Page 31 of Bitter Heat

“I suppose it had nothing to do with me either? You just keep showing me that we never had a real marriage. I was just a prop to get you where you wanted, and when I didn’t get you there, you ditched me.”

“You left—”

“I wasn’t even a factor in your decision-making! You built a life you didn’t want me to be a part of. You didn’t want children with me; you didn’t want to share a home with me.” She sucked in a shaky breath. “I can’t believe you’re still hurting me.” She closed her eyes and pushed at his arm with cold, trembling hands. “Let me go.”

When he dropped his hand, she sagged before she caught herself. She panted against the wall and gathered what strength and dignity she had left before she met his gaze.

“How would you feel if I told you I tied my tubes because I didn’t want your blood tainting the Hennessy line?” she asked hoarsely.

His expression didn’t change, but the energy in the room did.

She lifted her chin. “Exactly. Now you feel a tiny fraction of what I do.”

She walked out of the kitchen and locked herself in the bathroom. She turned on the shower, climbed in, and fell to her hands and knees. The steaming water hit her cold flesh, but she welcomed the sting. It was over. They were finally ash.

Chapter 6

After she showered away her latest monumental lapse in judgment, she tamed her knotted hair, which bounced around her bruised shoulders. She braved the cold loft to change into a sweater turtleneck that would cover up all signs of depravity and cake makeup on her face so she didn’t look as haggard as she felt. Her cranberry-colored leather jacket, scarves, beanie, and ankle boots were no defense against the frigid Colorado day, but it would have to do.

When she descended the staircase with her luggage, she found Roth standing in front of the large picture window. When he started toward her, she prepared to knock him in the face, but all he did was reach for her bag, which she relinquished. When he stalked out to the truck, she tidied up the best she could and threw the soiled linens in the washer and started a load. If she was talking to the douche, she would have reminded him to toss it in the dryer once he brought Kaia home. As it was, she averted her face and slipped past him, turning sideways so she didn’t touch him since he was standing in the doorway like an Indian chief. She wanted to admire the diamond dust, but the cold penetrated through her clothing and took her breath away, so she hurried to the truck instead.

The trip down the mountain was nothing like last night. It was amazing the difference a few hours could make. The world around her shimmered with a pure innocence she wished she could go back to. Under other circumstances, she would have enjoyed the beautiful scenery, but the suffocating proximity to this asshole made the hour-long trip hell. She needed to get away from him so badly, her skin itched. He lied and betrayed her in so many ways, it made her head spin. The worst part was that she had wanted children with him. She had fantasized about having a son that looked like him or a girl with his eyes. The fact that he had stolen even that dream from her made her want to rip his face off. If possible, this hurt more than anything he said to her in London because it showed, in no uncertain terms, he had never pictured a future with her. Their relationship had been a sham.

When he parked at the hospital, she had her door open before he came to a full stop. She charged toward the doors, determined to say her goodbyes to Kaia and get out of here, but Roth’s long strides quickly caught up to her. They walked into the hospital with enough space between them for a gurney to pass through. When they entered the elevator, she stood in the corner with her arms wrapped around herself. Like the car ride, neither of them spoke. When they reached the ICU, the nurse escorted them to Kaia’s room. She listened with half an ear as the nurse discussed Kaia’s care plan.

When she entered, Kaia’s face lit up, but when her eyes went past her to Roth, her face went dead white.

“James?” Kaia whispered.

Jasmine rounded the bed and watched as mother and son stared at one another. As the silence stretched, the nurse’s gaze went from Kaia and Roth to her. Jasmine shrugged to show she didn’t know what was going on either. She married into the Roth clan, but knew very little about their dynamics. Neither Kaia or Roth had ever explained their very distant relationship, and she had never pried.

Roth didn’t react at all to seeing the changes time had wrought in his mother. His expression was as impassive as ever.

“I-I didn’t think you’d come,” Kaia said in a shaky voice.

“If I couldn’t, I would have sent someone,” Roth replied coolly.

Jasmine couldn’t help herself. “Sent someone?”

When Roth looked at her, she dropped her gaze to his beard.

“Some business can’t wait,” he said.

He could be her father’s twin. Divorcing Roth was the best thing she ever did. She saved herself from a lifetime of being ignored and begging for scraps of affection.

Kaia’s eyes filled with tears as she took in Roth’s outfit. “You’re wearing his clothes?” she asked in a quavering voice.

Roth eyed his mother like she was a stock that wasn’t behaving the way he wanted it to. “I had no choice.”

Kaia’s stunned gaze shifted to her. “You two talked?”

“No,” she said shortly and leaned forward to kiss Kaia’s cheek. “I’m glad you’re all right. Now that he’s here, I’m going back to New York.”

Kaia gave Roth a wary glance and gripped her hand. “Are you sure you can’t stay?”

A doctor entered and shook Roth’s hand. This was her moment to get out of here.

“No, I’m so sorry, but you can visit me once you’re recovered,” she said hastily. “You take care, okay?”

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