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The moment I close the door I stare at the tube, my brow furrowing as I slowly carry it back upstairs to Dante’s office. It’s as I’m setting it on his drafting table that I see the writing on the tube. “Kendall Luxury Condominiums,” and it has Mrs. Kendall’s address beneath that. Normally, I wouldn’t intentionally invade anyone’s privacy, but I’m too incredulous to think about manners at the moment. This can’t possibly be what I think it is.
But when I open the tube and pull out the rolled blueprints, my heart plunges to my stomach. I spread the paper out on the drafting table and stare unbelieving at the plans before me. This has to be a mistake. Dante promised me he wouldn’t pursue this as a project, that he would leave it alone. It was part of our deal.
But there, staring me boldly in the face, is the proof. The plans call for cutting back the forested acres on the property. And, shit! They even put in a visitor’s parking lot where our treehouse now stands.What the fuck?
I drop into the chair in front of the desk and stare at the evidence before me. My heart argues that this isn’t true.Perhaps it’s mislabeled or something. There has to be another explanation. Maybe this was in motion before he made the promise.
I shake my head. Even if that was true, he should have canceled it by now. I’ve been here at his penthouse for a while, there’s been plenty of time to cancel it if he’d really intended to keep his promise.
Now I know the truth. Dante went back on his word. In fact, he probably never even meant to keep it in the first place.
How could I have been so stupid? So naïve?
Well, not anymore. I’mnotthe same Kylie from our childhood. I learned my mistakes by letting people walk all over me, and I’mnotintimidated by Dante Lewis anymore.
My fists clench on the desk, anger brewing inside me at how stupid I have been. I allowed myself to slowly build feelings for him… to feel things I didn’t want to feel. My heart aches over the entire situation as I try to process the fact that he has been using me.
The intensity of it all overwhelms me. I have to get out of here. I can’t stay after such betrayal. With tears caused by anger and hurt pooling in my eyes, I glance once more at the damning blueprints and leave his office.
In my room, I pull my suitcase out of the closet and start packing. Tears blur my vision and I’m not concerned about keeping things neat and orderly. I practically rip clothes off the hangers, yank everything out of the dresser drawers, and shove it all inside.
On my way out, I stop and go inside the studio. Four of the paintings are done and they’re pretty damn good, if I do say so myself. I can finish the rest from Willowcreek, transport worries be damned. It’s time to go home and put all this behind me. And hopefully, never see Dante Lewis’s face again.
Closing the studio door as I leave, I march down the hall toward the front door.Fuck him. I have no intention of even saying goodbye. He doesn’t deserve it. Besides, how many times did he leave me without a word? He has it coming.
“Good morning.”
I whirl around at the sound of Dante’s voice. As usual, I didn’t hear him and he startles me, which makes me even angrier.
“Would you like to go out for breakfast?” The last word barely makes it out of his mouth as he notices the suitcase I’m carrying.
A brief look of hurt flashes in his eyes and for a second I feel guilty, remembering how his mom left him. But fuck that. He caused this. I won’t let him or his sad eyes deter me.
“You went behind my back.” My voice is low. I’m not yelling, but the tone makes it obvious I’m pissed off.
He frowns in confusion.
“You promised you would drop your bid to buy Mrs. Kendall’s land,” I explain angrily. “Youpromisedme.”
I haven’t had a chance to do anything with my hair yet today and the curly mass is getting in my way. I push the strands behind my ear in frustration, staring Dante down as he continues to stand there and look at me without saying a word.
“I saw the plans, Dante.” I’m seething. “They showed up this morning.”
He flushes. Actual color dots his cheeks and his expression turns guilty.I’m right.That doesn’t give me any comfort. In fact, it makes me feel even worse to have it confirmed.
“It’s not what you think,” he starts, but I’m not hearing it. His guilty expression says it all for me. “I commissioned those earlier?—”
“I’ve been here for a while, Dante. You’ve had plenty of time to cancel them … if that had really been your intention.”
My breath is sawing rapidly in and out of my lungs. “Are you proud of yourself? Were you trying to seduce me to get me to sell, and then convince the others to as well?”
A muscle starts to twitch in his jaw. “I’m Dante Fucking Lewis. I don’t have to pimp myself out to make deals.”
“Well, it’s obvious money is more important to you than anything else,” I shoot back, turning sharply toward the door. I need to get the hell out of here.
“Don’t throw the blame on me,” he retorts. “I never hid who I am or what I want.”
“And now I know you’ll never change.” I yank open the door, then jump back, startled. A man is standing on the other side about ready to ring the doorbell.
