Jaimie: Fire and Ice (The Wilde Sisters 2)

“Was it fun? Conning me? Making me think—making me think—”

Her voice broke. She hated herself for it, for that weakness, for wanting, even now, to fling herself into his arms.

“Please, Jaimie. You have to believe me. What began as a favor for an old friend... I told myself it was that, but it wasn’t. It was you. I just didn’t want to admit it. And when I saw you that first time, when you opened the door and I saw you after all those weeks without you—”

“Stop it.”

“Honey. Sweetheart—”

Jaimie slapped him. Hard.

“All the times we were together…” She was panting. Sobbing. With grief. With rage. “You lied to me! You deceived me!”

“Yes. I did. I didn’t see any other way to handle things—and by the time I did, it was too late. I was in so deep that the thought of telling you the truth…” He swallowed audibly. “I was afraid I’d lose you. Can’t you understand that?”

“What I can understand,” Jaimie said, stepping back, “is that you don’t have to be afraid anymore, Mr. Castelianos. Because you have lost me. I never, ever want to see you again or hear your name.”

“No.” The muscle in his jaw knotted. “It isn’t going to end like this. I won’t permit it.”

She laughed. Laughed! The sound was cold and bitter, and it made him furious. At himself. At her. At a world that had turned upside down.

He growled her name, reached for her, hauled her into his arms and kissed her. Hard. Mercilessly. He forced her lips apart, took possession of her mouth.

She didn’t fight him.

She simply stood unmoving in his embrace and when he opened his eyes, he saw that she had never shut hers. She was looking at him. Looking through him as if he weren’t there.

Zach’s arms fell to his sides.

He had just handed her his heart, and she had thrown it at his feet.

There was nothing to this thing called love.

It was an empty promise and he’d been a fool for thinking that it wasn’t.

He turned his back, strode to the elevator and took it to the lobby.

It was a cold, clear night; he couldn’t see the stars, but then you never saw the stars in Manhattan skies.

Zach turned up his collar, tucked his hands deep in his pockets, crossed the street and headed for the park. Night wasn’t a good time to be there, but what the hell, maybe if he was lucky, some stupid bastard would try to rob him or mug him and he’d have the chance to

beat the shit out of him.

That might go a long way toward making him feel better.

As for the stars…seeing them would make him feel better, too.

Zach picked up his pace. Took out his phone. Punched in a number and a code that were ingrained in his head.

“It’s Castelianos,” he said brusquely, when an automated voice asked for a message. “What have you got that’s interesting? I’m ready to go out again.”

He disconnected. Walked for another hour. Answered the phone when it rang, said yes and no and yes again.

The job would take him deep into Syria; he’d have to fly out tomorrow.

By the time he went home to pack, Jaimie and all her belongings were gone.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN