Free All or Nothing by Catherine Mann

words made her realize how far apart they were from seeing eye to eye on this.
    “Fine. But consider how you’d feel if the tables were turned and it was me disappearing for days on end without a word of explanation. Or what you would have thought if I’d left you to celebrate your anniversary by yourself.” He’d flown her to a couples retreat in the Seychelles. The island country off the coast of Africa had been so romantic and exotic. Except he’d left her sitting in a dining room full of hormones all alone.
    He’d said nothing, as per usual.
    Knowing she’d let herself be turned into some kind of doll adorning his arm and decorating his world perhaps stung most of all. “And to think I was that close to falling in your arms again. Well, no worries about that now. I am so over you, Conrad Hughes.”
    She angled sideways past him, through the door.
    He gripped her arm. “You can’t leave now. No matter how angry you are with me, it’s not safe for you out there.”
    “I got that from your boss, thanks. I’m just going to pack. In my room. Alone. ”
    His hand slid down her arm, sending a traitorous jolt of awareness straight to her belly until she pressed her legs together against the moist ache still simmering.
    “You were able to arrange things with work and for Mimi?”
    Standing this close to Conrad with her emotions on overload was not a smart idea. She needed to wrap this up and retreat to her room to regroup. “She’s settled, but Anthony can’t watch her indefinitely. He travels with his job. But I’ll figure that out later.”
    She brushed past.
    “Anthony.”
    Conrad’s flat, emotionless voice sent prickles up her spine. She turned slowly, her evening gown brushing the tops of her bare feet. “He’s the nephew of a former patient.”
    Not that she owed him any explanation after the way he’d walled her out for years.
    “And he watches our dog while you’re out of town.” Conrad still leaned in the doorway, completely motionless other than the slow blink of his too-sharp eyes.
    “It’s not like he and I are dating...”
    “Yet. But that’s why you came to Monte Carlo, isn’t it? So you would be free to move on with Anthony or some other guy.” Conrad scratched his eyebrow. “I think I pretty much have the picture in place.”
    And clearly he wasn’t one bit happy with that image. Well, too damn bad after all the tears she’d shed seeing his casino pictured in tabloids, him with a different woman on his arm each time. “You don’t get to be mad at me. I’m the one who’s been lied to.”
    “Then I guess that makes it easier for us to spend time alone together.” He shoved away from the door frame, his shoulder brushing hers as he passed. “Pack your bag, sweetheart. We’re taking a family vacation.”

Six
    T he bulletproof, tinted windows on his balcony offered Conrad the protection he needed while escaping the claustrophobic air of the penthouse.
    Jayne had already picked out his replacement. He realized now that she’d come to Monte Carlo to end their marriage so she could move on with another man. If she hadn’t already.
    Scratch that.
    He didn’t think she was sleeping with the guy, not yet. Jayne was an innately honorable woman. And while he didn’t assume she would stay celibate for three years, she wouldn’t have almost had sex with him if she’d already committed to another man.
    Her integrity was one of the things about her that had drawn him right from the start. She had a goodness inside her that was rare and should be protected. For the first time, it hit him how much she must have missed her career when she lived with him, and even though Monte Carlo was his primary residence, he’d traveled from holding to holding too often for her to secure a new job. He’d never thought about how long and lonely her days must have been.
    Looking back, he probably should have left her the hell alone. He deserved Jayne’s anger and more. He’d been wrong to marry