He received a shrug in return, and the light violet eyes narrowed on him as he fought the urge to pace. A few times he opened his mouth to speak. Every time, Gloria’s chin went up higher, daring him to utter more damning words.
Gael bit his tongue against cursing and tried to see past the woman’s shoulder into the house that harboured the woman he loved—the woman he couldn’t bear to be apart from for one more second. Gloria’s subtle shifting told him he was pushing it.
He shoved his fingers through his hair and tried one more time. ‘Is everything okay with her?’
Gloria tossed her blonde head. ‘Are you asking about my daughter or about the baby?’
‘I’m asking about my wife. About our child.’
‘You should have thought about them before you messed up.’
Spikes of anguish ripped wounds through his heart. ‘You’re right. I messed up. Badly. But I want... I need the chance to fix it. Por favor?’ he added gruffly when she remained intransigent.
Her stare bored into him for depressingly long seconds before she sighed. ‘I’ll tell her what you said, son. But don’t hold your breath. My daughter is made of strong stuff. She may be bent a little out of shape right now, but she’s not broken. If she learns to stand again without you, then you’ll have missed your chance.’
His heart dropped to his feet as she stepped back and slammed the door in his face.
He raised his hand to knock again, then froze when he heard the ragged sobs coming from within.
He’d spent the last twenty-four hours in hell. But the woman crying inside the house—the woman his heart yearned for more than it wanted to beat—was hurting. And it was his fault. His being here was hurting her even more.
And yet Gael couldn’t leave. Staggering away from the door, he stumbled down the front step and sank onto it. Time ticked by, marched on. He couldn’t move.
A light rain began to fall. He watched the droplets form on his arms and drip down his fingers. His numbness kept him insulated. Gael looked up when his driver stepped from the limo and started walking towards him with a blanket. He shook his head once, fiercely, sending the man backtracking. He didn’t deserve to feel warm. Besides, compared to the chill in his heart the rain was nothing.
Midnight slowly ticked by. He knew because a clock chimed inside the house.
When he heard a noise behind him he wondered if someone’s house pet had chosen to join him in misery.
‘Are you trying to make some sort of point by freezing to death on my doorstep?’
Gael stood and jerked round. One lunge up the steps and he was standing in front of her.
‘Goldie...mi amor...please give me a chance to explain.’ He wanted to touch her but he didn’t dare—didn’t want to risk her bolting back inside.
‘I think what I heard was clear enough. You bought me and you don’t think you can love me.’
He shook his head, spreading a few raindrops.
She wiped a drop from her cheek, her movements jerky.
‘No... I mean, yes, that’s what I said. But I didn’t mean it. Not like that.’
He stopped and inhaled. How could words fail him, today of all days, when his life depended on it?
‘What I meant was, I knew you were leaning towards a yes to my proposal even before I offered you the money and the movie roles. I tagged them on because I wanted to be able to tell myself you’d chosen to marry me because of money.’
Her brows clamped in a frown. ‘Why?’ she asked, bewildered.
‘Hearing that you weren’t wanted, that you’re a mistake, even once, isn’t something you can brush under the carpet and forget easily. Alejandro and I are true brothers now, but there was a time when I thought he was the same as our father in his contempt of me. Having two out of your three closest blood relations reject you as a child is...painful. I convinced myself I was okay with it, but it wasn’t until lately—until you—that I realised I’d let it cloud a lot of my life’s decisions.’
He stopped and took a deep breath.
‘I have a confession to make.’
Her eyes grew more wary. ‘Yes?’
‘I was at Othello on another audition hunt when I heard you performing. I was stunned by you. But then I heard that casting director proposition you.’