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He nods, like he understands that. “Now that she’s out of a job, she’s probably going back to the States.”
“Why is she out of a job?” Jesus, what the hell happened today? “She’s the best person for it, Andrew.”
“Is she now?” He taps his finger on his chin and worry explodes inside me. “Do good people lie about being married, Roman?”
I suck in a fast breath. “Oh, shit.”
“Yes, exactly.”
“You know we’re getting married tomorrow.”
“It was never about the marriage, it was about the lying.”
“Come on, Andrew, you have to give her another chance,” I plead. “A marriage bar is ridiculous. You must know that.”
“I’m sorry, Roman. The contract has already been signed by Richard.”
My throat squeezes tight. “You’re making a big mistake.”
“If you’ll excuse me, I’m in the middle of something.”
He closes the door and I stand there staring at it for far too long. How the hell did he find out? It had to have been Richard, and while I’d like to track him down and introduce my fist to his face, right now it’s Peyton I’m worried about. She needs me. Phone in hand I head back to the limo and shoot a text to Peyton, telling her I know about the job and we need to talk.
Three dots pop on the screen and I stop breathing, waiting for her words to come in, but when they do, my jaw drops.
Peyton: Thank you for your support. You’re off the hook. Marriage is no longer needed.
“What the hell?” I say as my life crashes down around me. She’s letting me off the hook? Doesn’t she know how I feel? A groan catches in my throat. How could she know? I was too afraid to tell her, too afraid she’d bolt.
Goddammit, even though I neve
r expressed what she meant to me, she had to know, right? Or have I been reading what’s between us all wrong? I sit in the back of the limo and pull the prenup from my back pocket. My mind searches for answers. Was I only a means to an end with her? Now that she no longer needs me for the job, is she done with me, or did this prenup have something to do with her running away? My ex left because I asked her to sign one and she refused, and that lesson taught me she wanted what I had, that she never wanted me for me. Is the same thing going on with Peyton? Does she want my name and what’s in my bank? I shake my head slowly, refusing to believe that for one single second. But while my heart says one thing, my brain reminds me of past hurts.
No, she’s not like that.
I sit in stunned silence as Elias drives me back to my villa. I give him a generous tip and head inside. With a headache brewing I go upstairs and into the bathroom. I toss back a couple pills and plunk down onto the bed. I turn my head sideways, and that’s when I see my grandmother’s wedding ring, sitting beside the lamp.
I jackknife up and reach for my phone. Goddammit, I can’t let this happen. I just can’t. I walked away from her once and it nearly destroyed me. I know there is more between us; I felt it in her touches and kisses, felt it when we made love last night. So why did she run away? Is she afraid I’m going to hurt her?
There’s only one person who can help me figure out what’s going on, and it’s time I come clean. I pull up my contacts and press Call. The phone rings, and I take a deep breath when Cason answers.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Peyton
“COME ON, WE’RE going out,” Carly says.
I sink deeper into the comfy sofa and plant my feet on the coffee table. “Nope, I’m not going anywhere.”
“Yes, you are.”
I pick up the remote and flick through the stations. I haven’t left my condo in two weeks, not since I lost my job—and the man I love—and hopped on a plane to come home. Someone raps on my door, and I sit up a little straighter, my heart missing a beat. I honestly have no idea why I would think it’s Roman. We had fun, played house for a while, but now it’s over. I’m sure he’s glad he’s off the hook for marriage.
God, I miss him.
But I had to leave. I couldn’t go through with a sham of a marriage—one I wanted to be real—after seeing that prenup. Does he really think I’m like his ex, that I wanted to get my hands on his money? I swipe at a stupid tear that threatens to fall—I’ve cried enough. Why should I shed tears for a man who doesn’t know me or trust me at all?
Oh, because no matter what, you still love him.
