Page 72 of Flirting With Forever
“I told her the truth. Her little runaway routine is over. Our father wants her home where she belongs, and hopefully she was finally smart enough to heed his command.”
“She was happy here. Did you threaten her?” Gage asked.
“No. But I think you already know that,” the man said. “Sloane’s obviously made her decision, and you’re not a part of it, which is why you’re having such a hard go of accepting her choice. Whatever you had with my sister is over. The sooner you deal with that, the better.”
Noah turned and stalked out of the building, and Gage stood there shaking from the force of his anger. Only after they heard the sound of a powerful engine starting and pulling away did his brothers release their tight grip. Still, they kept their hands on his shoulders in a show of support.
“If you really think she’s in trouble, I’ve got buddies I can call,” Cole said. “They can meet us in Chicago, and we’ll find out what’s going on.”
Noah’s words replayed in Gage’s head. Sloane’s obviously made her decision. You’re not a part of it. “No.”
The word emerged low and angry. Bitter. Because no matter how hard the realization was to choke down, Noah Harrington was right. “That idiot obviously didn’t know she was gone, or he wouldn’t have come to see her. She left on her own.”
Just like she’d left his bed on her own. Just like she’d pushed him away at every turn. Revealing only the barest number of details. She’d kept him at arm’s length and said repeatedly that her presence was temporary. She might not do casual, but he obviously hadn’t meant enough. Hadn’t been important enough for her to stay.
For the first time, he acknowledged the anger boiling inside of him was directed mostly at himself.
He’d played it safe for so long. Never allowing anything to come before his work. Ending things and pushing his female companions away if they so much as hinted at wanting more.
Until Sloane.
Only he would fall for a woman who’d walk away without a backward glance. He’d given his brothers a hard time as they’d fallen in love and this—this was karma or fate or whatever other word one might use to describe the fact he was getting what he’d put out into the world for so long.
Love wasn’t controllable. He’d fallen as hard and fast as his brothers had. The only difference was that he was on the receiving end of that cold heartlessness he’d dished out so easily. “She’s gone. Time to get to work and move on like Harrington said.”
He jerked away from his brothers and turned, heading out the back of the building and stalking past the parking spot in front of the starfish where he’d first seen her that night.
First thing on the agenda was painting over that spot. Because God knew looking at it ripped his heart out even more…
Chapter Twenty-One
Sloane fought back tears all the way to the mountains, her every thought replaying the night she’d spent with Gage. With the aftermath of knowing what it was like to be loved. Feel loved.
What would she do if her plan failed? Would she be able to make it back to Gage? Back to Carolina Cove?
The fear that she wouldn’t make it back—the doubts that plagued her because of exactly who her father did business with—had made her decision last night without an ounce of remorse.
In her heart and soul, she knew who Gage was to her. She knew. But knowing and being free to follow her heart were wholly separate things.
Maybe she should have waited. Gage would be hurt by her disappearance. But she hadn’t been able to force herself to even think about leaving without sharing that intimacy with him. Because if she didn’t make it back, she had to know what it was like to really love someone. It was a gift she’d given herself.
She choked back the pressure and sting of tears to focus on her anger—and the plan.
For the first time since leaving her old life, she’d found a place that felt like home. She’d wanted to stay. Truly stay. But she couldn’t. Not without risking Gage’s safety and businesses—everything.
GPS had tried to take her on the main highways, but Sloane knew she needed time and space to both plan and prepare herself mentally and emotionally for what she faced.
That, and the fact she didn’t want Noah on her tail following her back. Once he figured out she wasn’t at work or at home—Gage’s home—Noah would head out behind her.
And she wanted to give him plenty of time to make the trek so he’d be there to witness her owning her own life. She wanted Noah present for her big speech. Wanted all three of them there so no one had any doubts as to how serious she was about them leaving her alone. Even if it meant risking herself by being in their presence and possibly never seeing Gage again if her father decided to call her bluff and physically force her compliance—until her fail-safe kicked in, at least.
Her plan depended on…so many things. Some within her control.
Most not.
She’d never stood up to her father. Not once. Not really. Oh, she’d argued and had the usual teenager and college-girl spats, but when things had gotten real? She’d runaway like a coward. Noah showing up to demand she return to college and then someone jumping her college boyfriend had been the last straw.
Yes, it had scared her at the time. But that danger terrified her now. The thought of someone hurting Gage infuriated her and left her shaky and ready to do harm herself.
