Enticed by His Forgotten Lover (Pregnancy & Passion #1)(49)

She nodded. “Thank you, Ryan. Really. You didn’t have to be this nice. I appreciate it.”

Ryan smiled as he took her arm and they began the walk toward the security line. When they reached the end, she turned and blew out a deep breath. “Okay, well, this is it.”

Ryan touched her cheek and then to her surprise pulled her into his arms for a tight hug.

“You take care of yourself and that baby,” he said gruffly.

She pulled away and smiled up at him. “Thanks.”

Squaring her shoulders, she eased into the security line. In a few hours she’d be back home.

Twenty-Two

Rafael dragged himself into the shower, washed the remnants of his alcohol binge from his fuzzy brain and proceeded to punish himself with fifteen minutes of ice-cold water. He’d been trying to call Ryan to find out where the hell Bryony was, but Ryan wasn’t answering. He had to get his act together and prepare to plead his case to her. This was the most important deal of his life. Not the resort. Not the potential merger with Copeland Hotels. Not his partnership with his friends.

Bryony and their child were more important than any of that. He was furious that he could have been such a cold, calculating bastard with her before. But if she’d listen to him, if she’d just give him another chance, he’d prove to her that nothing in this world was more important to him than her.

By the time he got out, his mind was clear, he was freezing his ass off and he had only one clear purpose. Get Bryony back.

He dressed and strode into the living room, surprised to see Devon and Cam both sprawled in the armchairs.

“You two look like hell,” he commented on his way to the kitchen.

Cam snorted. “You’re one to talk, alcohol boy. When was the last time you went on a bender like that? Weren’t we in college? Hasn’t anyone told you we’re too old for stuff like that now? It’s a good way to poison yourself.”

“Tell me something I don’t know,” Rafael muttered.

“So what’s the plan?” Devon drawled.

“I’ve got to get her back,” Rafael said. “Screw the deal. Screw the resort. This is my life. The woman I love. My child. I can’t give them up over some ridiculous development deal.”

“You’re serious,” Cam said.

“Of course I’m serious,” Rafael snarled. “I’m not the same bastard who would do anything at all to close a deal. I don’t want to be that man any longer. I don’t know how you stood him for as long as you did.”

Cam grinned. “Well, okay then. Don’t get pissy about it.”

“Have either of you heard from Ryan? I sent him after her, but the son of a bitch won’t answer his phone.”

Devon shook his head. “I’ll try him. Maybe he’s just not answering your calls.”

Like that was supposed to make Rafael feel any better. But at this point, he didn’t care how he had to get to Bryony. Just as long as he did.

Just as Devon put the phone to his ear, the elevator doors chimed and Rafael jerked around, holding his breath that by some miracle Bryony had come back. He let it all out when he saw Ryan stride in.

Rafael strode forward to meet him. “Where the hell is Bryony? I’ve been calling you for the last couple of hours. Where have you been?”

Ryan glared back. There was condemnation in his eyes. And anger. “I just spent the past couple of hours listening to Bryony cry because you broke her heart. I hope to hell you’re happy now that you’ve destroyed the best thing that’s ever happened to you.”

“Whoa, back off,” Devon said as he stood. “This isn’t any of our business, Ryan. He’s already beaten himself up enough without you piling on.”

“Yeah, well, you didn’t have to listen to her cry.”

“Where is she?” Rafael demanded when he found his voice. The image of Bryony crying sent staggering pain through his chest. “I need to see her, Ryan. Where did you take her?”

“To the airport.”

Rafael’s heart dropped. “The airport? Has she already left? Do I have time to catch her?”

Ryan shook his head. “She’s probably already in the air.”

Rafael cursed. Then he turned and slammed his fist into the wall. He leaned his forehead against the cabinet and fought the rage that billowed inside him.

When he looked up, an odd sort of peace settled over him. He looked at his friends—his business partners—and knew that this could very well be the end of their relationship.

“I have to go after her,” he said.

Devon nodded. “Yeah, you do.”

“I’m canceling the deal. I’m pulling the plug. I don’t give a damn how much it costs me or if it costs me everything. It already has. I’m going to give back that damn land. Bryony will never believe that I love her as long as it stands between us. I have to get rid of it and make it a nonissue.”

Slowly Cam nodded. “I agree. It’s the only way you’re going to get her to believe that you love her now.”

To his surprise, all three of his friends nodded their agreement.

“You’re not pissed? We had a lot riding on this.”

“How about you let us deal with the resort plans,” Devon said. “You go after your woman. Settle down. Have babies. Be nauseatingly happy. I’m going to see what I can do to salvage the resort proposal. Maybe we can find another location.”