I’ve ruined everything.

I run toward the parking lot, my vision blurry from the tears swimming in my eyes. I’m hoping to catch a cab to take me to Cameron’s house, then the airport. Unfortunately, there aren’t any in sight. Even worse, I have Cam’s car keys in my handbag.

I’m not ready to face him. How could I have been that careless? I’d been desperate to know what our future held, but I should have never broached the subject in a public place.

And now I know the answer. We have no future. Not after what just happened.

I open the door of the Porsche and climb in, adding stealing Cameron’s car to the list of my sins. I make my plans as I drive to Cameron’s Forest Hill house. Most of my belongings are already packed. All I need to do is collect my toiletries and call a cab to take me to the airport. My car is still in Toronto. Cameron arranged for it to be garaged when we were out of town, but I don’t know where it is, and I’m too heartsick to figure it out. I just want to leave. With any luck, I can be gone before Cameron notices I’m missing.

Are you really going to run again, Maddie? Haven’t you learned anything from last time?

Maybe I have. Maybe what I’ve learned is that Cameron Drake will break my bruised, aching heart.

I’m waiting for the cab at the front when a white Audi pulls up and a familiar figure gets out. Joseph Drake.

“What do you want?” It’s hard for me to pretend that I don’t feel hostility when I look at the man that ruined my relationship with Cameron nearly a decade ago.

“It’s not about what I want,” he replies. “It’s about what you need, Madison. Money.”

Oh God. This again.

“Cameron is, as you can probably expect, furious with you,” he continues. “Your careless words have ruined his plans to buy the cottage. Whatever deal the two of you had in place, it’s over.”

“I’ll live,” I reply tersely. My insides churn as I think of the mounting bills that await me on my return to Calgary. Misti’s college tuition, my mother’s funeral bills, textbooks, and rent. Even if I work triple shifts at the coffee shop, I’m not going to be able to manage to dig myself out of this hole.

“Will you?” he asks, reading my expression accurately. “Or are you trying to figure out how you’ll make ends meet?” He pulls a briefcase from the car and opens it. “Let’s lay our cards on the table, Ms. Morland. You have run out of options.” He holds out his checkbook. “Except one.” His eyes are hard and there’s no warmth in his voice. “You aren’t the sort of woman I want for my son. Your father is a petty thug with a drug problem and a prison record. Your mother, when she was alive, wasn’t any better. Nothing’s changed in nine years. Your clothes might be better,” his gaze rakes over my outfit dismissively, “but if you put lipstick on a pig, it’s still a pig.”

He takes a pen from his jacket pocket. “How much will it take?”

Cameron is nowhere to be seen. Joseph Drake is a lying, manipulative man, but in this case, the facts match what he’s saying. Cameron didn’t talk about the future. He promised me nothing.

I want to believe that what we have is about more than sex, but Cameron never said the words. It’s all in my head. My hopes, my dreams, my foolishness. I’ve wanted Cameron so badly that I’ve allowed myself to imagine he is in love with me, the way I am with him.

Life rarely offers second chances.

I straighten my spine. “I told you nine years ago, Mr. Drake. My integrity isn’t for sale. You tried to pay me off once, and I didn’t want your money. Nothing’s changed since then. Even if I was drowning in debt, I won’t take a dollar from you.” My anger bubbles to the surface. “Your lies destroyed our relationship. Cameron might be able to forgive you for it, but I never will.”

His gaze falls to the suitcase at my side. “You’re leaving,” he says. “You think Cameron’s going to chase after you? He won’t.”

I already know that. Cameron might rail against his father, and he might be angry with his grandfather. But he’s a Drake. When they’re sick, they’re assigned private rooms in the hospital with attached waiting areas. They have wings in libraries named after them.

We’ve always been from different worlds. There has to be an expiry date.

Even as savaged and vulnerable as I feel right now, I’m not going to show this man any sign of weakness. Not after what he’s done.

“What I do is none of your business.” My voice is tinged with frost. “Why are you here, anyway? Cameron’s not happy with you. He wouldn’t have sent you.”

He draws up, his expression disconcerted.

For the first time, I start using my head instead of reacting with blind instinct. I’ve struck a nerve with Joseph Drake. Is it possible that Cameron doesn’t know he’s here?

I capitalize on my momentary advantage. “I think you should leave.” I pull my phone out of my handbag. “Cam doesn’t know where you are, does he? If I had to guess, he’ll be extremely angry if he finds out you offered to pay me off. Again.” My lips twist into a cold smile. “My relationship with Cameron might not survive today,” I tell my nemesis. “Are you certain that yours will?”

He takes another step back. This time, there’s definitely fear in his eyes.

“Here’s some advice, Mr. Drake. Stay away from me. I’m done being your target. Find someone else to be the pawn in your stupid power games.”

His face contorts into a snarl. An hour ago, I’d have been terrified.

Then again, an hour ago, I thought I had something to lose.

Two minutes after Joseph Drake’s car pulls away in a cloud of dust, fine gravel and contempt, the taxi arrives. The driver, an older man, gets out and gapes at Cameron’s house. “Nice place you have here, miss,” he says, looking at the wood and glass structure admiringly. Then he catches sight of Cameron’s Porsche and he whistles. “Nice car.”

“They aren’t mine,” I reply flatly. My heart's still pounding in my chest from my confrontation with Cameron’s father. I’ve waited a long time to say those words.

“Is this your luggage?” the man continues genially. “Where are you headed today?”

The words are at the tip of my tongue. I’m going to the airport. I’m going to catch a flight from Toronto to Calgary, and I’m never coming back.

But I can’t force them past my throat.

Nine years ago, I hadn’t trusted Cameron. I hadn’t believed in our love and I’d fled in the middle of the night instead of fighting for him.

I’d been wrong. If the events of the last week have proved anything, it’s that I never stopped being in love with Cam. I never stopped needing him. That’s the reason I didn’t date in Calgary, that’s the reason I turned down Declan Knight’s invitation.

And if I’m being really honest with myself, that’s the reason I’m running away now. Putting my heart on the line will hurt. Telling Cameron I love him and not hearing it back will destroy me.

But I don’t want to spend the next nine years regretting that I didn’t have the courage to speak up.

I can’t leave without talking to Cameron.

“I’m so sorry.” I put my hand on my suitcase to prevent the guy from loading it into the trunk. “I’ve changed my mind.” I dig into my wallet and pull out a twenty-dollar note. There goes lunch for a week. “I’m sorry I’ve wasted your time.”

“You don’t want to go anywhere?” He mutters something under his breath about inconsiderate rich assholes. Taking the money from me, he stalks back to his cab and drives away.

I watch him leave with vacant eyes, my thoughts far away.

Two years ago, Jenna, Misti, and I had loaded ourselves into a car and had driven three and a half hours to get to Jasper National Park, all because Jenna wanted to walk on the newly opened glass skybridge. The bridge had extended thirty meters from the cliffs, and was three hundred meters above the ground, and I’d been terrified as I inched along it, clinging to the railings for dear life. Every time I caught a glimpse of the ground, far, far below, my insides had lurched with panic. Every time the wind blew, I was convinced I would be hurled off the bridge. When the adventure had ended, I’d sworn I’d never do something that foolhardy again.

Right now, I’d happily walk on that bridge all day if it meant I wouldn’t have to face Cameron.