Titan stopped in front of his desk, looking at him with the kind of love she never showed me. It wasn’t full of romantic affection or lustful commitment. It was the same way I looked at Brett. She looked at him like family, like a brother or a father. “Thorn—”
“I don’t want to listen to you repeat yourself.” He rose from his chair and slid his hands into his pockets. His eyes returned to her face, full of cold venom. “And I don’t want to listen to Hunt try to convince me I should forgive you. I don’t forgive you, Titan. Nor will I ever.”
Fuck, that was harsh.
Titan did her best not to cry, but her eyes noticeably tightened in pain.
“I have to embarrass my parents by acting like an asshole. I have to throw away the powerful and professional image I’ve built for myself since day one. I have to completely start over and pretend to be something that I’m not—because of you.”
Watching this almost made me want to bow out altogether.
“I want nothing to do with you, Titan. When we’re finished, I never want to see you again. If we’re at the same event, you pretend I don’t exist. And I pretend you don’t exist.”
I understood Thorn felt betrayed, but this was cold. “Thorn, come on. What do you expect her to do?” I walked up to his desk and stood beside her, knowing she was exercising all her restraint to keep a straight face.
“I understand her decision,” Thorn said, his eyes on me. “Just as she should understand mine.”
My hands formed fists because I couldn’t process my frustration. I really thought Thorn would let this go once he voiced all his anger. But he was moving forward without any indication of doubt. “If the situation were reversed, you know Titan would forgive you.”
“I’m sure she would. But she doesn’t have the best judgment. And that’s exactly why this is over.”
Titan released the breath she was holding, her pain obvious.
“Thorn, I’ll give you anything you want to make this work.” I had more money than I knew what to do with and connections that could push his career further. I would drop all of that just to make Titan happy.
His eyes narrowed on my face. “You can’t put a price on friendship, Hunt. That’s why it’s so valuable.” His eyes shifted back to her, full of disappointment. “You aren’t a friend to me, Titan. A friend wouldn’t destroy me like this.”
Her voice remained steady, despite the emotion that was choking her. “I’m not doing this on purpose, Thorn. I don’t have any other choice. I have to be with Hunt. I can’t live without him…”
“And I understand that. It’s always been different with him than all the others.” He continued to keep his hands in his pockets, acting as if this conversation were far calmer than it really was. “I respect your decision, and I don’t see any other option for you. But I’m not going to forget that I’m the victim of your choices. You expect me to sweep that under the rug?”
“No, but I—”
“Ever since Hunt came into the picture, our friendship has never been the same. It’s been shaky and unpredictable. I never know where I stand. One moment, you’re standing with me. And then the next, you’re standing with him. If you hadn’t told me to propose, everything would be different—but you did. We can’t change that. We can’t change what’s about to happen.”
Titan was finally silent, empty of words, empty of hope.
I didn’t see a future for the two of them. I saw the chaotic destruction of a friendship. I saw the deterioration of a family. It was painful to watch, but I couldn’t stop staring.
“My team will make the statement this afternoon. I suggest you don’t comment until they catch me with some other woman. And even then, I still wouldn’t make a statement. Vincent will release the photos, and the fire will just keep burning.” He rubbed his jaw as he stared at Titan, looking at her like someone he hardly knew.
All Titan did was give a nod.
“I think that’s it,” Thorn said dismissively. “Take care.” He lowered himself back into the chair and rolled it up to his desk. His hand moved to the mouse, and he immediately gave all his attention to the screen.
Titan didn’t move. So I didn’t either.
She moved to the edge of his desk and pulled the diamond ring off her finger. With careful fingers, she set it on the surface. A gentle tap filled the large room, the echo of their ending friendship. “If you ever need anything, you can always come to me. I’ll always be there for you, no matter what, even if you don’t see me as a friend anymore.”
Thorn’s body stiffened slightly, but his eyes stayed on the computer. The movement was so subtle I wasn’t sure it had happened at all.
“I understand your decision, as much as it pains me. But I want you to know that I love you…that I’ll always love you. If you ever change your mind, you know where to find me. And I certainly hope you do.” She made a bold gesture by placing her hand on his. Both of them rested on the mouse, and Thorn stopped clicking the buttons. He still didn’t look at her, but he didn’t push her hand away either.
She waited another thirty seconds, hoping he would say something in return. But when it was clear he would keep his silence, she finally let him go. She pulled away and straightened her shoulders before she turned around. Tears swam deep inside her eyes, but she didn’t let them emerge. She remained tall and strong, walking out of there with her head held high even though it was the most painful thing she’d ever had to do.
I refused to believe that this wasn’t killing Thorn. He was still absorbed in his anger, so he was numb to the pain. He loved Titan, and since I loved her too, I knew watching her suffer was agonizing.
It nearly killed me.
14
Titan
I didn’t cry anymore because there were no tears left to shed.
It was done.
I lost my friend.
The TV was on in the living room, and the news story played over and over. Reporters dissected Thorn’s announcement until there was nothing left to discuss. “Thorn Cutler made a surprising announcement today when his team stated he and Titan had ended their years-long relationship overnight. Just a few weeks prior, he proposed to Tatum Titan with a gorgeous ring. With tears in her eyes, she said yes. This comes as a surprise to all of us, and it’s left more questions than answers. What exactly happened?”
I grabbed the remote and changed the channel. There was a game on, and I’d much rather stare at that than listen to the world discuss my fake relationship. Thorn’s mother called me once, but I didn’t answer. She left a message, but I was too much of a coward to listen to it. I had no idea how Thorn wanted to handle the news with his parents, and since we weren’t on speaking terms, I couldn’t ask.
My phone rang, and Hunt’s name popped up on the screen.
I should be happy right now. I should feel my heart sprout wings the second I saw his name on the screen. My guard was down, and my heart was open to him—so were my legs. But it difficult to feel something other than sorrow. Thorn meant just as much to me—in a very different way.
I answered. “Hey.”
Hunt’s masculine voice sounded even deeper on the phone. I couldn’t see his handsome face, so my listening senses were heightened. “Hey, baby.”
Baby. I loved hearing that name. It was soothing all the way down my spine. I never wanted him to call me Titan again, not when I meant something more to him than I did to everyone else. “Hey…” Now I was repeating myself like an idiot, but I didn’t have the grace to correct myself.
“I want to see you.”
Now that the news was out, there was nothing holding us back. Even if Vincent wanted to unleash those pictures, the story wouldn’t break until the morning. What we did tonight wouldn’t change the outcome of our future. “I want to see you too. But honestly…I’m pretty down. I’m not pleasant company.”
“You were never pleasant company,” he teased.
A pained smile formed on my lips. “I don’t want to start our relati
onship this way. I want you to know that I’m happy…I am happy. But I’m also absolutely miserable right now.”
“I know, baby. So let me be miserable with you.”
He always knew the right thing to say.
“I’m in the lobby, standing in front of your elevator. I’m coming up whether I’m invited or not.”
“Then why did you call?”
His smile was obvious through the phone. “Wanted to be a gentleman.” He hung up.
I was still in my clothes from earlier that afternoon. My heels were abandoned in the middle of the floor, standing upright with utter beauty. I loved shoes as much as clothes, but after wearing them all day, I couldn’t handle them anymore. An Old Fashioned was on the table in front of me, but I wasn’t ashamed to drink it. I still drank. I just hadn’t lost my control over it.
The doors opened and he stepped inside. He wore a thick black jacket to fight the winter cold. He peeled it off and hung it by the door, in dark jeans and a long-sleeved V-neck underneath. It looked wonderful against his fit body, hugging his ripped muscles in all the right places. His jaw was cleanly shaven, which was a slight disappointment. Beard or no beard, he was utterly sexy. But I liked the way his stubble rubbed against my soft skin when he kissed me.
He joined me on the couch, his eyes invading my appearance. They looked over my body, spending the most time on the hollow of my throat. Without placing a single hand on me, he could devour me like a wild animal. After months of screwing him, I thought I would get used to this behavior. But I never did.
His hand moved to my neck, and he leaned in and kissed me softly on the mouth. It was a gentle touch, full of love and affection. While the sexual intensity was there, he didn’t push it on me. He restrained himself instead, knowing I wasn’t myself tonight. He moved his lips to my forehead next and placed a kiss there.
He could make me feel so loved with an action that was so simple.
I looked into his mocha-colored eyes and suddenly felt warm in spite of the raging winter right outside my window. For just an instant, I felt safe despite my shattered heart. It gave me a brief moment of hope, that I would get through this somehow.
His fingers trailed behind my ear where he tucked in my hair. Then they slid down my arm slowly until they settled on my thigh.
“I’m happy that you’re here.” I knew he was staring at the sadness in my eyes and seeing a woman who had fallen apart. I wasn’t jumping into his arms and letting him carry me to the bedroom. “I’m sorry that I’m not showing it better.”
“It’s okay,” he said quietly. “When you’re sad, I’m sad. That’s how this is going to go for the rest of our lives.”
My eyes softened, and I rested my hand on top of his.
“But I’m sleeping here tonight. And tomorrow night. And the night after that…”
A smile tugged at my lips. “I assumed.”
“But I won’t make a move on you tonight. I can tell your mind is somewhere else.”
“I’m sorry…” I broke eye contact and looked at the ground. “I wish it didn’t have to be this way. I wonder if it would have been better if I’d just stayed engaged to Thorn. But I know that would have made me more miserable in the end. When I go over my choices, I wonder if there’s something better I could have done. But I don’t see another alternative.”
“Because there is none.” He squeezed my hand.
“That makes me feel better, but only slightly. I’ll never get over losing Thorn. I know it’s hard to understand. He’s been a crucial part of my life for so long. He knows me better than anyone else. It’s like…losing a piece of myself.”
His hand moved underneath my chin, and he directed my gaze to him once more. “He’ll come back.”
“You heard him, Hunt.”
“Diesel.”
My eyebrows rose.
“Don’t call me Hunt ever again.”
My hand slid up his muscled thigh, feeling his strength through the thick jeans. “Okay.”
“I know he’ll come back. It might take a few months, but he will.”
I didn’t want to latch on to hope when it might just slip away. “Why do you say that?”
“Love like that doesn’t just die. He’s angry right now, but once that pain settles, he’ll miss you. The guy killed someone for you…let’s not forget that.”
“Like I ever could…”
“He’ll come back, baby. I know he will.”
I was grateful Diesel was so supportive of me. Other men wouldn’t be so understanding. “I’m sorry if it seems like I talk about Thorn a lot. I know it must get old. I know it must bother you…”
“It’s never bothered me. I have nothing to be threatened by.” His hand slid over my neck as he looked at me. “You love me—and only me.”
* * *
We lay in my bed together, all the lights off and surrounded by darkness. The lights from the skyscrapers filtered through my tinted windows. At the touch of a button, the shades could come down and seal us in darkness. But I liked the way the lights trickled through the windows sometimes.
Hunt lay beside me, all muscles and all warmth. He was on his side, his head sharing a pillow with me. He hiked my leg around his waist and pressed our chests together. I was in one of his old t-shirts, treasuring it as a relic from our past.
His face was just inches from mine, and he kept looking right at me. As if he could see something more than just my gaze, he stared at me like the universe sat in the center of my eyes. His look was piercing and invading, but I liked being conquered by this man every way possible.
His veined forearm hooked around my waist, his fingers gently rubbing against the bare skin of my back underneath my shirt. Without sharing a single kiss, we exchanged so much passion. I could feel it in the limited space between us. I could feel it in his pulse. I could feel it in the way he looked at me.
We weren’t making love, but we almost seemed to be. His gaze washed over me like waves from the ocean tide. It reached every inch of my skin, even the nape of my neck. I felt overwhelmed by his presence, drowned in his possessiveness.
His masculine voice shattered the silence around us. “This is nice.”
“It is…”
“I want to do this every night for the rest of our lives.”
It was the most romantic confession I’d ever heard him make. “Me too.”
“Then we will.”
* * *
Diesel left when my alarm went off. He showered at my place then went back to his penthouse to change.
I walked him to the door and gave him a kiss goodbye. “Bring a bag next time.”
He smiled against my mouth. “I’ll bring more than that. I’ll need a dresser and half of your closet space.”
“Uh, I don’t know about that. I have a lot of shoes…”
He squeezed my ass with his big hand. “Then get rid of them.” He kissed me on the forehead before he stepped inside the elevator. “Love you.” He said it casually, just like every husband said to his wife before he went off to work.
It was nice. “Love you too.”
He watched me until the doors were closed and he was gone.
I went back into my room and got ready for the day. I didn’t dare turn on the news to see what happened next with Thorn. Maybe he’d been photographed with another woman already. Maybe the media had twisted the story in some other ridiculous way.
After I finished getting ready, I turned on the TV.
They were all covering the same story as last night, except Thorn had already been photographed with some woman in a club. He was grinning like an idiot with his arm around her shoulders.
There was no sign of Vincent Hunt’s pictures.
I turned off the TV, walked to the elevator, and then stopped in my tracks.
Vincent hadn’t leaked those photos yet, but I was certain it was only a matter of time. He was probably getting ready to do that right this minute. Once he arrived at the office, he’d have one of his ass
istants send them off.
There was nothing I could do to save Thorn and me.
But perhaps I could still save Diesel.
* * *
His assistant made me wait for fifteen minutes before she ushered me inside.
Vincent Hunt was definitely pissed. His eyebrows were furrowed, and his dark eyes looked black like drops of oil. He was seething in silence, his jaw clenched just the way Diesel’s did when he was ticked about something. Their striking resemblance allowed me to read him well even when he was just a stranger.
“Good morning.” I lowered myself into the chair facing his desk.
He didn’t have a greeting in return. His hands were together on his knee, and he stared at me like I wasn’t welcome in his presence. He always gave me respect even if he didn’t like what I had to say. But now that respect was gone.
“You’ve heard about Thorn and me.”
“Bits here and there.”
“Diesel and I have decided we want to be together—even if you do leak those photos.”
“Good to know. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have a story to share with the world.”
It still shocked me how spiteful he was. He was so angry with his son that he couldn’t see straight. His hurt and love had blended together so well that he misinterpreted it for rage. He didn’t know how to digest his misery, so he sabotaged Diesel in every way he could—even though it wouldn’t make him feel better. “Thorn and I were really good friends.” Speaking in past tense still got me choked up, but I refused to show emotion in front of Vincent. “Our engagement was a business arrangement. When I fell in love with your son, it complicated things. I ended my relationship with Thorn because I knew I couldn’t live without your son. You can ruin my reputation all you want, but it’s not going to change anything. I intend to spend the rest of my life with Diesel—for better or worse.”
He hadn’t moved an inch, his hostile gaze still burning holes into my skin.
“So, I’m going to be your daughter-in-law someday.”
Boss Alpha: Boss #5 Page 18