just wanted to tell you it’s over,” he said, folding his arms over his chest. “He won’t bother you again.”
She gulped and looked him over. His face was hard, his hands looked scuffed, like he’d been in a fight. “What happened?”
“Do you really want to know?” he asked, a dark look on his face.
She felt the blood drain from her face. Maybe she didn’t. “Just up until the violence, maybe.”
He sighed and walked inside. Damn, he was tall. And so handsome. And so hers. She wanted to tie him up and keep him there, but it wouldn’t make him love her. So she had to leave.
She led him into her room. “Come on. I’ll pack while you talk.” No point staying extra days. Time to get back to her life now that it was safe to do so.
He watched her quietly as she packed, unnerving her by not saying a word.
“Tell me what happened,” she said, knowing that talking about getting things done was easier for him than dealing with emotion.
“I lured him out after he saw pictures of the painting online. He expressed interest in having it shipped. I told him he really should see it in person.” Scott sat on the edge of her bed with folded arms. “He flew out the next day. Made an offer.” Scott raised his hands and cracked his knuckles. “Let’s just say he didn’t like my counteroffer.”
She swallowed. “Tell me you didn’t do anything illegal.”
“I protected my mate,” he said simply. He eyed her belongings. “You want me to help you pack?”
She studied his stoic expression. It broke her heart a bit that he could really just let her walk out like this after mating her. But now that he’d taken care of her problem, she guessed he hadn’t felt guilty.
And he’d stayed away the last few days anyway. If he really wanted to spend time with her, he’d have been there.
But he’d done amazing things for her. Helped her paint again. Brought her bear out. Given her an amazing night under the stars, in tune with nature. She guessed that was all she could expect. Maybe she just needed to go back to New York for a while and let him figure things out. And she could try and decide if she could really live without her mate.
When she was packed (she’d already gotten somewhat packed just in case she needed to leave quickly), he carried her things outside.
She was still curious about the painting, whether it had been harmed, and whether the stalker was still out there and alive. But somehow it didn’t matter compared to the pinching pain in her heart that told her she was making a huge mistake by leaving. But he had never asked her to stay, never said he was willing to work to give them a real relationship. And if she stayed now, she’d basically be agreeing to half a life, simply because they’d mated.
Still, her heart pounded painfully as he loaded her things into the back of a car in front of the hotel. Both Kim and Leah were busy with the brothers they were spending time with, and Mara would call them when she was safely home.
For now, she just needed to get off this island.
“I’ll drive you,” Scott said. “The airport isn’t far, and I want to make sure you get there safely.”
Yes, safe. That’s all he cared about. Her being safe. Not her being happy. Or loved. Just safe.
She told herself not to be bitter; he’d done a lot for her. She guessed a part of her just felt bad that she hadn’t been able to help him with whatever was bothering him. Whatever was holding him back. But it wasn’t going to happen if she stayed. If she stayed, she’d just keep demanding his love, which he clearly wasn’t willing or able to give.
“Who flew you out?” Scott asked.
She told him.
The drive was quiet and she leaned against the door with closed eyes, trying to calm the ache inside her. She didn’t want to be crying when they said goodbye. She just kept telling herself that she should be happy. She could paint again. She had no stalker. When she was ready, she’d need more details about
She gulped and looked him over. His face was hard, his hands looked scuffed, like he’d been in a fight. “What happened?”
“Do you really want to know?” he asked, a dark look on his face.
She felt the blood drain from her face. Maybe she didn’t. “Just up until the violence, maybe.”
He sighed and walked inside. Damn, he was tall. And so handsome. And so hers. She wanted to tie him up and keep him there, but it wouldn’t make him love her. So she had to leave.
She led him into her room. “Come on. I’ll pack while you talk.” No point staying extra days. Time to get back to her life now that it was safe to do so.
He watched her quietly as she packed, unnerving her by not saying a word.
“Tell me what happened,” she said, knowing that talking about getting things done was easier for him than dealing with emotion.
“I lured him out after he saw pictures of the painting online. He expressed interest in having it shipped. I told him he really should see it in person.” Scott sat on the edge of her bed with folded arms. “He flew out the next day. Made an offer.” Scott raised his hands and cracked his knuckles. “Let’s just say he didn’t like my counteroffer.”
She swallowed. “Tell me you didn’t do anything illegal.”
“I protected my mate,” he said simply. He eyed her belongings. “You want me to help you pack?”
She studied his stoic expression. It broke her heart a bit that he could really just let her walk out like this after mating her. But now that he’d taken care of her problem, she guessed he hadn’t felt guilty.
And he’d stayed away the last few days anyway. If he really wanted to spend time with her, he’d have been there.
But he’d done amazing things for her. Helped her paint again. Brought her bear out. Given her an amazing night under the stars, in tune with nature. She guessed that was all she could expect. Maybe she just needed to go back to New York for a while and let him figure things out. And she could try and decide if she could really live without her mate.
When she was packed (she’d already gotten somewhat packed just in case she needed to leave quickly), he carried her things outside.
She was still curious about the painting, whether it had been harmed, and whether the stalker was still out there and alive. But somehow it didn’t matter compared to the pinching pain in her heart that told her she was making a huge mistake by leaving. But he had never asked her to stay, never said he was willing to work to give them a real relationship. And if she stayed now, she’d basically be agreeing to half a life, simply because they’d mated.
Still, her heart pounded painfully as he loaded her things into the back of a car in front of the hotel. Both Kim and Leah were busy with the brothers they were spending time with, and Mara would call them when she was safely home.
For now, she just needed to get off this island.
“I’ll drive you,” Scott said. “The airport isn’t far, and I want to make sure you get there safely.”
Yes, safe. That’s all he cared about. Her being safe. Not her being happy. Or loved. Just safe.
She told herself not to be bitter; he’d done a lot for her. She guessed a part of her just felt bad that she hadn’t been able to help him with whatever was bothering him. Whatever was holding him back. But it wasn’t going to happen if she stayed. If she stayed, she’d just keep demanding his love, which he clearly wasn’t willing or able to give.
“Who flew you out?” Scott asked.
She told him.
The drive was quiet and she leaned against the door with closed eyes, trying to calm the ache inside her. She didn’t want to be crying when they said goodbye. She just kept telling herself that she should be happy. She could paint again. She had no stalker. When she was ready, she’d need more details about
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