Page 113 of Reckless King

Suddenly, he lifts his head, his eyes clashing with mine. When he spots the bags I’m carrying, he stands in a rush. “Where are you going?”

“Home, Tate. I’m going home.” I’m too tired, too emotionally wrung out, to beat around the bush.

“You’re leaving today?” He sounds almost panicked.

“Yes.” I give him a small nod. “You don’t need me anymore, and I… I just want to get… get back to my normal life.”

He squeezes his eyes shut, and something like pain creases his face. When he looks at me again, the Tate I thought I knew—the real man behind the mask—is gone. He’s back to the Tate I never would have fallen for. The careless playboy who lets everything slide off his back. I have to wonder if that’s the real him. Maybe all along, I’ve been fooling myself into thinking I knew who he really was.

“Of course,” he says, a practiced smile tilting his lips as he emerges from behind his desk and approaches. “You must be looking forward to getting back home. I’ll make sure you still have security until any interest in our breakup dies down.” His chin dips for the briefest of seconds. “I want you to be safe, Violet. Always.”

I nod. I’m not going to argue with him. The last thing I want is to have reporters or paparazzi in my face when I’m trying to get over this… whatever this was. “Thank you.”

He steps closer and lifts a hand, as if to touch my cheek.

But I can’t. I just can’t. I’m too close to crying again as it is. “No,” I say.

He flinches and drops his hand to his side. Maybe he didn’t do anything wrong—make me any promises—but I can’t handle his touch right now.

With an audible swallow, he rakes a hand through his hair. “I’ll get Jeremy to drive you home.”

“That’s okay. Anna is waiting for me downstairs. Can you arrange to have the rest of my things brought to me?”

“Of course.” He regards me, his eyes bouncing between mine. When he speaks again, his voice is low. “Thank you, Violet. For all of this. Everything. I wish,” he clears his throat, “I wish things could be different.”

My throat is so tight I can barely talk. I force out a “me too,” then turn to leave.

“Let me take you downstairs,” Tate says.

I shake my head. “Please don’t. Let’s just end this the way it started. The way it should have stayed. Businesslike.” I don’t wait for his response. I whirl away and rush to the elevator. As it travels down, I touch the bare skin of my left ring finger.

And then the tears come.

CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE

TATE

Inever knew how fucking empty and soulless this apartment was until Violet filled it with her warmth, then cleared her things out and left. Now that she’s gone, being here is almost unbearable. She moved out three days ago. And for every minute since, I’ve argued with myself. Am I doing the right thing? Maybe I should tell her the truth. But if there’s even the slightest risk that she could suffer the consequences of what I’m doing—whatwe’redoing—I can’t take that chance.

With Violet’s engagement ring between my fingers, I slump into a dining room chair. I was too broken up when I realized she was leaving early to notice she wasn’t wearing it. But when I forced myself to walk into our bedroom, I spotted it immediately, sitting on the side table.

I hoped she would keep it. But why would she after I ended things? I close my eyes and am once again hit with a memory of the look of devastation on her face when I told her it was over. Fuck. My chest compresses so acutely it’s a struggle to take my next breath.

Maybe this is why my parents didn’t care about us—why my biological dad didn’t stick around. Love fucking hurts. Loving someone and being forced to hurt them to protect them is a painlike no other. I tighten my hold on Violet’s ring until one of the diamonds cuts into my palm. That sting is preferable to the ache in my chest.

Tonight, I’m set to attend my first public event without Violet since this thing between us began. Inside, my heart is in shards, but I have to put my game face on. I’ll be photographed, and I can’t look like I’m falling apart without her, just in case her asshole ex is watching. I don’t doubt he’s desperate enough to threaten me again if he catches on to my lies.

After shrugging on my suit jacket, I slip Violet’s ring into my pocket, hoping like hell that keeping it with me will make what I’m about to do feel like less of a betrayal. At the very least, it will be the reminder I need to get me through tonight.

Halfway to the elevator, my phone rings in my pocket. Slowing, I pull it out, and my pulse spikes when Reid’s name flashes on the screen. I swipe to answer it. “Hey, man. Please tell me you have good news.”

“Too early for that,” he says, and I do my best to force down my disappointment. “Thought I’d give you an update. My guy has tested the waters and thinks he’ll have full access to Eric’s accounts by the end of next week.”

I rub my forehead and breathe deep, keeping my annoyance suppressed along with the disappointment. “That long? I thought you said he was good.”

Reid grunts. “He is. He also doesn’t want to leave any traces. If he gets caught hacking into Eric’s work accounts, the blowback on all of us would be huge. And even taking into account his job, his security is disproportionately high. Which hopefully means he’s got something to hide.”

“So good and bad news, then?”

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