the idea was already depressing her.

She still had some holiday shopping to finish up.

Her parents were still traveling around the globe and had decided at the last minute to extend their trip until after Christmas.

"I hope you don't mind darling, but we have a hankering to spend the holiday in Paris. We met some old friends, and they invited us to their home."

Like a dutiful daughter, she had told them to go for it of course. She needed them at this time, but that could wait.

Stopping in front of the display section, she rearranged some of the colored costume jewelry, fixing them to her specification.

She had just turned to the door to let herself out when she saw him framed there behind the glass, a set determined look on his face. Her heart did a slow and sensual dive, and she felt her knees turning to water.

For a minute, she just stood there staring at him and had no idea what to do next.

An arrogant arching of his thick brows as he jerked his head towards the door, had her reacting to unlock it.

"I'm just heading out," she told him stiffly, trying not to notice how the moss green sweater molded his chest and shoulders snugly. His hair was windswept, and the cashmere jacket was open all the way down.

"Perfect. We can either take this to your place or mine."

"I'm not going anywhere with you."

"Are you under the impression that it was a request?"

His arrogance fired her blood and had her lifting her chin.

"I don't want to see you."

"That's too bloody bad. Ready?" He started to reach for her when she stepped back.

With a frustrated sigh, he reached for her again, his eyes glinting angrily when she took another step back. "I don't have time--"

"Where's your girlfriend?"

"What the hell are you talking about?"

Spinning around, she marched over to the table and pulled out the lap drawer. Taking the magazine out, she slapped it against his chest.

"What's this?"

"I have every confidence that reading is not a problem for you."

He gave her a narrowed eye glance before looking at the paper. His body jerked in reaction. He had seen the photos splashed all over the internet of course, which was one reason he had cut his visit to the club short.

"It's not what it looks like."

Her brows arched. "No? It looks to me like you and the woman you claimed to no longer be in a relationship with are cozied up together. What were you discussing? The weather, the price of coffee in South America? You know what, I don't care. Now if there's nothing else--"

"I had no damned idea she would be there.

I went to the club to do some thinking." He slapped the magazine on the tabletop.

"To give you the bloody time you claim you need.

And she was there. She wanted to talk, and I accommodated her.

Nothing else happened. That's all we did.

Talk." He raked a hand through the glossy denseness of his hair.

"I spent all of last night unable to sleep thinking of you.

" He glared at her. "And I have been traveling for hours.

Now, the mood I'm in right now, it would not do to piss me off even more. Is that clear?"

Her eyes widened, and she felt the anger churning through her chest.

"You have a damn nerve. You are the one who came into my life and asked me to move in with you. When I did not agree to your terms, you left, like you did before. I have a right to my decision, and I damn well will not be dictated to. Is that clear?"

For a few pulsing moments, they stood there glaring at each other.

The silence between them was heavy, crackling with unspoken words and unresolved emotions.

Her fingers curled into fists at her sides, nails biting into her palms, as she tried to steady the storm roaring inside her.

His jaw clenched, the muscle jumping, as though restraining the cascade of words building up within him.

Finally, he broke the silence, his voice low and sharp. "You think I don't know what I did? You think I don't regret the way I handled things? But do not for one second believe that walking away from you was easy for me."

She opened her mouth to retort, but he cut her off, stepping closer, his voice rising, filled with an edge of desperation.

"Do you have any idea what it's like to care for someone so much that it scares the hell out of you?

To feel like every moment you're around them, you're one step closer to losing them completely? "

Her breath hitched, but she didn't step back this time. She held her ground, her chest heaving with the weight of her own emotions. "Then why did you leave? Why do you keep running? You can't expect me to just wait around and pick up the pieces every time you decide to disappear."

"I left because I thought it was the right thing to do!" he exploded, his eyes blazing. "I didn't want to hurt you. I didn't want to drag you into my chaos. But I see now that all I've done is make things worse. And I don't know how to fix it. Damn it, I don't even know if you want me to."

Her lip trembled, but she bit down on it, refusing to let the tears spill.

"You don't get to decide what's best for me.

You don't get to make that choice and then come back expecting everything to be the same.

" Her voice broke slightly, but her eyes didn't waver from his.

"I don't know if I even know who you are anymore. "

His shoulders sagged slightly, as though her words had punched the air out of him.

He reached out, hesitated, then let his hand fall back to his side.

"Then tell me how," he said quietly, his tone stripped of its earlier anger, replaced now by something raw and vulnerable.

"Tell me how to earn back your trust. Because I'm not walking away this time. "

She stared at him, the battle waging between her heart and her head visible in her eyes. The room seemed to hold its breath as she wrestled with her emotions, uncertain of which part of her would win.

"I saw you with her and it tore me to pieces," she finally admitted, her voice a desperate whisper.

Speaking the words, she realized that it had been killing her.

Ever since she saw them together, it had been weighing on her mind, wondering if she had driven him back into her arms. Turning away from him, she went to stare out the treated glass blindly.

When he came up behind her, she did not resist his arms wrapping around her waist.

He did not say anything for a full two minutes and realized that he was going to have to damn well earn her trust. His first instinct had been to head to his suite of rooms and call it a night, but he had been caught up in a conversation with Liam, Adam and Elijah.

Maria had intercepted him on his way to the bar.

After what she had said to him out on the terrace, he figured he owed her the courtesy of a conversation--nothing more.

"It was just a polite conversation," he finally responded.

He could see her clearly in the treated glass and the look on her exquisite face spoke volumes.

"Since the first time I saw you here when she dragged me inside the store, I have not been intimate with her.

I couldn't bear the thought of touching her like that.

" He turned her to face him, one hand moving up to cup her left cheek, his expression sincere.

"Come home with me darling. I want to show you how much you mean to me.

Hell, I miss you Max. That's why I hurried back here.

I know I agreed to give you time, but this is ridiculous. I cannot bear to be away from you."

"Kai--"

"Dammit, I'm not going to take no for an answer."

Her smile was tremulous. "I was going to say, I miss you too and would love to see your place."

His eyes glittered and before she had time to say anything more, he crushed his mouth to hers.

"Let's go." His voice was unsteady--his breathing shallow. "I want you in my bed."

She had seen a photo layout of his loft in 'Home and Gardens' a few years ago when they were interviewing the up and coming young and handsome executive who had taken over from his father. She had reluctantly admired the classic lines and symmetry of the place.

As they stepped into his loft, she was struck by how much more breathtaking it was in person.

The photographs had barely done it justice.

Moonlight streamed through massive windows, casting long shadows over polished wooden floors.

The open space was elegant yet inviting, a masterful blend of modern design and warm, earthy tones.

Shelves lined with books and artifacts hinted at his travels, while a sleek piano stood in one corner, its presence a quiet testament to his hidden passions.

Kai watched her as she took it all in, his expression unreadable but his posture tense, as though he feared she might find fault with the space that bore his imprint. She turned to him, her gaze softening. "It's beautiful," she said simply, and the sincerity in her voice made his shoulders relax.

He reached for her hand, guiding her further inside. "I wanted you to see this place because it's the closest thing I have to a part of me," he admitted. "You're free to make any changes you deem necessary."