Despair crushed her. Though the Cahill Group was paying for her relocation, that didn’t stop her from sorting through her things before the movers arrived. She had to keep busy or she’d go crazy.
The doorbell buzzed and she sighed. Janine from down the hall had mentioned a get-together in her apartment this afternoon, but Rebecca didn’t feel like going. Still, it was just like Janine to try and talk her into it, especially when Rebecca was leaving in two days.
“Just a minute,” she called when the bell buzzed again. When she reached the door, she checked the peephole out of habit.
The man standing in the hall was definitely not Janine.
Her breath shortened, her heart plummeting to her toes before shooting through the roof. How could she deal with him? Why was he here? What would she tell him about the baby?
Tears gathered behind her eyelids as she folded her hands over her belly protectively.
No, she wasn’t ready. Not yet.
If she didn’t say anything, maybe he’d go away.
What was Alejandro doing in New York? And why had he come to see her?
Maybe he’d had her watched after all. Maybe he knew everything. Cold fear dripped down her spine.
The seconds ticked away. She couldn’t hear anything but the beating of her own heart. She started to back away from the door but came up short at his voice.
“I know you’re in there, Rebecca. Open the door.”
Rebecca closed her eyes. That voice, the crisp Spanish inflections. The sound sent a wave of longing through her. And fury. How dare he show up over a month later and demand she open the door to him. Where was he a month ago? He should have been here, apologizing, begging for her forgiveness.
Right.
“Rebecca, open up or I’ll kick it in.”
She’d like to see that. The door was steel. And yet he was making enough noise that any second doors would start popping open up and down the hall. Worse, she believed he really would try to batter her door down if she didn’t answer. She yanked it open but didn’t undo the chain.
Alejandro stared down his nose at her. His arrogant, rotten, deceptive nose.
He looked every bit as delicious as he had over a month ago. He wore Hugo Boss, of course. The tailored grey suit made him appear elegant and commanding. Every inch the captain of industry. He was so amazingly beautiful to her eyes. Any second her heart would crack wide open and she’d be spilling her secrets to him.
His gaze raked over her. “You are unwell?”
Did she look that bad? Her doctor said she was healthy, if a little underweight. Alejandro had probably moved on to some elegant, gorgeous woman who simpered and put up with his moods. She felt so dowdy and unattractive just thinking about it.
And heartbroken, damn him.
“I’m fine. What do you want?”
“I wish to talk with you.”
“Start talking.”
He nodded at the door. “Can I come in?”
“No.”
He pushed a hand through his hair, blew out a breath in annoyance. “It would be easier to let me in, would it not? Or do you prefer your neighbors hear what I have to say?”
She had no idea what he would say, but no, she didn’t want her neighbors to hear it. She pushed the door closed and slid the chain back. Her stomach chose that moment to roil. All she wanted was to sit down and get this over with. She jerked the door open and turned her back on him, going over to sit on the couch and fold her legs beneath her. Hostility was her only armor against him. She prayed he would not see beneath it to the quivering heart of her.
He came inside, his grey gaze coolly assessing his surroundings. He seemed unsurprised she was moving.
Of course. He probably knew everything about her job with the Cahill Group. No doubt he saw it as a betrayal that she would work for Roger, but what else was she supposed to do?
“You look ill,” he said again as he strode into the living room. His hands were thrust in his pockets. He was so tall, so imposing. And he was standing in her apartment, his presence reminding her of all they’d done together. Her heart throbbed with anger and hurt.
She shook her head. “It’s nothing. What do you want?”
“You didn’t cash your severance check.”
Rebecca blinked. No, she hadn’t. She’d taken it to the bank once, but she’d been unable to deposit it. It felt… dirty somehow. Like accepting it would