A sob broke from my throat. The horn from a passing car blared, and only then did I realize I was still standing in the street, my legs frozen in place, my feet glued to the ground. I forced myself to move, stumbling as I stepped back onto the safety of the sidewalk. I reached out a hand to steady myself. A woman passing with a crying child in tow muttered something about disgusting drunks at this time in the morning, but I didn’t care to correct her, to plead my case.
I fumbled around in my coat, eventually locating my phone. I found Katie’s number and dialed.
“Babes, you okay?” she questioned when she answered, and I didn’t respond. “Harlow, are you there?”
“I’m here,” I ground out. “I know you’re at work, but can I come over?”
“What’s happened?”
“Oliver has made his choice. And it isn’t me.”
“Are you sure?” Katie asked, rubbing my knee as I sat across from her in the hospital restaurant. “Sometimes what we see isn’t the truth. Like pictures, our eyes can see things and our brain translates them into a falsehood, but one we readily accept without questioning because we’re hurt.”
I shrugged. “All I know is that he hasn’t contacted me, and then today, I see him with Sara. The way he smiled at her, Katie. That wasn’t fake. He was genuinely happy to see her. And then he put his hand on her back.” I shivered, but not from cold. “The familiarity of it is what got to me. I can’t escape the fact they were married and have a child together. They have a bond that can’t be broken, no matter how much she hurt him.”
“What bullshit,” Katie stated. “I know plenty of women who can’t abide their exes and plenty of men who’d happily watch their former wives burn in Hell.”
She laughed, her overexaggeration meant to cheer me up. I offered a faint smile, but it didn’t hold.
“I don’t think I’ve got any choice but to move back in with my parents,” I said, dread circling in my abdomen like a vulture going in for the kill. “I can’t afford to stay at the motel for long, and I don’t want to waste the little I managed to save these last few months.”
“Babes, don’t do that yet. You and your dad will clash the second you tell him why you’re there. Just give it a few more days. Go and talk to Oliver. Maybe do it on neutral ground. Send him a text and ask him to meet you.”
I shook my head. “At least this way, I can hang on to a scrap of hope that he might choose me, that we still have a chance of making it. If we meet up, and he tells me to my face that he and Sara are getting back together, I don’t think I could stand it.”
“Whether you meet up won’t change the outcome in the end,” Katie said.
I winced at her bluntness, but I also thanked her for it. Lying to myself, hoping for an outcome I couldn’t influence, wouldn’t do me any good. If Oliver had decided to give Sara another chance, then it was best I knew. That way I could, in time, move on with my life.
“You’re right.” I swept a hand over my face. “I will get in touch, but not yet. I need to gather my thoughts so that when I do confront him, I’m prepared for the worst. I don’t want to break down in a blubbering mess. If he tells me what I fear he will, I’m determined to walk away with my head up. I refuse to let him see me break.”
“Atta girl,” Katie said, standing to hug me. “Why don’t you come over for dinner tonight? I finish my shift at seven. Stay the night. We can talk things through.”
This time I gave her a genuine smile. “That sounds great. I’d love to.”
She blew me a kiss and returned to work.
I might have a broken heart, but I counted myself among the lucky ones to have a friend as good as Katie. Not everyone was as fortunate.
Unable to face another day in that cramped, damp motel room, I jumped back on the subway and headed uptown, disembarking at Lexington and seventy-seventh. A day wandering the Met might just lift my spirits, or at least take my mind off the terrible ache in my chest.
32
Oliver
30 minutes earlier.
I wasn’t surprised Sara had arrived earlier than our agreed time of ten a.m. Even as a young woman in college, she’d struggled with being told what to do, where to be, and when to be there. By arriving earlier—or later—than arranged was her way of exerting control. Therefore, when she stopped me after I’d arrived home from taking Annie to school, I greeted her with a welcoming smile, even though it irked me that she still played those childish games.
“Sorry I’m early,” she said, lying through her teeth. “Did Annie get off to school okay?”
“She did.” I placed my palm in the small of her back and eased her inside.
“I’m so glad you reached out after what happened at the diner yesterday.”
“Yeah, bad day,” I murmured.
“Anything I can help with?”
I shook my head. “Work stuff. That’s all.”
I entered the code for my penthouse on the keypad, and the doors closed. The elevator swept us upward. I dropped a quick text to Garen to let him know I had Sara with me. Even though she deserved the upcoming ambush for her lies and deceit, I still had to quell the nervous flutter in my stomach. This wasn’t my style.
It was, however, very much Garen’s modus operandi. I could imagine him pacing, buzzing, anticipating Sara’s reaction when we laid out the truth he’d uncovered. He loved one-upmanship and lived for conflict. Getting one over on Sara would certainly go down as one of his favorite occasions.
Our differences were why we gravitated toward one another. And on a day like today, I felt lucky to have him in my corner. If he sensed a moment of sympathy emanating from me toward Sara, he’d squish it like a bug.
The elevator doors smoothly opened, and I gestured for Sara to go ahead. She confidently strode across the foyer, but I knew the precise moment she set eyes on Garen; she stopped so fast, it was as if she’d hit an invisible wall.
She glanced sharply over her shoulder at me, and her eyes narrowed. “What’s he doing here?”
I strolled past her, appearing nonchalant even as my insides twisted and swirled. “We need to talk,” I said, repeating my text of the previous day.
“And we will, as soon as he leaves.”
Garen’s top lip curled in a sneer that left Sara in no doubt how he felt about her. “I’m going nowhere.”
“Then I’m not staying.”
“Sit down!” I barked with more anger than I thought possible.
Sara’s eyes widened, then she lowered her chin and stared at where my fisted hands were shaking as they rested by my sides. “What’s going on?”
“I told you. We need to talk.”
“I thought you wanted to talk about us?”
“Oh, I do,” I snarled. “Y’know, you never fully explained why you suddenly came back after so many years of absence. Let’s start there.”
She shot a look at Garen. “Don’t you think this is a conversation to have when we’re alone, Oliver’”
“Why?” I asked. “Are you ashamed of the reason?”
She bowed her head. “No, I’m not ashamed of coming back. I’m ashamed of leaving in the first place.”
Garen choked on a laugh. “Fucking hell. Someone call Broadway. We’ve discovered a new star.”
The old saying If looks could kill sprang to mind as Sara glared at Garen, venom blasting from her eyes. He held her gaze, a cocky smirk curling his lip on one side.
“Do you love me, Sara?”
She dragged her gaze away from my best friend, returning her focus to me. “You know I do,” she said quietly.
“More than anything?”
“Yes.”
“What about money? Do you love me more than money?”
A flicker of doubt sparked in her eyes, extinguished immediately when she blinked. “Where is this going, Oliver? Are you asking if I like money? Of course I do. Who doesn’t?”
“And what about Annie,” I said, switching direction. “Do you love her?”
�
��Yes. Very much so.”
As soon as I mentioned Annie, the rage I’d felt last night came roaring back. Sara deserved everything coming to her and more for the stunt she’d tried to pull. Dear God, I shuddered to think what would have happened had I not already fallen for Harlow. Before I met her, I’d often wondered how I’d feel if, one day, Sara came back. Without Harlow in my life, who knew how easily Sara might have found it to get her hooks into me, and all for money and a stupid title, only to leave me and Annie as soon as she’d gotten her way.
I’d had enough of playing games. It’d been fun while it lasted, but now, I wanted this over with, and Sara out of our lives.
“Do you love me as much as a title, Countess Sara,” I blurted.
The blood drained from her face, leaving her pale, and a sheen of sweat broke out on her forehead. Her hand fluttered to her neck, and I caught a tremble before she made a fist and pressed it against her sternum.
“Has he put you up to this?” She jabbed a finger at Garen, who didn’t even attempt to hide his delight. “He’s lying, Oliver. He never liked me and now he’s trying to sabotage our second chance at happiness.”
Garen chuckled. “Get it right, sweetheart. It’s not that I never liked you, it’s that I always hated you.”
“He isn’t lying,” I said coldly, striding over to the dining table where the incriminating evidence Garen had uncovered was tucked away in an innocuous beige folder. Last night I’d read every word, memorizing the details. I picked it up, returned to Sara, and thrust it at her. “It’s all in here.”
She didn’t move.
“Read it!” I roared.
She winced and took it from me. Without opening it, she whispered, “I don’t need to read it.”
“How could you?” I ground out through a jaw that felt fused together. “How could you do this to Annie?”
I thought at the mention of our daughter who, somehow, had inherited all the good things about us both and none of the bad, Sara might show a modicum of regret. Instead, her eyes flashed with hatred, and she slammed the folder into my chest.
“You pushed me into having a child. I never wanted kids. I hate kids, but you wouldn’t let up, so I got pregnant to make you happy. I wanted you, Oliver. Only you. And I thought you felt the same, but as soon as she arrived, it was like I didn’t exist. Having her was a mistake.”
Hearing her call Annie, my wonderful, funny, kooky, bright little girl, a mistake was the final straw. How I stopped myself from throttling her was a testament to my love for my daughter.
“Don’t you fucking dare call Annie a mistake.”
I gripped her upper arm and shunted her in the direction of the foyer. I wanted this woman out of my home and out of my life. I jabbed a finger at the call button, and the doors to the elevator opened.
“Get out, Sara. Get out and don’t come back.”
She stood her ground. “I want a hundred million dollars, then I’ll go.”
I laughed at the sheer nerve of the woman. She received ten million as part of the divorce which, at the time, was a fair slice of my wealth, and I didn’t intend to pay her another penny. “Not a chance.”
“Either pay me what I’m owed, or I’ll go for custody of Annie,” she spat, the true evil of the woman spilling from her ice-cold core. “I’ll get it, too. Judges always lean toward the mother. And then I’ll turn her against you. I’ll tell her I left because you beat me and abused me. I’ll make sure she never wants a damn thing to do with you ever again. I don’t give a shit about the kid, but I’ll use her to get my way. Bank on it, Oliver. I had you all fooled. It’ll be easy to fool a judge. A few tears, a sniff here and there, and you’ll lose the person you love the most in the whole world.”
Garen took a sharp breath, the air whistling through his teeth at the sheer gall of Sara. I, on the other hand, exuded calm. Sara had played what she thought was her trump card, and in doing so, she’d handed over her power, leaving her defenseless. She’d shown her true colors along with her black heart.
“Go ahead.” I used my height advantage to loom over her, a lion protecting my cub, and I would until my dying breath. “Try it. Six years is a long time, Sara, and I’m no longer the man I was. You want a battle? I’ll bring a fucking war right to your door. Still want to test me?” I threw my arms out to the side. “Do your worst.”
“You’ll regret this,” she said, standing her ground. “I’ll see you in court.”
I smiled. “I really don’t think you will.”
She narrowed her eyes at me. “Misplaced confidence, Oliver. It’ll be your downfall.”
Reaching into my pocket, I lifted out my cell phone and held it up, screen side toward Sara. “Actually, it’s your misplaced confidence that is your downfall, Sara. I recorded the entire conversation. Judges don’t take kindly to blackmail, or mothers who use their kids as pawns in their fucked-up attempt to extort money from the father who’s done nothing but put his daughter first for the past seven years. Now get out of my home and don’t come back or I swear, I won’t be responsible for my actions.”
I caught Garen’s stunned expression out of the corner of my eye, but it was nothing compared to Sara’s. She opened her mouth then, without uttering a sound, closed it again. Her gaze fell to my phone.
“Try it,” I said softly. “Make my day, Sara.”
She emitted a frustrated noise and, throwing back her shoulders, gave me a defiant glare and stomped into the elevator. As soon as the doors closed, I reached out a hand and braced myself against the wall, my legs almost refusing to hold me upright.
“Fuckin’ A.” Garen clapped me on the back. “I’m proud of you. The quiet ones are always the worst.”
I turned around slowly. “I need a drink.”
“Coming right up.”
After three fingers of scotch made their way into my bloodstream, the trembling in my hands abated. I swept a palm over my face, my mind running amok as I thought through how I would break the news to Annie that her mother had left—again.
And then my thoughts turned to Harlow. I cut my gaze to Garen. “Now that that’s over, there’s something else I need you to do for me.”
33
Harlow
Two days later.
“Where are we going?” I asked Katie as she held out her hand for a passing cab with its lights on. She’d arrived at my motel room an hour ago, insistent I applied a little makeup, brushed my hair, and changed out of the sweatpants I’d started to favor for a knee-length fitted dress. The dress was a little baggy around the waist and over my hips, an indication of the weight I’d lost in the last few days.
“I told you,” she replied. “It’s a surprise. I figured you needed a little cheering up, and I have just the thing to put a smile on your face.”
I groaned. Katie in this mood was a force of nature. I’d learned over the years that it was easier to let her have her moment and simply go along for the ride. Fifteen minutes later, the cab drew to a halt. I peered out of the window and frowned.
“Rockefeller Plaza?” I turned to face her. “What are we doing here?”
She grinned. “Move your butt and you’ll find out.”
“I am not going ice skating,” I stated, recalling the last time she’d dragged me to an ice rink, and I’d fallen on my ass so many times, I’d struggled to sit down without wincing for three days straight.
“Or Top of the Rock,” I added. “This close to Christmas it’ll be crammed with tourists.”
Katie rolled her eyes. “My, my, we are in a fine mood this afternoon.”
“I just know what you’re like,” I grumbled. “If I’m feeling down, you always over-compensate.”
Handing over the cab fare, she laughed and opened her door. I followed her onto the sidewalk. We entered the iconic building where she ushered me into an elevator along with a small group of excited schoolchildren and two harassed teachers. One of the kids caught my eye and made a funny face. I laughed and did the same back at her.
<
br /> The elevator stopped on the sixty-fifth floor, and Katie gave me a gentle nudge. “This is us.”
I stepped out. Katie linked her arm through mine and set off at a fast pace. I had no clue where we were going. Ahead of us, a guy dressed in a smart suit and tie stood in front of a doorway. He smiled and opened the door. “Welcome, Ms. Winter. Go on in.”
I glanced at Katie. “Okay, what’s going on?”
She gave me a shove. “Get inside, woman.”
I stepped through the door and found myself in the Rainbow Room. I’d never been to this restaurant. The cost of eating here was far too rich for my bank balance. I’d heard of it, though. Who hadn’t? The place was iconic.
And empty.
Five o’clock on a Friday afternoon, and the entire restaurant was deserted.
I shot a look over my shoulder. The well-dressed guy had already closed the door, leaving me alone. Despite the confusion swirling through my mind, I found myself drawn to the large windows affording one of the best views of the Empire State Building. With night falling, the entire city lit up, taking my breath away. I’d lived here all my life, yet still New York had the power to astound me.
“Beautiful, isn’t it?”
I spun around. Oliver was standing on the other side of the vast space dressed in a full tux, his hair neatly combed, his handsome features clear of any stubble.
“It is,” I said quietly, drinking in my fill. Whatever our issues, I still desperately loved him.
“But not as beautiful as you.”
My chest tightened, and I made a fist and rubbed it over my sternum. Then I remembered he’d hurt me.
“What are you doing here, Oliver?” I asked, my tone clipped with a hint of irritation. He must have somehow persuaded Katie to assist him in his covert plan. “What am I doing here?”
He walked toward me, his steps slow and steady.
I held my breath, slowly releasing it when he stopped right in front of me.
“I’m here to win you back.”
Enraptured: A Billionaire Romance (The ROGUES Series Book 2) Page 20
