Page 122 of Burn for You

“You’re going to need to be a bit more specific.”

I let out a breath. My mind is spinning like a ferris wheel onsteroids, trying to figure out any reason why May ran from me like a scared puppy. “At the wedding, she left early. She left herbest friend'swedding early and doesn’t want to speak to me. The only thing I was told was to speak to you. So what did you say to her?”

“Merda,” she swears, raking a hand through her hair.

“Mari,” I warn.

“Shit, I—” She blows out a breath. “It was stupid. I just?—”

“Marisol, what the hell did you say?”

She groans. “I might’ve sort of said that I thought you were in love with her.”

My stomach drops. Oh god.

“But it wasn’t serious. I was joking…sort of.”

“Oh my god,” I mutter.

She thinks I’m in love with her and now she’s running. Exactly like she told me that she would if something got serious.

The worst part is that Iamin love with her. I don’t know when I realized it, but I know it. Deep down, that feeling is strong in my gut. The worst part is that I thought maybe one day she’d come to feel the same, even given her past. I thought there was a slim chance that maybe she could, a small spark of hope for us, and now it’s been put out.

“I’m so sorry, Rafael. I didn’t mean to?—”

“I’ve got to go.” I turn around and walk straight out the door, hopping into my truck and driving towards the one person that I know can get through to her, along with the one person who might kill me for knocking on his door.

I walk into the elevator in Hotel Dolce and buzz on the intercom. “Caio, I know you’re going to kill me for being here right now, but can you rip my balls off after you let me talk to your wife?”

chapter forty-two

MAY

The soundof hooves against the ground booms in the quiet of the warm morning.

I escaped the haunting silence of Heath’s estate for the more peaceful quiet up here. This spot on Heath’s land feels like I’m in a completely different world, by myself, but not alone. The birds chattering away in the trees keep me company.

I can hear the soft sound of the long grass flattening under the weight of the horse as the strides slow to a stop behind the tree I’m leaning against.

I roll my eyes. “Heath, I told you I just need some time.”

All Heath wanted to do when we got back to his place was talk, but I didn’t know what to say. Didn’t know how to sum everything up and make it make sense to him. So instead, he saddled a horse for me, and I rode until I found this spot.

I hear feet lightly hit the ground. “Lucky your best friend doesn’t really care if you want to be alone.”

I look around the side of the tree to see Isla patting the neck of a brown mare before tying the horse up. Heath took it upon himself to teach Isla and I the basics of horse riding after he found out both of us knew next to nothing about how to be around the gorgeous animals.

“What are you doing here? Shouldn’t you be in your super king living up the wifey status?”

She walks over to sit down, leaning against the tree next to me. “Well, I would be, except for the fact that a very worried man showed up at the penthouse, and wouldn’t let up on the intercom until we let him in.”

My heart sloshes in my chest at the mention of Rafael. “Caio wouldn’t have liked that.”

She huffs a laugh. “He was furious when I left. I’m lucky I’m quick enough to slip from his grasp, otherwise I wouldn’t be here. I left the two of them together, so let’s just hope they’re both in one piece by the time I get back. I’d really appreciate not starting off our honeymoon by walking around with a husband with a black eye.”

I snort at that.

“He cares about you, May. What’s going on?”