Page 5 of The Surrender

I take a breath, feeling every muscle engaging. Tightening. To keep me here, or to take me to him? Jude hangs up first, leaving that threat hanging.

Stop.

Don’t go.

But that’s the power of Jude Harrison.

I tuck my phone away and dip out from behind the lantern, and the second I do, Nick spots me. He smiles mildly, coming my way, and I start to shake my head, warning him off. I take no pleasure from the hurt that dilutes his expression as he halts. “Your dad said you’re not seeing that guy anymore.”

I pick up my feet. “I can’t, Nick.” I pass him, trying to keep my cool. Today is not the day to lose it, not with Nickormy father.

“Amelia, please.”

Skirting around the edge of the room, I follow my feet to the stairs that’ll get me to the lobby. Or am I following my heart?No.I stop at the top of the stairs, taking the rail. Then turn around and take a few steps back towards the wedding. My teeth grit. I feel like I’m being pulled in two directions, but I need answers.Deservesome answers.

“God damn it,” I say, a little too loudly, pivoting and taking the stairs down to the lobby, my feet fast. My heart is out of control, pumping hard, but it’s leading me to him.

You were a bet.

I stop abruptly, trying to catch my breath, feeling panicked. My head and my heart are at war; I’m cursing constantly, fighting to ignore my heart and listen to my head.

“Are you okay there, madam?”

A suited man appears beside me. The concierge. “Yes, thank you.” I divert to the elevator and press the button. I need to go to my room and regroup. Find some strength and resistance. The elevator dings, the doors open, and I stare at the empty cart.Just get in. Get in and let it carry me away.

As I look back over my shoulder to the revolving doors that lead out onto the street, my lip begins to wobble. But I still turn away from the elevator. The elevator doors start to close without me in it, and my feet move without me telling them to, carrying me towards the source of my distress and heartache.

Pushing my way round the ornate revolving door, I find Jude waiting for me immediately outside. He was coming to find me.

My heart turns, my throat closes. His chest visibly deflates from his exhale of relief, his eyes dull, and I wait for his words while we stand in the middle of the pavement, in everyone’s way. Except he doesn’t speak. He just holds my eyes, his face expressionless.

A car pulls up to the kerb. A Rolls-Royce. Jude steps towards it and opens the door, then stands back, waiting. I look at him. See his jaw tighten and his Adam’s apple protrude from his swallow. “Get in,” he orders, his tone flat but radiating authority.

I shouldn’t even be here on the street. I definitely shouldn’t put myself in his car.

But against my better judgment, I step forward and hitch up my skirt, climbing in. Humphrey’s in the driver’s seat, and I catch his eye in the rearview mirror. He nods mildly as I settle in the soft leatherseat, Jude climbing in behind me. The armrest isn’t down, so I fix that, putting a pathetic barrier between us as Jude watches out the corner of his eye.

As soon as the door closes, Humphrey pulls away and Jude reaches for the button that raises the panel, giving us privacy.

What am I doing?

Even now, with half a metre between us and a ton of hurt and anger, I can feel the chemistry sizzling. And it fucks me off. My unstoppable reaction to himreallyfucks me off. Braving facing him, I take in his stunning profile. “I’m only here for some answers.” I sound confident but feel far from it.

“Sure you are,” he replies, not even looking at me.

“Don’t be an arsehole, Jude. You used me in a sick game you play with the married woman you’re fucking.”

His jaw rolls, and his nostrils flare.

“Were you still fucking her?”Is he still fucking her now?

“No, Amelia, I wasnotfucking her.”

Whether I believe him isn’t something I can devote any time to right now. “If I was a bet, why didn’t you just try to pick me up that night?”

Sad truth is, I was so intoxicated, fresh off the back of a breakup, I probably would have done something reckless like sleep with a stranger.

Jude remains quiet, and my patience continues to fray.