Page 80 of Broken Deal

I can feel it in my bones.

Yet, I can’t bring myself to stop.

1 I don't know how I'll ever let you go.

The constant sound of a phone ringing wakes me from the best sleep I’ve ever had. At some point during the night, Sophia turned around and clung to me like a koala. She’s resting her head on my chest with her arms and legs wrapped around me now. And fuck, this feels… meant to be. I’ve never stayed over or slept next to anyone. Never really saw the point. And I have the feeling if I were to do this with anyone else, it wouldn’t feel the same.

With a deep, satiated sigh I tighten my grip around Sophia, inhaling her intoxicating, summery scent I’ve grown to obsess over. I close my eyes again, wanting to stay here a moment longer, but the ringing sound takes me out of it again. It’s coming from the nightstand where her phone is being charged.

“Blue,” I whisper, giving her cheek a soft peck. “Wake up.”

She groans, turning the other way and putting the pillow on top of her head. “Go away.”

A laugh bubbles out of me as I carefully remove thepillow. She’s definitelynota morning person. “Your phone has been ringing nonstop.”

She turns around, opening her eyes slightly. They’re puffy, and her hair is all over the place in the cutest way possible. I don’t understand how she manages to look beautiful just waking up, but damn, she does. Painfully so. With a yawn, she reaches for her phone that’s currently pinging with nonstop text notifications. And before I know it, she is darting out of bed with tense shoulders as her hands shake while dialing someone.

“Hey,” she says, her voice trembling as she addresses the person on the other end.

I frown, waving my hand to get her attention and mouth,What’s wrong?

She doesn’t respond and turns away, her shoulders still tense. As she brushes her hair back, her fingers thread through it, holding it in place while she nods nonstop to whatever the person on the other end of the line is saying.

“Okay. Okay,” she replies, her voice on the verge of breaking. “I’ll be there as soon as possible.” Then hangs up and turns around. Her eyes are red, tears threatening to escape her, but she doesn’t let them. “You need to go.”

I stand and make my way toward her, placing my hands on her forearms and caressing them. “Hey, hey,” I say, trying to get her to look at me. “What’s going on?”

“Please leave. I-I don’t want you to see me like this, and I gotta go to Kentucky,” she whispers shakily, taking a step back abruptly and avoiding my gaze.

The vulnerability in her voice makes my heart crack. Like hell I’m going to leave. She’s got another thing coming if she thinks I’m ever going to walk away from her, especially when she’s so distraught.

I grab her chin and force her to look at me. Her blueeyes are gray and dull. A tear streams down her face, and I quickly wipe it away with the pad of my thumb. “If you stop pushing me away, maybe I can help.”

She bites her lip, contemplating. “My mom had a pretty big panic attack. She’s at the hospital, and I need to get there and figure out what the hell happened.” She takes in a sharp breath. “And go into solving mode, like I always do.”

This is the second time I’ve seen her this freaked, and it always has to do with her family. She’s a closed book; sometimes it can be hard to get a read on her. Not that it stops me. I know a little better by now. She tries to put on this brave face and these fake smiles, even when she doesn’t particularly feel like that all the time. I’m the last person to judge, because I know how it feels to create a false sense of positivity to hide the thoughts that keep you awake at night.

I walk over to where my clothes are, fish out my phone, and fire a quick text to my assistant. “We’ll take my jet. It can be ready in an hour, so pack a bag, I’ll go home and pack, too. We’ll stay however long, whatever you need,” I say quickly as I’m putting on my clothes.

“No.” She shakes her head. “I can’t ask this of you.”

I stalk toward her again, grasping the nape of her neck. “You’re not asking. I’m offering.Let me help,” I plead. “Let me take care of you, okay?”

She has no idea I would drop anything to help her. She has no idea that for me, the lines have been quickly blurring, and even though all she wants from me is a fuck buddy, a friend, I would do anything for her.

She hesitates for a moment before replying. “Okay.”

“Good.” I wrap my arms around her and embrace her, dropping a soft kiss on her forehead. “Everything will be okay.”

I say this to her, trying to calm her nerves. But honestly?I’m saying it to myself, too. My heart clenches painfully, and the storm of emotions I don’t understand leaves me, for the first time in my life, uncertain.

We’re taking the steps to get onto my jet. Sophia has been quiet, and I’ve been on back-to-back phone calls rearranging a few things so I can have the rest of the week off.

“What do you mean you’re not coming? This isthemeeting of the year, Lorenzo,” Amos says, aggravated.

I roll my eyes—thankfully, we’re talking on the phone, so he can’t see the disinterested look on my face. Taking my usual seat, I pat the one across from me, silently inviting her to sit there. The jet is big enough for us to have our own space, but where’s the fun in that? I’d rather spend the whole ride looking at her.

“I think you all can manage without me,” I retort dryly.

---