Page 46 of Sensual Games

And this was his son, who was cut from the same cloth. Any so-called change in him wouldn’t last long. I couldn’t give my heart to him.

He already has it.

I couldn’t look at him anymore. But turning my back hurt just as much, even if it was the right thing to do. The only thing to do. I had no business being here, no business with him. I only let myself believe it for a minute.

“Don’t go.” He was quick, slamming a hand against the door above my head. “Don’t leave. We’ll find a way through this.”

“And what makes you think that?” I touched my flushed forehead to the cool wood, wanting more than anything to believe him. That was the worst part of all. How much of me still wanted to believe, to hope.

His breath stirred my hair when he replied, “Because we just have to, Poison.”

“I wish I had as much faith as you. Now let me go. Please,” I added when he didn’t move.

“This isn’t over.” He stepped back, and I opened the door.

“This never began.” My heart screamed out for me to take one more look at him before I left, but something told me that would be the biggest mistake of all. Because if I looked at him now, I wouldn’t be able to leave. I would betray myself all over again, and I had already done enough of that.

“We’ll finish this tomorrow,” he told me as I stepped into the hall.

“You won’t see me tomorrow. If I’m getting let go, somebody can tell me over the phone.” Because, for once, I couldn’t be there for my people. I couldn’t walk them through this. Hell, I didn’t think I would be able to stand the pain in their eyes, especially when there was more than enough pain tearing me to pieces. For once, I had to think about myself.

Besides, if I never saw Lucian Diamond again, it would be too soon.

19

LUCIAN

“Ihave to admit. I thought you were bluffing.” The sound of Dad’s voice over my shoulder didn’t slow me as I packed up my office on Friday morning, early enough that I’d assumed I wouldn’t cross paths with anyone. Him included.

I couldn’t help but bristle and shrug, stacking framed photos in a box. I had only started adding things to the decor over the past few weeks, so there wasn’t much. “You should know me better than that by now,” I mumbled when it seemed like he was waiting for a response.

“I want to talk about this.”

“There’s nothing to say.” I forced myself to turn around and face him, surprised by what looked like genuine concern wrinkling his brow. This was what it took to get through to him, to prove I meant what I said.

“Really?” He folded his arms, scowling. The angry king, dressed impeccably and groomed within an inch of his life. Yet he couldn’t get his way. “What do you plan to do now? I told you you’re cut off if you embarrass this family by shirking your responsibility.”

“I have money in the bank. I didn’t blow everything I already received from the trust, you know. I can get by for a while. Last I checked, I have a college degree and a strong network to fall back on. I’ll be fine.” That was nothing but bravado, of course. I didn’t have the first clue about what came next.

Ivy found a way, didn’t she? So could I.

“This is breaking your mother’s heart. I hope you know that.”

The last gasps of a man who knew he was losing. Using Mom as a last-ditch effort. “Is there ever going to come a time when you stop using her against me?” I folded my arms, sitting on the edge of the desk. “Why don’t you tell me how you feel about this, instead? Do you even care?”

“Of course I do. What do you think this has all been about?”

“I’m not talking about legacy or trusts or newspapers. I’m asking what you think, how you feel. Why is that so difficult to explain?”

He barked out a disbelieving laugh. “Come on, son. How many times have I opened up like that with you or vice versa?”

“I tried the other day,” I reminded him in a quiet voice. “When we first talked about what needed to be done. I tried to tell you what that would mean to me, letting her go. And you acted like it didn’t matter. What was important to me could not possibly have mattered less to you.”

“We can’t always do exactly what we want to do.”

“I get that, but this isn’t a tantrum, like you call it. I’m not doing any of this on a whim. Dad… I love her.” There it was. I had never spoken those words out loud and didn’t know they were about to pour out of me until they were hanging in the air.

He closed his eyes, releasing a long breath. “I was afraid you would say that.”

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