Chapter 15
Chapter Fifteen
Keeley walked around the house, searching the living room and kitchen for Rafe before heading to his office.
She and Gio had been surprised when they’d woken up to discover him gone.
The three of them were sleepy starters ordinarily, usually dozing for a few minutes past the alarm before waking each other up in such a manner that they didn’t get out of bed until waaaay past the alarm.
Gio had frowned when he realized Rafe wasn’t there, but he’d covered up his concern quickly, coming up with a bunch of lame reasons why Rafe had probably risen early.
Keeley hadn’t been fooled by any of them. She knew what today was. The date had been circled in red in her brain ever since Gio had asked her to stay with them until Kayden returned from Vermont.
The day Rafe said they would decide where they all stood.
So many times last night, she’d opened her mouth to tell them both she loved them. The feeling simply wouldn’t be contained anymore. Mercifully—and just barely—she managed to wait until Rafe fell asleep so that she could at least, finally, say the words to Gio. And he’d said them back.
But as magical and wonderful as that had felt, she’d still wanted to tell Rafe the same thing. Fear of losing him for good had held her back.
Given his absence in the bed this morning, it didn’t seem to matter if she’d said them or not.
“There you are,” she said, forcing a cheerful tone. She walked around his desk and gave him a kiss on the cheek. Rafe made no move to return the kiss with a hotter one. Instead, he gave her a wan smile—and just like that, she knew.
It was over.
Keeley was instantly reminded of the night her parents died. Kayden had walked in. She’d taken one look at his face and known they were gone. He didn’t have to say a word.
The same was true now. One glimpse into Rafe’s eyes and she could see what was coming.
Rafe’s gaze traveled to the door.
“Gio’s taking a shower,” she replied to his unspoken question. She wondered if he would wait until Gio was here to do this or if he preferred to say it to her in private.
Rafe nodded, but he remained quiet.
Keeley took a deep breath, fighting for composure as she tried to figure out the best way to handle this. If she remained in this room too long, the pressure would break her, and she’d fall apart.
She was going to fall apart regardless, but she didn’t want to do it in front of Rafe.
He’d never promised her forever, never alluded to the future.
Nope. He’d told her at Aspen Rose that for him, what they shared would only be sex. She walked into this with her eyes wide open, so she couldn’t be mad, couldn’t yell or scream or call him names, even if that was exactly what she wanted to do.
Because he’d never lied about what this was. Not once.
Her anger…God…her sorrow over him breaking this off was her fault because she’d let herself hope, let herself dream that he’d change his mind.
Ugh. She cursed herself. A wise woman wouldn’t have started this damn affair to begin with. Especially not with her boss.
What the fuck had she been thinking? She wasn’t a robot. Maybe Rafe could keep his emotions under lock and key, turn his feelings off like a light switch, but she wasn’t that person, wasn’t capable of the same.
“I’m going to work from my office at Eclectic today. Actually, the whole week,” she said, hoping he couldn’t detect the tightness in her voice. Her throat was constricted, closing fast.
He nodded. “Okay. I’ll come by later this afternoon if I have time. I’d already decided to spend this week stopping by all the other Baros Corp. properties. Just to make sure things are running smoothly.”
“Great. I, um…” Keeley felt like Gio should be here for this part, but if he was…
There was no way she could keep it together if he was there too.
“Kayden comes home today.”
“I know,” Rafe said.
She was tired of tiptoeing around him. It was time she forced him to show his hand. Not knowing how he felt killed her.
“So I’m going to pack up my stuff and head back to my place for tonight.”
She held her breath, waiting for Rafe’s response. As always, the bastard took his time. Damn him and his constant thinking. She wanted to scream at him to just fucking say it already, but she managed to keep that primal, furious response inside.
“Okay.” He paused, then he stood up. “Listen, Keeley…”
Oh fuck no. She thought she could stand here, let him say the words, and be okay with it. After all, she’d managed to stay and listen to those horrible words from Kayden.
“Mom and Dad aren’t coming home. Their plane…the storm…”
She couldn’t do it this time.
“It’s over,” she said for him.
Rafe frowned, for just a split second, clearly surprised by her words. Then he nodded. “I think it’s better for everyone if we don’t let the affair continue.”
Affair.
She hated that word as much as the word crush. Because what they’d shared had felt like so much more.
He rubbed the back of his neck, something he did whenever he was stressed out, and she could tell that it was bothering him. She’d given him a massage one night when he confessed his shoulders had been tight for months.
“You and Gio want different things,” he began. “And I think the two of you have a chance at making something real, something good. I think…we were wrong to give in to the attraction.”
He thought what they’d done was wrong?
The most incredible time of her life was wrong?
“I’m holding you and Gio back. If I step away now, the two of you can begin the rest of your lives together. He’s crazy about you, Keeley. Head over heels. I’ve never seen him like this.”
Keeley nodded, her voice failing her. She wanted to yell, “What about you?!” but the words wouldn’t come.
They held each other’s gazes for a long time, neither of them speaking. She’d always marveled over the way Rafe and Gio were able to say so much without talking.
She wished she could manage the same because right now, all she saw was a stone wall, nothing to give her the slightest hint to what he was thinking or feeling.
When the silence drifted for too long, she went for broke.
“I love you,” she whispered.
Rafe winced, as if her admission had physically hurt him.
He didn’t return the sentiment. Didn’t say a damn thing.
She waited as long as she dared, then turned away because tears were starting to blur her vision.
“I’ll go pack then. Goodbye, Rafe,” she said as she walked out of the room. Part of her waited—hoped—for him to call her back in, to offer her one of those amazing hugs of his, but he said nothing. Just let her walk away.
She went upstairs to get her things, swallowing hard to dislodge the lump in her throat. She didn’t have a clue what Gio would say. One look and he’d know what had happened.
He had experience with this part, so would he take it in stride? Or, like her, would he be pissed as shit, hurt as hell?
When she entered the bedroom, she could tell it was empty. She checked the bathroom, but Gio wasn’t there either. Walking to the window that overlooked the backyard and outbuildings, she spotted him walking into his workshop.
Typically, they all ate breakfast together before going to work.
What the hell was going on? Did Gio know this was coming? Had he tried to make himself scarce?
She quickly packed her things, somewhat surprised by how much stuff she’d brought over from her apartment. It took her half an hour to gather it all up. Walking downstairs with her bags, she glanced through the open door to Rafe’s office. It was empty.
He’d made a quick escape.
Coward.
Then she acknowledged that she’d intended to play the same card, staying away from the mansion until she could face him without falling apart. She suspected she would be good to go in about five to ten years.
Keeley loaded her stuff in her car, then walked around the house just as Gio was coming out of the workshop.
She needed to know where he stood before she went home and cried her eyes out.
“Hey, gorgeous. Tony needed some specs on the cabinets, so I came out really quick to—” He stopped mid-sentence. He’d been reaching out for her, his original intent a kiss. She knew him well enough to know that, but he pulled up short when he saw her face. “That motherfucker.”
She blinked a few times, wiping her eyes, willing the tears to stop. “You didn’t know?”
Gio scowled. “No. Keeley—” he started.
“I’m okay,” she lied.
“No, you’re not. He really broke it off?” he asked, clearly needing confirmation.
She nodded, unable to say the words.
“Without me there.”
She gave him a sad smile. “I’m kind of glad you weren’t. You’ve witnessed enough of my dating rejections.”
“Goddammit. This is bullshit! He’s not getting away with this.” Gio started toward the house, and Keeley was suddenly glad Rafe had cleared the premises. In his current state of mind, Gio was looking for blood.
“He left,” she said quickly.
Gio stopped and turned back toward her. “It wasn’t supposed to end.” He paused, then hastily added, “Not this way.”
Keeley had suspected Gio wanted the same as her, and with those words, he’d confirmed it.
He’d come into this affair—fucking shitty word—hoping for the same thing she had.
And after three amazing, perfect weeks, Keeley had truly believed Rafe would change his mind.
How could he not see how good the three of them were together?
“We knew it wasn’t forever. He told us that. Point-blank.”
“He did, but I still…” Gio raked a hand through his hair, mussing it up.
“Me too,” she confessed.
Gio looked equal parts resigned and angry. Then he tilted his head. “You think he heard us last night? Heard us say…” he mused.
Keeley hadn’t considered that. She shrugged. “It doesn’t matter if he did. I told him I loved him…just now. God, you should have seen his face. He acted as if I’d plunged a dagger straight into his heart.”
“You said it?” Gio mused.
She nodded, then forged on. “We knew this was temporary, Gio. We all sort of agreed to this day as the deadline.”