Page 53 of Forget

She flung it out there and he visibly recoiled, making her gut gripe.

‘It has to.’ His icy tone made her want to rub her arms for warmth. ‘I can’t give you what you want.’

‘And what’s that?’

She hated presumptions but she should’ve known someone like him would think he’d know more about her than she knew herself. Wise-ass.

‘You want a long-term relationship and all it entails. Breakfast in bed on Sunday mornings. Moving in together. More commitment…’ He blanched, as if even the thought of marriage made him sick.

‘Wow. You can’t even say the word, can you?’ She pointed at her mouth. ‘It’s simple, really. You form the letters and say it.Marriage.’

‘Being a smart-ass isn’t helping.’

‘You expect me tohelp youmake breaking up easier?’ She shook her head, shoving her hair out of her eyes. ‘I don’t expect anything from you. I don’twantall that stuff you mentioned—’

‘Stop lying to me and to yourself,’ he yelled, making her jump. ‘Of course you fucking want it. I see it every time you look at me. Like I’m some goddamn knight in shining armour. But I’m not that person. I can’t save you when…’

He trailed off, stricken, and whirled away from her to slam his palm against the window.

Had he been about to say, ‘when I can’t save myself’?

What had happened to this smart, sexy guy to scar him so badly?

‘I don’t need saving, Brock. I need a guy to like me for me and I thought that guy was you.’

He stiffened. Yeah, the truth hurts, buddy.

‘I rarely take risks, but in the last month I’ve managed to walk away from my folks, start my own business, and indulge in a fling. And I know that whatever happens between us, getting involved long term is a risk but I’m willing to take it. Why can’t you?’

She held her breath as he slowly turned back to face her. She’d know if her impassioned plea had got through to him the moment she glimpsed his face.

When she saw his stony expression and cold, hard eyes, she knew she’d lost him before they’d really begun.

‘You know me, I’m all about the computations, so I only take calculated risks. And from where I’m standing, I see a woman who could barely look at this poor geek during uni, the dumb-ass she only turned to when she needed a comfort fuck, and who she’s showing an exorbitant amount of interest in now because I have money and you finally see me as good enough for the high and mighty Jayda York—’

‘Fuck you.’

It would’ve had more impact if her voice didn’t wobble, her throat tight with fury. ‘For a genius with a sky-high IQ, you’re an ignorant asshole.’

As she swept through his penthouse scooping up her dress, panties, and shoes, she willed him to stop her, to apologise, to drag her into his arms and never let go.

He did none of those things.

So she stormed out of his life, wishing she had a door to slam rather than his stupid elevator doors sliding shut on a soft whoosh.

She’d meant it. Fuck him and his hateful words.

So why did it hurt so damn bad?

25

After Jayda left, Brock pulled an all-nighter.

The only way he could cope with the numbness making him ache all over was to focus on coding. But even the familiarity of numbers dancing across the computer screen couldn’t soothe him.

Iciness flooded his body, making his teeth chatter at the oddest of moments, as if he’d developed some kind of tremor. Logic demanded it had to be shock but he didn’t feel like acknowledging logic right now.

There’d been nothing logical about the callous way he’d deliberately driven Jayda away, implying she was only interested in him for his money. Laughable, but he’d been desperate, flinging whatever insults he could to get her to leave.

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