Page 42 of My Merciless Don

“Sorry,” I murmured, not nearly loud enough for him to hear, “I’m sorry.”

I wanted to go, but my legs wouldn't move. I was frozen to the spot. I didn't understand the tearing feeling that was making my insides hurt. The prick of tears in my eyes was alien. I didn't like it one bit. I couldn't stop myself from trembling, I couldn't stop my knees from going weak. Unable to hold me up any longer, they buckled, and I dropped to the hard wooden floor of the porch with a painful thud.

It was as good a reason as any to let a sob free, let a single tear fall, and blame it on the physical pain, the throbbing in my knees, rather than the twisting, roiling, boiling eruption of agony in my chest as I realized that the last door to my past had just slammed in my face.

The Final Rejection - that would be the title to my book if I ever wrote one. I covered my face with my hands, trying to get myself back under control, and failing miserably.

CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

MARCO

My phone beeped and I dug it out of my pocket, staring down at the notification with a frown. It was a motion sensor alert, one that I had put up at the Mercer residence. Claude - Amy's father - currently resided there on his own, and he wasn't prone to walking outside if he could help it. He preferred to stay indoors, brooding and betting on the horses while he drank his top shelf whiskey. I couldn't blame him one bit.

He’d refused any security I tried to offer, so I put up the motion sensors to at least give me a heads up when someone was lurking outside. The least that the Mercers deserved was to live the rest of their lives in peace. Being able to provide that went a long way towards mitigating the guilt I felt.

I clicked over the to the cameras, my heart pounding inexplicably. I had a hunch I knew who was creeping around that house.

I watched as she climbed the steps, stood staring at the door for a minute, before she edged along the porch, away from the door and towards the living room windows. I shot to my feet, grabbing my phone and opening the security app so I could continue to watch her as I ran down the corridor, taking the shortest route to the garage.

“Take me to the Mercer residence at once,” I shouted to my driver as I dove into the car, my eyes never leaving my phone screen. She was peering into the living room windows like a hungry orphan gazing longingly into a restaurant.

“Step on it, soldier.” I said as we exited the compound.

“Yessir.”

He put pedal to the metal and soon we were flying down the road. I was so grateful that the Mercer residence wasn’t far. Claude still lived in the house that I had bought as a wedding present for Amy. He still allowed me to give him an allowance every month and pay off his gambling debts when they got too high. I was glad for the chance to do that much for Amy's father.

We came to a stop, and I was grateful that amidst a neighborhood full of children playing in the streets, people walking their dogs and jogging, lots of stay-at-home moms running errands, or driving off to the spa or gym, delivery drivers dropping off parcels, it wasn't unusual for a Bentley to cruise to a stop opposite a house.

I stepped out, pausing to watch the interaction between Audry and Claude. His whole-body language was closed-off and hostile, while - and it boggled my mind to see it – Audry’s body language was open and needy.

My heart broke for her, and for him. It could not have been easy seeing a doppelganger of his daughter at his doorstep. After he shut the door in her face, she dropped to the ground, her hands coming up to cover her face. It was too much for me. I couldn't bear to see her like that. Such a strong proud woman literally brought to her knees.

I wasn't built to withstand such a display of vulnerability.

I strode across the road and up the steps, understanding the depths of her despair from the fact that she didn't even hear my approach.

I touched her shoulder gently. “Audry?”

The next thing I knew I was flying through the air and then slamming onto the ground. I heard the sound of a gun cock and lifted my hand quickly in a quelling gesture before my driver decided to start shooting.

I couldn't help laughing ironically, even though I could barely catch my breath.

“Well, well, well, the kitten has claws.” I took a deep breath, “Nice to see you too.”

She did not seem amused.

CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

AUDRY

Iknew he'd find me sooner or later, and maybe in a little secret place in my heart, I was even happy that he had. Maybe that's why I came here. I wasn't too clear about my motives for doing any of the stupid things that I had done recently. But now here he was, his driver pointing a gun at me, standing in front of the villa I had so recently been fantasizing might have been my childhood home.

It really didn't get more pathetic than this.

“What do you want?” I asked tiredly.

His mouth twisted in a cynical smirk. “You can ask me that? After you stole from me?”

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