a toll on my father, and I’m never without my phone now. I don’t want to chance something happening and missing a call or text.
When I flip the phone over to look at the screen, I see a message from Garrin there.
Garrin: You look exquisite in red.
I glance down at the long-sleeved red crepe Valentino dress I’m wearing and then my head shoots up, looking around the room.
“Are you okay?” the woman I’m speaking with asks, but I don’t answer her. When I glance over to the doorway, I see Garrin standing there wearing a charcoal three-piece suit with matching shirt and tie. He’s standing in the center of the doorway, gaze fixed on me with his arms crossed over his chest, forehead wrinkled in that way it is when he’s at his most intense.
“Excuse me,” I say absentmindedly.
“Where are you going?” Ford asks when I walk away, but he must notice Garrin too, because then I hear him say, “Gotcha.”
His eyes are on me the entire time I make my way through the tables and over to him. It hurts more than I thought it would, seeing him again. The pain of his betrayal stings like the first lash from a whip, but part of me is relieved to set eyes on him again. He might have been the one to cause me to retreat into myself all those years ago, but he was also the one to bring me back to life.
I walk past him, tugging on his elbow for him to follow. Once we reach an alcove in the hallway, I whip around to face him. “What are you doing here?” I whisper-shout, not knowing if there’s anyone else around.
“I figured that would be obvious. It isn’t to see Ford’s ugly face.”
Not impressed, I cross my arms and cock a hip.
“I’m here to see you. We need to talk.” He steps toward me and I step back.
God, he smells good like always. It’s all I can do not to lean in and inhale his scent.
“I’m working. You can’t just show up here like this.”
“You didn’t leave me much choice. You won’t return my texts or my calls.”
I step up to him and have to crank my head back to get a good look at him, even in my heels. “I thought I made it pretty clear the last time I saw you not to bother contacting me again.”
He eats up the last few inches of space between us so that our chests just brush against one another’s. “And I thought I made it clear that this wasn’t finished between us. We’re not done.”
His dark carnal energy wraps around me, and we each hold our ground, breathing heavier than normal, our gazes locked.
God, what I wouldn’t do to go back and erase his confession so that I can pretend he wasn’t the one who hurt me, because all I want to do right now is fall into his arms and let him help me escape again.
“I’m not letting his go, Isla,” he says in a harsh whisper, his breath fanning over my face.
“It’s not your choice.” But my voice doesn’t hold the same conviction it did minutes ago.
“We need to talk. If you want to walk away afterward, that’s your decision and I’ll respect it. But not until we have a real conversation about it.”
I study his face. The way his dark eyes stare down at me with more conviction than I’ve ever seen in someone, the way he’s holding his breath waiting for my answer and the small amount of tenderness in his expression.
“Fine,” I grumble.
I owe it to myself to understand the entire situation and then make a determination as to how I want to proceed.
“How much longer do you have to be here?” he asks.
“I don’t know. Another hour, maybe.”
“I’ll wait for you outside, then.”
I shake my head. “I have to get home to my father. We can talk another night.”
A dark chuckle vibrates from his chest. “Tonight. I’m not taking any chances that you’ll change your mind.”
I blow out a breath. “Fine. Come by my place in a few hours. My dad doesn’t have much stamina these days. He’ll have fallen asleep by then.” I glance away from the pity filling his eyes and step back.
“Fine. I’ll see you then.” He brushes past me and strides down the hall.
I can’t help but watch after him, trying to decipher if I’m happy or sad that he’s walking away from me.
30
Chapter Thirty
Garrin
I arrive at the Flores