A wounded cry from the doorway made Rafael jerk his head around. He went numb from head to toe when he saw Bryony standing there, white as a sheet, Ryan right beside her, supporting her with an arm when she’d stumbled back.

It was a nightmare. His worst nightmare come to life. What was she doing here? Why now?

He let go of Devon’s shirt and started toward her. “Bryony.” Her name spilled from his lips, a tortured sound that reflected all the shame and guilt that crowded his soul.

She took a hasty step back, shaking off Ryan’s arm. She was so pale that he worried she’d fall right over.

“Bryony, please, just listen to me.”

She shook her head, tears filling her beautiful eyes. It was a sight that staggered him.

“Please, just leave me alone,” she begged softly. “Don’t say anything else. There isn’t a need. I heard it all. Leave me with some of my pride at least.”

She turned and fled into the elevator, the sound of her quiet sobs echoing through his apartment.

Rafael stood, feeling dead on the inside as he watched the elevator close. “Go after her,” he croaked out to Ryan. “Please, for me. Make sure she’s okay. She doesn’t know anyone here in the city. I don’t want anything to happen to her.”

With a curse, Ryan turned and jammed his finger over the call button. Behind Rafael, Devon got on the phone and called down to the doorman with muttered instructions to stall Bryony until Ryan arrived.

“Why aren’t you going after her yourself?” Devon asked after Ryan got into the returning elevator.

Rafael dropped back into the armchair and cupped his head between both hands. “What am I supposed to say to her? I lied to her. I played her. I used her. Everything she feared I had done, I absolutely did.”

Devon sat on the edge of the couch and eyed his friend. “And now?”

“I love her. And knowing what I did to her, what I felt while I was doing it, sickens me. I’m so ashamed of the person I was that I can’t even think about it without wanting to puke.”

“No one says you have to be that person now,” Devon said quietly.

Rafael closed his eyes and shook his head. “Do you know she’s been telling me that all along? She kept saying that I didn’t have to be the person I always was and that just because something has always been didn’t mean it always had to be.”

“Sounds like a smart woman.”

“Oh, God, Devon, I messed this up. How could I have done what I did? How could I have done something like that to her? She’s the most beautiful, loving and generous woman I’ve ever met. She’s everything I’ve ever wanted. Her and our child. I want us to be a family. But how can she ever forgive me for this? How can I ever forgive myself?”

“I don’t have the answers,” Devon admitted. “But you won’t find them here. You’re going to have to fight for her if you love her and want her. If you give up, that just tells her that you are the man you used to be and that you haven’t changed.”

Rafael raised his head, his chest so heavy that it was a physical ache. “I can’t let her go. I have no idea how I’m going to make her understand, but I can’t let her go. No matter what I did then, no matter how big of a bastard I was then, that’s not who I am now. I love her. I want another chance. God, if she’ll just give me another chance, I’ll never give her reason to doubt me again.”

“You’re convincing the wrong person,” Devon said. “I’m on your side, man. Even if you are the biggest jackass in North America. And hey, whatever happens with this resort deal, I’m behind you one-hundred percent, okay? We’ll figure something out. Now go get your girl.”

Twenty-One

Bryony walked off the elevator in shock. Her limbs were numb. Her hands were like ice. She was on autopilot, her mind barely functioning.

Rafael’s harsh words played over and over in her mind.

I used her.

I seduced her.

She flinched and wobbled toward the door, where the doorman stepped in front of her and put a hand on her arm. “Miss Morgan, if you would wait here, please.”

She looked up at the man in confusion. “Why?”

“Just wait, please.”

She shook her head and started to walk out the door only to have him take her arm and steer her back into the lobby again.

Anger was slowly replacing her numb shock. She yanked her arm away from the older man and retreated. “Don’t touch me.” She backed right into another person; she turned to excuse herself but found herself looking up at the mountain who worked as Rafael’s head of security.

“Miss Morgan, I had no idea you were in the city.” He frowned. “You should have let Mr. de Luca know so I could have met you at the airport. Did you come with no escort?”

The doorman looked relieved that Ramon was there and he hastily resumed his position by the door, leaving her to stand by the security man.

“I’m not staying,” she said tightly. “In fact, I’m on my way back to the airport now.”

Ramon looked puzzled, and then Ryan Beardsley was there, inserting himself between her and Ramon.

“That will be all, Ramon. I’ll take Miss Morgan where she needs to go.”

“The hell you will,” Bryony muttered. She turned and stalked toward the door.

Ryan caught up to her as soon as she stepped outside. He took her arm, but his hold was gentle. So was the look on his face. The sympathy burning in his eyes made her want to cry.

“Let me give you a ride,” he offered gently. “It’s cold and you really shouldn’t take a cab if you have no idea where you’re going. You probably don’t even have a hotel, am I right?”

She shook her head. “I was planning to stay with Rafael.” She broke off as tears brimmed in her eyes.

“Come on,” he said. “I’ll take you to my place. It’s not far. I have a spare bedroom.”

“I want to go back to the airport,” she said. “There’s no point in staying here.”

He hesitated and then cupped her elbow to lead her out of the building. “All right. I’ll take you back to the airport. But I’m not leaving you until you get on a plane. You probably haven’t even eaten anything, have you?”

She looked at him, utterly confused by how nice he was being to her.

“Why are you doing this?” she asked.

He stared at her for a long moment, brief pain flickering in his own eyes. “Because I know what it’s like to have the rug completely pulled out from under you. I know what it’s like to find out something about someone you cared about. I know what it’s like to be lied to.”

Her shoulders sagged and she wiped a shaking hand through her hair. “I’m just going to cry all over you.”

His smile was brief but he turned her and motioned to a distant car. “You can cry all you want to. From what I heard, you’re entitled.”

“You can go now,” Bryony said in a low voice, as Ryan hoisted her only bag onto the scale at the airline check-in desk.

“You’ve got a little time. Let’s go get something to eat. You’re pale and you’re shaking still.”

“I don’t think I can.” She placed her hand on her stomach and tried to will the queasiness away.

“Then a drink. Some juice. I’ll make sure you get back to security in enough time to catch your flight.”

She sighed her acceptance. It was much easier to just cede to Ryan’s determination, though for the life of her she couldn’t figure it out. In a few moments he had her seated at a little round table outside a tiny bistro, a tall glass of orange juice in front of her.

Her eyes watered as she stared sightlessly at it. Her fingers trembled as she touched the cool surface.

“Ah, hell, you aren’t going to cry again, are you?”

She sucked in steadying breaths. “I’m sorry. You’ve been nothing but kind. You don’t deserve to have me fall apart all over you.”

“It’s okay. I understand how you feel.”

“Oh?” she asked in a shaky voice. “You said you knew what it felt like. Who screwed you over?”

“The woman I was supposed to marry.”

She winced. “Ouch. Yeah, it sucks, doesn’t it? At least Rafael never promised to marry me. He certainly hinted about it but he never went that far in his deception. So what happened?”

Ryan’s mouth twisted and for a moment, Bryony thought he’d say nothing.

“She slept with my brother just weeks after we became engaged.”

“That’ll do it,” she said wearily. “I’m sorry that happened to you. Sucks when people you put all your faith into gut you in return.”

“That about sums up my feelings on the subject,” Ryan said with an amused chuckle.

She drained the juice and set the glass back down on the table.

“Let me get you something to eat. Can you keep it down now?”

Ryan’s concern was endearing and she offered a halfhearted smile. “Thanks. I don’t feel hungry, but you’re right. I should probably eat.”

He got up and a few minutes later returned with a selection of deli sandwiches and another glass of orange juice. As soon as she took the first bite, she realized just how hungry she was.

Ryan studied her for a long moment, sympathy bright in his eyes. “What will you do now?”

She paused midchew and then continued before swallowing. She took a sip of the juice and then set the glass back down.

“Go home. Have a baby. Try to forget. Move on with my life. I have my grandmother and the people on the island. I’ll be fine.”

“I wonder if that’s what Kelly did,” he mused aloud. “Went on with her life.”

“Is that her name? Kelly? Your ex-fiancée?”

He nodded.

“So she didn’t hang around? With your brother I mean? I suppose that would be awkward at family get-togethers.”

“No, she didn’t hang around. I have no idea where she went.”

“Probably just as well. If she was the kind of person who’d sleep with the brother of the man she’s going to marry, she isn’t worth your idle curiosity.”

“Maybe,” he said quietly.

Silence fell and Bryony picked at her food, getting down what she could. She kept hearing Rafael’s damning words over and over in her head. No matter what she did, she couldn’t turn it off, couldn’t make it go away.

She was humiliated. She was angry. But more than any thing, she was destroyed. Twice she’d allowed him to manipulate her and to make her love him. Worse, she’d fallen even deeper in love the second time around. She’d been ready to capitulate and give him what he’d wanted all along. What he didn’t even need from her because he had no intention of ever honoring his promise to her.

She was twice a fool for believing him and for not being smart enough to get the agreement in writing.

She was an even bigger fool for loving him.

A tear slid down her cheek and she hastily wiped it away but to her dismay another fell in its place.

“I’m sorry, Bryony. You didn’t deserve this,” Ryan said quietly. “Rafael is my friend, but he went too far. I’m sorry you got caught in the middle of this deal.”

She wiped away more tears and bowed her head. “I’m sorry, too. I wanted so much for it all to be real even when my head knew that something wasn’t right. I should have never come to New York to confront him. I should have trusted my first instinct. He used me to get what he wanted. I knew that and I couldn’t leave it alone. If I had just stayed home, I’d be over it by now and I would have never gotten involved with him a second time.”

“Would you be over it?” Ryan asked gently.

“I don’t know. Maybe… I definitely wouldn’t be sitting here crying my eyes out, thousands of miles from home.”

“True,” Ryan conceded. He checked his watch and grimaced. “We should get you to security. Your flight leaves soon.” His phone rang, and he looked down then frowned. He hesitated a moment and then punched a button to silence the ring. Then he looked back up. “You ready?”

She nodded. “Thank you, Ryan. Really. You didn’t have to be this nice. I appreciate it.”

Ryan smiled as he took her arm and they began the walk toward the security line. When they reached the end, she turned and blew out a deep breath. “Okay, well, this is it.”

Ryan touched her cheek and then to her surprise pulled her into his arms for a tight hug.

“You take care of yourself and that baby,” he said gruffly.

She pulled away and smiled up at him. “Thanks.”

Squaring her shoulders, she eased into the security line. In a few hours she’d be back home.

Twenty-Two

Rafael dragged himself into the shower, washed the remnants of his alcohol binge from his fuzzy brain and proceeded to punish himself with fifteen minutes of ice-cold water. He’d been trying to call Ryan to find out where the hell Bryony was, but Ryan wasn’t answering. He had to get his act together and prepare to plead his case to her. This was the most important deal of his life. Not the resort. Not the potential merger with Copeland Hotels. Not his partnership with his friends.

Bryony and their child were more important than any of that. He was furious that he could have been such a cold, calculating bastard with her before. But if she’d listen to him, if she’d just give him another chance, he’d prove to her that nothing in this world was more important to him than her.