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Being deceived once in a lifetime was enough, but this was the second man to lie to her face and make a complete fool out of her. And even though this time had been just the two of them, the pain and anguish was beyond intensified compared to the first time.
“Let me go,” she whispered as her throat clogged with more tears. “Just...let me go.”
One hand came around, cupping her stomach and Lily choked back a sob. “Never,” he rasped, nuzzling her neck with his lips. “I’ll never let go of my family. I’ll give you space, I’ll do anything you ask me to. But not that. I love you too much.”
Lily shook her head, circled his wrist and eased his hand away. “You don’t understand,” she said, turning to face him, his mouth just a breath away from hers. “This is one thing you can’t buy back. You can’t control or manipulate with money or power. You’re dealing with real people, real feelings. I hope you were able to get those horses you wanted to so damn bad.”
She jerked on the door handle behind her, causing his hand to fall away. “And I hope losing me and this baby was worth it.”
“You can’t go out in that storm.”
Lily laughed as the sudden wind whipped her hair around her face. “I’d rather face this storm than stay one more second with a man who thought he could keep my heart in one hand and his secrets in the other.”
* * *
Jake stood on the balcony of his master suite looking out over the land on his estate. He’d sneaked into his own home after midnight as the raging storm died down. He couldn’t stay in the rental cottage another second. Every room smelled like Lily, held memories of their passion. The few bottles and potions of hers she hadn’t packed for her trip dominated the vanity space in the bathroom, her small clothes hung next to his in the closet and she’d left a pair of sandals by the back door.
He had nowhere else to go but home...a place he’d always wanted her, but where she would never be. The rain had reduced down to a drizzle, but he didn’t care. He felt nothing. Not the cool rain, not the emptiness in his heart, not even a yearning to go to his own stables and look things over since he’d been gone for months.
There was nothing left for him now. On a mission to see his father, gain prizewinning horses and not hurt Lily, Jake had managed to damage everything he’d set out to obtain.
Money wouldn’t buy his way out of this because Lily was right, he was dealing with people’s feelings and all he’d done was trample all over them in his quest to be number one.
Droplets of rain ran down his smooth face and Jake swiped the moisture away as he turned to go back into his bedroom. The second-floor master suite was impressive in size, but that damn king-size bed dominating the middle of the floor mocked him. Sleeping alone would be hell. Knowing he’d never reach for her again, feel her curvy body against his or her soft breath as she slept...at least if she had her way about it.
But he hasn’t been lying when he’d said he would give her space. He’d do whatever it took to get his family back. He knew she’d be hurt from the truth, he didn’t blame her. He just didn’t know how gut-wrenching seeing her emotional breakdown would be.
Jake jerked off his clothes and shoved them into the hamper in the corner of his room before heading on into the open shower. He couldn’t sleep, wasn’t even going to attempt it.
As he stood amidst all of the showerheads pelting him with scalding water, Jake wondered how much time Lily would take. He would give her space, but he’d be damned if he’d let her go without a fight and there was no way in hell he’d ever let his child go.
Jake flattened his palms against the tile wall, dropping his head as the water pulsed against his neck. He had a fight ahead of him, a fight he’d never had to take on before. Business, horse racing and training, that’s what he knew.
What he didn’t know was how to fix all the broken hearts he’d left scattered all over his life.
Seventeen
Lily felt like an absolute fool. When she’d left Jake’s home three days ago, she’d not been thinking of anything but how to get away from him. There was only one place she could think of to go and here she sat in the Barringtons’ kitchen, sipping orange juice and wondering what in the world she should do next.
“Honey, you’re going to have to eat something,” Linda said.
The woman had been an absolute comfort these past couple days. She’d not asked questions, she’d merely opened the home up and Damon had even told Lily she could stay as long as she needed.
Problem was, she needed support, comfort, a shoulder to cry on and she didn’t want to admit it. But they had fussed over her; even Tessa and Cassie had come over to comfort Lily. They’d brought some clothes when they found out she’d left his house with nothing but the suitcase that had still been in the trunk of her car.
