And I smiled back at him. The billionaire was so gorgeous, stalking up and down the room, planning this and that. And the agitation was new. Jake’s always calm and controlled no matter the situation, and this was the first time I’d seen him lose it, a worm under his skin. So I smiled again, sad but also ready to move on.
Because what could I do? I’d given my heart to this man, and yet he hadn’t given me his. Jake expected life be drama all the time, fighting while loving, and now saving me from the mental hospital. But the most important thing had happened just five minutes ago, in this bedroom, and he hadn’t noticed. I’d told him I loved him, and unfortunately, it didn’t register.
So I turned away once more, heart aching, as the alpha muttered angrily once more.
“I’m gonna make sure those doctors never practice again,” was his snarl. “Everyone there is gonna be out on their ass.”
My heart beat painfully even as my eyes filled with tears. Because yes, I’d given the best gift I had to give. My love. And unfortunately, my man didn’t even notice. How ironic, right? After all we’d been through, to be felled by this.
But sometimes life throws you curveballs, and my only choice was to move on … even if it broke my heart.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Jake
What the hell just happened?
Lacey should have been ecstatic. She should have been jumping into my arms with joy. Because I wasn’t marrying her mom, I was with her. We were gonna be a couple.
But instead, she lay back against the pillows, wan and beautiful. Shit, she must have lost ten pounds in that hellhole, and I vowed to put the poundage back on.
But more than that, it was her demeanor. Because my baby was here, yes, but she didn’t do much more than be sad.
“Honey,” came my rough growl. “We’ll work it out. We’ll be a couple.”
But her eyes merely moved to the window with a faraway look.
“Of course,” she said, voice calm. “Of course.”
Of course? What did that mean? There was nothing “of course” about this, there was nothing predictable about our relationship. I just called off a wedding to her mom, for crying out loud. So what was this of course stuff?
But the brunette was mysterious as a Sphinx. She smiled wanly again and said, “Jake, I feel really tired. Would you mind?”
Yes, I minded. Pulling up a stool, I plunked my big body next to her bed.
“Sure honey, you go ahead and sleep,” was my protective growl. “I’ll be right here.”
And for the first time in a while, real humor lit up those brown eyes.
“Oh Jake,” she said softly. “That’s not what I mean. Go out and do whatever you need to do,” she said with a nod of her chin towards the door. “I’ll be fine here.”
“No,” was my curt reply. “I’m staying here.”
But Lacey wasn’t taking no for an answer. With a sigh, she threw back the covers and got out of bed herself, wobbling back and forth. Shit, it was the drugs doing this to her, making Lacey weak like a foal.
“Damn,” I grunted, catching an arm. She was so thin now, I could circle her bicep with one fist easily. “Get back in bed!”
But Lacey rolled her eyes at the ceiling.
“Jake, either you go or I go,” she panted, out of breath. “I can’t sleep with you breathing down my neck, so either you leave, or I find a different place to stay.”
And I got it, I got it. She needed her privacy to do feminine things. So I tucked the female back in, and strode towards the door, turning back on my heel once.
“You move and you’re toast,” came my harsh growl.
But whaddya know, the sweet female was already asleep, her face pale against the white pillowcase. Shit. What those fuckers did to her. I was gonna have their asses for breakfast.
And shutting the door behind my massive form, I turned back to the hallway. Because what the hell was going on? Lacey should have been ecstatic to see me, she should have thrown herself into my arms, eager to begin a real relationship.
But instead, she’d said, “We’ll talk about it later.” That was a brush-off for sure. So what the hell? Did I do something wrong?
Turning into my office, I let out an exasperated grunt. Women. Can’t live with ‘em, can’t live without ‘em. I dropped into my chair, ready to boot up the computer when the door opened again.
“Yo yo,” came the greeting from my best man Cade. Or ex-best man, come to think of it. “Wassup?”
“Not much,” was my grunt. “Why?”
“Just seein’ if you wanted to grab lunch with me and Mary next week,” the fucker replied, lowering himself into an armchair. “Mary’s visiting her sister, so we’re in New York for the whole week.”