Surrender

Page 77

“Mmm, what do you want to know? I’m an open book,” she lied.

“Well…” he hesitated as he wanted to fully enjoy the devastation on her face when she discovered she wasn’t getting her way.

“How about we talk about the fact that you’re broke, about to be homeless, and been cast from the high society circles from here to New York. ”

It took her a moment, but his words finally registered and she stiffened as her satisfied smile fell away and hatred glowed in her eyes before she managed to control it, and plaster a devastated expression in its place.

Rafe didn’t feel the victory he’d planned on. He was surprised to almost pity the woman – almost. She had reaped what she’d sewed. He was done with his small game. Walking to the phone, he lifted it to call his security and she flew off the couch toward him.

“What are you doing? Please! Let me explain. I was trying to be happy again after you threw me out. I lost all joy in life and wandered like an empty shell. Then I met Antonio. I thought he was a good man. He was so nice to me at first. That’s why I got the new br**sts and nose. I wanted to please him. But then, he turned out to be a real jerk. I thought he’d take care of me so I wasn’t careful with my divorce settlement, and then out of nowhere, he kicked me out of his house, wouldn’t even let me have the jewelry he’d bought for me. I didn’t do anything to deserve that. Now I have nothing, no money, no home – nothing. You can’t just leave me like this, Rafe. You love me. ”

Rafe listened to her speech without feeling a single emotion. He simply didn’t care enough about her to even give a damn.

“According to my sources, he kicked you out because he found you in bed with the pool boy. Isn’t that a bit clichéd, Sharron? The pool boy, really?”

“That’s a lie. I would never do that. ”

“Tell it to someone who cares. I honestly don’t. I thought I’d enjoy seeing you like this, but you matter so little to me that I’ve already grown bored with this conversation. ”

“You were never so cold before. What in the hell has happened to you?” she screamed.

“I’m who I always should’ve been. I quite like myself. ”

“What am I supposed to do,” she wailed.

“It looks like you’ll have to figure it out. I want you to leave my home, Sharron. Don’t come back. ”

With that, Rafe lifted the phone and called security. They were there within seconds and Sharron didn’t stop screaming the entire time they hauled her from his office. If she came back again, he wouldn’t hesitate to have her thrown into jail.

Chapter Thirty-One

“It’s so good to have you back, Ari!”

Ari braced for impact as her three friends engulfed her in a group hug. The embrace caused a bit of discomfort to her still healing wound, but it was worth the small amount of agony to feel so loved.

“I’ve missed you girls. What crazy adventures have you been up to since I’ve been gone?”

“We’ve already filled you in on everything when we came to visit you at the hospital. Now it’s so your turn to spill. Who the heck was that complete hunk that was in your room the last time we were there. It’s been killing us waiting all weekend to find out. ”

“Oh, he’s nobody, really,” Ari said, not wanting to discuss Rafe. She hadn’t heard a word from him since he dropped her off on Thursday and she’d been on pins and needles ever since. She knew the other shoe would drop, she just didn’t know when. The waiting was worse than if he were right there in her face. At least then she knew what he was doing. With him not communicating with her, she was jumping at every shadow, listening to every door close through her thin apartment walls.

Ari was grateful she was finally back at work, where she knew he wouldn’t be showing up. He had too much class to storm her building and kidnap her. The thought of him doing just that should send shudders through her, but instead stirred up the beginning flames of excitement.

What was she thinking? The man was screwing with her head whether he was around or not. It couldn’t be good for her health.

“You are such a liar – and a very bad one, at that. From the second he walked into your room, the temperature steadily rose. The heat in his eyes alone was enough to melt the skin from my bones. After leaving your hospital room, I went home and jumped my husband. He was so thankful, he told me to go back and do whatever it was I was doing before getting home,” Amber said as she fanned her face.

“Amber,” Ari said with mortification as she looked around.