This wasn’t Cash. He’d be contrite as soon as he’d calmed down. She could handle this. He hadn’t aimed the vase at her.
“What message?” she said gently.
He rolled his eyes. “Are you really that fucking dumb? I don’t love you anymore. I want you gone. We’re finished. Over. Get out of my house. Out of my life.”
Tally’s throat constricted, and she wrapped her arms around her body. “You don’t mean that.” She began to sob.
“I mean every fucking word.” He looked up and down her body, his gaze disparaging. “The accident has knocked some fucking sense into me. You’re not my goddamn type. Never were, never will be.”
He wasn’t angry now. He was cold. Impassive. Hatred poured from his eyes as he held her gaze. She clutched a hand to her chest, trying to hold together her shattered heart. Her dream had become reality.
“I know you love me. You said you’d never stop loving me.”
His top lip turned up in a sneer. “Things change. I don’t love you anymore. I don’t want you. In fact, the only thing I do want is for you to get the fuck out of my house and leave me alone.”
Tally choked back a sob. She’d thought the worst was over when Cash survived the crash, but she didn’t know this person at all. White dots flashed in front of her eyes, and she steadied herself against the wall, waiting for the light-headedness to pass. She looked down at her engagement ring and slowly tugged it off her finger. Cash watched her the whole time, and she searched for signs of sorrow, regret, but there were none. She put the ring on the mantelpiece and left the room.
Her movements were wooden as she packed a suitcase. She recognised the signs of shock, of course. She’d had enough experience of that these past few months.
It took less than fifteen minutes to pack. She kept expecting Cash to run upstairs, to beg her to stay. But he didn’t.
She lugged her suitcase down the two flights of stairs until she found herself standing in the hallway. She called for a taxi and was told one would be there in ten minutes, but she couldn’t bear to spend another moment inside the house. When she walked back into the living room, Cash was standing in exactly the same spot. He glanced over his shoulder as she entered.
“I’m leaving now,” she said, her eyes pleading with him to reconsider as tears dried on her cheeks.
“Good.” He turned his back, one hand resting on the mantelpiece.
Tally choked back a sob. “I’ll send someone for the rest of my things. Say goodbye to Rachael for me. I hope you find happiness.”
And with that, she walked out. Broken. Shattered. Alone.
Cash waited until the sobs faded to whimpers, and eventually, the front door slammed, and silence took over the house. He edged to the window. Natalia was dragging her suitcase behind her, head bowed against the ever-blowing Northern Ireland wind. As he watched her walk down the long driveway to the road, a piece of him died.
His life was in tatters. He’d lost memories, the full use of his right hand, his tennis career. Why me? Why did I have to lose everything?
God, he still loved Natalia, but he couldn’t deal with her at the moment. He knew her better than she knew herself. She never would have left unless he could convince her he didn’t love her anymore. It would be the only thing to make her go. She had too much pride to cling to a relationship she believed to be dead.
He couldn’t trust himself. Even he didn’t know what he was capable of any longer. Rage burned within him. He’d always had a temper, even before the accident, but then it would be like lighting a match—quick to flame and equally quick to burn out. But the anger he now felt was different, like a bubbling volcano. He didn’t know how to control it. One day, he’d explode, and Natalia would be caught in the fallout.
He couldn’t allow that to happen. It would kill him if he ever hurt her physically. Better for them to be apart.
He picked up her engagement ring and closed his fist around it. The day he’d given it to her had been the happiest day of his life, and as he sank onto the sofa, he allowed those memories to flow over him, a crumb of comfort in the midst of a bleak future.
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Acknowledgments
My thanks to my writing mentor, Beth Hill, a wonderful lady without whom, I wouldn’t be where I am today.
To Incy—thank you from the bottom of my heart. Not only are you amazingly talented, but you are generous with your time, help and advice.
To Louise. You’re very special to me. Thank you for everything.
And last but not least, to you, the readers. Thank you for being on this journey with me.
I do hope you enjoyed Losing Game. Cash and Tally will be back very soon in Grand Slam, the final instalment in their tumultuous story
FROM MY HEART
Thank you so much for reading Losing Game. That you’ve given your time to read my novel means more to me than I’ll ever be able to express.
I’d love to hear from you. Please feel free to get in touch via email, Facebook, Twitter or by signing up to my reader group at www.traciedelaneyauthor.com
Would you consider helping other readers decide if this is the right book for them by leaving a short rating on Amazon? They really help readers discover new books.
Cash and Tally will be back very soon in the finale—Grand Slam. They’d love to see you there!
About the Author
Tracie Delaney is the author of the Winning Ace trilogy. She loves nothing more than immersing herself in a good romance, although she sometimes, rather cheekily, makes her characters wait for their HEA.
When she isn’t writing or sitting around with her head stuck in a book, she can often be found watching The Walking Dead, Game of Thrones or any tennis match involving Roger Federer. Her greatest fear is running out of coffee.
Tracie studied accountancy, gaining her qualification in 2001. Her maths teacher would no doubt be stunned by this revelation considering Tracie could barely add two plus two at high school.
Tracie lives in the North West of England with her amazingly supportive husband. They both share a love of dogs, travel and wine.
Tracie loves to hear from readers. She can be contacted through the following platforms
www.traciedelaneyauthor.com
[email protected]
Losing Game: A Winning Ace Novel (Book 2) Page 25
