Page 61 of Vengeful Lies

At least he could have given them both some time before firing her.

Giving the room a scan, she didn't see anything else she needed other than her purse and cell phone, which were downstairs in the kitchen. Since her car had been the one they were driving the day of the abduction, she didn't have a vehicle. She’d have to call an Uber and have it take her to a hotel. She didn't have a house since she’d moved in with Cade, so a hotel was her only option. She’d also have to hire some bodyguards, just in case the people after Cade’s family mistakenly thought she was a useful tool to get to them.

Affording both the hotel and the bodyguards wasn't the problem, she was a millionaire after all, but it left her feeling so empty and so alone that it physically hurt.

When her gaze landed on the ragdoll sitting back in its place on the bed she shuddered. That damn doll had made her think something was going on between her and Cade, which had led her to believe he had feelings for her.

She hated that doll.

Never wanted to see it again.

She should never have kept it in the first place. Her mother hadn't cared about her and neither did Cade.

Grabbing the suitcase handle, she headed for the door and was forced to stop a foot away from it because Cade was still standing there.

Unable to look at him, she kept her gaze firmly on the floor and waited.

Eventually, with a deep rumbly sigh, he stepped back and allowed her past.

“Let me take that,” he said, reaching for the suitcase as she got to the top of the stairs.

Jerking it away so quickly she almost stumbled and fell, his hands darted out to grab her shoulders, stopping her from tumbling down the stairs.

Only his touch felt like a million frozen spears jabbing into her skin, and once again, she jerked away. “Don’t touch me,” she shrieked, somewhat hysterically. Unlike just minutes ago when his touch had grounded her, making her feel safe and protected, now it did nothing but remind her of the feel of those men’s hands on her body.

“Gabriella—”

“Don’t, Cade,” she ordered as she dragged the suitcase down the stairs.

She thought he hadn't followed, but when she found her purse and shoved her cell phone inside it, deciding she’d order an Uber once she was out of the house, she found him waiting for her by the front door, the ragdoll in his hands.

“You forgot this,” he said, holding it out to her.

Shrinking away from the doll, she shook her head. “I don’t want it. Throw it in the trash. Donate the rest of my clothes. I don’t want any of them,” she ordered as she edged around him to open the front door.

A wave of relief hit her as she stepped out of the house she’d loved, the first house she’d lived in that had felt like a home, and hurried down the path.

When she reached the sidewalk, she saw someone hurrying toward her. Since she recognized the figure as Jake she didn't flinch, merely ignored him and pulled out her cell phone.

“Gabriella? What's going on?” Jake asked, coming to a stop beside her.

“Cade fired me and kicked me out. I’m calling an Uber and going to a hotel. I’ll organize my own security,” she rambled in a monotone that scared her. It felt like she was shutting down, like every ounce of emotion had bled out of her on the floor of Cade’s bedroom, and there was simply nothing left.

“What the hell? Why would he do that?”

“Don’t know, don’t care,” she intoned, setting her phone back in her purse, the Uber ordered.

“I’ll take you to a hotel, honey. I’ll stay and watch over you,” he offered, but she shook her head wildly.

The last thing she needed was to be around this family she’d already begun to think of as hers.

A clean break, that’s what she needed.

They both stood in silence as they waited for her Uber to arrive.

When it did, Jake forcefully took her suitcase for her and set it in the car’s trunk. Then he placed his hands on her shoulders and leaned down so they were eye to eye.

“I don’t know what's going on, honey, but I’ll talk to Cade, I’ll get this sorted out. He’s probably just panicking after everything that’s happened. If you need anything you have all our numbers, you call and we’ll be there.”

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