By the time he got out, his mind was clear, he was freezing his ass off and he had only one clear purpose. Get Bryony back.
He dressed and strode into the living room, surprised to see Devon and Cam both sprawled in the armchairs.
“You two look like hell,” he commented on his way to the kitchen.
Cam snorted. “You’re one to talk, alcohol boy. When was the last time you went on a bender like that? Weren’t we in college? Hasn’t anyone told you we’re too old for stuff like that now? It’s a good way to poison yourself.”
“Tell me something I don’t know,” Rafael muttered.
“So what’s the plan?” Devon drawled.
“I’ve got to get her back,” Rafael said. “Screw the deal. Screw the resort. This is my life. The woman I love. My child. I can’t give them up over some ridiculous development deal.”
“You’re serious,” Cam said.
“Of course I’m serious,” Rafael snarled. “I’m not the same bastard who would do anything at all to close a deal. I don’t want to be that man any longer. I don’t know how you stood him for as long as you did.”
Cam grinned. “Well, okay then. Don’t get pissy about it.”
“Have either of you heard from Ryan? I sent him after her, but the son of a bitch won’t answer his phone.”
Devon shook his head. “I’ll try him. Maybe he’s just not answering your calls.”
Like that was supposed to make Rafael feel any better. But at this point, he didn’t care how he had to get to Bryony. Just as long as he did.
Just as Devon put the phone to his ear, the elevator doors chimed and Rafael jerked around, holding his breath that by some miracle Bryony had come back. He let it all out when he saw Ryan stride in.
Rafael strode forward to meet him. “Where the hell is Bryony? I’ve been calling you for the last couple of hours. Where have you been?”
Ryan glared back. There was condemnation in his eyes. And anger. “I just spent the past couple of hours listening to Bryony cry because you broke her heart. I hope to hell you’re happy now that you’ve destroyed the best thing that’s ever happened to you.”
“Whoa, back off,” Devon said as he stood. “This isn’t any of our business, Ryan. He’s already beaten himself up enough without you piling on.”
“Yeah, well, you didn’t have to listen to her cry.”
“Where is she?” Rafael demanded when he found his voice. The image of Bryony crying sent staggering pain through his chest. “I need to see her, Ryan. Where did you take her?”
“To the airport.”
Rafael’s heart dropped. “The airport? Has she already left? Do I have time to catch her?”
Ryan shook his head. “She’s probably already in the air.”
Rafael cursed. Then he turned and slammed his fist into the wall. He leaned his forehead against the cabinet and fought the rage that billowed inside him.
When he looked up, an odd sort of peace settled over him. He looked at his friends—his business partners—and knew that this could very well be the end of their relationship.
“I have to go after her,” he said.
Devon nodded. “Yeah, you do.”
“I’m canceling the deal. I’m pulling the plug. I don’t give a damn how much it costs me or if it costs me everything. It already has. I’m going to give back that damn land. Bryony will never believe that I love her as long as it stands between us. I have to get rid of it and make it a nonissue.”
Slowly Cam nodded. “I agree. It’s the only way you’re going to get her to believe that you love her now.”
To his surprise, all three of his friends nodded their agreement.
“You’re not pissed? We had a lot riding on this.”
“How about you let us deal with the resort plans,” Devon said. “You go after your woman. Settle down. Have babies. Be nauseatingly happy. I’m going to see what I can do to salvage the resort proposal. Maybe we can find another location.”
“I’m not even going to ask,” Rafael said. “Tell me about it later. I owe you. I owe you big.”
“Yeah, well, don’t think I won’t collect. Later. After you’ve kissed and made up with Bryony,” Devon said with a grin.
“Need a ride to the airport?” Ryan asked. “My driver’s still outside. I told him I wouldn’t be long.”
“Yeah. Just let me get my wallet.”
“Not going to pack a bag?” Cam asked.
“Hell, no. Bryony can buy me more jeans and flip-flops when I get down there.”
“After she kicks your ass you mean?” Devon asked.
“I’ll let her do whatever she wants just as long as she takes me back,” Rafael said.
“Good God,” Cam said in disgust. “Could you sound any more pathetic?”
Devon laughed and slapped Cam on the back. “Apparently that’s what falling in love does to a guy. Take my advice. Marry for money and connections, like I am.”
“I think the best idea is to never marry,” Cam pointed out. “Less expensive that way. No costly divorces.”
Rafael shook his head. “And you all called me the bastard. Come on, Ryan. I’ve got a plane to catch.”
“Bryony!”
Bryony turned to see her grandmother waving to her from her deck. Silas stood beside her, watching as Bryony stood close to the water’s edge.
She’d been there for a couple of hours, just watching the water, alone with her thoughts. She knew her grandmother and Silas were both worried. She’d given them an abbreviated version of everything that had happened. No sense in them knowing the extent of Bryony’s stupidity.
They knew enough that Rafael had made a fool of her and would develop the land, but then Bryony had been prepared to give up that fight. So the outcome would be the same, only Bryony wouldn’t have the man she loved.
Bryony waved but turned back to the water, not ready to deal with them yet. Mamaw and Silas had both fussed over her ever since she’d gotten back home. She was exhausted and what she really wanted was to go to sleep for about twenty-four hours, but every time she closed her eyes, she heard Rafael’s words. They wouldn’t go away, she couldn’t make herself stop hearing them no matter how hard she tried.
And she was damn tired of crying. Her head ached so badly from all the tears she’d shed that it was ready to explode.
Her cell phone rang in her pocket and she picked it up, just as she’d done the other twenty times that Rafael had tried to call her. She hit the ignore button and a few seconds later, heard the ding signaling that she had a voice mail. One of the many he’d left her.
What else was there left for him to say? He was sorry? He hadn’t meant to deceive her? Was she supposed to forgive him just because he forgot what a jerk he had been? How could she be sure he hadn’t made it all up just to get her to shut up and not make noises that would scare off his precious investors?
If he kept her quiet enough for long enough then the deal would be sealed.
She didn’t like how cynical she’d grown. It would never occur to her before that anyone would be so devious, but Rafael had taught her a lot about the world of business and the lengths that some people would go for money.
She hoped he made a ton off his precious resort and she hoped it kept him warm at night. She hoped it made up for all the sweet baby kisses he’d miss.
The thought depressed her. Money was just paper. But a child was something so very precious. Love was precious. And she’d offered it to Rafael freely and without reservation.
She felt like the worst sort of naive fool.
Finally her feet got cold enough from the surf that she could no longer feel her toes, so she turned to trudge back up to her grandmother’s deck. She’d say her goodbyes, assure Mamaw that she’d be just fine and then she’d go home and hopefully sleep for the next day.
As she got close, she saw Rafael standing on the deck and Mamaw and Silas were nowhere to be found. How the hell had he gotten down here so fast? Why would he even bother? She didn’t react to his presence. She wouldn’t give him the satisfaction.
She walked up the steps, past him to collect her sweater and then she started down the walkway that led to her own cottage.
“Bryony,” he called after her. “Wait, please. We have to talk.”
She picked up her pace. She knew he followed her because she could hear his footsteps behind her, but she blindly went on. When she reached to open her door, his hand closed around her wrist and gently pulled her away.
“Please listen to me,” he begged softly. “I know I don’t deserve anything from you. But please listen. I love you.”
She went rigid and closed her eyes as pain crashed over her all over again. When she reopened them she was grateful that no tears spilled over her cheeks. Maybe she’d finally cried herself out.
“You don’t know how to love,” she said in a low voice. “You have to possess a heart and a soul, and you have neither.”
He winced but didn’t let go of her wrist. “I’m not going to lie to you, Bryony. Neither am I going to sugarcoat what I did.”
“Well, good for you,” she said bitterly. “Does that ease your conscience? Just leave me alone, Rafael. You got what you wanted. You don’t have to deal with me anymore. Just make this easier on both of us. If you’re wanting absolution, see a priest. I can’t offer you any. You should be happy. You got the land. You’ll build your resort. Everyone gets what they want.”
“Not you,” he said painfully. “And not me.”
“Please, Rafael,” she begged. “I’m tired. I’m worn completely out. I just want to sleep before I fall over. Please, just go. I can’t do this with you right now.”
He looked so much like he wanted to argue, but concern darkened his eyes and slowly he eased his fingers from her wrist.
“I love you, Bryony. That’s not going to change. I don’t want it to change. Go get some sleep. Take care of yourself. But this isn’t finished. I’m not letting you go. You think I’m ruthless? You haven’t seen anything yet.”
He touched her cheek and then let it slide down her face before falling away. Then he turned and walked back down the path to her grandmother’s house.
She closed her eyes as pain swelled in her chest and splintered in a thousand different directions. She wanted to scream. She wanted to cry. But all she could do was stand there numbly while the man she’d given everything to walked away.
Twenty-Three
“It’s been a week,” Rafael said in frustration. “A week and she still won’t acknowledge me, much less talk to me. As much as I loathe the man I used to be, at least he would have no qualms about forcing the issue.”
Rafael stood on Laura’s back deck having a beer with Silas and brooded over the fact that Bryony still refused to see him. He was about to go crazy.
Silas chuckled. “You’ve got stamina, son. I have to give that to you. Most men would have tucked tail and left by now. I’m still amazed that you managed to talk Laura down from killing you and actually got her to side with you. I can’t figure out if you’re the dumbest man alive or just the luckiest.”
Bryony had holed up in her cottage and while Laura went over daily to check in on her, Bryony hadn’t ventured out except to walk on the beach. The one time Rafael had confronted her on the sand, she’d retreated inside. He hadn’t bothered her since because he wanted her to have that time outside without worrying that she’d encounter him.
“I’m not leaving,” Rafael said. “I don’t care how long it takes. I love her. I believe she still loves me, but she’s hurting. I can’t even blame her for that. I was a complete and utter bastard. I don’t deserve her but she’s the one who kept telling me I didn’t have to be the same man. Well, damn it, I’m choosing to be different. I want her to see that.”
Silas put his hand on Rafael’s shoulder. “Around here we have a saying. Go big or go home. I’m thinking you need to go big. Really big.”
Rafael frowned and turned to the other man. “What did you have in mind?”
“It’s not what I have in mind. It’s what you ought to be thinking about. You’ve already promised me and Laura that you have no intention of developing that land, but does she know that? Does the rest of the island know that? Seems to me you’re missing an opportunity to make a grand gesture and prove once and for all you’re a changed man.”
“Okay, I’m with you,” Rafael said slowly.
“No, I don’t think you are. Call a town meeting. I’ll let it leak out that you have a big announcement about the resort. Folks will show up because they’ll want to launch their objections and nothing gets people out to a town meeting more than getting to air their grievances. Trust me, after twenty years of being the sheriff here, I know what I’m talking about.”
“That doesn’t help me when Bryony refuses to leave her cottage,” Rafael pointed out.
“Oh, Laura and I will make sure she’s there. You just worry about how you’re going to humble yourself before everyone,” Silas said with a grin.
Rafael sighed. He had the feeling this wasn’t going to be one of his better moments. He might have no desire to be the unfeeling bastard he’d been before but it didn’t mean he wanted to air his personal life in front of a few hundred witnesses.
But if it would get him in front of Bryony so she’d be forced to listen, he’d swallow his pride and do it.