by Wynn, Renee
She turned and focused on the window, refusing to look at him.
For a very long time he didn’t move, but his gaze burned a hole into the back of her head. The heat seared her neck and she fought to remain still. Finally, he walked out. Tears broke free and covered her cheeks. She took great gulps of air to keep from crying out her pain. Clamping down hard, she gritted her teeth to hold back the despair. Confusion, pain and desperation fought a war inside the heart—no one being declared a winner. The hollow ache cut deep groves throughout her body. She didn’t know how much time passed before she balled up into a fetal position to help ease the suffering. Feeling nothing, she fell into a restless slumber.
Chapter Nineteen
Ashton stood at the floor-to-ceiling windows in his office thinking about his wife. The spot had become his place of solitude. For the last two days he’d visited her at the hospital and she’d pretty much ignored him.
He ran this hand over his face and walked to his large mahogany desk and flopped in the chair, closed his tired eyes and leaned his head back.
The way she’d looked him— as if she couldn’t stand the sight of him— sliced at his gut, he tried hard to push the disappointment aside. He was still her husband and the father of their child. His brother was another matter. Ashton uttered a long curse. He’d reacted without thought. Seeing his wife wrapped in Brent’s arms had driven him mad with anger—and jealousy. For the first time in his life, he was afraid. Hell, who was he kidding? He was scared shitless. His world was on an axis and he was teetering on the edge of it. Without Nicole, there was nothing for him. With her, he was whole—complete. Would he ever stop being afraid of losing her?
There was a quick knock at the door and it opened. His father walked toward him, leaving the door open. Before he could sit, an assistant entered with a tray of coffee and scones. Ashton stood. She set the tray on the small conference table by the window.
“Thank you, Mary,” Camp said. “We’ll serve ourselves.”
“Yes sir.” The older woman smiled, nodded and walked out.
Ashton shook his head. “Although I inherited Mary when you supposedly retired, I see she still works for you.”
His father chuckled and poured the coffee in their cups. “Do you want cream?”
“Black is fine.”
Camp motioned toward a leather chair at the table. “Sit down, son.”
Ashton moved to the chair but glanced out the window, waiting for his father to be seated. The magnificent view of the Dallas skyline never ceased to capture him his attention.
“It’s a beautiful sight.”
“Father, I know you didn’t come here to talk about the view from my office window. You’re retired, remember? The only time you come to the office is for board meetings. So, what’s up?”
“Whenever you call me Father, I know you are pissed.” Camp grinned and then pulled his chair closer to the table. “Nicole’s coming home today, Right?”
“Yes, I’m picking up her in an hour.”
“Good. This episode with Brent and you has me worried.”
“You’ve been talking to Mother.”
“Now, Ashton, don’t go and get your back out of whack. Your mother is concerned and so am I. You’re a brilliant strategist when it comes to business. I couldn’t ask for anyone better to head Sinclair Industries into the next decade and beyond.”
Ashton cleared his throat. “Thanks Dad. But what’s the real reason you’re here?”
“I’ve talked to Brent.” The silence stretched. “I want to discuss him and Nicole with you.”
Ashton lifted his eyebrows. “What about them? He has no business talking about my wife or even thinking about her.”
“Stop this nonsense.” Camp held up his hand. “Everyone can see how much you love her, Ashton. Your brother wouldn’t do anything to jeopardize that. I don’t know what happened between the two of you and I don’t care. What’s important is that my sons remember that they are brothers.”
Ashton’s lips tightened as he tried to control his anger. “Did you give Brent the same spiel before you came storming over here? He’s the one that needs to remember.”
“Son, listen to me—”
A loud knock sounded on the door. But before he could answer his father did. “Come in.”
The door opened and Brent walked into the office. Although there was hesitancy in his approach, confidence showed in his face.
“What the hell are you doing here, Brent?” Ashton asked.
Camp frowned at him. “I asked him to come.”
“Really? What do you think it’s going to accomplish? It still doesn’t change the fact that my brother wants my wife.”
“I didn’t come here to argue with you, Ashton.” Brent shook his head and looked at their father. “Dad, I told you it wouldn’t do any good. Ashton has a chip on his shoulder and I’m not going to be the one to knock it off. He’ll believe exactly what he wants. He always does.”
“Did I not I find you at my house with my wife wrapped in your arms kissing her?” he snarled.
“Dammit, I love Nicole. That is not something you’re going to change.”
“Whoa, one minute.” Camp held up his hands. “What are you talking about?”
Ashton advanced toward Brent, fury in every step. “Oh, little brother didn’t tell you the full story, did he? I came home and there he was trying to seduce my wife.”
“That’s not true,” Brent shouted. “You should know that Nicole isn’t that type of woman. But, as usual you are too stubborn and angry to see what’s in front of your eyes.”
“Okay. Let’s all calm down.” Camp threw up his hands to keep them separated. “Ashton, I can imagine what it might have looked like but Brent would never do something as crass as coming on to your wife. I’m sure there’s a reasonable explanation.”
“There’s no explanation for what I saw.”
“Brent, tell me what happened,” Camp said.
“I went to see Nicole but not to seduce her. I just wanted to talk to her. I wanted to know why she married Ashton.”
“It’s none of your damn business.”
His father glared at him. “Ashton, please. Go on Brent.”
“Nicole was my girl first. It’s only natural that we would hug each other good-bye. But when I looked at her and realized that things would never be the same between us—”
“You damn straight things will never be the same. You stay the hell away from my wife. This is your last warning.”
“Who the hell do you think you are? You can’t hide her away as if she’s a prisoner in an ivory tower. This isn’t the Stone Age. She won’t allow it and neither will I.”
“You won’t allow it?” he ground out. “You have lost your motherfucking mind.”
“Ashton!”
He didn’t even look at his father but kept his gaze on his brother. “Nicole is mine. She’s always been mine. She was never yours. You were just too blind to see it.
“I love her. Can you say the same?”
A boulder of silence felled. For the longest time no one said anything. Ashton swallowed trying to dislodge the lump in his throat.
“More than you would ever know.”
Brent eyes widened with surprise. “What?”
“She’s not a possession, a merger, or just a random woman, as you once elegantly put it. She’s the woman I love and I won’t let anyone or anything come between us. That includes friend, foe, or brother.”
Brent’s eyes blinked as if he was in a dream. He ran a hand down his face. “This can’t be happening. I don’t know of any woman who ever gotten past your hard exterior.” He frowned at Ashton as if he was looking for the missing pieces of a puzzle. “You’re telling me that Nicole is that woman?”
“I’m telling you that Nicole and I are married and will remain so. She’s the mother of my child and any future children we’ll have. She’s no longer a part of your life.”
Brent grimaced. “Just like tha
t.” He snapped his fingers. “I’m to forget all the years we have been together?”
“Yes.”
“Unfortunately, I realized my love for her too late but it doesn’t erase what I’m feeling.”
Brent moved toward the door.
“Son, I’m sorry but you and Melissa—”
“Melissa and I are getting a divorce.”
“What in the hell is happening to this family!” Camp shouted. “You haven’t been married six months and you’re talking divorce.”
He looked at his father. “It’s what we both want.”
“I know things were strained between you but I didn’t know it had gotten to this point.”
“We should’ve never gotten married. It was a mistake. After I realized my feelings for Nicole it was hard to keep it from her so I told her. She’s already moved out of the house. All we want to do is put this marriage behind us and start fresh.”
Camp touched his Brent’s arm. “Why don’t you take a few days off? Give yourself time to think. You don’t need to make irrational decisions right now.”
“I know what I want.” He stared hard at Ashton. “As usual you get the girl.”
“It wasn’t a contest. We all have lost and won in this.”
“I can’t forgive you, not right now.”
“I’m not asking for your forgiveness because I don’t believe there’s anything to forgive. We’re adults and made adult decisions.”
Brent’s shook his head and laughed harshly. “You’ll never change, Ashton. I ask that you make her happy. She deserves it.”
“I know.”
“I can’t stay around and see you with her.”
Ashton remained silent.
Brent walked out and never looked back.
“I don’t like this, son. The gap between the two of you is too wide.”
“It is what it is, Dad. Brent created it.”
His father stared at him for a long time. “I didn’t think I would see the day when you would become a cold-hearted man toward your family.” Ashton stiffened at the words. Camp stared at him for a moment longer and left the office.
Ashton exhaled the penned up air in his lungs with relief.
Chapter Twenty
Nicole stood in front of the mirror and pulled her hair back into a messy ponytail. Her eyes were swollen and red from crying through the night. She was tired and cranky but her hand unconsciously rubbed the small round bulge, bringing a quick smile to her face.
She and the baby would be fine. Survival. If she could make it through her parents’ death, becoming an orphan and overcome being a lonely and shy girl, she could do anything.
“You’re being stubborn,” Sally said. “Ashton should be here. It’s not right you asked to be released this early…” She looked at the gold watch on her wrist. “It’s seven in the morning. You know that Ashton will be here within the hour.”
“If you had a problem picking me up, you should’ve said so.”
Sally rolled her eyes. “You know I don’t.”
“Good. So drop it.”
She needed to come to grips with the end of her short-lived marriage, but not now. Today was a new day. She was being released with a clean bill of health. The doctor said she and Ashton could resume sexual intercourse as long as they took it easy. It wasn’t going to happen.
First, she’d to go to Ashton’s house, pack her things and then move back to her house. A clean break. This would grant her some measure of control. Of course with Ashton being the man he was, she would have a fight on her hands. He didn’t like to lose; the thought of failure wasn’t even in his vocabulary.
She may have been naïve before, but not anymore. She had to rethink everything now. Her baby needed for her to be strong and capable. She would take care of them both.
Her friend continued rambling. “I don’t understand what is going on. Since you won’t talk I have to draw my own conclusions.”
“You need to stop your overactive imagination. My marriage is off limits.” Nicole paused and looked around the room. “Can you grab my overnight case by the window?”
Sally sucked her teeth and went to retrieve the bag.
A young auburn haired nurse walked into the room. “Mrs. Sinclair, I have your discharge papers for you to sign.”
She took a deep breath and pasted a smile on face.
“Are you sure you want to do this?” Sally asked.
Nicole signed the released form and handed the clipboard to the young woman and smiled. “Thank you.”
“Mrs. Sinclair, I’ll return with the wheelchair to take you down.”
“That isn’t necessary.”
“Sorry, hospital rules.” She walked out the room.
Sally groaned. “Let me call Ashton. He doesn’t even know you’re being discharged right now.”
For the last two days, he’d come to the hospital, staying for hours, not saying much but watching her through hooded eyes. It was painful to realize that conversation between them no longer flowed but had become stilted, forced and felt like a chore.
“Nicole, the man is your husband…the father of your baby.”
She rolled her eyes. “I don’t need you to tell me who he is.”
“Well, someone does. You’re being stubborn. If I had—”
“I have heard enough.”
“I think you’re making a big mistake.”
“Duly noted.”
“Are you ready, Mrs. Sinclair?” The young woman pushed the wheelchair through the door.
“Yes, I am.”
###
Nicole walked into Ashton’s home, turning on the lights, as she moved up the staircase to the master bedroom. Sally followed close behind.
“What happened between you and Ashton?”
“Not now, Sally.”
“It must’ve been huge for you to be this angry.” Sally prompted. “It’s not like you to hold a grudge.”
“Will you stop, please?” Nicole walked into the bedroom, headed to the closet and began removing clothes from the hangers. “Will you get my suitcase from the other closet?”
Sally opened the double doors to the closet. “You’re being really tight-lipped about the entire situation. I don’t understand at all.” She threw the designer case on the bed. “I’m just about it all—”
“I might as well get it over with because if I don’t you’ll keep pestering me. But before I tell you anything, I want you to know that it was all a huge misunderstanding.”
Sally tilted her head to side, slamming her with a cool stare. “Spill it.”
“Ashton came home and found me in Brent’s arms. He was kissing me.”
“Let me get this straight Ashton caught you kissing Brent, the man you claimed to love, the man who you wanted to marry. And you wonder why he’s mad as hell?”
“For the record, I didn’t kiss him, he kissed me. It meant nothing.”
“Really?” Sally planted her hands on her hips “Are you sure?”
“Don’t be ridiculous. You’re making it sound sordid and it wasn’t. Ashton should’ve known it meant nothing.”
“Are you serious?”
“I would have understood.”
“You’re kidding, right?” she said sarcastically. “I can’t believe you don’t understand why Ashton was pissed. If the roles were reversed, you would’ve responded the way he did.”
“No, I wouldn’t.”
“Great. So you’re just going to run away… like always. This is crazy. Ashton loves you!”
“How many times do I need to tell you that our marriage isn’t based on love, Sally?”
“If you believe that then you need your head examined.”
Nicole glared. “He doesn’t love me.”
“Bullshit. The man loves you,” she insisted.
“Whose side are you on, Sally?”
Sally sat on the bed. “Since you’re my best friend, I’ll hear yours first.”
Nicole felt like she was in a storm a
nd feeling her way blindfolded. “You’re really pushy. It can be annoying.”
“So I’ve been told. So talk.”
“He said some things that can’t be taken back. If there’s no trust, there’s nothing.”
“Trust doesn’t come easily.”
“I realize that now.”
“You messed this one up royally, Nicole. Platonic friends don’t go around locking lips.”
“You’re making too much of it. Drop it.”
“Fine. If you want to end up single and raising your child alone, then let your marriage go down the toilet. You better think real hard if that’s something you want to let happen. Because Ashton won’t be alone for long.”
“I know how women are drawn to Ashton. I was one of them. When he decides he wants something, he goes for it and damn the consequences. There’s a lot of chemistry with us. So much that it gets in the way of reality. I need for him to trust me…to want me—and not because I’m pregnant with his child but really want me for me. I won’t be a novelty and certainly not with someone who thinks he can train me to his way of thinking.”
“I have known him a lot longer than you have. He’s a man’s man. Strong, stubborn, and a force to be reckon with. Nicole, believe me he wants you. The baby is just an added bonus.”
She stubbornly remained silent.
“Nicole. Swallow your pride. You can’t keep doing what—”
“Why in the hell did you leave the hospital without calling me, Nicole?” Ashton shouted.
Nicole and Sally swung their heads to the man standing in the doorway. His arctic gaze was directed on her.
“Ashton,” she hissed his name and wrapped her arms around her waist. “What are you doing here?” Anger tightened her voice.
“I live here, or did you conveniently forget?”
Nicole inhaled deeply and slowly released the air through her teeth. He was not going to cause her to lose it.
Sally cleared her throat. “Well, I think that is my cue to leave.”
“You don’t have to leave.”
“Yes, she does,” Ashton said.
Nicole bit back the retort on her tongue.