Page 69 of Pride

We headed out into the cold, dark night and I turned to face Alex as a driver held the door open to the car he wanted me to get into.

“I guess I’ll be seeing you soon. You’re gonna love the Milan show.”

“I won’t be there,” he replied, ignoring my outstretched hand, refusing to shake it.

“You’re not coming to Italy?”

He stared back at me, blankly.

“No, I’m not. I’m not coming to anymore shows, and I won’t be buying any more pieces or investing any money. I’ll pay foryour rehab, but after that, this,” he gestured between the two of us, “Is over.”

He went to walk away, but I called out, “Alex.”

As he turned around, I took the ring he’d given me off my finger and threw it at him.

He caught it, and I said, “I won’t be needing that anymore. And you don’t need to track me.”

“No, I don’t,” he said, putting the ring in his pocket. “I don’t need to see you ever again.” And he walked away, getting into his car as I stood there, watching him.

“Oh, I wouldn’t count on that,” I whispered to myself. “It’ll take more than a few idol threats and a stint in rehab to get rid of me. I will be seeing you again very soon, Alex Kingston.” And I climbed into the car and let it drive me away.

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

ALEX

He’d said he didn’t feel anything, but I knew that was bullshit. His problem was he felt too much. That’s why he needed to do what he did, to numb the pain. It’s why he needed rehab, to break the chain. He’d started something, and I had to finish it.

I’d always supported him through the good times and the bad, but what he’d done to Emma was a step too far. I had a chain to break, too. Enough was enough.

And so what if I had a saviour complex. Just looking at her made me want to wrap her up in my arms and protect her. I wanted to make her happy because she was crying out for that. From the first moment I’d met her, I could tell she was a girl who put on a brave face. The one that went unnoticed. But I noticed her. And I wanted her. Okay, maybe my methods were a little unconventional, tracking her down in the street, but my intentions were honest.

I drove back to the house, turned the engine off, and got out of the car, taking the steps to the front door two at a time. Once inside, I made my way to the drawing room where I’d left her. As I walked through the door, I noticed she was lying on the sofa, fast asleep. Hearing my footsteps, she began to stir, and Ireached for a throw to cover her and make her warm. But she didn’t need it, she just took it from me, saying, “thank you” as she sat up.

“Everything is sorted,” I said, sitting down carefully in a space beside her. “My lawyers have contacted the newspaper. They will have a settlement drawn up for you in the next day or two. But I think they were looking at giving you six months’ severance pay.”

“What?” she asked, her eyes bugging slightly. “They’re going to pay me?”

“Yes. You’re the one who was wronged.” I began to second-guess myself. “Is six months not enough? I can instruct my lawyers to push for more.”

She reached forward to touch my arm, and the feel of her warm hand made my heart race.

“No. Alex, it’s more than enough. I didn’t expect anything. Honestly. I’m just relived that I’m not being sued.”

I took a moment to gather my thoughts before I spoke again.

“The other... problem... that’s been sorted too. He won’t be bothering you again.”

She dipped her head, like she didn’t want to address it, then asked quietly, “Are you sure?”

“Surer than anything else in my life. I wouldn’t lie to you, Emma. Not about something so important.”

I could see her shoulders sag with relief as she asked, “What’s happened to him?”

“He’s been sent away to a secure unit to be dealt with. He won’t be coming out any time soon. I can assure you of that.”

She looked up at me through her lashes, and the sadness I saw there fucking pulled at my heart strings.

“I’m so sorry,” she whispered.