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A wounded cry from the doorway made Rafael jerk his head around He went nu there, white as a sheet, Ryan right beside her, supporting her with an arht 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 shauilt that crowded his soul

She took a hasty step back, shaking off Ryan’s arht over

"Bryony, please, just listen toher beautiful eyes It was a sight that staggered hied 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 apart 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 jaot 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 knohat 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 tellingthat I didn’t have to be the person I alas and that just because so 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 so and generous wo I’ve ever wanted Her and our child I want us to be a faive ive myself?"

"I don’t have the answers," Devon ad 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 ed"

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’o Noof 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 ain"

"You’re convincing the wrong person," Devon said "I’est jackass in North America And hey, whatever happens with this resort deal, I’ 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

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 aran, 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 hier was slowly replacing her numb shock She yanked her arm away from the older ht into another person; she turned to excuse herself but found herself looking up at the an, 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 resu her to stand by the security htly "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 Raan where she needs to go"

"The hell you will," Bryony ht up to her as soon as she stepped outside He took her arentle So was the look on his face The syive 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, a 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 bedrooo 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’et on a plane You probably haven’t even eaten anything, have you?"

She looked at hi to her

"Why are you doing this?" she asked

He stared at her for a longin his own eyes "Because I knohat it’s like to have the rug completely pulled out fro about someone you cared about I knohat it’s like to be lied to"

Her shoulders sagged and she wiped a shaking hand through her hair "I’ 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 Froo 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 ti to eat You’re pale and you’re shaking still"