Her thoughts grated, ground her down until she wondered if everything she had convinced herself was true about Simon was actually a big fat lie, a self-created falsehood, a man she only imagined.
You don’t really believe that.
“The problem is…I don’t really know anymore,” she whispered softly to herself, her voice trembling.
Her illusions were shattered, and she had no idea what to believe in anymore. She had trusted Simon, had thought he was a decent but troubled man, and his actions left her confused, raw and completely devastated.
She stared numbly at the lights that were blinking over the rolling water and wrapped her arms around her shivering body. How would she ever erase the memory of Simon kissing a blonde bombshell, a woman so perfect that it made Kara wonder what Simon had ever been doing with her?
She blinked and a lone tear slid silently down her cheek. Most likely, she wouldn’t forget. The memory, the sense of betrayal, and the crushing pain were likely to hang around for quite some time.
Lost in her thoughts, Kara stood on the dock like a shadow, unmoving, no longer feeling the chill, wishing that she never had to go back and face reality.
She would. She had to. But she would avoid it as long as possible.
Chapter 7
“Whatever my brother is giving you, I’ll give you more if you come to me when he’s finished with you.” The sultry male voice pierced the silence right next to her ear, startling her so badly that she would have toppled over the dock railing if a strong male hand hadn’t gripped her waist. “Whoa. Steady.”
She whipped around to face the voice, already recognizing it as Sam’s. He crowded her, resting one hand on each side of her, keeping her from escape.
“W-What did you say?” The man left her cold and she didn’t appreciate his familiarity.
“I’ll pay. Whatever you want. However much you want.” His eyes were cold and she shuddered.
Oh, God. She was going to be sick. Gulping, she stared up at Sam’s diety-like appearance, barely able to believe that he was actually propositioning her.
Like a harlot.
Like a prostitute.
Like a whore.
Anger rose inside of her like a phoenix, climbing higher and high, stronger and stronger. She could barely see through the haze of red that clouded her vision as her body trembled.
“Simon won’t mind,” Sam assured her as his hand moved to her bare shoulder.
His comment resonated through her, making her snap. What the hell was with the Hudson men? Did they think they could buy any woman they wanted to f**k? She drew her hand back and let it fly…hard. It connected with his smirking face with a satisfying smack that exploded in the near-silent evening, cracking through the peace of the night.
“Maddie was right. You are a complete snake,” she hissed, her body shaking with rage.
“Maddie? Maddie Reynolds?” Sam’s expression was complete astonishment and shock. She wasn’t sure if it was the slap or the mention of Maddie’s name, but she didn’t wait to find out.
She pushed his arm out of the way and ran, deviating from the path to run across the well-manicured lawn to the front of the house.
She tore down the driveway and ran until she found James waiting patiently in the Mercedes. Tearing the front door of the car open, she dove into the front seat. “Please take me home,” she choked out, tears clogging her throat and making her voice raspy. “Please.”
“Ms. Kara. Are you all right?” She couldn’t see his face in the dark, but the concern in the driver’s voice was evident.
“I’m not feeling well. I need to go home,” she stated, not able to keep a pleading note from her request.
“Is there anything I can do?”
“Yes. Take me home. I’ll be fine.”
She wouldn’t be fine. Not now. Not tomorrow. Probably not for a very long time. But she didn’t tell him that.
James, bless him, didn’t ask any more questions. He started the vehicle and headed directly toward the condo.
Kara knotted her shaking hands around the soles of the shoes in her lap, trying not to let the tears flooding her eyes to fall. She couldn’t cry. There wasn’t anything to really cry about. The Hudson men were just doing what they normally did. She was the one with the problem.
Somehow, she had done an incredibly foolish thing. She had allowed herself to fall in love with Simon Hudson. Deeply, passionately, completely in love. It wasn’t like the love she had harbored for her ex. This was a confusing, soul-shredding, rip-your-guts out love that was going to hurt. Big time.
Swallowing down a bitter sob by biting her lip until it bled, she turned her head to the right, watching the city fly by as James drove her competently toward home.
You’ve gotten through loss before, Kara. You’ll get through this.
Since the death of her parents, she had used encouraging words, pep talks, to get herself through her toughest battles. They had always worked before. Hadn’t she made it this far?
You’ll forget him. It will just take time.
An uncomfortable weight settled on her chest, hard, heavy and totally crushing.
For the first time in her life, Kara Foster felt like she was lying to herself.
*****
“Kara!” Simon bellowed loudly as he slammed the door of his condo behind him, tossing his keys carelessly on the kitchen counter.
There was a small, neatly wrapped present on the counter with a card, but he ignored it and raced through the condo like a man possessed.
“Kara!”
He yelled her name until he was hoarse, but every single room was empty. Her room looked basically untouched, except that her backpack was missing.
“Shit!”
He went to kitchen and lifted the gaily wrapped package, finding a personal check from Kara in the amount of ninety thousand dollars and a single sheet of paper under the card and gift.
I’ll repay the rest as soon as I get a job. I left all of the things you gave me except for a few pairs of jeans and a couple of shirts. Thanks for everything. I’ll always be grateful.
Kara
What. The. Fuck. He didn’t want her damn gratitude. He wanted…her.
He crumpled the paper in a tight fist, his knuckles white from the effort.
She had left him?
No explanation.
No goodbye.
Just…gone.
He scooped up the gift and the sealed card, carrying them both to the living room while he poured himself a stiff drink. After knocking back a whiskey in one gulp, he poured himself another and dropped into a leather chair, setting the drink on the coffee table beside him.