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He rubbed a hand over his face, and John stopped him from going further. Only family is allowed.
Scarlet turned round, and he waited for her consent. The look she gave him stopped him in his footsteps. I don t want you here.
In those words his world died. Their time together meant nothing in face of that binding, fucking contract. John gazed at him with pity.
Everything is paid for. Send the bill straight to me, Richard said.
I ll do what you ordered, but my first responsibility is to my patient. If Scarlet asks about payment, I ll tell her where it s coming from. John flipped his
papers over and walked away.
I m so sorry, Richard, Lily said walking over to him. We didn t know what to do, and she gave us the hospital details and everything. He couldn t stop
coughing, and getting his breath back was difficult. He calmed her down and stared at Wayne.
Sorry, he said over her head. Richard nodded. He didn t blame his friends. There was nothing they could do.
I think it best you go home. I ll handle everything. His friends offered to stay and keep him company, but he refused. There was nothing else to say or to
do.
All he could do was wait it out. Hope and pray Scarlet forgave him. He should never have taken her away from her son. Richard cursed himself.
For hours he waited outside the room. Scarlet didn t move from beside Harry s bed. He wanted to go in and see her little boy. To see with his own two eyes
that Harry was safe.
The nurse came by and offered him a coffee. He refused.
When the sun went down Scarlet came out of Harry s room and moved toward Richard. I thought you d have left by now, she said.
I wanted to make sure you and Harry were safe.
Don t do that. Don t make out you care about us. The only thing you care about is what you want and how desperate you are to get it. Her voice rose
with every word.
I care, Scarlet.
I care, Scarlet.
Really? You see, I ve been thinking about it, and to be honest you re no different from David.
Stop right there. I d never force myself on you. I m nothing like that snivelling little shit. Usually from his upbringing he didn t like to cause a scene. He
knew where this argument was going to lead, and he had to stop it and nip it in the bud.
You re right. At least David only forced himself the one time. You, you forced me to sign a fucking contract giving you complete access to my body. You
wanted me, and you couldn t just ask me on a date like a normal person. Tell me, Richard, what is so fucking wrong with me that men can t ask me on a date?
They make demands and force their way into my life? The tears were pouring down her face, and his gut twisted.
At any time in his life, if he ever had any doubt about his feelings with regards to this woman, in that instant they were wiped clean.
Scarlet Hughes, the woman he d been the biggest bastard to, was the very woman who owned his heart.
He knew the look in Scarlet s eyes. This was it, and they were over.
There s nothing wrong with you, he said. I m the screw-up.
I think you should leave. She brushed away her tears.
What?
I want you gone. I want nothing to do with you anymore. Consider this the end of it. Scarlet turned to leave. Richard couldn t leave it like that.
What about your job?
I quit. I ll come and collect my things when I m back at work next week.
She walked away and shut the door behind her.
He ran a hand over his mouth and through his hair. In a second he d wake up, and it would all be some nasty piss-taking dream.
Richard slapped his head.
The door still remained closed.
Not bothering to look up he left the hospital and drove home.
Chapter Eleven
Darling, you should have brought a guest with you. His mother false kissed his cheeks in a sort of French style. Richard knew he looked a mess. He
hadn t eaten, and the only reason he d turned up is because his sister had begged him to.
Scarlet hadn t called or sent any word, and what little information he d gotten out of John Barnes had been the boy was stable. She refused his telephone
calls, and the gifts he had sent to her were sent back. Today was Saturday, and at least he d see her at work on Monday. He prayed she wouldn t quit.
You know me, Mother. The woman didn t have a clue about his son.
Well I have to say I m pleased you didn t bring that frump you ve been seen round with.
Richard tensed, his fists forming. What did you say? he asked.
That woman I ve been getting reports on. A small fat girl with blond hair. Please, darling, you can do so much better, and remember image is everything. I
mean I know Wayne s fallen far from the tree, but that s to be expected. and Opal has finally gone on a diet....
He placed a finger over her lips. Don t say another word if you don t want a scene at this anniversary, even if this whole load of shit is false. Richard
smirked when his mother glanced around to make sure no one had heard him shout the last word. Another warning. Don t throw any of your sluts in my
direction. He grabbed a shot of whisky from a passing waiter and went to join Lily and Wayne at the table farthest away.
Lily looked behind him, hopeful.
He sat down under their scrutiny.
She still not phoned you back yet? Wayne asked.
He shook his head.
Wayne, would you take him and give him a change? Lily handed her son over to his dad. Wayne chuckled, and Richard wanted that. He wanted to be a
dad.
She s not coming back, Lily, he said to the sweet woman at his side. Richard took a large swallow of whisky while he watched his sister play with the
young children at his parents wedding anniversary.
You love her?
Why can t you just let it go? He glanced around in case Wayne had come back with the little guy. The man was super protective of his wife.
He s gone to change George, Lily said.
Sorry for yelling.
Good. You can make it up to me by explaining what happened with Scarlet. You were so happy. I can t accept it s over. You spent most of your time
staring at her with love in your eyes.
He snorted. That was lust.
Don t be fucking crude. What did you do? she asked.
Richard stared at his best friend s wife. He saw the concern and the worry, and he couldn t keep it in anymore.
He told her the whole story. The contract and Harry. What had happened in the aftermath. How Scarlet despised everything about him. I don t get it. I was
prepared to give her the world.
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