I shrugged off his words. "No problem. It's what best friends do."
He smirked at me. "Best friends," he murmured in a pleased tone. "Don't go back to Ireland. Stay here in Milan."
I swallowed at his words. "I don't know what I'll do but you should be leaving right now," I said and jumped up to push him towards the bed. "Don't waste another minute. That little boy's going to be the luckiest bastard on earth."
He grimaced again at my choice of words and I bit my tongue.
"Sorry. It just comes out," I whispered and he let out a chuckle.
"I really am going to miss you," he told me.
"Hmm. I'll miss you too. Now get lost."
Shaking his head at me, hauled the suitcase off the bed and headed to the door.
"I'll see you tomorrow," he announced and then paused and frowned at me a little when I followed him to the door. "You're okay, right? What happened with the divorce?"
I shrugged "Long story. I'll tell you later." I gave him a push and he raised an eyebrow at me before opening the door and stepping out into the hallway.
Jasper Wells then turned to give me a long, grateful look and smiled beautifully.
I smiled back and said, "Go get 'em, tiger."
That made him laugh as he walked off but when he reached the elevator, he looked back over his shoulder at me one last time and his expression grew sad. I didn't cry in front of him. I even managed to give him a mock salute and everything before closing the door and sliding down to the floor, burying my face in my hands and letting the tears finally fall.
My best friend. My companion and partner in crime for two years. I was happy for him but it still hurt...
I was all alone now.
Nobody ahead of me or standing behind me. Nobody for me to love or who loved me. Years of one wrong decision after another starting from the time my parents had left me alone in this world and I'd trusted a man to be good to me. To love me as my pure heart had loved him.
My heart wasn't pure at all anymore. But I was still going to try. Jasper had Jacob now. He'd eventually be able to work things out with Cole and Skye. He didn't need me to take care of him.
I'd done what I had come here to do. It was time to let him go. Nobody would ever believe in our friendship anyway. And I didn't even blame them.
****
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Armaan
I shut myself in the library after she left, unable to get her face out of my mind. My heart ached so badly. She had needed me and I had thought it had just been one of her ploys to get me to pay attention to her.
Sitting down at my desk, I looked around the library and rubbed the back of my neck because I just felt so fucking tense. Agitated. This library had been our favourite room of the house. Jasmine would sit on that couch writing her stories or reading books and I would work on my designs at this desk.
Then she would grow bored, look over at me and order me to come over like a good boy and perform various sexual acts on her. I'd only been too happy to oblige. And then we had giggled and just enjoyed each other's company. So many memories of our marriage. When she was sweet, she could be so very sweet. But her demons had never left her alone.
And today, they'd all come roaring back to the surface.
I felt my fingers itching and absently opened the drawer to take out my sketch pad, needing to sketch something after so long. But then I frowned at the folder lying right on top of other things with its binding torn and my throat worked to swallow away the dryness.
Taking it out, I saw that all the papers were messed up, like someone had read them and then hastily stuffed them back. Jasmine. She'd been here just two days ago. She was the only one who knew where I kept the key and hadn't even bothered to lock the drawer.
She’d found out about the deal I had offered to Jasper. She had known for two days and hadn't said a damn thing to me. Hadn't lashed out at me even though this was what she hated. Me manipulating the circumstances to suit my purpose. Me trying to take control of something she herself needed to do.
I closed my eyes and leaned my head back in the chair. She hadn't said one bad thing to me after learning of something so significant. All I remembered from the time she had come here on Saturday was her telling me to be happy. That she wanted to see me happy.
Be happy, okay.
God. She really had meant it. And I had kept mocking her, doubting her. She might have hurt me three years ago but she hadn't wanted me to be hurt now. And I'd just stood there.
The door to the library opened and Layla stepped inside, her usually innocent face full of guilt. A cold feeling crept up my spine. I knew what she was going to say before she even opened her mouth.
"I'm sorry, Armaan." She bowed her head and sniffed. "I didn't mean to kiss him. He was just being so kind to me and I thought...he was a good person. He said he loves me. You never
