Indecent (24 Book Alpha Male Romance Box Set)

She walked closer still and tried to touch his shoulder but he pulled away.

“Red, you’re tired and you’re upset. You should sleep on it and then we can talk tomorrow.”

He glanced at her sadly. “Fine,” he said.

She held out her hand. “Come to bed with me.”

“In a minute,” he said softly. Then he went back to staring outside.

She left the study, her stomach doing flips and twists as she tried to understand just what was going on. She told herself things would be better in the morning.

***

When they woke up the next day, Jeb was already gone. He’d left a brief note on the kitchen counter saying that he was sorry if his intrusion had caused any problems, and that he was glad to have met Nicole.

When Nicole showed the note to Red, he barely even glanced at it.

His eyes were red-rimmed and glassy as he drank his morning coffee. “I’ve called a car to come get you,” he said.

She just stared at him. Her stomach sank. “Did you sleep at all last night?”

“Not really.”

“Red, please—you need to get some rest.”

He sipped his coffee. “I’m not going to change my mind on this, Nicole.”

“Why are you intentionally trying to sabotage us?” she said. “After everything we’ve been through?”

“Exactly,” he replied. “We’ve been through too much in such a short time, and let’s be honest. It’s all my fault.”

“That’s not true.”

“But it is. All of these games, all of the hoops I’ve made you jump through, the mental gymnastics. It’s all because of me.” He thought about it and laughed a hollow, despairing laugh. “I’m really just like her.”

“Just like who?” Nicole said, already knowing the answer.

“Just like my mother. The manipulating, the self-obsession. We’re two peas in a pod, her and I.”

“That’s not true. You’re not like her at all. You’re a kind, loving, decent man and I won’t let you talk about yourself that way.”

“Thank you for saying that,” he smiled. The smile didn’t touch his weary eyes. “But just the same, I’m going to give you the greatest gift I can possibly give you—which is to disappear from your life.”

The tears started now. She wiped them away, angry at herself for being weak again. “This isn’t a gift. You’re taking away the best thing either of us has.”

“You’ll look back in a few months or a year and see that I did you a favor,” he told her. “Now come on. The car is waiting.”

She almost refused to go, but from the look on his face she knew it was no use. Red had made up his mind.

When she got outside to the car, the driver was already putting her bags in the trunk. Nicole turned toward Red. “Looks like you were all prepared to kick me out. Just like your mother and your brother.”

She saw him flinch a little at her words, and regretted it instantly.

“It’s very different,” he said. “You’ll never possibly know how hard this is for me. But I care more about your happiness than my own, and you deserve a far better life than I can ever give you.”

“That’s such bullshit,” she told him. The tears were coming again. “You’re just afraid.”

“Not for myself,” he said, taking her arm and gently walking her to the car. “Go on now. And have a wonderful life and remember that there’s someone who will always love you, no matter what.”

“Is this how you show your love?” she cried, getting in the car.

“Someday you’ll look back and understand,” he said, closing the door.

Nicole closed her eyes and didn’t open them again until she was far away.

***

Many things had changed in a single week, Nicole thought as she and Danielle came back from a night out at one of the nearby clubs.

It had been refreshing to go out and just dance with a bunch of drunken girl friends and not think about Red or anything that came along with him.

But still, she thought, entering her old apartment, so much had changed.

Just the other day, she’d seen the report on TV about Red Jameson being fired by his board of directors.

She’d already known about it, of course. The company had had a big meeting a couple of days prior to alert the employees about everything that was happening.

To say that people in the office stared at her funny lately, would have been an understatement. Everywhere she went people gawked now. And sometimes they were even bold enough to ask her what Red was doing, where he was staying, when was the last time she’d talked to him?

Red Jameson was their version of Elvis Presley or Tupac—a celebrity that might be anywhere in the world or nowhere at all.

She told them the truth. She had no clue where Red was now and what he was doing.

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