Page 90 of Forgotten Promise

“And Benjamin may have been the one to talk to Devon, but you’re the one who told Selene about it.”

“I know, I know. I’m sorry—”

“It’s late,” he interjected, uninterested in her apology. It was just words. And he’d learned a long time ago, those were worthless. It was actions that mattered, and all hers and Benjamin’s actions had shown him was that they weren’t as invested in making this work as he was. They didn’t care enough to say one word.

No. That was all they’d had to say, and John was certain Selene would have changed her mind. From Selene’s point of view, she was probably protecting Kailani. If Kailani had said something, anything…

So it was time for him to figure out how to do the same. Time to harden his heart. To cut his losses. After all, he’d had a lifetime of practice.

“What do we do?” she asked, looking to him for answers he didn’t have.

“Right now? We go to sleep. We’ve been up for forty-eight-plus hours with just a few cat naps scattered here and there. Neither one of us is in the right state of mind for this conversation. Nothing is going to get resolved tonight.”

Actually, fuck that.

There was nothing to resolve. Their trinity was no more. Though he didn’t say that aloud.

For a moment, he thought she might disagree with that decision, insist they board yet another plane in search of the man who was so anxious to get away from them, he hopped on his jet and escaped without a word.

“You’re right. We need to sleep. I’ll get us a room.” She paused as she looked at him. “Two beds. I know you’re angry, and you have every right to be—”

“No. I can’t…I can’t be here.” He started walking through the lobby, headed for the grand front doors.

“John, where are you going?”

“I’m going to go get a room in another hotel. There’s a million right here, aren’t there?”

“Okay, I’ll call and—”

“No. I’ll handle it myself.”

His luggage was in storage somewhere in the Hale’ekolu, but fuck it. He didn’t need luggage.

“John, please stay.”

At that, he stopped, looked at her. Exhaustion was etched on every inch of her face.

“We can talk in the morning. Over breakfast…or maybe even brunch,” she said, as if realizing how late it was and how badly they both needed sleep.

He nodded, though not necessarily in agreement. He wasn’t sure what else there was to say.

Kailani looked at him, and though he knew it was wrong, he couldn’t stop himself from wanting to bend his head and place his lips against hers.

He could imagine it. A soft, short kiss. If he kissed her now…it would be their last one.

So if he did kiss her, he’d make it hard and hot, his tongue brushing hers, her hands fisting his shirt.

But he didn’t kiss her. They stayed that way, looking at one another, and he wished he knew what she was thinking.

“Let me know if you don’t find a place with vacancies…are you sure you won’t let me arrange your room?”

“No, Kalani.”

She nodded once, her expression tight. “Good night, John.”

“Good night,” he said aloud.

Goodbye, he said in his head.

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