Page 25 of Mine to Keep

Roland’s hand came out when she tried to walk toward him.

“Do what I say, Laila. I’ll deal with you later.”

She couldn’t believe he was taking the other man’s side. “You won’t even let me talk. You won’t listen to my side?”

He shook his head. “No.”

Laila swallowed. She looked at the other man and was pleased to see surprise and apprehension. “You’ll pay for this,” she threatened.

“Laila, now!” Roland growled.

She didn’t look at him again. She just fled the room and raced up the stairs into their bedroom. She grabbed a suitcase out of the closet, laid it on the bed, and started throwing thingsinto it. She couldn’t stay and look into her husband’s eyes with him, thinking she would ever do something like kiss another man. When that was full, she went for a smaller suitcase and threw her bathroom things into it.

A scream tore from her throat when she walked back into the room to see Roland leaning casually against the closed bedroom door with his arms crossed. After she caught her breath, she ignored him and continued to pack.

“Where do you think you’re going, Pet?”

Her teeth snapped together as she glared at him before turning back to the cases. “Don’t call me that. I’m not a fucking dog.”

His eyebrows spiked. “You really think I’m going to let you go?”

Laila stopped and turned to face him. “You don’t have a choice. I’m tired of how cold you are to me lately and the distrust you feel when I’ve never done anything to have you doubt me. You can find another broodmare. I bet there are a lot of women that would give you a baby.”

“But I don’t want them.”

“You don’t want me either. I know you were forced into this marriage. We both were. But I can tell you’re having regrets. We’re adults and can make our own decisions. I choose to leave.”

“Where will you go?” he asked.

“It doesn’t concern you.”

Roland tilted his head to the side. “How will you take care of yourself? You went from your father’s house to mine. You’ve never been on your own.”

She hated the smooth, cold tone of his voice and tried concentrating on folding her clothing. “I have my inheritance from my mother, so I don’t have to worry about a job right away. I think I’m smart enough to find a place to rent for the time being. I’ll figure everything out when I need to. Just think,you’ll never have to worry about me. You’ll never have to see me again.”

The thought of never seeing him again was enough to make her want to clutch her stomach because of the pain, and her heart and soul felt broken. She had to get out of there before she broke down.

“What if you’re pregnant?”

She froze and tried to calculate when her last period was. Her mind was so full of other things she couldn’t concentrate.

“I’ll raise the baby,” she finally said.

He shook his head. “This whole marriage was to have a child. You can’t take one away from here.”

It hurt to be reminded of that. She forgot she wasn’t supposed to care about him. She just needed to be there to breed. “I want the child with me.”

He shook his head. “That won’t be possible. You can come and visit, though.”

She stared at him and felt like she was falling apart. “You’d take my child from me?” she whispered.

His eyes narrowed. “You’re the one leaving.”

How had things gotten so out of control? They’d made love that morning, and now she was leaving.

She sat down on the side of the bed, clutching clothing in her hands. “C-can you give me a few minutes, please?”

“For what?” he asked.

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