I honestly had no idea who she would leave her fortune to in that event of her death. Knowing her, she’d probably make generous donations to charity. I was probably in her will, but I didn’t need money. Legacy was important to her, she would make her wealth mean something.
“There’s no chance of me getting a dime from her. That’s okay because that’s not what I want.”
“Then what do you want?” I asked coldly.
She held my gaze, her lips pressed tightly together. For a woman in her fifties, she’d aged phenomenally well. Her skin was still beautiful, and the wrinkles around her eyes were nonexistent. She had a nice figure as well. “I want a relationship with her.”
“Why?” I demanded. “You left her twenty-five years ago.”
“Yes…and I shouldn’t have done that.”
“But you did,” I snapped. “You left her. She and her father struggled every single day until he died. Then she was homeless. And after that, she built herself up and became the ruler she is now. She did that on her own—without you. Now you get to come in and have a relationship with the most amazing woman in the world?” I didn’t know where all this rage came from. Now that I was face-to-face with the woman who’d abandoned my best friend, I got angry.
“I’m not going to make excuses for what I did…”
“Good. Save us both some time.”
“But that doesn’t change how I feel. I want to get to know her…to talk to her.”
“You don’t have the right.” Titan was exceptionally picky about the people she allowed into her life. They had to build her trust for years before she let her guard down. This woman had already broken her trust—and she only had one shot. “Take my advice and just drop it. If you’re looking for forgiveness, she’s already given it to you. She doesn’t hate you for the decision you made. But don’t expect her to welcome you back with welcome arms. Let this go.”
She looked down in shame. “I have to try.”
“Don’t waste your time.”
“Knowing she almost died changed everything, Mr. Cutler. I understand she wants nothing to do with me, but now that I’ve almost lost her…I have to try. She needs to hear my apology. She needs to know I would take it back if I could.”
This woman wasn’t getting it. “No, she doesn’t. She’s fine, Bridget. She doesn’t need to hear your apology to be happy. This is entirely selfish. Let it go.”
“She says she doesn’t need me, but I don’t believe that. She lost her father, and I’m all she has left.”
I wanted to slam my hand against the desk. “She has me—and she always will. I’m her family. Diesel is her family. You’re just some woman who ran off. You gave her birth to her, but that’s the only credit you get.”
“I’m her—”
“Get out, Mrs. Creed. Go back to your husband and your two sons.”
Surprise moved into her eyes. She obviously didn’t expect me to know that.
“You have your own family now. Leave this in the past…where it belongs.”
I called Autumn when I got home.
No answer.
I texted her. Come over for dinner tonight.
No response.
Something told me she was aware of the messages but chose to ignore me. Something in my gut told me she was upset with me. All these instincts were kicking in, but I didn’t understand where they were coming from.
Baby, please. Don’t shut me out.
Still nothing.
I didn’t want to cross the line and just show up on her doorstep. Shit like that was creepy and a violation of her privacy. When women stopped by my place unexpectedly, it always ticked me off. I usually had a date over.
I texted her again. If you change your mind, come by. I’ll be waiting for you. I tossed the phone on the table and forced myself not to stare at the screen. We weren’t in a relationship, so I had no right to do anything more than wait.
She wasn’t mine.
I grabbed a beer and watched the game, doing whatever I could not to think about her.
It was almost nine when the elevator beeped.
I jumped off the couch and staggered through the living room as I headed to the door. I hoped it was Autumn, and I assumed she was the only person it could be. Titan would just come up, and no one else would stop by randomly at this time. I hit the intercom. “Baby?”
“It’s me,” she said simply. “Want to buzz me in?”
I rested my forehead against the wall and smiled, relieved this was really happening. “I’d love to.” I hit the button so she could rise to the top. I waited in front of the door, grateful she was coming. Autumn was about to step into my life again. I didn’t feel the pain of her slipping away anymore.
The doors opened and she stepped inside, wearing black skinny jeans with tall boots. A thick green jacket covered her body, large buttons down the middle. Her dark hair was in curls, and it framed her face perfectly.
She was gorgeous.
“Hey.” Now that I was face-to-face with her, I was at a loss for words. I finally had her attention, and I couldn’t think of anything better to say. All my anxiousness died away now that she was in my penthouse. She wouldn’t be there unless she wanted to be there. My arms circled her waist, and I leaned in to kiss her.
Like a spooked horse, she stepped away and slid out of my embrace. She turned her cheek to avoid my kiss.
She might as well have kicked me in the balls. “I think we should talk.”
Fuck, she was dumping me.
“This has gotten too messy. In the beginning, it was supposed to just be a fling. Now there’s talk of marriage,
