Page 52 of The Surrender (Arlington Hall #2)

He wasn’t talking about my vandalised car. I laugh to myself, looking past Henry and Anouska into Arlington Hall. I suppose he’s in there now, ruining her.

Henry looks all kinds of uncomfortable as he shifts on the spot before me. “I took it to Mr. Harrison the moment it was confirmed.”

“Which was when?”

“Sunday evening.”

I nod, feeling surprisingly calm. “Thank you, Henry.” I turn and start the walk to the gates, keeping my eyes forward, taking in as little of my surroundings as possible.

The mad bitch is welcome to him. I have more important things to deal with, and since Jude and I are no more, I will assume I’m safe from Katherine.

More important things.

Looking up at the sky, I blink, forcing the building tears back. I never ever considered having kids. I definitely didn’t consider being a single mum. I have no job now, no man.

But it could be worse.

I could have gone deeper.

I’m not sure how that’s possible, to have gone deeper, but I have to keep telling myself ...

It could be worse.

And the pain in my chest will subside.

One day.

Hopefully before I push a little human out of my vagina and have to get my shit together. Jesus Christ, I’m going to be a mum. Am I ready? No. But I wasn’t ready for Jude Harrison, and he was one bombshell after another. This little thing inside me can’t possibly hurt me as much as he did.

A small ironic huff of laughter breaks past the lump in my throat as I dip into my bag and get my phone. I pull up Jude’s name. Click to type out a message. Take a breath.

Hey. I wish it hadn’t turned out like this.

I wish such a monumental moment in my life didn’t feel so wrong.

I want to tell you that I don’t know how it happened, but I do.

I was stupid and careless and for what it’s worth, I’m sorry.

I’m pregnant. I’m not telling you because I expect anything.

I’m only telling you because it would be wrong if I didn’t.

I’m going away to try and get my head around it.

If you want to discuss what happens going forward, I’ll be back in a few weeks. Amelia.

I slow to a stop, laughing at myself for signing off with my name. Because chances are, I could be one of many. My thumb hovers over the send icon, my laughter dying. Then a splash of water hits the screen of my phone. “Shit,” I sniff, wiping my eyes. Send it. I can’t move my thumb.

Send it.

I try to force my thumb down, one part of my mind telling me to do it, another telling me to wait, and another telling me not to tell him at all. That he doesn’t deserve my openness and honesty. And I don’t know which part to listen to.

“Amelia!”

My name lingers in the air behind me, and my shoulders rise to soften the impact of his voice hitting my back.

Don’t look!

“Amelia!”

Instructions flood my mind, but I can’t follow any of them through. Don’t look. Walk away. Send the message. Don’t send it.

I dare to glance back, wincing immediately.

He’s not running, not even jogging, just walking with a determined pace.

Half the buttons of his shirt are unfastened, his sleeves pushed up to his elbows roughly.

Dark-blond hair kicks out from his nape, his facial hair on the longer side of tidy.

And when he’s close enough, I see one of his eyes is black. He’s been in a fight?

Jude holds up a palm, as if halting me from walking away. I would, I’d run if I could, but my legs have lost all feeling. “You’re here,” he breathes, slowing to a stop a few feet away.

“I brought the car back.” I can’t look at him. Reminding myself of all the small things I fell for isn’t what I need right now.

“The car’s yours.”

“I don’t want it,” I say quickly, pushing back my shoulders, facing him. “And I no longer need it.”

His jaw tics, which pisses me off. He’s annoyed? “Your brother came to see me.” He points to his blackened eye.

“Clark?” Fuck, did he tell Jude? “I ...”

“I deserve more.” He takes one step closer. “Anouska said you have luggage.” Another step.

“I’m going away.”

“Where?” One more step.

“That’s none of your business, Jude.”

Fire blazes in his gaze. “So you came here to return the car?” Another step. “That’s it?”

“I would’ve brought the keys up to your apartment, but I was told you had company.”

“Amelia.”

“Were you sleeping with her?” My eyes fall down his half-buttoned shirt.

“No,” he grates, coming at me.

I hold a hand up, warning him back. “Katherine put the nuts in my dessert. Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I didn’t want to worry you.”

“Be worried that your ex-fiancée tried to kill me?” I laugh, and it’s cold. “What the hell does she have over you, Jude? What’s so big that you can’t tell her to fuck off, even after she’s hurt me?”

He blinks, shying away, and that tells me all I need to know. Katherine will never be gone. “She’s out of my life, Amelia. I’ve told her.”

“Then why the fuck is she still here?”

“Please, Amelia.” He braves moving closer. “I’m fucking lost.”

I back up, and he stops, his entire upper body rolling.

“Don’t do this, please.”

“Do what?” I ask. “Walk away from a man whose sole intention was to seduce me as payback to a man who pissed him off?”

He looks like he could explode, and that just riles me more. He has no right to be angry. He should be on his fucking knees begging for my forgiveness. Not that it would make any difference. I’m done. Which begs the question of why I’m still here.

“Pissed me off?” Jude asks through his teeth.

Something behind him catches my eye, and when I see what, my jaw muscles are instantly sore from tensing so hard. He turns to see what’s got my attention. “Fuck off, Katherine,” he says calmly, making her head retract in surprise.

I blink, just as Katherine’s husband emerges from the double doors, taking in the scene. He looks at his wife. Then at me.

Katherine doesn’t take one bit of notice of him. No. Her attention is on me. The problem. “It’s for the best,” she says. “You don’t fit in around here.”

“This isn’t about you, Katherine.” I’m calm. “It’s so much more relevant than you.”

She coughs over her indignation, looking at Jude. For backup? She doesn’t get it, so returns her attention to me. “You thought you could turn him against me by having your car vandalised and blaming me?”

“I know it wasn’t you.” I hold Jude’s gaze. “It was Leighton Steers. He found out I was sleeping with Jude. Thought I was playing dirty to win business and get ahead of him.”

Jude flinches, and Katherine huffs. “Do you believe me now?” she says, going at Jude, taking his arms.

Jude stares at her blankly as she gazes at him with hope. “Rob.” He takes Katherine’s arm and walks her back to her husband. “Keep her the hell away from me.”

I watch, stunned, as Katherine fights Jude’s hold, yelling at him, and Rob observes, not a scrap of emotion on his face. “Jude, I th—”

“I said, fuck off!” His bellow echoes around the grounds of Arlington Hall, his body shaking from the force inflicted on his strung body.

“Are you forgetting what I know?” she yells. “Do you want me to tell—”

“Go to hell, Katherine,” Jude snaps, passing her to her husband before shoving a finger in his face.

“I don’t want her near me. I don’t want her here, I don’t want you here.

Grow a fucking pair, Rob. This”—he waves a hand between them—“isn’t fucking love.

” Turning, he comes back at me, and my feet start to walk me backwards.

Are you forgetting what I know? Do you want me to tell—

Leave.

I turn and walk, checking my Uber app, wilting when I see my car is still ten minutes away.

“Amelia.” Jude’s breath is laboured as he comes after me, his long legs eating up the distance between us.

“Stop walking away.” He lands in front of me, and in a blind panic, I spin and start pacing back towards Arlington Hall.

I can’t hold him off for ten minutes. I can’t look at him.

The confliction is fucking with my head. Hate him. Love him.

Katherine’s wailing like a banshee, chasing Rob’s heels as he walks away from her. He gets in his car, slamming the door, and she starts hammering on the glass, screaming endless insults at him. “You always knew you were the consolation prize. You knew! You can’t bail now, you can’t leave me!”

Rob reverses out of the space, but he doesn’t get to drive off. Katherine puts herself at the front, blocking him, yelling for him to get out.

I stop abruptly and face Jude. “What does she have on you?”

“What?”

“What does she know, Jude? What is she holding against you that meant you wouldn’t tell her to fuck off the moment she started meddling?”

“Nothing. She’s just—”

“The night we ate out with my friends. When Nick showed up. You saw him, didn’t you? That’s why you left the table, so he wouldn’t see you with me and expose your lies.”

Jude’s nostrils flare, a familiar shade of angry reaching his eyes. “I needed time to explain to you.”

I’m doing it again. Hanging around to feel more stupid.

No. I hurry into Arlington Hall, Jude tailing me.

Anouska looks like she might pass out with stress as she guides some guests into the Library Bar, away from all the noise, her phone at her ear.

“Just keep any guests at the gates for now,” she says. “We have a little situation.”

Me. I’m the situation. “Can I have my keys?” I ask in a rush. I’ll happily leave right now.

“Amelia,” Jude pleads softly.

His hand meets my elbow, and I roll it to remove his touch.

“Anouska, please,” I beg as her eyes bat between us.

She eventually dips into her trouser pocket and pulls out the fob, probably concluding that me leaving will take the noise and commotion with me.

“Thank you.” I turn on my heels and walk straight back out, noticing that staff and guests are all hovering, observing, listening.