I really wanted to ask her if she would stay with me, if she'd forget the annulment and just be my wife—to heck with the world. But I didn't want to pressure her and make her feel bad if it was too much too fast.
"It's in two weeks," she said softly against my shoulder. "I still have a lot to get done, maybe a few things to buy, but I'm more worried about the event itself."
"Take my card, then." I reached for my pants on the floor and pulled out the debit card I'd offered her earlier. "Please. Just take it and finish buying what you need." I felt sort of sleazy throwing money at her, but she needed it. Besides if we really were married, I'd have done more than just given her my debit card. I'd be taking her to the store, paying her bills, worshiping the ground she walked on.
God I was so in love it hurt.
She hesitated, but she took it from my hand. "Just for supplies—that's it."
"Whatever you need." I pulled her closer and kissed her forehead. "I mean it. You want a dress for the fundraiser? Buy it. You want some new mixing bowls or one of those fancy mixers you can?—"
"Kade," she cautioned, so I stopped talking. I was overeager, but it was because I needed her to understand how I felt. I just didn't know how to tell her something I'd never said to anyone in my life.
We lay in silence for a moment and I could feel her breathing change. Her body tensed slightly. I tried to look at her face, but she buried it in my chest and clung to me for a long minute.
"You okay?" I asked, worried I'd upset her again.
"I think so." She sat up and pressed a hand to her stomach. "I just feel a little sick." Her eyes darted toward her clothing.
"I can help. Get you something?—"
"No," she said curtly, but not unkindly. I could tell she really didn't feel well. She stood and started gathering her clothes. "I should go home and rest. That's all."
I watched her dress and wanted to argue, but her face had gone pale and she moved carefully like everything hurt. It meant I was probably in for a bout of the flu too, but I'd do anything at this point just to know she'd be coming back. The idea of not seeing her again was painful.
"Let me walk you down," I said, pulling on my jeans.
She nodded and I led her to the elevator. In the hallway, I caught her hand and pulled her close one more time.
"This doesn't have to be temporary," I said quietly. "You know that, right?"
She looked up at me and something flickered in her eyes before her face contorted into discouragement. "Kade?—"
"Just think about it." I kissed her gently. "Please."
The elevator dinged and the doors opened. She stepped inside and turned to face me.
"Thank you," she said, holding up the debit card. "For everything."
"Call me when you get home safe." I felt like a doting parent and I hated that.
She nodded and the doors slid shut. I stood there watching the numbers descend until the readout said she was on the ground floor. Then I turned back toward my room sulking and heard the distinct shutter sound of a camera.
My head snapped to the left where a maid stood with her phone raised, eyes wide like she'd been caught. I was instantly furious. These people were everywhere. They thought they had the right to make my life hell and I was sick of it.
"Are you serious?" I glared at her. "That's an invasion of privacy."
She lowered the phone and hurried down the hall where she disappeared around a corner.
I stood there fuming. People took pictures of me all the time. Paparazzi, fans, random people who thought they deserved a piece of my life. I was used to it. Annoyed by it, but used to it.
But then I froze. Lainey had been standing right here with me in the hallway—in my arms. And that maid had her phone up.
Had she taken a picture of Lainey too? And if so, what would Lainey think about it? Where would they publish it and what would people say about her?
If that photo got out, everyone would know about Lainey. My parents would see it. The tabloids would run with it. She'd be labeled as my latest scandal and her life would be torn apart worse than it already had been.
And there wasn't a thing I could do to stop it.
