Page 83 of Virgin's Stolen Nights with the Boss

She was leaving.

So what?

Yet inthiscase it mattered.

And, despite her clear defiance, he saw there was turmoil in her eyes.

‘Why?’ he said. ‘Why would you leave now?’

I’m leaving before you lie to my face! Before you hurt me!she wanted to shout.Before you change your mind and decide I am too much trouble, too much work, or simply tire of me!

‘I have to go.’ She went to push past him, but he caught her wrist. ‘And so do you. You have your match to get to.’

‘I cannot believe you’d do this today.’

She was shaking inside, and feeling so conflicted.

‘I’m not your lucky charm, Elias.’

He took her chin and lifted her head, but she would not look at him.

‘What the hell happened between me falling asleep and you leaving?’

She looked right at him then, her top lip curling in distaste and then said, ‘Take Wanda to the match.’ She narrowed her eyes. ‘She can be your human shield to protect you from your late brother’swife.’

‘Nice,’ Elias said, and he removed his hand but not his gaze. ‘You could have just asked me about it.’

He was icily calm, but his breathing was short and fast and she could tell she’d really hurt him.

‘Keep your secrets, Carmen, if they’re so important. Carmen from the south of Spain. Carmen the stable hand. Carmen who runs away instead of talking.’

He stalked off, and she watched his back as he went.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

CARMENHATEDTHATROW.

Hated every word she’d said.

So much so that when she had the yard to herself she was sick.

‘Oh, God,’ she said as she threw up.

And as she clung to the toilet she knew, without a doubt, that he would never have done the same thing to her on a day like today. The Elias Henley she knew would have wished her good luck and quietly dumped her afterwards.

‘Hello?’

A casual worker had shown up at the yard, because of course he had been booked so that she could attend the match today.

It was perhaps just as well, Carmen thought, her heart hammering as she packed up her backpack, because she couldn’t bear to say goodbye to the horses.

All she wanted to do was leave.

Run away.

Only, she’d run away to here.

To the happiest place she’d known. And now she had so badly messed up that she felt as if there was no place left in the world to run.

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