“I think you better leave,” came my tight voice.
“What? Why?” Unbelievably, my so-called friend was genuinely surprised.
“Now!” I hissed. “Or I swear, you’ll regret it.”
“Laney,” He looked at me with a fearful expression. “You aren’t mad at me, are you?”
“Jim.” It was his final warning.
His eyes widened before he scrambled out of the booth and rushed the coffee shop, the blonde strands of his hair like downy fluff.
And as soon as he was gone, I sighed, leaning back.
Why had I done that?
Why did I still choose to defend the man that had broken my heart?
It didn’t make any sense.
Because deep down, I couldn’t stand to hear those things being said about Mason. Yes, he’d dumped me once he had his freedom, but that wasn’t criminal. And deep down, I knew my lover wasn’t a criminal. The appeal was legitimate, no matter what anyone said.
Sitting in the booth, my mind wandered back to Mason’s proposal. It wasn’t much, but he had done everything in his power to make it romantic. The look in his eyes. The way he touched me. The sweet words from his mouth. The memory was so vivid that I could almost sense his presence.
God, I missed him so much. My heart twisted with pain, the air painful to breathe.
I had tried so hard to forget him and to move on with, but it was real hard. The billionaire had been my first. He’d made such an impression on me that no one could take his place. Not now, not ever.
Guess I was just doomed to stay single for the rest of my life.
A sad, chubby woman living in her one-person apartment, lying in a narrow twin bed.
That was me, and there was nothing more to it.
Slowly, tears filled my eyes right there in the coffee shop. Why was my life like this? You have to do better, admonished the voice within. Buck up Lacey, this isn’t the end of the world.
But it sure felt like it.
I wanted to die. My cells should dissolve becoming nothing but air.
But then the atmosphere shifted imperceptibly, a shiver running down my spine. My head shook ruefully. It was probably Jim. He had a habit of leaving at least one thing behind every time he left a restaurant, like a forgetful little boy. Usually, I was the one to snag his coat or his car keys. I was becoming his mother, full stop.
But when my eyes opened, time stood still.
My heart froze, the second hand locked in place.
What?
No.
It couldn’t be.
I blinked in disbelief.
But there he was.
Mason Evercore.
Huge and looming in a dark suit, just as impossibly handsome as ever.
What was he doing here? In this tiny hole-in-the-wall coffee shop?
Was I dreaming?
With those piercing blue eyes locked with mine, the huge man sat down. Already, there was a spark to the air, as that massive build loomed in the small stall. I wanted nothing more than to lean in and catch his scent once more, the devastating masculinity that made my insides go loose. But I couldn’t. We were getting divorced, and fear and pain held me back.
But why was he here? For six months, the man hadn’t spoken a word to me. So what brought him to this corner of the world? It was my little space, and he should stay out.
But the billionaire doesn’t take orders.
“Laney. We need to talk,” that low voice rumbled, making me go hot. Oh god, my nipples stiffened, pussy pulsing a little already. Stop, stop! I ordered my body. Stop, this isn’t the time!
Thankfully, it worked somewhat. I pressed my lips together, holding his gaze. It was difficult and frankly almost impossible to resist him, but somehow I managed.
The corners of his lips twitched into an almost frown.
The alpha wasn’t pleased.
Good.
It was about time he learned what it felt like to have someone deny him something. I wasn’t his ‘yes’ girl anymore. That ship had sailed long ago.
“Laney,” came that low rumble again. He leaned forwards, hands reaching out for mine.
I didn’t move one inch, frozen in place.
He wasn’t going to win this time. This man might have broken my heart, but he wasn’t going to take away my dignity.
“Please,” he growled, blue eyes intent, boring into mine. “Please sweetheart.”
The words escaped my lips, bitter and quick.
“Don’t call me that,” I said sharply. “I’m not your sweetheart.”
My jaw ached from clenching so tight. But I couldn’t give in. I couldn’t give in, was my mantra.
“In private then,” he said, voice low and soothing. “Let’s talk in private.”
God, this was so hard.
It didn’t help that my heart ached for him. Deep down, I still had feelings for this man – hell, I probably still loved him – but fool me once, fool me twice. I wasn’t going to fall for this again.
Still, the alpha’s was impossible to ignore, magnetic and charismatic as always. I was being pulled into his orbit, despite my best efforts. Maybe, just maybe, he had come to his senses and seen the errors of his ways?