Total pages in book: 159
Estimated words: 149148 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 746(@200wpm)___ 597(@250wpm)___ 497(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 149148 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 746(@200wpm)___ 597(@250wpm)___ 497(@300wpm)
Nessa’s head bobbed. “It’s true, Bobby. I received the call straight from his P.A. They’re holding a press conference as we speak. It’s on television.”
“But that’s crazy.” She looked at F. “He can’t really pull out at this late notice?”
“It’s his company, darling.” F didn’t know what exactly took place between the two, but one look at Bobby’s face was enough to let him know that something did happen – and it was enough to drive the two crazy. First it was Bobby, suddenly becoming engaged to Sabastian Gabris. Sure, he was one of the most eligible catches, but so was Leandro Christopoulos.
As for Leandro, well, if suddenly cancelling a major fundraiser a few hours before it was slated to start wasn’t crazy, well what was?
Bobby started to pace. “But that would put him in breach of contract.”
“And you think he can’t afford to pay the penalty?”
She gritted her teeth. Maybe he was bluffing. But what if he wasn’t? The kids downstairs were beyond excited, all of them having been briefed about what awaited them at the lab. If she told them the event was canceled, what would happen then?
They would be crushed and heartbroken, and they might never believe that people cared about their place in society.
She looked at Nessa. “What does he want?”
Nessa’s eyes widened. “How did you know he wants something in return?”
“What did he want, Nessa?” she repeated flatly.
“A meeting with you before the race.”
THE BOX INSIDE HIS pocket felt heavier than it should, hotter, too, and any moment now Leandro half-believed that it would burn a hole out of its confinement. Every member of the club had not been able to look at him as he joined them earlier at the locker room, where Helios had chosen to hold his pre-race talk.
Everyone had known he wanted Bobby back, and everyone now thought he had lost her to Sabastian Gabris.
Too bad they thought wrong, he thought fiercely. No matter what happened in the past, he and Bobby were destined to be together. He had to make her believe that, had to make her get past her fears to see that pain wasn’t the only thing he could bring into her life. He could bring her joy, too – the kind that only someone who loved her more than life could give.
His head jerked up when he heard the door open. Bobby stepped inside, looking pale but pretty in a black knitted dress. He was about to speak when Bobby held the door open and Sabastian Gabris followed her inside.
Ah.
Pain threatened to consume Leandro, but he firmly pushed it away. This simply meant that Bobby wanted her pound of flesh. He had done her wrong so many times in the past. He would not begrudge her this.
“Gabris.” He nodded in acknowledgment towards the other Greek.
Gabris returned it with a similar nod, his face expressionless. He was dressed in a suit once more, and Leandro absently wondered what had caused the change. In the past, he had been like Leandro and the rest of the guys at the club, dressed mostly in shirts and jeans because anything else would have been ridiculous when working on bikes.
He looked at Bobby again, and unable to help it, his gaze fell on her hand. The ring was still there, and the box inside his pocket felt even heavier. “Bobby.” He had wanted his voice to sound neutral and even, but it came out hoarse. Suddenly, he felt...adrift, the sight of another man’s ring on her finger making Leandro feel like he was hanging on the edge of a cliff and he was waiting for Bobby to pull him back...or push him over.
Bobby did not miss the look of pain that crossed Leandro’s handsome face when he caught sight of Sabastian’s engagement ring. She had hurt him. She hadn’t been really sure she could, but now she saw she had. It should have pleased her, but it didn’t.
“What do you want to talk about?” She was proud that her voice remained flat and toneless, but when she saw that same flicker of unspeakable pain in his eyes, she wanted to cry out. It was as if her voice alone had told Leandro she was indifferent to his pain.
Inhale, exhale.
You’re a strong woman, Bobby.
You can do this.
You don’t need him to live.
Leandro searched her face desperately for any sign that she loved him, that it was only because she was hurting that Bobby was doing this. But there was none. Again, terror over losing her for good threatened to choke him but he shook himself free from its hold.
He would fight for her till the very end. As long as there was a chance for her to love him back, he would not stop.
“I want to talk about Erica Norwood.”
Nothing on her face changed.