I tell her everything, the anger that hasn’t left my chest since I heard Brianna’s voice comes roaring back.
“We should leave right now, then,” she says.
I nod, dialing my pilot. “We’re leaving within the hour.”
Mya disappears down the hall to wake Griffin and Tiana while I wait for the call to connect. My reflection stares back at me from the dark window.
This night was supposed to end with my wife in my arms. Instead, it ends with the reminder of the one person who still holds the power to ruin my happiness and take my daughter away.
35
MYA
My mind is still spinning from what Worth just told me. His ex-wife showed up at his house, and I can tell he’s already blaming himself for not being there, for not protecting Brianna the way he thinks he should’ve. The guilt was written all over his face.
And now we’re packing up to leave Paris barely a few hours after sayingI do.
I feel like I’m running on fumes. My legs are shaky, breath uneven, skin hot. If those calls hadn’t come through when they did, I would’ve let Worth do whatever he wanted to me, no hesitation; he had me completely entranced. His voice, his hands, the way he said my name—it was like my body forgot everything but him.
Now that the spell is broken, reality slams back twice as hard. It was a bad idea.A really bad idea.
I might be reckless enough to let Worth kiss me, to lose myself when his mouth is on me, but anything more than that is asking for trouble I can’t come back from.
I shove my phone into my pocket and hurry out of the bedroom. The hallway is dim and quiet until I spot movement a few doors down.
Tiana is tiptoeing out of Griffin’s room like a cat burglar, hair tousled, eyes wide. She freezes the moment she sees me.
“Uh…” I blink, stopping mid-step. “Hello?”
Tiana awkwardly laughs. “I was just… uh… checking to see if Sylas was okay; I overheard Griffin talking to him on the phone.”
Her tone is too chipper and she lookswaytoo guilty.
I narrow my eyes. “How did you even know he was on the phone?”
Tiana hesitates, eyes darting to anywhere but me.
“You would’ve had to be standing at his door to hear that,” I add slowly. And then it clicks. “Were you eavesdropping?”
She exhales, caught, looking relieved. “Fine, you got me.”
I cross my arms, fighting a grin.
“I went to get some water and heard a noise coming from his room, so I may or may not have put my ear to the door.”
A laugh bubbles up before I can stop it. “Youmay or may not have?”
She glares. “Don’t start. My phone slipped out of my hand, and he heard it and opened the door so...”
I can’t help the chuckle that slips out.
“Whatever you say, TJ,” I say, brushing past her toward Griffin’s door. “Go pack. We’re leaving in less than an hour.”
“What? Why?”
“Worth’s ex showed up at his house. Brianna’s fine, but we’re heading back home now.”
I knock on Griffin’s door. “Rise and shine, Mr. Hayes. Family emergency. Pack your things.”