Despite what she’d said. That she’d fallen for him.
She hadn’t meant the words, he told himself. She couldn’t. She knew the worst about him. Knew the darkness inside of him. There was no way she could simply accept that.
Aaron glared at him. “In all the years I’ve known you, this is the first time I’m sorry you saved me because I don’t want to have to owe you anything. You’re not doing this for her, you’re doing it for yourself. Because you like your dark little world where you’re always the victim.”
Nick stood. “You don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Want to bet? You like being alone. You like not having to care about anyone but yourself. Sure, you wrap it all up in your past and pretend you’re being noble, punishing yourself, but the people you hurt are those who try to care about you. At least the guys who tried to kill me were honest about it. They hated me and that’s all that mattered to them. But you pretend to be like everyone else. You let Izzy think you could care about her.”
“I didn’t.” He’d been careful about that.
“You slept with her,” Aaron insisted. “You acted like you had a heart. You led her on. You’re just as bad as Garth-working from the shadows and hurting those who are supposed to be important to you. How could you?”
Aaron walked out of the room. Nick stared after him, surprised by the sudden silence. Then he sank into his chair and stared at his blank computer screen.
He told himself he preferred it this way. That he didn’t need anyone. He would be fine on his own. It was better this way. They weren’t important to him.
He’d finally gotten what he’d always wanted-he was truly alone.
IZZY LAY CURLED UP on the low bed in Dana’s guest room.
“I’m sorry that’s all I have,” her friend said awkwardly. “I don’t get much company.”
“It’s fine,” Izzy told her, not caring that she lay on a futon. It was plenty comfortable and she didn’t see a whole lot of sleep in her future. She hurt too much.
The pain was unfamiliar-not a sports injury or a hangover or even like the flu. It filled her body and made her feel sick to her stomach. Her chest was tight and even though she knew she was breathing fine, she couldn’t seem to catch her breath. The thought of eating made her head swim, she wanted to sleep but couldn’t relax and any optimism she’d ever possessed had long since died.
If this was heartache, she was never going to fall in love again. Not that she planned to. Ever. She’d fallen in love for the first time in her life and it had been a disaster. Worse than a disaster. It had been betrayal that cut to her heart.
“Can I get you anything?” Dana asked, hovering.
Izzy sat up and took her friend’s hand. “You’ve given me a place to stay. I won’t be here long, I promise. I need a couple of days to regroup, then I’ll get a job and find a place of my own.”
“You can stay as long as you want,” Dana told her. “Seriously. You don’t get on my nerves as much as other people.”
“If the law enforcement thing doesn’t work out for you, you could probably get a job writing greeting cards.”
“I know. I’m pure sentiment.” Dana sat next to her and stared into her eyes. “I shouldn’t be saying this, but I can get someone to beat the shit out of him. I know, I know. It’s breaking the law and I hate to do that, but I’d make an exception.”
Nick physically hurt. Did she want that? She turned the idea over in her mind, then shook her head.
“Not today,” she murmured. “I don’t want him hurt. How stupid is that?”
“You love him.”
“Which again brings the stupid thing to mind.” Tears filled her eyes. She fought them, determined not to cry over him. He wasn’t worth it.
The doorbell rang. Dana stood.
“You want them in here?”
“I’ll come out,” Izzy said.
She stood and followed Dana to the small living room of her apartment. Her friend opened the front door and Skye and Lexi spilled in.
“I can’t believe it,” Skye said as she rushed forward to hug Izzy. “I can’t. He seemed so nice. Oh, Izzy. I’m sorry. This is my fault. I made you go there.”
“Always the martyr,” Lexi said, taking her turn hugging her sister. “We both decided sending Izzy to Nick was a good idea. You don’t get all the guilt, Skye.”
“But my former assistant is the one who recommended Nick.”
Izzy held them both. “I’m sure if you do a little checking, you’ll find she has some connection to Garth. It’s nobody’s fault but mine. You sent me there so I would find the courage to have the surgery. Which I did. The falling-in-love part shouldn’t have been on the agenda.”
Her sisters stepped back and stared at her with identical wary expressions.
“Real love?” Lexi asked quietly.
“As opposed to the fake kind? Yes. Real love. Stupid but true.”
Skye twisted her hands together. “I’m glad you finally opened up to someone, but I’m sorry it was him.”
“Cruz wants him dead,” Lexi said. “If that helps. Or at the very least beaten and left on the side of the road.” She glanced at Dana. “You didn’t hear that.”
“Hear what?”
Izzy sank onto the plain dark blue sofa in Dana’s modestly furnished living room. “I’m fine,” she said as Lexi sat on one side of her and Skye sat on the other. Thankfully Dana took the chair opposite. She couldn’t handle them all crowding around her.
“You’re not fine,” Skye said.
“Thanks for the vote of confidence.”
“You know what I mean. You must feel terrible. I know how I felt when I thought Mitch was working with Garth.” She balled up her hands into fists. “But this is worse. It sounds like Nick is Garth’s best friend. I hate them both. I’ve never hated anyone before but I really hate Garth the most.”
“I know,” Lexi muttered. “It’s so damn personal. What is up with that? He can’t just attack our businesses? No. He has to go for the heart.”
“I’m going to get him,” Dana told them. “I’ve been talking to my friends at the Dallas police department and they’re getting close. I’m going to be the one bringing him in for questioning. I promise you all that he will pay.”
Dana looked fierce, which Izzy appreciated. She had love and support. That was something. She would make a new life for herself. None of what had happened with Nick changed her mind about college or what she would study. Obviously the fantasy about working with him on his ranch was over, but she could still make a difference.
“Thanks,” she told them all. “I’ll get through this.”
“You will,” Lexi promised. “You’re strong. Stronger than you know. In time, the pain will fade. Then you have to deal with the anger. Eventually you get back to normal.”
Izzy couldn’t imagine ever being normal again.
“You’ll find someone else,” Skye told her.
“Ever the romantic,” Dana said, rolling her eyes.
“She will. She’s opened her heart once. Now she knows how.”
“Lucky me,” Izzy murmured, thinking she would never fall in love again. It wasn’t worth it. Love was pain. She’d learned that as a child and had only gotten into trouble when she’d allowed herself to forget the truth.
Loving and losing Nick had fundamentally changed her. It was like a loss of innocence. She doubted she would ever be able to trust anyone ever again.
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
THE NEXT DAY Dana didn’t want to leave Izzy alone, which Izzy knew in theory was very sweet but she didn’t need one more person watching over her.
