the only explanation for marrying that guy. Seriously,
what were you thinking?”
The anger in his voice sobered her. It was time for her to
do what she had to otherwise there was no telling what would have next—what she
would initiate to happen next because by god she hungered for his touch, for
his lips, for him to make love to her again. She wanted to say she was sorry
for all the things she said, for not asking for an explanation, for jumping
into bed with another man even though she couldn’t remember it. She wanted to
beg him to take her back and save her and their daughter from the demon she was
forced to marry.
She wanted a lot, but she knew very well she wasn’t going to
get it. Antonio would make sure of it and that deflated her.
With a defeated sigh she said, “You need to leave him alone.
You can have the run of the place but you need to leave Antonio to his own
devices.”
He shot up, out of his crouch position and glared down at
her with such venom in his eyes, it made her flinch.
“How could you say that? Have you not taken a tour of your gift ? The same gift that almost cost my
sister and your brother, their lives? Are you so selfish that you conveniently
forgot what getting this place did to them?”
How could she forget? She lived that horror with them and he…How
dare he say that to her! Fueled by her own anger she stood, her fists clenched
at her sides.
“What would you know? You weren’t there. You know nothing
about how I felt when they were hurting! Only Reno can bring me to task about
how selfish I am. You are such a damn
hypocrite, or do you think I’ve forgotten your real reason for ‘reuniting’ with
your siblings and for dating me?”
“What the hell are you talking about? I dated you because I
fell in love with you and as for my siblings, I love them and I’m glad we were
reunited!”
She placed her hands on his chest and shoved him, but he
only moved back half a foot. “You are like everyone else! You just wanted me to
get close to my brother, to the Sinclair billions. You never loved me so don’t
ever say that again!”
Ruiz huffed throwing his hands up. “That doesn’t fucking
matter anymore, now does it? You are married to someone else and I don’t want
your billions! I never have!”
“Maybe not, but you wanted what Reno had. I overheard you on
the phone that day speaking to that woman about how the resort slipped through
your fingers!”
Ruiz’s expression shuttered, his shoulders hunching with it.
“That’s it? That’s why you left me?” He shook his head. “No demand for an
explanation, no questions…you just picked up a john at the bar and told me to
take a hike all because of a phone conversation you overheard?”
The way he stared at her, with hurt and defeat, it made her
feel like she was missing something, like she had overreacted and therefore
thrown both their lives off balance. He rubbed his hand over his chest and
Melody had to quell the urge to go to him and apologize because she sincerely
had no idea what she had to apologize for.
“I heard what you said about your husband. I’ll think about
it, but right now, I have to meet someone before the staff meeting.” He walked
to the door and opened it wide. Melody took the hint, but right before she
stepped out he caught her hand in a tender hold. She fought not to look
directly at him. She didn’t want to see the hurt in his eyes. “Melody, call
your brother, tell him where you are or go visit him. He misses you.”
She gave him a
curt nod, slipped her hand out of his and rushed for the elevator. She held
herself together until she got to her room in the manager’s house. Jackie was
seated in the rocking chair knitting. The second she saw her, she stopped and
gave her a concerned look. Melody blinked back her tears and went to the crib.
She scooped up her sleeping daughter’s tiny body and held her close to her
chest.
“I saw your
what were you thinking?”
The anger in his voice sobered her. It was time for her to
do what she had to otherwise there was no telling what would have next—what she
would initiate to happen next because by god she hungered for his touch, for
his lips, for him to make love to her again. She wanted to say she was sorry
for all the things she said, for not asking for an explanation, for jumping
into bed with another man even though she couldn’t remember it. She wanted to
beg him to take her back and save her and their daughter from the demon she was
forced to marry.
She wanted a lot, but she knew very well she wasn’t going to
get it. Antonio would make sure of it and that deflated her.
With a defeated sigh she said, “You need to leave him alone.
You can have the run of the place but you need to leave Antonio to his own
devices.”
He shot up, out of his crouch position and glared down at
her with such venom in his eyes, it made her flinch.
“How could you say that? Have you not taken a tour of your gift ? The same gift that almost cost my
sister and your brother, their lives? Are you so selfish that you conveniently
forgot what getting this place did to them?”
How could she forget? She lived that horror with them and he…How
dare he say that to her! Fueled by her own anger she stood, her fists clenched
at her sides.
“What would you know? You weren’t there. You know nothing
about how I felt when they were hurting! Only Reno can bring me to task about
how selfish I am. You are such a damn
hypocrite, or do you think I’ve forgotten your real reason for ‘reuniting’ with
your siblings and for dating me?”
“What the hell are you talking about? I dated you because I
fell in love with you and as for my siblings, I love them and I’m glad we were
reunited!”
She placed her hands on his chest and shoved him, but he
only moved back half a foot. “You are like everyone else! You just wanted me to
get close to my brother, to the Sinclair billions. You never loved me so don’t
ever say that again!”
Ruiz huffed throwing his hands up. “That doesn’t fucking
matter anymore, now does it? You are married to someone else and I don’t want
your billions! I never have!”
“Maybe not, but you wanted what Reno had. I overheard you on
the phone that day speaking to that woman about how the resort slipped through
your fingers!”
Ruiz’s expression shuttered, his shoulders hunching with it.
“That’s it? That’s why you left me?” He shook his head. “No demand for an
explanation, no questions…you just picked up a john at the bar and told me to
take a hike all because of a phone conversation you overheard?”
The way he stared at her, with hurt and defeat, it made her
feel like she was missing something, like she had overreacted and therefore
thrown both their lives off balance. He rubbed his hand over his chest and
Melody had to quell the urge to go to him and apologize because she sincerely
had no idea what she had to apologize for.
“I heard what you said about your husband. I’ll think about
it, but right now, I have to meet someone before the staff meeting.” He walked
to the door and opened it wide. Melody took the hint, but right before she
stepped out he caught her hand in a tender hold. She fought not to look
directly at him. She didn’t want to see the hurt in his eyes. “Melody, call
your brother, tell him where you are or go visit him. He misses you.”
She gave him a
curt nod, slipped her hand out of his and rushed for the elevator. She held
herself together until she got to her room in the manager’s house. Jackie was
seated in the rocking chair knitting. The second she saw her, she stopped and
gave her a concerned look. Melody blinked back her tears and went to the crib.
She scooped up her sleeping daughter’s tiny body and held her close to her
chest.
“I saw your
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