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The teakettle whistled on the stove. The shrill singing pounded in Dallas’s head.
“Let it steep for three minutes,” Annie said, picking up her handbag. “I’m leaving.”
“I’m sorry, Annie.”
“Don’t be.”
“Annie—”
“There’s nothing for me here,” she said.
She walked out of his house. Out of his life.
But she left the knife twisting in his gut. He wondered how long he would suffer before it eased its way out.
* * *
Fighting back tears, Annie drove to her apartment. She wasn’t even all the way unpacked yet, so packing up would be easy. She’d leave tomorrow. Maybe even tonight if she could get a flight. California. That would be a good place to start over. She could even visit Disneyland. The happiest place on earth.
What a crock.
Damn him! Why wouldn’t he listen to her? Cocky, stuffy son of a bitch. She’d been ready to pour out her guts to him, to expose herself emotionally to the man she loved. Stupid cowboy.
Were there cowboys in California? No. Surfers and divers, but probably no cowboys. Change would be good. Hopefully she’d make it longer than two weeks there.
Pulling into the alley behind the clinic, she turned off her engine and bowed her forehead against the steering wheel. She let the tears flow, cursing Dallas, cursing Colorado, cursing Logan Riggs. After fifteen minutes, she gulped down her last sob and headed up to her apartment.
Oddly, the door was unlocked again. Had her mother returned? She walked in and gasped at the figure, shadowed in the afternoon sun, sitting on her couch.
“Sweet Annie,” Logan Riggs said. “How the hell are you, you conniving bitch?”
Chapter Fifteen
“What are you doing here? You’re in violation of the restraining order I have against you. Not to mention your parole, Riggs.”
“Nothing can keep me from the woman I adore.” His words dripped with sarcasm. “I thought we could have a little chat.”
“I can’t imagine what about.”
“Well, let’s see. It’s seems to me, right around the time you had me arrested, your rich childless auntie died, leaving you a healthy little nest egg.”
“My rich childless auntie was neither rich nor childless. My share was insubstantial.”
“Be that as it may”—he stood, his large frame an imposing presence—“I want my half.”
“Half? You mean you’re not demanding all of it?”
His thin lips curled into a smirk. “I’ve always been fair with you, angel. You know you always got what you deserved with me.”
Annie rolled her eyes. “Right, Riggs. Sorry to tell you, but the money’s gone.”
“What do you mean it’s gone?”
“Do you understand English? I said it’s gone. It wasn’t much, and I used it to move here and set up my clinic.”
“Well, then, I’ll take whatever you have. Give me your pocketbook.”
“Are you crazy?”
