Hot On Her Heels

Something flashed through his dark eyes, something she could read. Relief? His own brand of fear? Did it matter?

“You won against a formidable opponent,” she continued. “You took down Jed Titan. Now you need to let go of the past and move on with your life. Start over. You have a family. You need to be in the moment and then go find your future.” She dropped her arm to her side.

“Dana,” he began, then paused.

She knew why. What else was there to say?

“We’ll run into each other,” she told him. “At various Titan events. Skye’s wedding will be hard, but after that, it will get easier. I don’t regret loving you, Garth. All that crap about love transforming us and making us better? Damn if it isn’t true. I love you. I’ll do my best to get over you, but you’re going to be a tough act to follow.”

She raised herself on tiptoes and kissed him. “I want the best for you. Always.”

She turned and walked toward Izzy’s waiting car. As she moved through the darkness, she listened for footsteps, foolishly hoping he would come after her, maybe beg her to stay. She wanted him to tell her that of course he’d fallen in love with her, too. That they would be together forever.

There was only silence.

She reached the Mustang, then opened the passenger door. As she turned to get in, she looked across the car to where Garth stood in the parking lot. Their eyes met, but he didn’t say anything. Didn’t try to stop her.

“Everything okay?” Izzy asked.

“Everything’s going to be fine,” Dana said, and nearly meant it.

GARTH UNLOCKED THE FRONT door to Glory’s Gate and walked inside. The house was silent and cold, as if it had been abandoned a whole lot longer than a few weeks.

The first time he’d been in the house had been eight or nine months before, when he’d come to one of Skye’s fund-raisers. He’d wanted to see the Titan family home. Now he’d taken it from Jed. There was no more Titan World, no Titan empire. Just pieces of the whole, his to do with as he pleased.

He crossed through the big entryway, past the grand piano. He took the stairs two at a time, then walked along the long second-floor hallway until he found the master bedroom.

The huge closet was empty, as were the drawers. It didn’t look as if anyone had lived here for a long time. It was the same with the other bedrooms. He returned to the main floor and discovered Jed had cleared out the study.

He must have a place in town, Garth thought, walking through the large kitchen and out onto the back porch. From here he could see acres of land. Titan land. His land.

He won, just like Dana said. He’d beat Jed at his own game, had taken everything the old man valued. As a bonus, Jed’s illegal activities were going to land him in jail for a very long time. Things had turned out better than he’d hoped.

He should celebrate. There was only one problem-the person he wanted to share this with wasn’t with him anymore. True to her word, Dana had been gone when he’d returned to his place. She’d moved out, leaving behind empty closets and drawers. The fate of Glory’s Gate on a smaller scale.

He told himself it didn’t matter. That he’d enjoyed her company but nothing more. That their time together had been great, but she was right. It wouldn’t have lasted. Surprisingly, she turned out to be like every other woman, speaking of love as if it were the ultimate gift.

He turned back to the house, but didn’t go inside.

Except she hadn’t been like everyone else. She hadn’t begged or pleaded or threatened. She’d told him she’d loved him and then she’d left him. As if saying the words was enough. As if that was all she wanted to do.

He didn’t understand that. She had to want something from him. Everyone did. She couldn’t just be giving her love to him. Who did that?

He tried to convince himself it was nothing but a mind game, only he knew Dana. She was the most straightforward person he’d ever met. She was tough and vulnerable, powerful and giving. She loved fiercely-he’d seen her love in action.

Given her past, what her father had done to her, it was kind of a miracle she was willing to love at all. Especially someone like him. He knew he wasn’t exactly easy or even safe. She’d exposed herself. He could have hurt her. Not that he would, but why would she risk it? Why did she want him to know?

Too many questions, he thought as he walked into the house and locked the back door. He crossed through the kitchen, then went down the long hallway to the living room.

This would pass, he told himself. The ache inside that he couldn’t explain. The empty silence in his condo. He believed in traveling light. Dana would only slow him down. Better to be ready at a moment’s notice. Now if only he had somewhere to go.

CHAPTER TWENTY

DANA DIDN’T WANT TO answer her front door, but the person knocking didn’t seem to be in the mood to walk away. She crossed the small living room and undid the lock.

“Finally,” Lexi said, walking inside. “Do you have any idea how swollen my ankles are? A woman of my size should not be standing for so long. There are-” She took one look at Dana’s face, then dropped her purse to the floor and held out her arms. “I’m sorry.”

Dana brushed away tears, then stepped into her friend’s embrace. “You don’t know what’s wrong.”

“I haven’t seen you cry in about fifteen years, so I know it’s big.”

“I’m fine. Or I will be.”

“You’re not very convincing. I take it this is about Garth?”

“I told him I loved him.” Dana stifled a sob. She’d been one massive emotional bleed for nearly two days now and it was getting old. “I told him I loved him and then I walked away. And he let me.”

“That bastard.” Lexi took her arm and they walked over to the sofa. “When did this happen?”

“After we rescued Kathy.”

“You didn’t call me.”

“I hurt too much.”

Lexi took her hand. “I’m sorry you’re hurting, but I don’t understand how this happened. Garth cares about you. Why would he let you just walk away?”

Dana shook her head. She was willing to be a fool for love, but she drew the line at being played for one. “He doesn’t love me, Lexi. I know he doesn’t and you know it, too.”

“But how…Oh.” Lexi’s blue eyes darkened. “You were there? I’m sorry. For what it’s worth, I don’t think he meant it.”

“I think he did.” Dana drew in a breath. “It’s okay, or it will be. I did it. I fell in love. I gave my heart to someone. That’s good, right? I’m growing as a person. Right now it feels like someone is ripping my chest apart, but that will get better.”

“I don’t know what to say,” Lexi admitted.

“Another first.”

“I’m sorry.”

“I’m not. Isn’t that the craziest thing ever? I’m not sorry. Loving him was the best.”

“What happens now?”

“I go back to my regularly scheduled life. I heal. I continue to be a ray of sunshine in my friends’ lives.”

“Maybe he’ll-”

Dana shook her head. “Don’t. Don’t pretend he could come back. Hoping would take the last ounce of strength I have. It’s over. I’ve accepted that. Hoping would be too hard.”

“THE THREE OF YOU are the most annoying women on the planet,” Garth said, ready to start punching the wall. He’d never understood why a man would want to do that. At least he hadn’t before. He got it now.

“It’s a gift,” Izzy said serenely, from her place on the chair next to the sofa where Lexi reclined, her hand on her huge belly.