Skylar finally understood the meaning of loud silence, because the silence that settled over the room after her answer was so deafening that she couldn't hear anything else. Not even her own breathing. Until Luca exploded.“Are you crazy, Skylar? Are you out of your goddamn mind? Do you want to stop loving me so badly that you'll agree to marry someone you have no fucking feelings for?”She knew he was right; she was going out of her mind. She should be retracing, eating back her words, or at least trying to maneuver her way out of the hole she was digging herself into, but Luca's anger and his certainty of her love for him only served to fuel her own irritation.“Don't fucking tell me what I feel or don't feel!” She sneered. “Contrary to what you believe, my life does not revolve around you, Luca. If I will, I'll get married to Alex because I fucking love him!”Luca stared at her in stunned silence before an infuriating laughter burst out of him. “Tell me, Skylar. How ridiculous do yo

Skylar knew she shouldn't even be surprised, but she was surprised. And she was shocked.For a long moment she just stared at Alex's father even after he'd ripped the sheet out of the check book. When she finally found her voice, she shook her head in wonder.“Three million dollars? Is that what you think your son's happiness is worth?”“Happiness?” The man scoffed. “Please, I know my son. He's fickle, impulsive, makes decisions on fleeting emotions rather than his common sense. You wouldn't believe it if I told you how many women I heard him telling his mum was the one.”Skylar huffed. “He was just barely an adult when your wife died, Sir. We're all allowed to be impulsive during that time. But he's mature enough now to know exactly what he wants. And even if that weren't the case, you have no right to try and meddle in his life like this.” “Of course I have to meddle in his life. He is my son. He's going to be thankful to me later.”

It occurred to Alex very quickly as soon as he arrived in Rockford that he didn't even know where Nicole lived. Pulling his car over on the side of the road, he picked his phone and dialed her number.It ranged until it went to voicemail. So did the second dial. She finally picked up on the third.“Alex,” She said.His chest constricted when he realized that he'd been right all along. She was still crying. It was clear in the hoarseness of her voice.“Text me your address, Nicole.”“What? Why?”“I'm in Rockford. I want to see you.”“You're in Rockford? Why?”Alex swallowed. “I needed to make sure you were okay.”There was a long pause where the only thing he could hear was her breathing before she finally spoke. “Okay. Should I come for you at the airport?”“I didn't take a flight. I drove.”Her incredulous voice came through immediately. “You drove all the way here just to make sure I

Fuck! Luca cursed under his breath as he watched Skylar storm off, running his fingers through his hair to see if it could dissolve the reckless frustration gripping him. How could he have fucked everything up so soon?His hope that Skylar hadn't meant it when she said she was leaving was quickly thwarted when she burst out of the bedroom in less than a minute, her small duffle bag in hand. She brushed past him, and he was too stunned to speak as he watched her stalk towards the door.But the moment she turned the lock, ready to bolt out and take his hope of tonight being a turning point for them away, his brain jolted out of its inertia, and he sprang into action. He got to her in a flash and slammed the door shut before she could open it wide enough to step out.“What the heck?" She snarled. “Get out of the way.”“No." He shook his head firmly.She attempted to shove him away with her petite arms but he didn't budge, keeping himself pla

“Good evening. Are there rooms available?” Skylar asked the receptionist after entering the first hotel she came across.Instead of answering, the receptionist looked her down from her face and back up. Skylar soon realized that the receptionist wasn't the only one looking at her. Almost everyone in the foyer was doing the same.She must've looked weird entering a hotel while already in her pink, silky night robe. A wave of self-consciousness washed over her, and it suddenly felt like everyone was judging her. Which was crazy because none of them could possibly know the despicable thing she'd done before coming here.Could they see that she wasn't even wearing any panties? In her haste to leave Luca's house, she'd completely forgotten that she wasn't wearing any, and it'd been too late when she finally realized it.“Hello?” Skylar drummed her fingers on the reception counter, hating the unwanted attention.“Oh, sorry.” The receptionist snapped out of her judgemental daze long enough t