AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“I’m onboard a ship in the Mediterranean, based out of London.”
“How nice for you.”
Her sarcasm fell on deaf ears as he fixed her with that steady, unwavering stare. So what if he appeared honest now? She couldn’t trust one word falling from his mouth, not when he’d been lying to her the entire time.
She hated liars.
Jax had lied to her, had feigned interest in her to get the inside scoop on some precious artefacts he wanted to add to his private collection, had belittled her. He’d ruined what little self-confidence she’d ever had. But she hadn’t really loved Jax like she loved Zac.
So what the heck would she do this time around to cope with the devastation of being lied to by another rich guy playing games to suit his own ends?
He dragged his free hand through his hair, his expression crushed. “My uncle’s dying, he has a year to live max. He’s my only family and he’s in London. I owe him. I have to be there for him.”
Her anger fissured, a tiny crack that allowed a modicum of sympathy to seep in. Why was he telling her this? It was irrelevant to the fact he’d still lied to her, had known there’d be nothing between them beyond this fortnight. In a way, heading to London made his treachery all the worse, for if he’d stayed in Sydney they might’ve had a chance.
“I was going to tell you, was hoping we could try a long distance relationship?”
She trembled as for one, infinitesimal moment she contemplated what it’d be like being involved with a guy like him for more than two weeks; to call him her boyfriend, to cross off days on a calendar, counting down the minutes until she saw the love of her life again.
But she couldn’t do it.
If she couldn’t trust him to tell her the truth when they were together, what hope would she have with him on the other side of the world for three hundred and sixty-five long, interminable days?
She needed honesty. She needed trust.
By his actions, Zac could give her neither.
With a shake of her head, she placed a hand on his arm barring her escape and pushed. “I’m not interested.”
She didn’t have to push hard as the second the words left her mouth, an icy, impassive mask slid into place, his eyes a cold, hard blue as his arm dropped and he stepped out of her way.
“Well, I guess I was just one of those new experiences you were so hell bent on trying this trip.”
With soul-deep sadness clawing at her insides, robbing her of breath, she scrambled for the door handle.
“Hell. Lana, wait—”
She flung open the door so hard it almost fell off its hinges, slammed it behind her, and didn’t look back.
ChapterTwelve
Zac sank onto the bed and dropped his head in his hands, the echo of the slamming door reverberating in his ears.
He’d screwed up, and made a major mess of things.
He should be hurt by Lana’s refusal to contemplate a long distance relationship, should be smarting.
But he wasn’t. He knew the score.
He’d seen the devastation in her eyes when she’d learned the truth, knew it wouldn’t have hurt that much if she didn’t love him as much as he loved her.
Every one of her responses, from the first moment he’d met her until now had been genuine, so there was no mistaking the depth of feeling simmering below the surface, the raw pain he’d seen in her eyes.
He’d hated hurting her, however inadvertently, had wished he’d told her everything from the start, but it was too late for wishful thinking.
A part of him wanted to give her space, a year’s worth before coming back and trying again. He’d learned through his experience with Magda that if you love someone enough you needed to give them space to grow and change. She hadn’t wanted that space but Lana would. She’d said as much with her quest for new things.
Maybe he should give her a year to do what she had to do, then re-enter her life and start afresh?
