In the Heat of the Spotlight

She kept her mind blank as she threw her belongings into a bag and grabbed her coat. Her plane left for New York tomorrow, but she could go standby. Hell, she could hire a private jet if she wanted to. And what she wanted in that moment was to escape. To flee to a safe place where she could untangle her impossible thoughts, her encroaching fears, and figure out if there was anything left.

She slipped out of the store, hailed a cab to take her back to the hotel. She was still operating on autopilot, reacting as she always had before, and while part of her knew she should stop, wait, think, the rest of her just buzzed and shrieked, Get out. Get away and save yourself...if there’s anything left to save.

She’d packed her suitcases and was just slipping on her coat when she heard the door to the suite open. Luke stood there, looking tired and rumpled, the keycard held loosely in his hand.

‘Someone told me you’d left early—’ He stopped, his gaze taking in her packed cases, her coat. He stilled, and the silence stretched on for several seconds. ‘What are you doing, Aurelie?’

She swallowed. ‘I thought I’d leave a little early.’

‘A little early,’ Luke repeated neutrally. He came into the room, tossing the keycard on a side table. ‘Were you going to inform me of that fact, or were you hoping to slip out while I was still at the opening?’

‘I...’ She trailed off, licked her lips. ‘I don’t know.’

He stared at her, his face expressionless, eyes veiled. ‘What happened? Did Aaron talk to you?’

‘Yes, but that doesn’t really matter.’

‘Doesn’t it?’

‘No. I just...I need some space, Luke. Some time. I’m not sure...’ Her voice cracked and she took a breath, tried again. ‘I’m not sure I can do this.’

‘This,’ he repeated. ‘We never did decide what this was.’

Was, not is. So maybe her worst fears were realised, and he was leaving her. Not that it mattered either way. This was her problem, not Luke’s.

‘And you don’t think you could have told me any of this?’ he asked, his voice still so very even. ‘You don’t think you could have shared any of this with me before you tried to bust out of here?’

‘I’m telling you now—’

‘Only because I came back early!’ His voice rose in a roar of anger and hurt that had Aurelie blinking, stepping back. ‘Damn it, Aurelie, I trusted you. And I thought you trusted me.’

‘This isn’t about trust—’

‘No? What’s it about, then?’

‘It’s my problem, Luke. Not yours.’

‘That’s a rather neat way of putting it, considering it feels like my problem now.’

‘I’m sorry.’ Her throat ached with the effort of holding back tears. ‘I just...I can’t risk myself again. I can’t open myself up to—’

‘To being mistreated and abused like that scumbag Myers did to you?’

She felt hot tears crowd her eyes. ‘I suppose. Yes.’

Luke let out a hard laugh, the kind of sound she’d never heard from him before. ‘And you say this isn’t about trust.’

‘It isn’t,’ she insisted. ‘This is about what’s going on in my own head—’

‘You want to know what’s going on in my head?’ Luke cut her off and Aurelie stilled. Nodded.

‘Okay,’ she said cautiously.

‘I’ve had a few revelations today. Starting with the fact that I’ve resigned from Bryant Stores.’

‘Resigned—’

‘My brother told me I was always trying to prove myself to people, trying to earn their trust. And he was right. I was certainly trying to earn it with you.’

‘I know you were, Luke. And you did earn it—’

‘Obviously I didn’t, if you’re trying to sneak away now.’ Luke shook his head, his gaze veiled and averted so Aurelie had no idea what he was thinking. ‘But this goes back before you. Way back.’ He let out a slow breath. ‘I told you my mother died of breast cancer, but she didn’t.’

‘She didn’t?’ Aurelie repeated uncertainly.