“Shit, shit, shit,” he heard Natalia say as she appeared beside him, her hand clutching her belly. She tentatively touched his arm. He wrenched his shoulder upwards, shaking her off.

“I asked you a fucking question,” he said to his former agent, Kinga, who was cowering at the back of the lift.

“Cash, leave it. You’re going to be late for the tournament.”

He glowered down at Natalia, his fisted hands by his side. “I don’t give a flying fuck about the tournament.”

He turned his furious gaze back to Kinga. The last time he’d seen her was after it all came out about her being the one who’d taken the photographs of him with Gracie, his mother’s carer—a vicious and cruel act that had caused Natalia to think he’d cheated on her. And if memory served him correctly, he’d been very clear that he never wanted to see Kinga again.

As the lift doors began to close once more, he grabbed her by the elbow and yanked her out.

“You had better start talking, Kinga, and do it quick.”

“Cash, let her go,” Natalia said. “You’re making a scene.”

“It’s fine, Tally,” Kinga said. “I knew what I was doing coming here.”

“So you admit it, then?” Cash said, his jaw clenched tight. “You’re here because I’m here?”

“Yes.”

He glared at Kinga, the muscles in his arms quivering with the effort of holding them by his side. Natalia flinched, but Cash had to give Kinga her due—she stood tall and met his gaze.

“I nearly came to see you many times after I heard about the accident, but it didn’t seem appropriate, considering how we parted company.”

“Appropriate?” Cash’s tone was glacial. “If you’d come to see me, I’d have stayed in the fucking coma.”

Natalia laughed in an obvious attempt to lighten the mood, but her smile fell when Cash shot her a ferocious glare. “This is not even remotely funny.”

“No, it isn’t,” Natalia said. “And nor is missing the final. Let’s do this later, shall we?”

“There is no later,” Cash said. “Leave, Kinga. I have no interest in anything you have to say.”

Cash gripped Natalia by the elbow and moved her towards the front of the hotel. Their car was waiting outside, and Cash opened the door for her, only then releasing her elbow. After he’d climbed in his side, he started the engine. His fingers whitened due to his ferocious grip on the steering wheel, but he didn’t move the car. He sat frozen in place, his gaze forward, his jaw clamped shut. When he felt calmer, he turned to look at Natalia.

“What did she want?” he said.

“I don’t know. I didn’t get a chance to ask her.”

“So what did you speak about? Because I saw you talking.”

“I thought I saw her yesterday. Yes, I know,” she said holding up her hand as Cash opened his mouth to interrupt. “I should have told you. But I wasn’t sure. When you were signing autographs, I spotted her. We’d been sitting together about thirty seconds when you saw us.”

He released his grip on the steering wheel and flexed his hands. “I can’t go there again with her, Natalia. I can’t forgive her for trying to split us up.”

Natalia grimaced. “After all you’ve suffered, do you really want to go through your entire life holding onto that grudge?”

“Maybe,” he said with a shrug.

“That’s a lot of bitterness to carry round, ace.”

He sighed. “I know.”

Natalia covered his hand with hers and squeezed. “There has to be a reason she’s turned up now. She’s had lots of other opportunities to get back in touch. Aren’t you even a little bit curious?”

“Not really.”

Natalia chuckled. “Remind me never to piss you off, ace.”

His anger drained away, and he smiled. He wrapped his hand around the back of her neck and leaned in for a kiss. “You couldn’t, sweetness.”

She caressed his cheek with her knuckles, the loving touch more than he deserved. “So are we going?”

“Yep,” Cash said. “And based on how angry I am, I pity my opponent.”

* * *

Tally’s eyes flew open, and she held her breath as she tried to figure out if she’d been dreaming. No, there it was again, a soft tapping noise. She turned her head. Cash was fast asleep, his hair tousled, his chest slowly rising and falling. She drew back the covers and climbed out of bed, being careful not to rock the mattress too much. She shrugged into her dressing gown and padded across the bedroom. As she opened the door to the living room of their suite, a shaft of light shone across the bed, and she hesitated, waiting for Cash to stir. When he didn’t, she closed the door behind her and stood in the centre of the living room, waiting.

The tapping sound came again, and she approached the door and drew to a halt. Someone was outside, but the knocking was tentative and almost too quiet to hear. She peered through the peephole and then opened the door.

“What are you doing here?” she whispered to Kinga. “It’s one in the morning.”

“I know. I’m sorry, Tally. I didn’t know what else to do.”

“Are you staying in this hotel?”

Kinga nodded.

“Okay, let’s go.” Tally picked up a key card and clicked the door shut behind her.

She followed Kinga down the hallway and into the lift. Kinga’s room was two floors down, and only when she was inside did Tally breathe properly.

“How did you know which room we were in?”

Kinga had the grace to look embarrassed. “I followed you when you got back from the tournament. He did you proud.”

Tally nodded. “He was pissed off, which is why he hammered the poor bugger. His opponent’s first final too.”

Kinga laughed. “Cash never gave an inch, no matter who was on the other side of the net. Friend, enemy, experienced or naïve—they all get the same treatment.”

“True,” Tally said.

“When are you due?” Kinga pointed her chin at Tally’s stomach.

“July sixteenth.”

“I’m so happy for you both. It’ll be the making of him.”

Tally smiled. “He’ll have to grow up, that’s for sure.”

Kinga sank onto the couch. “I’m sorry, Tally.”

“What for?”

“I should have come when I heard about Cash’s accident. I should have been there to support you.”

“You heard him earlier today. He wouldn’t have thanked you.”

“Would you?”

She shrugged. “I guess.”

“Then I let you down, and for that, I apologise.”

Tally sat beside Kinga and patted her hand. “I wish you could work things out. I know how much he means to you.”

Kinga gave her a small smile. “I never did deserve you as my friend. You’re a good person, Tally.”

“How’s William?”

For the first time, Kinga’s face lit up. “He’s amazing. I don’t know what I’d do without him.”

“Say hi to him for me.”

“I will.”

The two women fell into silence. “So what’s going on?” Tally finally asked. “Why are you here?”

Kinga pinched her nose between her thumb and index finger. “I need to speak to you both. Together.”

“I’m not sure I can make that happen.”

“Will you try? For me.”

Tally chewed on her lip. “I’ll see what I can do,” she said, getting to her feet.

Kinga saw her out, and Tally crept back to her suite. The lock beeped as she inserted the key card. She opened the door as quietly as she could and slipped inside. The room was still in darkness, and all was quiet. She let out the breath she’d been holding. She’d be able to sneak back into bed without Cash suspecting a thing. At least that would give her some time to figure out how to broach the Kinga subject before they were due to fly back to the UK.

She tiptoed across the living room and pushed open the door to their bedroom. Her side of the bed was still rumpled, the sheets scrunched where she’d tossed them aside.

And unfortunately for her, the bed was empty.

She jumped when a lamp in the living room came on. She slowly turned around. Cash was sitting in an armchair, one ankle crossed over the opposing knee.

“Where have you been?” he said softly.

“Busted,” Tally said with a smile, hoping to defuse the approaching situation. “I thought you’d still be asleep.”

He shrugged. “I must have sensed you weren’t next to me.”

She walked over to him and knocked his foot off his knee, allowing her space to climb into his lap. She curved her hands around his face and leaned in for a kiss. Relief hit her when he relented, and his mouth moved softly over hers. His hands curved underneath her backside, and he stood, allowing her to wrap her legs around his waist. He carried her into the bedroom and laid her gently on the bed. After crawling in beside her, he drew her close, his front to her back, his hand protectively resting on her belly.

“So has Kinga told you what she wants yet?”

She stiffened in his arm. “How did you know?”

“I didn’t until you just confirmed it.”

She twisted her head and looked over her shoulder. “Sorry for sneaking out.”

“No, I’m sorry for making you feel you had to.”

Tally held back her surprise. Cash seemed calmer about Kinga than he’d been earlier that day. “She wants to talk to us both together.”

Cash sighed. “Of course she does. Nothing like a bit of drama to make Kinga happy.”

“Then you will?”

He pulled a face. “Best get it over with.”