Chapter 30
30
S am didn’t unpack on her return to Melbourne.
Why bother, when she’d have to repack in a week? Or less, if she had her way. Why prolong the agony?
Dylan had made it more than clear he couldn’t tolerate her presence in his life any longer, and after the way he behaved today, the feeling was entirely mutual.
Ebony had been right—love was for suckers. Though by the goofy expression on her brother Pete’s face when he mentioned her friend at the airport in Sydney, Ebony could be heading for a big fall—if she hadn’t fallen already.
Tears stung Sam’s eyes as she thought about her friend. She really needed a shoulder to cry on at the moment and Ebony would be perfect.
Wiping her eyes with an angry swipe of her hand and cursing her stupidity at shedding tears for a man who wasn’t worth it, she dumped the paperwork she’d been working on, making a neat pile in the middle of his desk, and picked up her phone. A quick call to her bestie would do wonders; if anyone could talk sense into her, Ebony could.
Sam brought up her favourites, tapped Ebony’s number, and waited while the phone rang. Thankfully, Ebony picked up on the fifth ring.
“Eb, it’s me.”
“Hey, Sammy. What’s up? You sound awful.”
“That obvious, huh?”
“What’s he done?”
Ebony had an unerring talent of homing in on a problem. It annoyed Sam at times but right now, she was grateful for it.
So Sam poured out the whole sorry story to her best friend, leaving nothing out.
When Sam’s tirade finished, Ebony said, “Why don’t you tell him the truth?”
“And say what? ‘Hey Dylan, even though I’ve been your employee for the last three months, it’s all been a lie and what I really want is for us to get married and live happily ever after.’ Yeah, right. I’m sure he’d love that.”
“I mean tell him the truth about how you feel. What have you got to lose?”
At that moment, Sam heard a faint click behind her. She cupped a hand over the phone and turned around, the sight of Dylan glowering at her sending her heart plummeting.
“We need to talk,” he said through gritted teeth. “Now.”
If she thought he’d been angry earlier, she’d underestimated him. The terse, clipped tone, along with the folded arms and fierce frown, indicated he’d surpassed anger and had entered the furious stage.
“I’ll call you back later,” Sam said softly into the phone.
“If that’s who I think it is, go for it.”
Another of Ebony’s life mottos, though in this case, Sam knew it was way too late to follow her friend’s advice. She’d already ‘gone for it’ and it had landed her in more trouble than it had been worth.
“Bye.”
As Sam hung up, she wondered how much of her conversation Dylan had overheard. By the deepening frown and the way he stalked across the room toward her, he’d heard plenty.
“Take a seat,” he snapped, pointing to the ergonomic chair she’d occupied almost every day over the last few months. “And let’s talk about your employment .”
“Don’t make it sound so appealing,” she muttered, before sitting. Though she didn’t take kindly to orders, she knew now wasn’t the time to push back. Dylan looked mad as hell—and she’d been stupid enough to provoke him.
He clenched his fists and took several deep breaths before continuing. “I wanted to offer you a permanent position as my personal assistant. You’ve done a great job, better than I could’ve hoped for, and I thought it’s time to cement our business arrangement.”
Sam didn’t know what to say. She thought he’d overheard her conversation with Ebony and would subject her to an interrogation; instead, she almost sagged with relief as she realised he wanted to discuss her job. The anger was probably a carry-over from this morning—he hadn’t spoken a word on their return trip to Melbourne, which had been fine with her.
As she opened her mouth to respond, he held up a hand.
“Don’t.”
He spat the word and she knew in an instant her relief had been short-lived.
“I don’t want to hear another word out of your lying mouth.” He glared at her, his eyes turning to molten chocolate as they smouldered with rage.
The flicker of hope within Sam shrivelled and died as she realised he’d heard every damning word she uttered on the phone.
And she’d now have to come clean to the last man on earth she hoped would ever learn the truth.
“Let me explain—“
“I don’t want to hear it,” he interrupted, slamming a fist against a filing cabinet.
Sam sank further into the chair, wishing she could say something, anything, to allay the way he must be feeling right now.
She hated being lied to, almost as much as she hated being pushed around by others, and she knew Dylan wouldn’t be satisfied with anything less than the truth.
However, before she could speak, he swung to face her again, neck muscles rigid against the collar of his shirt, an angry flush staining his tanned cheeks.
“I thought you were different, yet you’re not. You’re just like the rest. And I despise you for it.”
He’d startled her when he thumped the steel filing cabinet and her pulse raced. Now, with icy contempt dripping from every word and his cold stare, the blood flowing in her veins froze.
“The rest?” She spoke quietly, hoping her tone would soothe him. It didn’t.
“You lied to me, Samantha, just like the rest of the two-faced women who’ve tried to insinuate their way into my life for monetary gain. I heard you admit it on the phone. You came here under the pretence of working for me, when all you really wanted was a ring on your finger and an easy way into the Harmon fortune. Well, forget it. Your scheme hasn’t worked. Now get the hell out!”
Sam paled as Dylan fixed her with a stare that would’ve sent most people in his business world scuttling for cover.
She didn’t refute his accusations or offer any kind of explanation. Instead, she sat there, clasping her hands together and shaking her head.
Pain, swift and raw, knifed his heart as he watched her, wishing she could’ve been different and knowing the wish was futile.
He’d heard her say her stint here had been a sham and what she’d hoped for was marriage.
So much for his instincts to read people.
He’d been so careful in the past, not falling victim to the women who entered his life with sweet, empty words designed to entice him.
They hadn’t loved him; they’d all been out for one thing, easy access to the Harmon fortune.
He’d managed to harden his heart and thwart them all.
Until now.
That’s what gutted him most. This time, he’d fallen in love against his better judgement, and it hurt like the devil to be betrayed this way.
Though all wasn’t lost. He’d discovered Sam’s plan in time to save the family fortune, if not his heart.
He squared his shoulders and glared at her, instilling every ounce of hurt and betrayal into his voice.
“I said, get the hell out!”
She stood and headed toward the door, not even casting a glance in his direction.
Dylan’s heart shattered as he watched the woman he loved walk out of his life.