She sat in the drawing room long after they were gone, her heart beating like crazy. She tried to focus and make sense of what was going on, but all her mind could do was conjure images of Trent with that woman in the hallway. Chance was no different than Trent, and she had been stupid again, falling for a man who didn’t want anything more than sex from her. Enough was enough. She couldn’t torture herself any longer over men like Trent and Chance.
She clutched her chest and raced up the stairs, barely feeling the ground beneath her feet. She got to her room and pushed the door open, closing it so she could fall against it as her chest heaved and tightened. She felt like she was suffocating, and thoughts of what Chance might be doing with the girls brought on extreme rage and jealousy. She had been a fool to think Chance would stay with her, and she cursed herself for her blind stupidity. She did the one thing she knew how to; she stripped, filled her bath with water, and sank deep into it in an attempt to drown the pain. She was really stupid! Chance was a billionaire’s son, an heir to so much money he could buy all the women on the planet. Why did she think she was any different than other girls? Yes, she was his stepsister but that was where it ended. Chance was never going to see her as much more than a girl he could fuck whenever he wanted.
Being alone did nothing for her confused mind and spirit in turmoil, and she cried as she sat there. The pain she felt was raw, and she felt utterly useless in trying to escape it. A half an hour later, and in just her robe, she lay on the bed and waited to fall asleep. It was slow in coming, but soon she fell into a troubled sleep. When she woke again, it was night. She lay there in the dark for a considerable time, not feeling the urge for food or company. At midnight, as with every other night, she was awake, waiting to see if Chance would stop by and tell her what was going on. And like so many nights of late, Chance didn’t come to her.
***
She didn’t see Chance on the property for a couple days until he showed up at her door at midnight.
“Chance, what is going on?” she asked him casually, trying to hide her hurt and betrayal. She couldn’t let him see how much he’d hurt her.
“What do you mean?” he asked, trying to nuzzle her neck.
“You know what I mean. I’ve seen you with the women,” she told him.
“What women?” he asked innocently.
“Don’t play coy with me. I’ve seen you, on more than one occasion, with girls.”
“Oh, the other day?” he asked, looking at her. “Are you jealous?”
“Should I be?” she said.
“No, Claire. You shouldn’t be. Word got around that I was back, and I’ve had to socialize with old friends.”
“You mean fuck old friends?” Claire let the rage that had been consuming her enter her voice. She almost yelled at him except she remembered their parents might hear her and come to make sure she was okay. She didn’t want them to catch her and Chance in her room.
“No one’s fucking anyone, Claire. The only people fucking are in this room,” he said, grinning. “I’ve not been with any other woman since I met you. You have to trust me on this.”
“That’s what they all say,” Claire said. “You know what, Chance? Do whatever you want.”
Chance walked to her and held her hands. She wanted to push him away, but he persisted. “I’m sorry. It was inconsiderate of me to bring friends home, but please understand that nothing is going on with any of those girls. I didn’t know you had seen me with those girls or I’d have introduced them to you.”
Claire looked at him. She wanted to believe so badly; in fact, she almost believed him until Trent and his girl flashed in her mind. “My ex called me. He said the girl he was with means nothing to him,” Claire said. “He was ready to leave her for me. Chance, is that what you’re doing?”
“Claire, no. I’m not trying to leave you for anyone. I had friends before you got here, and I have to break things off smoothly. And you know I can’t tell people I have a girlfriend, but she’s my sister.”
“Stepsister,” Claire clarified. “Don’t mix things up, Chance.”
“Sure, stepsister,” Chance replied. “What I’m saying is that I can’t tell them the only girl I want is my stepsister.”
Claire looked at him and sighed. She understood he had a life before she came into his and that he couldn’t tell people what she meant to him. “I hate this secrecy. I miss our days in St. Lucia when we could run around and do things and go places and no one cared. Now we can’t even look at each other in public because our parents can’t keep their hands off each other.”
“Just for now,” Chance said, kissing her palm. “We’ll find a way.”
“How? Make them get a divorce?”
“Maybe,” Chance said. “Maybe.”
“It’s never going to happen,” she murmured. “Have you seen the way they look at each other?”
“I have, which is probably the same way we look at each other.” He reached out to stroke her face. “I’ve missed you so much. I’ve been travelling so much for work, but I’m glad I’m taking a break.”
“Oh. I thought you got tired of me.”
“Me, tired of you? That would never happen, Claire,” he said, smiling at her. He pulled her closer to him. “Claire, let’s just live in the moment and enjoy what we have right now.”