Page 6 of Rock Hard
Yeah, she was delusional that way. Rex Løve didn’t, and wouldn’t, ever love her. As he had proven time and time again, Rex Løve was only capable of loving himself.
“There are any number of women who would love to have your job, and they’d be glad to suck my dick any time I asked them, too.”
She stared at herself in the bathroom mirror, wondering what Rex saw when he looked at her with those glowing gold and amber eyes of his.
She was no great beauty. In her late twenties, she didn’t have the slim, tight body like the young women who drooled over him, willing to do anything for him and be glad for the chance. She was curvy and sturdy like the lioness she was.
Of course, Rex didn’t know that. As a general rule, shifters were adept at concealing their animal sides. It was a skill necessary to live and work among the human population. And while Rex had trusted Alice with his beastly nature, she hadn’t reciprocated. In fact, the only one who did know the truth was Johnny, and he certainly wasn’t going to tell anyone.
Maybe Carly was right. Maybe she should gather what was left of her shattered pride and move on. There was no future for her here but heartbreak. And, as Rex had pointed out, he could have her position filled before she even landed at LAX.
She would miss Carly, of course. The two had grown close, but they could stay in touch. Maybe even get together frequently. Carly was exceptionally clever, and when she wanted to, she could be every bit as charismatic as her father. Alice had seen the girl charm the ever-present bodyguards into a state of lassitude, then slip out for ice cream or to stroll the mall. Carly was brilliant, but she was also fourteen and wanted to do the kinds of things regular teenagers did.
Carly’s proficiency at slipping away was how they had become allies in the first place. Growing up in a Catholic orphanage as she had, Alice was quite adept at sneaking out herself. Alice caught on to the girl’s tricks and tracked her down, promising not to tell Rex if Carly always toldherwhen she was planning her next escape so she could take the necessary precautions.
If Alice did decide to leave, she would have to make Carly promise to continue to keep her informed. Even if she wasn’t around physically, she could still ensure Carly was taken care of.
Alice paused, realizing where her musing had taken her. Was she really going to walk away?
Yes, she realized sadly, she was.
She climbed into bed then pulled out her laptop before she could change her mind. With a few clicks of the keys, she reserved herself a seat on the five-a.m. flight to LA and arranged for a car to pick her up downstairs. Then she packed a small overnight bag. She didn’t have much.
Using the hotel-provided stationary, she penned a quick note and left it in plain view. Alice paused only briefly to look at Rex on her way out, smiling a little when she heard his room rattling snores. Then she took a deep breath, stepped out into the private elevator, and began the next chapter of her life.
