IZZY CLUNG to Jackson, her arms around his neck, his warm body providing comfort. Her stomach churned, her hands and feet felt cold. She was sick to the very core of her.
“I don’t believe it,” Rita said from behind her. “I heard him and I don’t believe it.”
“I do,” Izzy said, straightening and brushing the tears from her eyes. “He was with Nick in college and later in South America. I saw the scars.”
Nick had always talked about the other guy he’d been held captive with, but had never mentioned his name. And she’d never thought to ask. It hadn’t seemed important.
“I know Nick,” Rita said. “He wouldn’t do this.”
Exactly what Izzy would have thought five minutes ago. “He was in on it from the beginning. He was working for Garth when he took me from my sisters.”
She thought about all the times they’d talked, how he’d baited her and challenged her until she’d left her room and started living again. He’d kissed her, held her, made love with her, all the while knowing it was a game. He’d led her to believe that he’d opened his heart to her. But it had all been a lie.
She didn’t know what to feel, what to think. Everything hurt. Her body was ice and fire and she just wanted to make it all go away. How could it be true? How could she have been so wrong?
She’d fallen in love with one of Garth’s men. Nick had never cared about her. He’d been playing a part and she’d trusted him with her very soul.
“I’m so stupid,” she murmured.
“You couldn’t have known.”
“I should have guessed. I was too easy. He was too perfect.” She walked to Rita and hugged her. “I have to go.”
“I know. I’m sorry. I wish there was something I could do.”
“You did everything. You made me believe in myself again. Thank you.”
Rita grasped her arms and stared into her face. Izzy knew the other woman couldn’t see her, but that wasn’t important. Rita saw to the heart of things.
“Be sure,” Rita told her. “Be sure before you decide. This isn’t the man I’ve known for years. He’s better than this.”
“I’ll be sure,” Izzy lied. She liked Rita enough to leave her with a few illusions intact, but she knew the truth. Once again Garth had struck where they were all most vulnerable. It was a gift. Maybe later she would be able to admire it, but right now she had to get out of here.
She hurried back to the house and made her way to her room. She couldn’t think too much or the tears would start again and she wasn’t going to give Nick the satisfaction of knowing he’d made her cry. She got her suitcases out of the closet and began packing. She worked quickly, shoving things in as fast as she could. Wrinkled clothes were the least of her problems. All she wanted was to get out before Nick showed up. Was it too much to ask?
She got her answer when she heard footsteps in the hallway.
“I’ve been looking for you,” he said as he entered the room. “What are you doing?”
She kept packing, not wanting to look at him. “You’re a smart guy. Figure it out.”
“You’re leaving?”
“And he gets it in one try.”
“Izzy? What’s going on? Why are you leaving?”
She braced herself for the impact of his face, his killer green eyes, and looked up. “You’re good. One of the best. Anyone can pretend for a few days or even a week, but you’ve had it going on for what, two months? Impressive.”
He leaned against the door frame and crossed his arms over his chest. “Are you going to explain what that means or do I have to guess?”
She walked to the dresser and collected her underwear, carried the armful to the bed, then tossed them in the smaller suitcase.
“I thought you were amazing,” she said. “What you did here. I understood about the guilt and even tried to help you see it wasn’t necessary. Not as much as you’ve wrestled with the past. Color me stupid.”
Nick moved toward her. “Why are you saying this?”
She turned on him. “Stop right there. Don’t you dare get any closer to me. I mean it, Nick. Back off.”
He paused in the middle of the room. “Izzy, tell me what-”
He stopped talking and his expression seemed to shutter. As if he’d remembered something bad.
“Exactly,” she said softly, resuming her packing. “Here I’d thought you were special. Someone I could admire and care about. I let myself fall in love with you, which means I get a plaque for being idiot of the year. You’re not a regular guy trying to make something of your life. You’re working for Garth. You’ve been friends for years. You were held captive together and tortured. You’re on his fucking board of directors.”
Her voice rose with each word until she was screaming.
“You knew,” she yelled. “The whole time, you knew. You didn’t bring me here because Skye wanted you to. You brought me here because Garth asked. This was all just a game to you. How thrilling it must have been for you, playing me like that. Playing all of us.”
“No.” He crossed to her and grabbed her arms. “It wasn’t like that. I do know Garth, and I was on his board until I resigned. But when you first came here, I didn’t know what was going on with you and his family. I didn’t have a clue.”
She pulled free and glared at him. “Because I’ll believe that.”
“It’s true,” he said. “I knew Garth was your brother and there was tension in the family. He asked me to help you and didn’t want you to know he was behind it. Later I found out there was more going on than he’d told me. I didn’t know how far things had gone.”
She desperately wanted to believe the words, which just proved what she’d always known-love made women weak and ridiculous. Because the proof was all there.
“We trusted you,” she said, zipping up her suitcase. “We came to you for help. I told you everything. You never said a word.”
“I didn’t want you to leave.”
“All the easier to watch me here.”
“I wanted you to have the surgery.”
If only that were true, she thought sadly, defeated, but determined to stay strong.
“You wanted to spy for your friend.”
She grabbed her suitcases and started for the door.
“Izzy, stop. You can’t go like this.”
“I can go however I want. You’re nothing to me. Nothing. I don’t even hate you because that would be wasting too much emotion. You have my contempt and disgust and that’s all you deserve. He tried to kill me, Nick. He blew up an oil rig and I could have died.” Her eyes burned, but she refused to cry. “But who am I kidding? You don’t care about that either. Nothing matters except Garth. He’s your real family, isn’t he? He’s the one you care about. I hope you’ll be happy together.”
She started down the stairs. Nick followed her, grabbing for the suitcase. She jerked it away from him.
“He didn’t blow up the rig.”
She reached the bottom and dropped her suitcases. “You know this how? Oh, let me guess. Garth told you.”
“Yes, and I believe him.”
“Big whoop. I don’t. He has done everything in his power to destroy my family, and you’re on his team.”
“It wasn’t like that.”
If only he was telling the truth.
“You had so many chances to say something,” she reminded him. “From the first time I told you about Garth. You could have said or done something. Anything. But you didn’t. There wasn’t a hint. You wanted me to trust you so you could use that against me and my sisters.”
“No. I never did that. I asked Garth to stop his campaign. I didn’t agree with him. We argued.”
“More lies,” she whispered, started to feel the ache in her heart. “I can’t be here. I can’t do this. You are the worst kind of person. I’m glad you have the nightmares. I hope you have them until you die and then I hope there’s a special place for you in hell. Whatever Francisco did to you, wasn’t enough. You deserved more.”
She picked up her suitcases and started for the door. Aaron came in from the kitchen, saw her and frowned.
“What’s going on?” he asked. “I could hear you yelling.”
“I’m leaving,” Izzy told him. “I’m sorry. I’ll call you later.”
“What happened?”
“Ask him,” she said, jerking her head toward Nick, then walking out.
It only took her a few seconds to toss the suitcases in her trunk. Then she climbed in the car, started the engine and drove away. When she reached the main road, she headed toward Dallas only to realize she didn’t have a home to go to. Not anymore. Just one more thing Nick and Garth had destroyed.
NICK STOOD in the middle of the living room, listening to the silence. This wasn’t happening-it couldn’t be. There had to be something he could say or do to make it right.
But what? Garth had done it-told Izzy before he’d had the chance. It was his own fault for waiting. Or maybe it was his own fault for trusting Garth in the first place.
“What was that?” Aaron asked. “Did Izzy just leave? As in forever?”
“Yes.” Nick started for his office.
Aaron trailed after him. “No. She can’t just walk out. I don’t accept that. What’s happening? Did you fight? Is this all your fault? Do you need to apologize?”
“It’s too late for that.” Nick reached his office. “I don’t want to talk about it.”
“You think I care what you want?” Aaron asked, following him inside and standing there with his hands on his hips. “Izzy was my friend. What did you do to her?”
“It doesn’t matter.”
“The hell it doesn’t. Tell me.”
Nick sat heavily in his chair. “Garth is Izzy’s brother.”
“What? Your Garth? The scary one you’ve known forever? He’s a Titan?”
Nick nodded. “I didn’t know until a couple of months ago. I overheard Izzy and her sisters talking about him and what he was doing to their family.”
“Doing as in…” Aaron stared at him. “No way. All those rumors in the paper? The mad cow, the treason? It’s been crazy. I mean sure, Jed Titan thinks he’s God, but all this? It’s Garth?”
Nick nodded.
“You can’t let him do that.”
“I can’t stop him. Izzy and her sisters think he’s responsible for blowing up the oil rig. Garth says he didn’t do it.”
“And you believe him?”
“He hasn’t lied.”
“Excuse me?” Aaron stood and looked down at Nick. “He’s more than lied. Let me guess. He’s the one who asked you to bring Izzy here, but he mentioned you shouldn’t say anything to her. He’s the one who told Izzy about your connection to him.”
Enough of the numbness had lifted for him to be surprised.
Aaron must have read his expression. “I’m more than a pretty face,” he snapped. “I don’t understand how you let this happen. Why didn’t you just tell her?”
“Garth and I have a history.” One he’d never fully explained to Aaron.
“I don’t care if you’re twins separated at birth. What he’s doing is wrong.”
“He has his reasons.”
“So did the jerks who tried to kill me. Every villain is the hero of his own story. So it came down to loyalty and you picked Garth.”
“No. I resigned from the board. I’m selling my shares in his company. I don’t have anything to do with him anymore.”
“But you didn’t tell Izzy.”
He didn’t have to answer that one, Aaron already guessed.
“Then Garth showed up and told her himself. That’s really friendly of him. Izzy’s crushed because she thinks you planned this whole thing. She thinks you hurt her on purpose.”
Reality reduced to a few words, Nick thought grimly.
He couldn’t stop thinking about the pain in her eyes. Pain he would have done anything to stop. She’d been so full of life and he’d hurt her.
“I only wanted to help her,” he said, more to himself than Aaron. “Instead I broke her heart.”
“You didn’t break her, you arrogant moron,” Aaron snapped. “She’s stronger than that. She’s a Titan. She’s been to hell and back and did it with grace and style. She’s tougher than you know and more woman than you deserve. When are you going after her?”
“I’m not.”
“You’re just going to let her walk away. And why is that, oh great leader?”
“It’s done. It’s over. She’s gone.”
Aaron stared at him as if he’d never seen him before. “That’s it?” he asked with a shriek. “You’re not even going to try? You’re just going to let her go?”
“It’s the best thing.”
“For who? Her or you?”
“For Izzy. She doesn’t belong here.”
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.