Oh god, my heart was breaking all over again. This showdown was only devolving into a cesspool of pain, drowning me in the sewage of unfathomable hurt.
Mason merely looked back at me, those blue eyes inscrutable.
Oh god, the answer was clear.
Of course he knew.
The billionaire knew everything.
Suddenly I snapped, springing forward, our noses almost touching.
“You’re a bastard, you know that?” were my angry words. “You’re an absolute fucking asshole. You could’ve just asked and I would’ve told you everything. In fact, I’ve been wearing your stupid thread ring this whole time,” I spat, tearing off the tiny piece of string and throwing it on the ground. “Can you believe that?” I asked, raising eyes filled with hurt to meet his. “Can you believe I’ve been wearing your ring this entire time?”
The billionaire’s expression mutated then, morphing into one of pain.
“Laney,” he whispered, voice ravagged. “I love you so much. I’ve made a huge mistake. Giant. Enormous. I love you so fucking much, please just let me explain baby.”
But unfortunately, there was no more time. There’d been too much suffering in my life these past six months, and I had to save myself. So refusing to meet his eyes, I ran out of the coffee shop, brown curls flying.
“Laney, Laney!” he called, that deep voice growing faint as the door banged shut behind me.
But I didn’t care.
This was about survival, and Mason Evercore had already done enough damage. The billionaire had ravaged my heart … and I would never be the same now.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Mason
Holy shit.
I’ve really fucked up this time.
Hell, I don’t even think “fucking up” is enough to describe this mess. More like “nuclear catastrophe” or “the apocalypse come,” is more accurate.
Because what am I supposed to do now?
I stared at the café door, silence growing heavy around me.
This was all my fault.
I was the one who ordered the PI to follow Laney. I was the reason he took the photos. She was right. I’m the one who calls the shots, and blaming this on my attorney was the coward’s way out.
Feeling numb, I picked up the closest snap, looking at it carefully.
Laney was telling the truth.
Things were nothing passionate in the frame. Among the hundreds of photographs, never did Laney and Jim kiss on the lips. It was friendly. Platonic.
Fuck, I was such a fool.
I picked up another photo.
Again, a kiss on the cheek, nothing more.
Sure, they were a lot of instances of smiles and hugs, but that doesn’t mean much. Laney’s a friendly person, and she’d opened up to me. It didn’t mean she was fucking around behind my back.
Why had I jumped to conclusions?
The next picture showed them hugging. And peering at the frame, I could see that this Jim guy was sniffling a bit. His cheeks were wet, like he’d just had a nervous breakdown with Laney as his confidante.
But the worst part?
The tiny detail I failed to notice that could have helped to avoid this whole mess?
The ring.
In nearly every photograph, she was wearing the ring. My ring.
That tiny, humble piece of thread.
It was nothing, just scraps from the prison workshop. And yet she wore it like a priceless gem, something to be treasured and shown off.
How had I missed it?
How had I allowed jealousy over nothing cloud my judgment?
Holy shit.
I’ve fucked up.
Big time.
So what do I do now?
***
Back in my hotel, I gazed out at the Florida coastline, a glass of whiskey in my hand.
My thoughts churned steadily, the alcohol numbing my pain.
Because too late, I’d tried to chase after Laney. But she was gone already, disappeared into the atmosphere. Sure, I could have turned up at her house. The PI knew where she lived. One quick phone call and I’d have her address.
But I couldn’t do it.
Not yet.
I was too ashamed of what I had done.
Fuck me.
Why hadn’t I just trusted the female? Why didn’t I listen to my heart?
I downed the rest of my drink before pouring another. I could already feel the effects. It wouldn’t be the first – nor the last – time I drank myself into a stupor thinking of Laney. All my life, hardships had come rolling. And each time I was knocked down, I got up twice as strong.
But not this time.
Laney’s supposed betrayal had wounded me in a way I had never felt before, leaving me hollow like a carved-out shell.
But now, the image of that beautiful face haunted my thoughts. That lilting voice penetrated through my every waking moment. And the bang of the door slamming in her wake had shattered my heart beyond repair.
This situation as incredible. I’m a fucking alpha billionaire, invicible to the masses, and yet a curvy, innocent woman had shot me down.
Fuck.
What do I do?
But there was nothing left for me to do.
I had made a gargantuan mistake and there was no fixing it.
Laney – my wife – would never forgive me.
I downed another shot, the warmth trailing over my chest, numbing the pain. I slumped on the white leather couch, staring blankly at the vaulted ceilings of my suite. What was the point of all this luxury if I had no one to share it with?
So I closed my eyes and imagined I was back in the prison chapel.
Laney had been the most beautiful girl in the world that day. Her shining brown eyes. The glow on her face. That breathtaking smile. Everything about her was absolutely perfect.
And shit, I’d been a happy man. Ecstatic even, picturing my future with her. Us, starting a family together, raising children together. Oh shit. Laney would greet me every day with a kiss and I’d wrap my arms around her waist and pull those sassy curves close as our kids tumbled beneath our feet.
And now none of that was ever going to happen.
Because I ruined everything.
My fists clenched in self-hatred.
Why had I been such a fool? It’s unreal. People try to outwit me right and left, and I never let them get the upper hand. I never act out of turn. I’m a master of control, iron bound and tough.
But with Laney, it’d all gone out the door. I’d been so in love, so taken with her pure innocence, that my mind went haywire. If only I’d spent a minute to really look at the photographs, the truth would have smacked me in the face.
And maybe instead of sitting here alone, I’d have Laney by my side. We could be watching a movie together or enjoying a sumptuous, candlelit dinner. There were so many things that I wanted to do with her. I wanted to pamper the woman, to show her the world, to make all her dreams a reality. I wanted to taste the inside of her mouth, to feel her curves wrapped around me as I brought her to ecstasy again and again.
But fuck, that was never going to happen now.
The brunette was never going to look at me the same way again. I would never hear her soft, innocent giggle. I would never see her bright smile or the glint in her eye. It was all gone.
All because I’d fucked up big time. There was no going back, despite how much I wanted it. Because how do you forgive something like that? The girl had married an inmate, giving me the benefit of the doubt, and yet I’d double-crossed and betrayed her when it came time.
Self-hatred filled my mouth, like pure poison.
I deserved everything. Every filthy, nasty thing coming my way wasn’t enough. I deserved to be buried alive, and then burned and tortured because of what I’d put my best girl through.
And the worst part is that there was no way to take it back. Laney had been hurt, and it was my fault. That knowledge killed me, my heart crumpling as another fifth o
f whiskey burned its way down the hatch. Because I was no one. I was the loser, the misfit, the asshole … and without my sweet girl, there’d be no recovery.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Laney
Penny’s apartment complex appeared around the corner, gray and massive. Unfortunately, I couldn’t see due to the tears in my eyes and snot dripping down my chin. It was so bad that the cabbie didn’t even ask for payment, merely unclicking the locks.
“What happened?” Penny gasped as she flung the door open. Immediately, my buddy led me towards the couch, expression sympathetic. “Is everything alright? Did something happen? Are you hurt?” she coaxed urgently.
I continued to sob, body shaking, words caught in my throat.
The redhead frowned, getting up to boil a kettle of water.
Tea was her solution to every situation, good or bad.
I knew she wanted to help, but I just couldn’t bear to explain what had happened. Hell, I couldn’t quite understand it myself. It was all such a blur. A big, pain-filled blur.
Feeling unseasonably cold, I folded my knees against my chest, wrapping my arms around them, head buried in my thighs.
The coffee-shop scene replayed in my head countless times, but a part of me still refused to believe it had been real.
This was all just one fucked-up nightmare. That’s all. I would soon wake up and this would all be over.
But with each breath, my chest tightened with pain as if the shattered pieces of my heart were stabbing into my lungs, one by one.
After six months, it still burned. The pain was still unbearable, even more so now that I’d seen Mr. Evercore again.
Just my luck.
Maybe I would be better off without a heart. At least then it wouldn’t hurt so bad.
Penny padded in with some tea, offering me a cup.
I merely shook my head.
She sighed, sitting down beside me, hand on my back, rubbing in comforting circles. “Please, Laney, tell me. Did something happen? Did someone hurt you?”
I looked at my friend, sniffling. “Mason.” I croaked.
She jolted back in surprise but didn’t say a word. My nod was sad and slow.
“I was at the coffee shop with Jim. We were just hanging out. Jim said some pretty nasty things about Mason and I got angry,” came my pained voice. “I don’t know why I defended that bastard, but I did. I ended up telling Jim to leave, like he’d done something wrong.”
“Is that all?” Penny soothed, eyes sympathetic. “That’s not so bad.”
I took a deep breath and rubbed my puffy eyes.
“No,” was my ragged whisper. “A few minutes later, Mason appeared. Oh god, oh god,” I moaned, covering my face. “He sat down in front of me and showed me all these pictures.”
Penny interrupted then, expression confused.
“Pictures?”
I nodded sorrowfully, voice still muffled in my hands.
“He hired a PI to follow me.”
Stunned silence.
“What?”
I nodded again, still unable to meet her eyes.
“Apparently, I was just a prison fuck and he didn’t trust me. So he hired a PI to follow me around?”
Penny’s expression was thunderstruck.
“While he was in prison?” she asked, baffled. “How? He was in prison at the time.”
I sighed, finally revealing my tear-stained face.
“Rich guys can do anything,” was my listless voice. “Somehow Mason managed it, and had me followed and photographed. I saw all the evidence.”
Penny couldn’t even answer, her expression horrified. And I nodded slowly, pouring salt on my own wound.
“Oh, and it doesn’t end there,” came my trembling voice. “Mason decided that I was cheating on him with Jim. That’s why he wanted the divorce because he thought I was being unfaithful.” The words almost choked me, they were so unreal.
“But you know what? I was actually wearing the billionaire’s stupid string ring in almost every picture. If he’d really looked at the photos, he would have seen it. But instead, the man labeled me a whore. He said I was cheating,” my voice broke down into sobs.
Penny shook her head, lips turned into a frown.
“What a piece of work. A real asshole you got there.”
Silence followed her comment.
But my heart had broken open, and I started a monologue.
“Was Mason jealous of Jim? I guess it makes some sort of sick sense. After all, most people don’t hang out after they’ve broken up. But then again, things were never serious between us. I thought it would be okay. After all, Jim was just some nerdy guy who needed a friend. A pathetic figure. A man-boy with his video games and his constant crying. It was mean to just kick him to the curb.”
Penny stopped me, nodding while holding a hand up.
“Whoa, whoa. I didn’t realize you were still hanging out with your ex.”
“He’s not my ex!” was my protest. “Things were never serious enough between us for Jim and I to be anything. He was just someone who was interested in me that I had to let go. That’s all.”
But Penny took my hand and offered an apologetic expression.
“But Mason didn’t know that at the time, did he? From the photos, he probably thought you were seeing someone on the side. After all, you and Jim did kiss.”
“Just on the cheek! Lots of people do that!”
She shook her head apologetically.
“Still, a kiss is a kiss.” Penny insisted. “We’re not in Europe Laney, people don’t greet each other like htat. So for Mason, even a kiss on the cheek would be a sign of betrayal.”
I gaped at her.
“Are you my friend or his?” I whispered, pained yet proud. “Are you on my side or his?”
Penny squeezed my hand, expression apologetic.
“All I’m saying is that he made a mistake, but it’s one that kind of, sort of makes sense. I mean, if I saw my boyfriend kissing some girl on the cheek multiple times, I’d go ballistic too. You hear? It’s not that you did something wrong, or he did something wrong, it’s just optics.”
I goggled at her again.
“You can’t be serious,” were my low words.
Penny shook her head regretfully.
“I know you don’t want to hear it, but maybe he has a point? Maybe the photos are kind of weird? And your string ring, honey, it was so small. Most times, I could barely see it, and I’m right here in the room with you.”
My mouth opened and then closed with a snap.
“You must be kidding,” I repeated again, heart pounding like a drum. “This has to be a joke.”
Penny merely shrugged again, taking my hand and squeezing it thoughtfully.
“I’m just giving my opinion,” she said slowly. “Mason’s a powerful man, but that doesn’t make him god. He was a man in love, and the sight of you kissing someone else made him go ballistic. Is that so bad? He had no idea who Jim was, and yet there were multiple incriminating pictures of you guys locking lips.”
“No,” I interrupted sharply. “Just on the cheek.”
But Penny was on a roll, shrugging again.
“All I’m saying, sweetheart, is that Mason Evercore was a man in love. That’s what caused the knee-jerk reaction. He couldn’t think straight, he was so in love with you. So he did the first thing that leapt into mind. Booting you to the curb.”
I was silent for a moment.
“He could have asked me,” I said tightly. “We could have avoided divorce, if he’d just asked.”
Penny shrugged again, eyes sympathetic.
“I don’t know, Laney. I don’t know how billionaires work. It seems they have a ton of people to do whatever they want, and things happen in a snap as a result. You want photos? On it. You want a divorce? On it. If anything, he’s too powerful.”
I shook my head, confused.
“So you’re saying Mason Evercore made a mistake because he’s too powerful? Plea
se, Pen. It’s too much. The logic is too twisted.”
She sighed, squeezing my hand again.
“I know, I know. But still, in an eerie way it makes sense, right? If Mason didn’t have resources at his fingertips, then none of this would have happened. He’s got too much going for him, and that includes too much information. And look where it’s gotten him now.”
In some twisted way, Penny made sense. People jump when Mason says jump. People hang onto to his every word. And in this case, he’d overreacted, and there had been no one to speak truth to power. No one to say, “Hey wait, let’s slow down for a moment.”
So was it true?
Had the billionaire been so in love, that he’d been blinded?
But before I could decide, Penny leapt in again.
“Go to him,” she urged. “I think there’s something there. Your divorce isn’t final, and there’s still hope. After all, you can’t keep running away from this, Laney,” she said wryly. “If you duck these problems, they’ll only come back a thousand fold stronger.”
I took a deep breath then, trying to weigh my options.
Because Penny was right in a way. If I didn’t face Mason now, what would happen? The self-doubt and self-hatred would only grow. It was better to get some kind of conclusion to this, even if it hurt.
Because deep down, I wasn’t sure if this could ever be resolved. How could we ever be the same again? How could we go back to the idyllic place, committing our love and devotion to one another?
The world had changed. I’d changed. He’d changed. And unfortunately, there were no easy answers. My soul ached, tears rolling down my cheeks once more. Because not once, but twice, my heart had been broken. And now … I was potentially going in for round three.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Mason
There it was.
I stared at the envelope that had arrived in the mail that morning. Express shipping, right from Laney’s lawyer. Our divorce had been a slow and grueling process with stalling from both sides. It was like we were both holding back, hesitant to sever the ties of marriage.
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