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I hold my hand out for the file, snatch it, and turn around to settle this right there at the entrance . . . Why isn’t there a pen around here?
“Hey,” Jane says, stepping into the corridor. “What’s up?”
“Jane,” Max says, pushing the door open. “Good to see you up and well. Gave us all a scare.”
“Thanks for your help. I know it was Jennifer’s EpiPen that saved me, so make sure to tell her I’m grateful. Actually, Colton, maybe we could send her—”
“Could you please get me a pen?” I ask through gritted teeth.
She frowns, blinking a few times. “Sure. I’ll be right back.”
Seconds later, she comes back with a black pen, and I add my signature. “There,” I growl, handing Max the folder. “See you at work.”
“Thank you! And sorry again for the inconvenience. But I knew how important it was for you to have this Middle East expansion on track ASAP.” He waves goodbye and hustles back to his car.
I’m clenching my teeth so hard, they’re probably starting to crack. I close the door and turn around slowly, praying that Jane left as I was handing Max the document, or that she didn’t overhear that last bit. But the confused look on her face tells me I wasn’t so lucky.
“What was he talking about?” she asks, fidgeting with the J-shaped charm of her necklace. “I thought you had to be married to get the deal on track. Wasn’t that the whole point of us getting married in the first place?”
My stomach churns, and I suddenly feel like I’m overheating. My breathing comes fast and shallow, and if my fear of Jane’s reaction wasn’t the only thing that mattered right now, I’d be seriously concerned about a heart attack.
I could weasel my way out of this, say that the investors were waiting for our wedding to make it official. That Max worked all night on this. But I can’t lie to her anymore. I’m a straight shooter, and even if change can be positive, I can’t be so blinded by love that I become a manipulator like her ex was. She needs to know the truth.
“I lied to you,” I say, biting my cheek so hard, I’m pretty sure it’s bleeding by now. “The investors signed the contract the day before yesterday.”
“What? But I thought—”
“Me too. That’s what Max said in the beginning, but just seeing us together in a committed relationship was enough for me to pass their moral check. We didn’t have to get married.”
“Why did we, then?” she asks, her arms falling to her sides.
“Because I love you, Jane, and deep down, I knew you loved me too,” I plead, sounding a little desperate. This is ridiculous, pathetic. Even I don’t accept my half-ass excuse.
“So you tricked me into marrying you?” she asks, her volume rising. “And you thought keeping me captive in your mansion for long enough would make me fall for you?”
“It’s not—I’m so sorry, Jane. I know how crazy this sounds. I wanted to tell you but—”
“But what? You have no sense of decency?”
“You were late for Marcie, and I got scared,” I admit, searching her eyes, hoping to find mercy. But all I find is pure rage. “I was scared to lose you.”
Tears brim at the corners of her eyes. “I told you about my past,” she says through gritted teeth. “You know how hard it is for me to trust people, to share myself, yet you still took advantage of me. You could have given me the choice, let me be in control. And guess what, Colton? I would have said yes!”
My heart leaps in my chest. Would she really have chosen me? “Jane . . .”
“But you didn’t give me that, and now there is no choice left to make.”
“I’m so sorry, Jane,” I murmur. I try to caress her arms, but she slaps my hand away.
“Don’t touch me,” she roars. “You know, I thought the worst thing would be for you to reject me when I admitted my feelings, but this is worse. Way worse. Because you betrayed me, manipulated me, while using love as an excuse. No, you don’t love me,” she spits. “You want to possess me, but I’m not for sale.”
She stomps toward the door, and I hold out my hands to try to stop her.
“I said, do not touch me,” she seethes, hatred lacing her tone.
She opens the front door and slams it behind her at full force.
Tears fill my eyes, and my face becomes more and more drenched as I sink to the floor. My worst nightmare just came true, and it’s my own damn fault.
