"I thought she told you," said Beverly, frowning. "She's changed her mind and is catching a flight tonight."
Her words sent a stab through Nick's heart and he stopped cold. "Tonight? What time?"
She checked her watch. "It leaves in a little over half an hour."
Nick couldn't think but he could move. He sprinted to the elevator, cursed it when it didn't arrive immediately, then banged the button for the underground car park when he got in.
Minutes later he was speeding through the streets of Sydney and heading to the airport. He ran several amber lights, prayed he wouldn't get pulled over by the cops, and pressed his foot to the floor.
By the time he got onto the freeway, his mind had begun to work again. He didn't like what it told him. Why in the hell was Abbey leaving? He didn't understand. Okay, so he hadn't believed her when she said she hadn't slept with Vane, but he did now, that's all that mattered. And he'd never make the same mistake twice. Ever.
He arrived at the airport, parked illegally, and raced inside the terminal, his heart thumping so hard he could hear it between his ears.
He glanced up at the departures screen. Her flight had been delayed and was scheduled to board in ten minutes. He let out a long, ragged breath but he didn't slow his pace. He ran to gate two and scanned the faces. Abbey was sitting in a corner, her head bowed.
He joined her and crouched in front of her. She glanced up. Her cheeks were damp with tears and her eyes red and raw.
"Abbey," he whispered, rubbing away the tears with his thumbs. "Abbey, don't go. Please."
She stood and pushed past him, heading for the toilets. He followed, took her arm and directed her into an alcove away from prying eyes.
"Abbey, speak to me. Please, I, I don't understand..."
He scanned her face but she shook her head and looked down at her feet.
"Please, don't go. Give me a chance, Abbey. Whatever the problem is we can work it out."
He reached for her and gathered her into his arms. For one happy moment he thought she was going to stay like that, but she pulled away, shaking her head.
"Nick, I can't handle this anymore. The parting is just too hard."
"Then don't leave! Abbey stay with me, please." He watched her closely for a reaction but she didn't move. "I need you," he whispered.
He tried to take her again but she shook her head and he let his hands drop to his sides. It ached not to touch her, to comfort her.
"You don't get it, do you, Nick?"
He shook his head. "No. I admit I don't. I thought it was all cleared up."
"For you it is. All you cared about was whether I slept with Vane. You didn't believe me when I said I didn't."
Nick blinked down at her. Having his suspicions confirmed didn't make him feel any better. He swallowed and tried to ignore the rising panic welling inside him. "I wanted to believe you, Abbey. Really I did. But I was...scared." He moved to touch her again but changed his mind and ran both hands through his hair. Suddenly the fear came flooding back. Not fear of losing control over his life, but fear of losing Abbey. It was overwhelming, crushing. He realized being in control meant nothing if he couldn't have her with him. Always.
The announcement for boarding was made and Abbey moved away. He reached for her.
"No. You can't go." He fought the urge to hold her to him, to trap her against his body so she couldn't leave. But he didn't. He couldn't. He wanted her to stay of her own accord.
But he was getting desperate. He'd beg her to stay if he thought it would make a difference.
"Abbey," he whispered, staring down at her. "I'm sorry if I made you feel like a..."
"A hooker."
Nick shuffled his feet. "A gold digger. My heart knew you weren't, my heart never thought you lied, but after all the lies that passed between us at the beginning, my head just took over. That's the way I am, Abbey. My head has always ruled Nick Delaware. Until now, I thought my heart was just another organ. But you stole it. You ripped it out of me and now it hurts like hell because you won't give it back. I'm sorry I didn't trust you. I'm sorry I didn't follow my heart from the beginning."
He swallowed and put a hand to his thudding heart to try to still it. He placed his other hand against the wall next to Abbey. She looked down at her shoes so he couldn't see her face but he could tell by the way her shoulders shook that she was crying.
She made no movement toward him.
"Abbey, please, you're scaring me."
***
Abbey cried silently, trying to clear her thoughts. Nick's presence was so strong and masculine beside her that she had to hold herself back from throwing her arms around him. She could hear his breathing, heavy and ragged. She could feel his eyes on her. Boring into her.
"Abbey," he prompted. "Sweetheart, did you hear me? Please, what do I have do to make you understand? I'm an idiot. I know I don't deserve you, but I can't give you up. It's killing me knowing you're going to get on that plane and never come back."
He paused, shifted from foot to foot, then gingerly touched her sleeve. His breathing changed from ragged to rasping. But she still couldn't look up at him. The sight of him would just make the ache so much worse. Make it more difficult to leave.
"Abbey, I love you so much, I can't...I can't cope if you go." He took a step forward, caught her shoulders and drew her against him. His arms were like a strong cage, holding her tightly to his chest. The final call for boarding was announced but Abbey barely heard it.
He loved her. He loved her.
Nick's chest heaved against hers and he buried his face in her hair at her shoulder.
"Please tell me you won't leave," he whispered. "I don't care if you don't love me, just don't leave me. I can't lose you. I can't…"
Nick shuddered. In an instinctive movement, Abbey lifted her arms from her sides to his waist, stretching them around him. "I love you, Nick," she said, squeezing her eyes shut against the onset of fresh tears. "You're a stupid, frustrating control freak. But I love you anyway."
Nick's grip tightened momentarily as he let out a long, shredded breath, then he kissed her. His lips were soft yet his kiss was urgent and filled with need. He pulled away and held her face in his hands. His moist eyes searched hers.
"I'll never doubt you again," he said. "Never. I've learned my lesson. I won't do anything to risk losing you."
"No more lies between us, okay? Only the truth."
He nodded quickly. "Agreed. So you're staying?" he croaked.
"Yes," she said, trying to stop herself from grinning stupidly.