“You know that’s not true. Everything has changed. We can’t pretend any longer that we’re madly in love. No one will buy the charade.”
“Are you certain that’s all it is, a charade?”
I knew what I felt in my heart, but right now, that couldn’t matter. I’d never felt so confused. I had to sort out my problems alone. “I think we need some time.”
“To figure everything out together. I agree.”
“No, Christian.” I placed my hand on his arm. “Separately.”
He half snorted, half laughed. “Are you saying you want to break the contract?”
“No. Yes. I don’t know. What I’m saying is that I need time to reflect. You need time for damage control. I need to focus on my business and make certain Donovan is doing okay. I hope you can understand. I’m not shutting the door. If you need me to play your wife, I will. Just not right now.”
His exhale was heavy and he rubbed his jaw, his expression one of exhaustion. “You can’t go. I won’t allow it.”
“What?”
“You heard me. You are not leaving.”
Was he really telling me that? Whoa. His face was pinched, his eyes as commanding as his voice. “Why? Because of the contract?”
He sucked in his breath but said nothing.
“You are kidding me.”
For a man who always stated what he wanted even if as a demand, the fact he was remaining silent pissed me off more than if he’d spouted off codicils within the contract.
What a time for him to say nothing. Not one damn thing. I shook my head.
“You’re serious,” I threw in.
“You’re not leaving.”
I took several steps away, throwing up my hands. “You are. Then that makes you an asshole. Thank you for coming to my rescue today. That wasn’t necessary. Maybe we’ll be better off if we handle this separately.”
“You’re not listening to me.”
“And you’re not listening to me or if you are, you don’t care what I want or need. Like I’ve told you before. Just when I think not only can I start to trust and like you, even maybe fall a little bit in love with you, then you act as if I’m your property or worse. I can’t handle this right now.” I didn’t care about my things either. I grabbed my purse on the way to the door.
“Wait. That’s not what I meant, Vanessa. Listen to me.”
“Not now. I told you I need time and you can’t pressure me otherwise. I don’t belong to you, Christian, and you know what? I’m beginning to think I don’t belong in your world at all.”
“Vanessa. Do not walk out that door. Please. We need to talk.”
“You can’t always get everything you want, Christian. Maybe it’s time you learned that.”
I walked out, rushing to the car. Just when I was inside and had started the engine, he raced outside, trying to open my door just as the locks clicked into place.
As I drove away, I stared into the rearview mirror. It felt as if my life had been turned upside down, not once but twice.
This time it hurt much more than before.
Maybe what I’d said about his world was correct, but there were some attributes that I could use that might help.
Even if they couldn’t fix a broken heart.
CHAPTER 29
