Page 110 of To Tango, with Desire

“When?”

“Does it—okay, okay. Umm, let me think . . .” Kade checked his phone. “It was last week, Monday. Just before lunch. I know because I was going to head off to my own meeting and I stopped for a coffee.”

Now it all made sense. I’d called him about the stupid notice I’d received from the landlord, wanting to meet up for lunch, but he’d said he was busy. I thought the tightness in his voice had just been stress about work, but it hadn’t been. He’d lied.

He’d fucking lied and I wanted to know why.

Was that why he bought the warehouse? To appease his guilty conscience? God, just when I’d thought we were getting closer . . .

“What were they talking about?”

“I didn’t go over there. Not after everything that had gone down between us. I thought it was smarter to keep my distance.”

“Right.”

“Amira, I didn’t mean to—”

“No. Don’t. I just . . . It’s fine.”

“Are we cool?”

“Hundred percent.”

But when Kade left, I couldn’t focus. I was restless and annoyed. Why the hell wouldn’t Zane tell me? Why keep it a secret? It made no sense as to why he would meet up with her. Her. Of all people.

Not for the first time, I wondered what he’d been like back then. I’d seen glimpses of a playful, less guarded Zane lately, but I could tell he was still holding back. From the few online pictures I’d spied of Zane and Chloe, they’d been happy. Granted, Zane had been ten years younger, no less dynamic but with an openness in his face, a softness about his eyes and mouth that wasn’t there now.

The man I’d married was harder, leaner . . . and so very closed off sometimes, it scared me. I drove home in a daze, grateful that there was no staff to greet me tonight.

But the mansion felt suffocating.

I looked at our bed and knew I couldn’t sleep in it. Not tonight.

In fact, maybe a temporary hiatus from being with each other was needed so I could clear my head.

On impulse, I grabbed an overnight bag from the closet and began throwing in a few of my clothes and toiletries. I would set myself up on the opposite side of the mansion. Try to give myself some space. Some time to think. I’d been so consumed by my desire for Zane lately that it was messing with my head.

Hell, I might even be pregnant. What a joke that would be. Pregnant to a man who didn’t love me. A man who might possibly be still in love with his ex-fiancée.

I knew in that moment that I hated Chloe. Try as I might to take the high road, to remain unaffected, I couldn’t do it.

I hated Chloe for hurting him. I hated Chloe for wanting him. But most of all, I hated Chloe Barnett for having had the one thing I yearned for more than anything.

His love.

ZANE

I walked in to find Amira packing a bag.

“Going somewhere?”

I slipped off my jacket, weary after a fucking long day. I wanted to grab some food and chill out with Amira on the sofa. Maybe even convince her to go for a late-night swim. I was gearing up to travel to the Middle East soon, and that meant dealing with a million logistics with this charity and the shit ton of things requiring my attention at work. I was working crazy hours this week, but I wanted to make sure everything was set.

“I’m packing a few things.”

The look on her face told me everything.

“What happened?”