It was a strange feeling finding myself back at Kelly’s penthouse suite, alone.

I drifted aimlessly over past memories. My mood was low as I remembered the night Kelly arranged a trail of flower petals leading me here for the first time. I could still taste the fresh fruit and strawberry champagne, remembered him standing and watching me sip it down without giving the slightest hint of his darkest secret.

I trailed my fingers over the back of the couch, smelling the flowers whose scent filled the room. Because of him, I had grown to like flowers as a gift, looked forward to the romance that followed. When I closed my eyes, I could feel the hot trails of desire that Kelly’s fingers left in their wake as they possessively roamed my body.

My feet padded lightly over the floor as I floated to the bedroom.

Stepping up to the closet, I opened the doors and peeked at Kelly’s toys.

My stomach fluttered and my nipples tightened. The sensations came flooding back in an instant. The magic was real. The thrill of being blindfolded and not knowing what was coming next hitched my breath. As I looked around the room, I could hear the walls moaning with past ecstasy.

“Kelly’s fuck pad,” I whispered to myself.

That was all this was supposed to be. A form of entertainment, a way to make some money on the side so I wouldn’t have to dip into my savings. Kelly was never meant to be mine. I was reminded of that the first time he triggered my suppressed emotions hiding deep inside.

Bitterness swelled my tongue as I stepped in front of the dresser mirror.

If I tried really hard I could see Kelly standing over my shoulder. That deep dimpled grin causing my inner thighs to quiver with anticipation and fear.

What was I going to do without him?

My sex life would never be the same. He’d showed me what was possible. My expectations were too high. Everything would be compared with what he was able to do to me.

I pinched my cheeks, brushed my finger over the corner of my eye.

If I was completely honest with myself, I had aged in these last couple weeks. Or was it maturity?

Either way, Mom was right. I should be ashamed of myself. Should have never sought out the Madam. I saw no way of getting out of this without having to skip town, leaving behind everything I knew.

I closed my eyes, feeling indecisive, in a perpetual loathsome cycle of self-doubt.

Without realizing, I had pulled an empty suitcase out of the closet and begun leafing through the racks of clothes. Each item took me back to a particular day. Each gown transporting me back to a memorable night. Whether it was Kelly fucking me on the mayor’s desk, or the first time Angel warned me to stay away from him. I could remember it all. Each outfit pairing effortlessly to the memory I promised myself never to forget. None of which I wanted to keep any longer.

I lowered my bottom to the bed’s edge. The mattress dipped beneath my weight and I felt desperate to know the answers to the questions swirling inside my brain.

Dad.

What was I going to say to him?

I wanted to hug him. I wanted to beat my fists against his chest, tell him to die. But what I really wondered was if he would even remember who I was—if he would see me as a little girl or the grown woman I’d become.

It was gracious of Mom to even invite me. Though that made me believe that Dad really was in worse shape than I thought possible. Regardless, I needed to take advantage. My reasons for wanting to see Dad seemed to have no end, but mainly I needed him to see the pain of his inaction twinkling in the back of my eye like a fire struggling to keep its flame.

I glanced to the suitcase.

It was pathetically empty.

I was determined to leave most things behind. I didn’t need any reminders of Kelly. Most of the stuff here was purchased by him. It would all spark eventual reminders of what I’d had, and what I’d lost.

Casting my gaze to my ring finger, my heart constricted.

With eyes swelling, I spun the ring over my knuckle, feeling my heart shatter as I stood and placed it on the center of the dresser. Then I leaned forward and unclasped the black diamond necklace before taking Madam’s Tanzanite earrings from my ears as well.

Choking back the threat of tears, I struggled to breathe. I couldn’t believe this was where we were. Time had flown by and I wished that Kelly would have found a way to keep Madam from breaking us up.

When Kelly cleared his throat, I spun around to the door with my hand flying over my racing heart. His eyes told me everything. He didn’t ask where I was going, just knew that it was over.

I chose not to speak. It was too fresh though the wound hadn’t even been cut. Turning away, I couldn’t look at him without feeling like I was going to cry.

This wasn’t how it was supposed to be. I wasn’t supposed to let my heart get involved. I wasn’t supposed to care for a man who’d purchased my company for an undisclosed amount. And yet… I loved him.

“How did you know where to find me?” I asked.

His legs were crossed at the ankles as he leaned one shoulder into the door jamb. “I didn’t.”

“Right.” I dropped my eyes off his reflection in the mirror. “You just came home.”

When Kelly pushed off the door, his presence filled the room. I held my breath and watched as he slowly came to stand behind me. He reached his muscular arm over my shoulder and picked the promise ring up off the dresser. “I have to know why you didn’t tell me about the flash drive.”

“It doesn’t matter,” I said in my smallest voice, moving back to the bed, pretending to pack.

“I told you to trust me.” He turned around, casually sticking his hands inside his pockets.

I hung my head and closed my eyes. My body temperature rose with each word. “You’ve been nothing but broken promises, Kelly.”

Kelly was silent.

When I turned, I locked eyes with his incredulous stare. He swallowed hard and I watched his Adam’s apple slide up and down over his trachea. He looked away and narrowed his eyes. “You sabotaged our chances at convincing Sylvia she could trust us.”

I breathed heavier.

“If that story gets picked up,” he fixed his dangerously dark eyes on me, “if you leave, Madam wins.”

“But that’s what you wanted, wasn’t it?”

Kelly spun me around and lowered his chin. “You know that’s not true.”

When his fingers clamped around my arms, I pulled away. I couldn’t look at him without thinking about Nora and Patrick and how I didn’t want to end up like them. “This way you don’t have to pretend to fight for me.”

A watery gaze filled his eyes as he tilted his head to one side.

Remaining strong, I said, “We both knew that we only had thirty days to get it right.”

“That’s right. Thirty days.” He tapped his wristwatch. “We still have time before our contract expires.”

I dropped my gaze to the side. “It doesn’t matter. Madam took that time away from us when we couldn’t bring in Sylvia.”

“You can’t leave.” He latched tightly onto my arm with fear flashing over his eyes. “If you do, you’ll end up like—”

I snapped my head up and barked, “One of them?”

His fingers loosened as we stared into the depths of our thoughts. There was nothing more to say. We both knew the dangers that were hot on our trail. We understood that not all of them could be stopped. When we each noticed the time I murmured, “Madam has already won.”

Kelly shook his head.

I snapped my elbow and zipped my suitcase.

“You’re just going to give up like that?”

I gave him a sideways glance.

“Let Madam storm my building and take you away. Put up a fight, at least.”

“I’m weak, Kelly.” My voice cracked, finally giving into the exhaustion.

Kelly hovered over me, placing a heavy hand on the small of my back. “You’re not. You’re a fighter. I need you. We’re so close to winning. Don’t you see it?” His brow furrowed. “Sylvia knows that the district attorney is corrupt. We know Angel killed Tonya. Bella, baby, Angel is Stone’s outside source.”

Nothing registered.

Nothing clicked.

The only thing I wanted to do was focus on my meeting with Dad.

“Madam wants us to do this,” Kelly continued. “She set us up to fail. It was the only way she would ever allow me to be with you. Don’t you see?” His lips fell closer to my ear. “We gave it all to her. Everything. We walked right into her plan and allowed her to get what she was always after.”

Shaking my head, I had nothing left inside of me. “I’m tired, Kelly. Sick of feeling like no one cares.”

“I care.” His other hand took me at the waist. “More than you know.”

Bending to the bed, I took my cell phone into my hands and turned the camera on our faces. “Smile,” I said, snapping a photo. Quickly, I texted Kelly the image. He flashed me a look of confusion. “You can add it to your framed photos of past lovers. I suggest you stick it right next to your wife at work.”

A pained watery gaze glazed his eyes as he arched a sharp brow.

“That way you’ll always be reminded of the two women you let get away.”