Page 113 of The Billionaire Who Hated Me (Until He Loved Me)

What the fuck?I pull the phone away from my ear and stare at it, as if the little brick of plastic and silicon is to blame.I hang up and try again, because I’m a glutton for punishment, I guess.I get the same message.

That’s about as subtle as a cinder block.

I throw my phone onto the nightstand and get out of bed.There’s no point in pretending I can sleep.Sarah and Ripley follow me out to the kitchen, then the back deck.As I stretch out on the lounge, they curl up at my feet.

Message received, Victoria.You’re so sure you want me scrubbed from your life that you change your number.That’s a bold move, just to avoid one man.It’s a move that requires hours and hours of cleanup, updating anyone and everyone who needs to know of the change.Accounts.Friends.Automatic payments.Pizza delivery.

Damn.I’m too late.I waited too long.I’m such a fool.

I let my head fall back.I close my eyes.I’m not the type that cries.The last time I cried was when Mom died, more than twenty years ago.Even during Hell Week of SEAL BUD/s training, when most of the guys around me were puking while soaking wet, covered in mud, and crying for mercy, I didn’t shed a tear.I was a stone-cold badass.

I miss her so much.

Suddenly, I am reaching for her.Lightning cracks around us.Rain pours so hard that I can barely see through the curtain of water.I call her name.She reaches for me, her fingers almost touching mine.She stretches, screams for me, so desperate.I can’t… quite… reach…

Crack!

“What the fuck?”

I shoot up to a sitting position.Before I can open my eyes and stand, another splash of hot water hits my face.I blink, just in time to see Evander bang his cane against the deck railing.Special K dips a cup into the hot tub and soaks me again.

“You’re about to get your ass kicked, Kevin.”

“Oh, you can try.”

Evander cracks his cane on the railing again.

Was I dreaming?I was dreaming.I fell asleep.

Finn and Declan come up the back steps to join us.I look around at my brothers, wipe the water from my face, and shake my head.“You got exactly three seconds to tell me what the fuck is going on.”

“This, brother, is an intervention.”

I stare at Evander in confusion.“A… a what now?”

“You need to stop moping and go to her.”Finn crosses his arms over his chest and glares at me.

“We’re tired of your sad puppy routine,” Declan adds.“It’s pathetic.”

“I’m embarrassed for you, bro,” Special K says.“It’s time to stop with the pouty-McPoutface so I can start idolizing you again.”

Everyone breaks into loud guffaws.

“Yeah.Fuck off.”I decide to go inside.Special K blocks my access to the sliding back door.

“Cal.”Evander is at my shoulder.“Seriously.You’re miserable without her.You’ve got to make it right with Victoria.”

“If you won’t do it for yourself, then do it for the rest of us, please,” Finn says.“You’ve never been particularly fun to be around, but man, you’ve been a pain in the ass lately.”

I turn and drop into the lounger again, resting my elbows on my knees and staring at my bare feet.“She doesn’t want me.She even changed her number.”

Evander uses his cane to smack the side of my leg, and that shit stings.

“Man up,” he says.“You’re a SEAL.You’re a badass mofo MacLaine, and it’s time for some mission planning.”

I raise my head, blinking.Something about those words is waking me up.

“We’ve got your six on this,” Declan says.