So she had to choose her pride or the promises she’d made to the only person who’d ever really cared about her.
Up ahead she saw Michael come into sight. He was unkempt, his shirt untucked and hair ruffled. He looked weary, and for a second she wanted to hug him.
What she truly wanted to do was turn back time so it was morning and she was waking up in his arms. All she’d worried about was what to make for breakfast. He’d kissed her awake and made love to her before carrying her to the shower.
The world had seemed so warm this morning. Now it was cold.
He turned slightly, and his eyes found hers, and she felt like there were miles between them. Miles they would never be able to cross. She could take what he was offering. He felt guilty now that he knew she was innocent. She could let his money and family power restore some part of her reputation and then they could be done.
“All right. I’ll do it.”
Ava’s lips curled up. “Excellent. We should begin then. But you should know that I’m going to change your mind about him. I’m going to bring you in, Vanessa, because I think the two of you are good for each other.”
Michael might not be the truly dangerous one.
Vanessa forced herself to walk down the hall, toward the man who’d betrayed her.
Toward the man who might save her.
Chapter Fifteen
“You look worse for the wear, brother.” Deke shook his head as he looked Michael over.
“Well, lockup isn’t great on a grooming routine.” Michael tried to straighten out his shirt, but it had gotten wrinkled between his fistfight with Junior, the cops who’d tackled him, and being thrown into a cell with a bunch of high schoolers who’d had a turf war over a soccer game.
God, he was going to make sure his kids never got that entitled.
Of course he was never going to have kids because the one woman he loved wouldn’t ever touch him again.
“How is she?” He’d been everything Tag said he was. A moron. Arrogant. Short sighted. He should have talked to her the minute he knew he cared about her. The minute he’d thought they might have a chance, he should have sat her down and told her everything and figured it out together. Now he was well aware he was completely in love with the woman, and he’d lost her trust.
Deke’s expression sobered. “She’s in shock. She doesn’t know what to think. Your mom showing up seems to have thrown her for a loop, but in a good way. I think she’s going to go for the plan.”
“She doesn’t have any other choice,” Michael replied. “She hasn’t since the day she met me.”
He’d been thinking about it all afternoon. He’d convinced himself that she’d had a choice, that she was doing what she did with him because she was attracted to him, because they were good together.
She’d gotten close to him because he’d forced her to. He’d manipulated her into basically moving in with him, and now he was doing it again.
But if he didn’t he would lose her.
He had to wonder if he already hadn’t. He knew how he’d felt when he’d believed all his choices had been made for him. He’d basically upended his whole life and alienated himself from his family for years. Why shouldn’t she want to do the same? And with no real ties between them, she wouldn’t come back.
He’d killed the light in her eyes. Maybe he didn’t deserve another chance.
“That is defeatist thinking,” Deke replied. “You need to shove that out. Do not turn into Morose Mike. You always do this when you feel guilty. Don’t give in to that useless emotion. It’s more about you than her. I need Magic Mike. Not Morose Mike.”
He frowned his friend’s way. “Excuse me? You think I should strip for her?”
Deke shrugged. “I think you should use all your assets to convince her to give you a second chance. Do you honestly believe you can’t come back from this? That you can’t care about her enough to make her overlook how you met? Because if you can’t, then we should rethink this plan. We can still take her to Julian’s.”
Julian hated being in the public eye. It could hurt him and his family. The Malones were bulletproof, for the most part. Oh, the press could dredge up old crap, but the kids were young enough, they wouldn’t notice it, and it would go away. His parents and brother would make sure of it. Julian’s kids were at a delicate age when public perception and the critical lens of the press could wreck them.
But even if they hadn’t been, Vanessa was his responsibility. He owed Vanessa.
He still wanted her so very badly.
Was he the best thing for her? Deke was right. He’d been mired in his own guilt for the last few hours. He’d fucked up, but he could make things good between them again. He would stand beside her, give her the support she needed.