poured down my face during my emotional turmoil for the last sixty minutes.
Suddenly, I realized that I couldn’t just catch that flight in the morning, and forget the last few weeks had never happened. I couldn’t leave Damian feeling like he did right now. Yeah, I realized that he couldn’t give me everything, but dammit! The man had been willing to trust me; it just hadn’t happened as early as I would have liked.
My heart was still aching from his expression when he’d turned and walked away, and it was obvious that he’d meant exactly what he’d said.
He wasn’t coming back.
He wasn’t going to interfere if I needed to escape.
“Shit!” I mumbled anxiously as I gathered my stuff. “I have to talk to him. I can’t leave this way.”
No matter how many differences there were between us, I wanted to give Damian his power back, because I didn’t need it. I was strong enough on my own. He’d taught me that, so I wasn’t about to leave him vulnerable and defenseless.
I couldn’t.
I sprinted back into the throughway, looking at every single face as I made my way toward the exit.
I finally stopped, panting from exertion, as I saw who I was looking for sitting at the very last gate before security and the exit.
Damian’s head was down, his elbows on his legs, his broad shoulders slumped.
Pain ripped through my entire body as I watched him, hating the fact that he was hurting as much as I was, even if it wasn’t for the same reasons.
I strode to where he was sitting, touched his shoulder, and held out my hand. “I could really use a comfortable bed right now. I’m exhausted. I’m not even going to try to pretend that I’m over all of this, but we’ll talk when we’re both rested, and then I’ll go.”
The moment his head jerked up, I knew I’d never forget his expression as relief flooded his features, removing the anguish that had been there seconds ago.
He was on his feet so fast his body was almost a blur, and he snatched the hand I was offering. “You won’t regret this, Nicole.”
I swallowed hard as the two of us walked toward the exit. “You broke my heart, Damian.”
“Then I’ll bloody well fix that, too,” he grumbled.
And just like that…Damian Lancaster took his power back, like he’d never given it to me in the first place.
My lips kicked up into a small smile of satisfaction.
I’d fallen in love with this bossy, powerful, kindhearted, honorable man, and no matter how much it hurt, I’d much rather leave him this way.
CHAPTER 35
Nicole
BY NOON THE following day, I felt like I hadn’t left a single stone unturned.
I’d spoken to Bella and Leo at length, and saw all of the pictures Damian had hidden away. I was now completely convinced that Dylan was his identical twin, no matter how crazy it all seemed.
I sighed, glad that I was feeling more like myself today. Except for a few slightly uncomfortable interactions when he’d brought me the evidence of Dylan’s existence, Damian and I had hardly spoken yet.
We hadn’t said much on the ride home from the airport, and I’d fallen into bed as soon as we’d reached Damian’s house, so mentally and physically exhausted that I hadn’t been ready to talk.
The subject of my thoughts came walking into the living room seconds later. “I made you some breakfast. You didn’t eat anything this morning.”
I smiled at him warily. “I’ve been busy. What’s for breakfast? You do realize it’s almost noon.”
He handed me one of the plates. “Pancakes. It’s the only thing I really know how to cook. Every Sunday was family day in the Lancaster home. When we were kids, me, Dylan, and Leo used to spend the morning with our parents in the kitchen, making as many pancakes as we could eat.”
I looked at the plate as Damian took a seat next to me on the couch and began to devour his own food.
“They don’t look like pancakes,” I observed.
“Our pancakes look more like crepes,” he explained between bites. “They’re unleavened and thin, and we top them with anything and everything. I went with maple syrup for yours to make you feel more at home.”
I picked up my fork, trying not to smile. He’d definitely gone with maple syrup, and he hadn’t been stingy about it. The English version of American pancakes on my plate were literally drowning in syrup.
I took a big bite. “Oh, my God. These are fantastic.” They