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“Out. I’m going out.”
Frowning at his tone, she slowly sat up in bed. “Where?”
His gaze traced unwillingly on her soft skin, the smooth curves of her body now a soft pink in the fading sunlight. He kept his face expressionless, careful to give nothing away. He’d learned, while building his media empire, that any emotional weakness only invited destruction.
But he hadn’t just learned it in business. He’d learned it long before. From every single woman he’d known.
He said shortly, “Where I go is none of your concern.”
Her lips twisted. “Of course it is. I’m your wife.”
“I have business.”
“Where?”
He thought fast. “South America.”
“What?” Lola sat up straight, her expression incredulous. “You can’t be serious. You just dragged me to California!”
“My business cannot wait,” he said, but the truth was, he couldn’t wait. To be as far away from her as possible.
“We’ll come with you, then.” She lifted her chin. “You married me so we could be a family. So you could help raise our son. Our place is at your side.”
He had said that, Rodrigo realized. Did she see what had changed? Could she see the sudden weakness in his soul? Ice filled his heart.
“Your place is where I say it is,” he said harshly. “I won’t have you dragging Jett around the world for no reason.”
She drew her knees up against her chest. She looked suddenly young and forlorn. “Then why did you bring us here? Just to leave us?”
Rodrigo stared down at her, his heart pounding. But he couldn’t let himself bend. If he did, he might break. Making love to her had left him strangely vulnerable. The walls around his soul, normally impregnable, felt as brittle as untempered steel.
“I will return soon. In the meantime, Mrs. Lee can help with the baby. Tobias and Lester will guard the door and drive you anywhere you require.”
“Don’t go,” she whispered, her hazel eyes luminous.
“You’ll be fine.” Looking into her beautiful face, all shadows and rosy light, Rodrigo came closer. He lowered his head to briefly kiss her lips. She was soft and warm in his arms. He felt his body start to respond.
Ripping away, he choked out, “I’ll leave my credit cards. My checkbook. Buy anything you desire.”
And he left, without looking back.
* * *
Lola didn’t expect to miss him, but she did.
Over the next week, she tried to distract herself from his absence by busily settling in to the beach house and caring for their baby. She bought new clothes for both her and Jett, suitable for the warm California weather and sunny days on the beach or by the pool. She found a new pediatrician, and a wonderful baby boutique in Santa Monica. Rodrigo had told her to use his credit cards, so she’d done her best.
But her heart wasn’t in it. Shopping felt lonely. Strange, since she was never alone. Rodrigo’s bodyguards, Tobias and Lester, insisted on driving Lola wherever she needed to go, and accompanied her and the baby whenever they left the compound. Even back at the beach house, kindly, warm Mrs. Lee was there all day, keeping the house in order and puttering in the kitchen, always offering to help or chat.
But Lola wasn’t feeling chatty. The enormous, luxurious beach house had lost its shine. She felt Rodrigo’s absence every day.
And every night.
Lola wasn’t a romantic like her friend Tess. She had no dreams of hearts and flowers. But having her husband disappear after one day of marriage was beneath even her low expectations.
The big diamond ring weighed heavily on her left hand. Whenever she looked at it, it seemed to glitter back at her hollowly.
What kind of stupid marriage was this?
