“Well, it certainly won’t be me.” Her lips pulled back in a smile, cool and detached. “I don’t know whatyouwant out of this, but allIwant right now is to have a little fun. It’s just good sex, and Lord knows, you and I are compatible in bed. We proved that over and over and over again last night, and the night before that. So what’s wrong with enjoying it while it lasts? Because if you think I’m looking for anything else, you’re wrong, lover.”
With that, she got out of bed and began looking around on the floor of his bedroom for her clothes. All the while he stared at her, dazed. Had he gotten her so wrong? How could she trivialize everything that had gone between them like that? And how should he feel about it?
When she was dressed, Jacyn began moving towards the adjoining door that led to her suite, her slender back perfectly straight. She threw him one last, devastating glance over her shoulder. “If you don’t think you can handle this, feel free to walk away. But if you’re up for a little more fun until all this comes to its inevitable end, you know where to find me.”
She kicked the door shut on her way out.
CHAPTER 16
JACYN BARELY MADE IT to her shower before she collapsed in a trembling heap, shaken to her core by what Alex had said to her. Was he really willing to end everything between them just like that? Turn his back to her again the second they set foot upon American soil?
What a fool she had been to think that they had come to mean more to each other, just because their lovemaking had grown more and more intense!Stupid, Jacyn. Stupid.Why would you think that a billionaire playboy would ever be interested in you in the long term?
It was a good thing she had the acting chops to play it off, pretend it didn’t matter. Put that bastard back in his place. Because, kill her dead, there was no way she was letting him know how much his suggestion had hurt.
This morning, she should have been working on tweaking her business plan for her hair products, but she couldn’t seem to concentrate. She decided to go visit Madeline. They shared a pot of tea and chatted awhile, but the serene calm of the countess’s balcony made her even more jittery, and eventually she had to come up with an excuse to get away.
Madeline had nodded wisely, gently patted her cheek and whispered in soft French, “Keep the faith, my dear.”
Jacyn ran all the way to the stables. She was more than an hour late for her daily ride, thanks to the amount of time she and Alex had spent in bed — No! She had to purge that image from her mind.
The stables were busy as usual, and she found Orage already saddled up and waiting for her. Brute was still in his stall, so Jacyn guessed that Alex wouldn’t be riding today.
Fine. She was going on her own.
She got onto Orage without any difficulty and began cantering to the main gates that led outside. She’d never ridden off the property without Alex, but then again there was a first time for everything. Her tumultuous emotions made her confident, and she spurred the horse on.
But something wasn’t right. She began lurching forward, struggling to keep her balance, and then as Orage moved faster, she found her body sliding sideways. No time to think; she threw her hands out, grasping at the horse’s mane. Her ankle was caught in the stirrups even as she began falling.
“Alex!” she screamed, panicked, sure that she would tumble to the ground and be trampled.
Sensing something amiss, Orage slowed, then stopped, just as her foot came free and she fell into a heap into the dirt at the gate. She felt a glaring pain in her shoulder and struggled for breath. There was dirt in her eyes, mouth, and hair, and her ankle hurt like hell.
Then strong arms enfolded her, and she fell into them, sobbing. “Alex!”
“No, it’s me, Liam. Are you okay?”
“Yes. No. I mean, I—”
He shushed her. “It’s okay.Tout va bien.You’re all right. Come with me.” With sure, gentle hands, he helped her to her feet.
By now a groom had arrived, looking distressed. He held Orage easily in his grasp, and tried to re-buckle the saddle, frowning. There was a quick conversation, and the man led the horse away, leaving her alone with Liam again. “I’ll help you to your suite,oui?”Without waiting for anything more, he lifted her easily into his arms and began heading back to the château.
She nodded, grateful, feeling safe and comforted. Astounded by the possibility that anyone this kind could be guilty of rape. Could it be true? Willa was proof that something had happened.
He looked down, and perhaps the questions were written on her face, because Liam flushed. “What?”
“Nothing,” she said hastily.
Liam shouldered open the entrance to Alex’s suite, calling his brother’s name urgently—only to freeze. Jacyn gasped in shock as well.
Alex and Sofia were standing just inside the doorway, and she had her arms locked around his neck.
They were kissing.
Upon realizing that they were no longer alone, the pair leaped apart. Alex looked confused and guilty, while Sofia looked defiant.
“What is going on?” Alex snarled, looking from his brother’s face to Jacyn’s.