But there was a simple truth she couldn’t ignore: She was no better than her mother.
Linda Valdez wasn’t the only woman in this family who made stupid decisions over the men they loved. Donald Jones had not been worthy of her mother’s time or tears, but Linda didn’t want to see it. Her mother had built a fantasy world, a place where she had finally felt loved and special.
Ashley slowly opened her eyes. She had done the same.
Ashley couldn’t speak. It took all of her strength to stand still when her instincts urged her to escape before she lashed out. The walls were closing in on her. The anger—the howling pain—bubbled underneath the surface, threatening to break free. It was going to be ugly and violent.
No, she wouldn’t let it. She was not going down the same path as her mother. Ashley curled her hands into fists and dug her nails in her palms. She welcomed the bite, but it didn’t take the edge off her fury. Now, more than ever, she needed to be in control.
She had to get out of here. Her legs were unsteady as she walked across the room. She wanted to double over from the pain but kept walking until she found the bag she had packed in the closet.
Her legs felt heavy and she just wanted to fall into a heap and curl in a protective ball. She blinked as her eyes burned with unshed tears. Don’t cry now, Ashley thought. Cry when no one can see you or use your weakness against you. Cry when you’re alone.
Alone. She was all alone with no support system. No home. There was no comfort or peace in her life. Sebastian had taken it all away.
Ashley exhaled slowly, but the pain radiated in her body. She knew she had been different from the other women in his life. She questioned how she’d gained his attention, how she’d attracted him, but hadn’t wanted to inspect it too closely. She had been too afraid to poke at her good luck in case it fell apart.
Ashley bent to the waist as the agony ripped through her. It had all been an illusion. All of it.
Even the sex. She leaned against her bedroom door as the nausea swept through her. Especially the sex. He had made her feel special and desirable. Powerful and sexy. Sebastian had introduced her to pleasure. Passion. She thought he had felt the same.
Her body burned with humiliation. She wanted the floor to open up and swallow her whole. Ashley quickly grabbed her bag, knowing she only had a few moments to escape.
She was crossing the floor of the master suite when she heard Sebastian’s footsteps down the hall. She barely had time to brace herself when the door swung open.
Her heart gave a brutal leap when Sebastian stood in front of her. She felt so small and insignificant next to him, like a peasant standing before an all-powerful emperor.
“Why didn’t you tell me?” she asked in a hiss.
Sebastian noticed her stricken expression and the bag clutched in her hand. He glanced at the doors that led to the balcony and immediately assessed the situation. A shadow crossed his harsh features. He closed the door behind him and leaned against it. He didn’t speak as he crossed his arms and watched her.
She felt trapped, weak, and had a fierce need to hide it by striking first. She was never more aware of his intimidating height and powerful build than right at this moment. The button-down shirt and faded jeans didn’t hide the fact that he was solid muscle. There was no way she could move him.
“You look upset,” he drawled.
Did he still think this was a game? Had he no remorse? “What is Inez Key to you?”
He paused. “It was my childhood home.”
“And you felt the need to steal it from me? It was my childhood home as well.”
“I didn’t steal Inez Key,” he pointed out calmly, but she saw the anger flash in his eyes. “Your father did.”
“What exactly are you accusing him of?” she asked hoarsely. She knew Donald Jones probably did something underhanded. It was how he approached life.
“He won our home in a poker game,” Sebastian said. “But he had cheated.”
That sounded like dear old Donald, but maybe this was the one time when her father’s reputation automatically made him the culprit. “You don’t know that. You have no proof.”
Sebastian’s eyes narrowed. “He bragged about it years later. His friend Casillas confirmed the story.”