Page 96 of Tormented Billionaire Romance Series

I nodded. “Thanks.”

I leaned in for a hug. I inhaled his scent one last time, tearing up as I realized this would be the last time I saw him for a while.

He squeezed me. “Do me a favor.”

“What's that?”

“Take care of yourself, Clara. I love you. I mean that in the most brotherly way.”

I smiled warmly. “I love you, too, buddy.”

He released me from our hug and then stepped away, heading toward one of the seats available. I turned to walk away. I folded my hands in front of me, sighing as I dropped my shoulders and started making my way back to the front of the airport.

“Hey, Clara!”

I turned around. “Yeah?”

“Good luck with Levon. I'm happy for you.”

I smiled as I raised a hand to wave. “Thanks, Gabe. Good luck in New York!”

When I turned away, I was wearing a frown. I idly wandered toward the front of the airport with my head down and my shoulders sunken as if I had just lost my best friend.

I haven't even heard from Levon all week, I considered sadly.But I'm glad Gabe is happy. That makes me feel even better about the whole situation.

I took a deep breath and smelled sage. Instinctively, I popped my head up. I spotted Levon standing no less than ten feet away with a bag over his shoulder and a rolling suitcase behind him. It was the same tattered case decorated with that awful plaid he insisted was stylish enough for traveling. I let my eyes wander from the case to his face, my features contorted with confusion.

I turned to see if Gabe was still sitting but he was gone. The terminal must have opened for boarding and he was likely seated in the window of the airplane. I wondered if he had spotted Levon before I did.

I blinked rapidly as I turned back to Levon. He was much closer now. I took a breath and shrugged my shoulders, closing the space between us. The sea of people billowed around us and enclosed us in our very own private circle. However private it might have felt, we were still in public. And I was getting angrier by the second.

I cleared my throat and shrugged. “What are you doing here?”

“My flight just landed. I saw you walking by with Gabe.”

“Yeah, he was about to board his flight to New York.”

He furrowed his brows. “I thought that was next month.”

“That's what I thought, but he decided to leave sooner to handle his affairs.”

“Right. That makes sense.”

I folded my arms over my chest and lowered my voice so it was still audible for Levon but not audible enough for the swarming bodies around us. “You could have at least told me you were leaving the country again instead of making me worry about you.”

“I didn't think it was important.”

“That's rich. Sounds like you haven't changed much.”

He huffed with frustration. “Well, why didn't you go with Gabe?”

“Why would I have gone with Gabe?”

“I mean, he was going to New York. Are you just going to stay here while he's there?”

I stared at him with confusion. “Yeah, why would it be any other way?”

“I just know how you feel about leaving the Midwest and I was confused.”

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