Jacyn felt trapped, embarrassed to be caught in the crossfire. Intruding upon a private moment. She’d picked up a little French in the time she’d been here, but not enough to follow exactly what was being said.
Nevertheless, it was clear that this argument was a life-changing one. The kind a couple couldn’t come back from. And there was one word repeated over again, which she recognized:divorce.
When a stark realization hit, her embarrassment was replaced by pain. If William and Sofia got divorced, that would mean that Sofia would once again be free and available. Free for Alex to pursue and then he wouldn’t need Jacyn anymore. Not to participate in this dreadful lie of an engagement, and certainly not to warm his bed. The idea that this fragile thing growing between herself and Alex—whatever it was—could be shattered so easily, just like the glass that Sofia had clearly thrown at William.
A streak of pale blue shot past her. It was Willa, running out of the entrance to her family’s suite, darting out of a side door and into the garden.
Oh, God,Jacyn thought. The girl had heard her parents fighting and Willa would have understood every word. Not even caring if the sound of her footsteps could be heard by the arguing couple, she sprinted after her, round to the front garden, where the child disappeared into the maze. Jacyn knew that if she didn’t keep up, Willa could find a place to hide where there’d be no hope of finding her.
She struggled to keep Willa in sight, finally cornering her in a dead-end, where she was backed against the tall, trimmed hedge, sobbing.
Jacyn took her into her arms, smoothing down the soft brown hair. “Oh baby, I’m so sorry.”
Willa allowed Jacyn to lead her back out of the maze, and then they sat on one of the wrought-iron benches for a long time, holding onto each other. “I won’t have a Mama and Papa anymore,” Willa cried. “Everything is over!”
“It’s not,” Jacyn soothed. “I know it’s awful when your parents get divorced, but you’ll survive. You’ll thrive. I did.”
Willa lifted her head to look at her. “Your mama and papa are divorced?”
“Sure. Ten years ago. But I’m fine.” Certainly, Jacyn had no intention of revealing all the uglier truths of her own parents’ breakup, what with the cheating and the remarriages and the way she was constantly in disfavor with her own family. What this little girl needed now was comfort and reassurance.
She adopted her bravest, most reassuring tone. “You know you’ll always have a family. You’ll always be loved—”
“Mama doesn’t love me.” Willa’s face was red and crumpled and streaked with tears. The agony on it wrenched at Jacyn’s heart.
“How could you think that?”
“She says she wishes I were a boy and that if she knew that I was a girl before she told Grand-père about her pregnancy, then she wouldn’t have had me.”
Jacyn cringed. What kind of woman would tell a young child such a thing? Also, why would Sofia care about what William’s father said about her pregnancy? It was clear that Liam and Sofia weren’t in love anymore. Maybe they had never been. Maybe Sofia had found herself pregnant and Liam had felt honor-bound to marry her. But the child shouldn’t feel that she was to blame for the indiscretions of her parents. She pulled Willa even closer, pressing the girl’s head into the crook of her neck.
“That’s not true, sweet girl. Your father thinks you are a blessing. Your grandmother and uncle adore you. And I know your mom does, too. You are loved—”
“Willa!”
They turned to see Liam running towards them. His face was flushed, dark with residual anger, but when he spotted his daughter in tears, his expression immediately softened. He dropped to the bench next to them. “It’s okay,ma petite.I’m so sorry you heard that!”
Willa was beyond words, crying incoherently, and then William enfolded her from the other side, so that between Jacyn and himself, she was cocooned in their arms. Together, they held her until her sobs diminished into sniffles and whimpers.
Lifting her eyes for the first time, Jacyn looked up to notice Alex, standing at the top of the steps, looking down on them. His face was a thundercloud.
***
Alex stood at the top of the steps, looking down on the scene: Jacyn, Willa, and his brother, hugging each other lovingly, like a big, happy family. He felt the blade slide in under his ribs, pointing up towards his heart—and then twist.
William didn’t even notice him there.Mais non!He was too busy enjoying the fact that he held the two females in his thrall. Liam was like that; he captured the attention of everyone around him. Just as he always did, with that unquestioning confidence of his.
And now here Alex was, for the second time, standing on the sidelines while his big brother, with all his golden good looks, charm, position and power, took away the woman he loved. Again.
Love?The word smashed into him like a wrecking ball, reverberating like the crash of metal on metal. No. That wasn’t what he’d meant. It wasn’t the word that should have come to him.
It wasn’t possible that he could love this woman. He’d known her what, almost two months, maybe a bit more? That wasn’t the way these things happened. The last time he’d been in love, he’d known her since they were children. Love took time and patience to grow; it didn’t smash into you when you weren’t looking.
He turned abruptly and began walking away, stiff with rage and hurt. He heard Jacyn call his name, but didn’t slow down, didn’t look back. It took effort for her to catch up to him, but he didn’t care.
“Alex,” she puffed. “What is it?”
No answer. Not even a sideways glance, all the way to his suite. He would have slammed the door the moment he was inside, but his mother had raised him better than that, so he let her in. Her face was the picture of confusion.