AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Before she could open the door, Braden slapped his hand on it, caging her between the wood and his hard body. “I’m letting you walk away because you need to think about this, about us. But I’m not giving up on you, Zara. You know in your heart everything between us was real. You felt it in my touch. That’s something even I can’t lie about.”
Zara closed her eyes, wishing she could stop his words from penetrating so deeply into her heart. He’d already taken up too much space there. Surrounded by his heat, his masculine scent, Zara needed to get out of here where she could be alone and think without being influenced by this sexy man...a man she’d thought had a heart of gold. He only proved those men didn’t exist.
“Let me go,” she whispered. “I can’t be here. I can’t do this. Romance isn’t real after all, is it?”
When his hand settled on her shoulder, she nearly lost it. Because no matter what he’d done to her, she couldn’t just turn off her feelings.
“Don’t shut me out,” he whispered against her ear.
Steeling herself against his charms, his control over her, she shifted so his hand fell away. “You shut yourself out.”
“Let me get dressed and I’ll find Ryker for you.”
Zara threw him a look over her shoulder. “I’ll find him. I’ve already told you from here on out, you’re not needed.”
Pushing away, she opened the door and headed out into the hall. She’d never met this Ryker Braden had talked about, but surely she could find him and get the hell out of here.
She’d wait outside in the freezing cold if she had to. It couldn’t be any colder than the bedroom they’d shared.
* * *
Awkward was such a mild word for this car ride back to her house. And because the roads were still covered, the trip took twice as long.
Zara didn’t dare glance over to her driver. The man was built like a brick wall with coal-black hair and dark eyes. She could easily see why he was the O’Sheas’ go-to guy. He had that menacing, brooding look down perfectly. Fitting for being the right-hand man for a lying, cheating family.
And the scar running along his neck? The man had barely said a word to her other than “hi” and “the truck is over here,” but he had badass written all over him.
“I’ve never pried into Braden’s personal life.”
Zara jerked in her seat at the deep tone and the fact he was actually going to bring up the proverbial elephant parked in the truck with them. “Then don’t start now,” she countered.
“I owe him,” Ryker said simply before continuing. “He’s never brought a woman back to the house, so whatever is going on between the two of you, it’s serious. The O’Sheas are a private family. Other than the parties in the ballroom, no outsiders come into their home.”
And that told her more than she needed to know. They were all hiding something.
Zara stared out the window. “You may owe him loyalty, but I owe him nothing. He’s a liar.”
Silence enveloped them once more. Zara folded her arms, pulling her coat tighter around her. She couldn’t get warm, and it had nothing to do with winter hanging on for dear life.
“What did he tell you?” Ryker finally asked. The cautious way he phrased the question put Zara on alert.
She turned in her seat to face him, no longer caring how menacing this man was. “I assume you know full well why he wanted in my house, since you’re like a brother to him.”
Ryker’s silence told her everything she needed to know. She refused to discuss this further with a stranger—not only a stranger, but one who was devoted to Braden.
As they neared her house, Zara’s anger bubbled and intensified. Not only had Braden lied to her, he’d had a whole damn team of people in his corner. She hadn’t thought of this sooner, but no doubt his brother and sister knew, too. She’d been made a fool by the entire family.
Ryker pulled on to her street, rounded the truck into her drive and put the vehicle in Park. Just as she reached for the handle, he spoke up once again.
“I offered to break into your house while you were staying with Braden.” Ryker’s dark eyes met hers, holding her in place. “He refused because he didn’t want to betray you anymore.”
A lump formed in her throat. “I’m glad he feels guilty.”
“That wasn’t just guilt. You know exactly what he feels for you.”
Zara didn’t want to think about what Braden’s true feelings for her were because he had a warped way of showing them. Added to that, was she seriously sitting here having a heart-to-heart chat with a man who looked like an extra from a mafia movie?
