DARIUS
The heavy, suffocating silence that crashed over the hotel foyer was loud enough to make the skin crawl. Linda stood completely frozen on the polished tile floor. Every single drop of color had drained from her cheeks in a matter of seconds. Her eyes were locked onto him, wide with an agonizing mixture of absolute shock and raw, bleeding betrayal. The revelation seemed to strike her like a physical blow, forcing her shoulders to tense, and he could see she had already drawn her own conclusion about Darius and his motives.
Darius took a slow, desperate step forward, his palms open as he tried to bridge the immense distance between them. The polished, unyielding executive mask he usually wore had shattered completely, leaving his features lined with a genuine, frantic panic.
"Please, Linda, just listen to me for one minute," Darius pleaded, his voice rough and dropping into a low register that vibrated with tension. "I was going to tell you everything at our lunch today.” His eyes held hers, and he felt something cracking in hischest at the look of betrayal in hers. “Everything, and I have a plan….”
Linda let out a sharp, trembling breath, her hands curling into tight fists at her sides as she rejected his advance.
"I’m sure you were," she retorted, her voice shaking with a cold, biting anger that didn't entirely hide the heartbreak ripping through her chest.
“I was, Linda, I promise you…” Darius’s voice was edged with a near frantic panic now as he glanced around the lobby. “Where is Isabel…”
“You expect me to believe you were going to hand me the truth after weeks of walking along the shoreline and pretending to be someone else? You stood on the sand this morning and held me, knowing exactly what your company was doing to my family's property." Linda’s voice was low and hoarse, and filled with red-hot anger. “Just… just go.”
Isabel stepped out from the shadows near the large indoor palm planter, her face flushed with an equal mix of confusion and absolute fury. She looked between her brother and her new best friend. Darius could see the emotions rushing through her reflected in her eyes.
“Darius, what on earth!” Isabel hissed. “Why did you come storming in here like a rhino in a China shop?” She glared at him, then turned to Linda. “Linda, I can confirm that my brother was going to tell you everything.”
“Isabel…” Linda’s hurt eyes turned to her. “Why did you never tell me who your brother was?”
“It never came up,” Isabel told her, stepping closer to Linda. “And I promise you I thought he’d already told you who he was. When I found…” Darius watched his sister and could see she was struggling to rein in her anger, which was not for Linda but him. “When I found out that he was not being honest I moved out.”
Linda’s brows shot up. “That’s why you moved to the hotel?”
“Yes,” Isabel answered honestly. “Penny and I were so angry when we found out what he was doing and how he hadn’t been honest with you.” She gave a tight smile. “We at first gave him a day to come clean with you, or we would.”
“Oh?” Linda said, surprised.
“But then he came to see Penny and me, promising he was going to tell you everything,” Isabel assured her. Then glanced over her shoulder at her brother, Baxter, and the cool woman standing with them. “Unfortunately, my arrogant cousin has once again stuck his nose where it doesn’t belong.”
“Oh no,” Baxter breathed, his eyes widening. “I’m sorry, Ms. Heart. I thought because you knew Isabel, you knew who Darius was.”
“Shut up, Baxter,” Darius hissed. “Keep out of this. You’ve done enough.”
“I’m sorry,” Baxter said, and, for once, seemed sincere.
“Please, Linda, just let me explain,” Darius pleaded, taking a step closer, but Linda flinched and took a step back. Her brother, who was towering next to her protectively, moved with her.
“I…” Linda swallowed. “I need to process this.”
“Ms. Heart, I... this is my fault,” Baxter told her. “If my cousin said he was going to explain everything to you, then he meant it.”
“Baxter,” Isabel cut him off. “Just back off.”
Baxter flinched at his cousin’s angry retort. But Darius’s hardly noticed. His eyes were glued to Linda, his heart racing as he saw the hurt and betrayal in her beautiful eyes. Anger and regret at how stupid he was clawed through him at what he’d done. It was never his intent to hurt Linda. He had not actively sought her out to pursue her. It was the twisted hand of Fate that had stepped in and thrown them in each other’s orbit.
“Please, Linda…” Darius’s voice dropped. “Can we go somewhere and talk?”
"That is enough," Michael commanded, his broad shoulders squaring as he stepped directly between his sister and the visitors. He drew a hard line across the lobby rug, his dark eyes blazing with an unyielding protective anger as he locked his gaze onto Darius. "I think it is time for all of you to leave this property immediately. Just go."
Darius stiffened, his jaw clenching so hard the muscle near his ear began to twitch violently. Out of the corner of his eye, he caught a brief, telltale glimpse of Dr. Wineberg standing near the center of the rug. A sly, deeply satisfied smile was playing at the corners of her lips. Darius frowned, and a chill rolled up his spine.
Just then, Buddy burst into the lobby, excitedly bouncing around, then spotted Darius, but before the dog could get to him, Michael barked out a command. The dog skidded to a confused halt but obeyed Michael and sat beside the man.
Darius caught the movement beside him and felt Dr. Wineberg flinch. He noted she’d moved slightly behind Baxter when Buddy had rushed through. Her eyes were wide, and there was a flash of fear in them as they settled on Buddy. For someone who reminded him of Cruella De Ville, the woman was afraid of dogs.
He shook his weird musing off as Michael’s voice rang through the air once more.
