Enticed by His Forgotten Lover (Pregnancy & Passion #1)(47)

With a curse, Ryan turned and jammed his finger over the call button. Behind Rafael, Devon got on the phone and called down to the doorman with muttered instructions to stall Bryony until Ryan arrived.

“Why aren’t you going after her yourself?” Devon asked after Ryan got into the returning elevator.

Rafael dropped back into the armchair and cupped his head between both hands. “What am I supposed to say to her? I lied to her. I played her. I used her. Everything she feared I had done, I absolutely did.”

Devon sat on the edge of the couch and eyed his friend. “And now?”

“I love her. And knowing what I did to her, what I felt while I was doing it, sickens me. I’m so ashamed of the person I was that I can’t even think about it without wanting to puke.”

“No one says you have to be that person now,” Devon said quietly.

Rafael closed his eyes and shook his head. “Do you know she’s been telling me that all along? She kept saying that I didn’t have to be the person I always was and that just because something has always been didn’t mean it always had to be.”

“Sounds like a smart woman.”

“Oh, God, Devon, I messed this up. How could I have done what I did? How could I have done something like that to her? She’s the most beautiful, loving and generous woman I’ve ever met. She’s everything I’ve ever wanted. Her and our child. I want us to be a family. But how can she ever forgive me for this? How can I ever forgive myself?”

“I don’t have the answers,” Devon admitted. “But you won’t find them here. You’re going to have to fight for her if you love her and want her. If you give up, that just tells her that you are the man you used to be and that you haven’t changed.”

Rafael raised his head, his chest so heavy that it was a physical ache. “I can’t let her go. I have no idea how I’m going to make her understand, but I can’t let her go. No matter what I did then, no matter how big of a bastard I was then, that’s not who I am now. I love her. I want another chance. God, if she’ll just give me another chance, I’ll never give her reason to doubt me again.”

“You’re convincing the wrong person,” Devon said. “I’m on your side, man. Even if you are the biggest jackass in North America. And hey, whatever happens with this resort deal, I’m behind you one-hundred percent, okay? We’ll figure something out. Now go get your girl.”

Twenty-One

Bryony walked off the elevator in shock. Her limbs were numb. Her hands were like ice. She was on autopilot, her mind barely functioning.

Rafael’s harsh words played over and over in her mind.

I used her.

I seduced her.

She flinched and wobbled toward the door, where the doorman stepped in front of her and put a hand on her arm. “Miss Morgan, if you would wait here, please.”

She looked up at the man in confusion. “Why?”

“Just wait, please.”

She shook her head and started to walk out the door only to have him take her arm and steer her back into the lobby again.

Anger was slowly replacing her numb shock. She yanked her arm away from the older man and retreated. “Don’t touch me.” She backed right into another person; she turned to excuse herself but found herself looking up at the mountain who worked as Rafael’s head of security.

“Miss Morgan, I had no idea you were in the city.” He frowned. “You should have let Mr. de Luca know so I could have met you at the airport. Did you come with no escort?”

The doorman looked relieved that Ramon was there and he hastily resumed his position by the door, leaving her to stand by the security man.

“I’m not staying,” she said tightly. “In fact, I’m on my way back to the airport now.”

Ramon looked puzzled, and then Ryan Beardsley was there, inserting himself between her and Ramon.

“That will be all, Ramon. I’ll take Miss Morgan where she needs to go.”

“The hell you will,” Bryony muttered. She turned and stalked toward the door.

Ryan caught up to her as soon as she stepped outside. He took her arm, but his hold was gentle. So was the look on his face. The sympathy burning in his eyes made her want to cry.

“Let me give you a ride,” he offered gently. “It’s cold and you really shouldn’t take a cab if you have no idea where you’re going. You probably don’t even have a hotel, am I right?”

She shook her head. “I was planning to stay with Rafael.” She broke off as tears brimmed in her eyes.

“Come on,” he said. “I’ll take you to my place. It’s not far. I have a spare bedroom.”

“I want to go back to the airport,” she said. “There’s no point in staying here.”

He hesitated and then cupped her elbow to lead her out of the building. “All right. I’ll take you back to the airport. But I’m not leaving you until you get on a plane. You probably haven’t even eaten anything, have you?”

She looked at him, utterly confused by how nice he was being to her.

“Why are you doing this?” she asked.

He stared at her for a long moment, brief pain flickering in his own eyes. “Because I know what it’s like to have the rug completely pulled out from under you. I know what it’s like to find out something about someone you cared about. I know what it’s like to be lied to.”