Pressing my lips together tightly, I fought to hold back my tears. When I could no longer hold it in, a sob escaped my lips. Glancing back over my shoulder, I closed my eyes and shook my head.

Looking back out over the water, I knew he wouldn’t be there. He found new eye-candy. How easy it was for him to just walk away from me.

Asshole. He probably said all of that just to get into my pants. The trial would come and go within the next week. Maybe he saw this as his chance.

Taking in a deep breath, I looked back up at the clubhouse. Shaking my head, I reached deep down inside and headed back up. I’d find Brice and tell him I needed to get back to Austin and leave.

Yep. That was my plan. As I formulated how I would get back to Austin, I headed back to the party.

Stopping at the door, I took in a deep breath as I stepped back into the room. I instantly saw Dodge . . . with her. They weren’t dancing, but the little slut had Dodge pinned deep in a conversation. They’d be perfect together. Two blood-hungry lawyers.

I hope Princess bites the shit out of the slut.

Pushing through the crowd of people, I headed out of the room. The air hit my face as I gasped for a breath. I hadn’t realized I had held my breath the entire time I made my way through the ballroom.

A hand took a hold of my elbow and I jumped. Turning, I saw Brice standing there.

“Mr. Walker . . . I mean . . . Brice. I was feeling tired and . . . well . . . I was going to see about getting a cab.”

Smiling, Brice walked me to the end of the sidewalk and lifted his arm. A limo came driving up as I practically sighed out loud in relief. “Mr. Dante, my assistant, is still at the house and will let you in.”

Nodding my head, I stepped into the limo. Brice leaned in and gave me a fatherly smile. “Sierra, men are fools. We don’t think or see things the same way women do. God cursed us with this fault.”

Smiling, I fought to hold back my tears. Damn it all to hell. I hated Dodge for making me such a pansy-ass.

“Well, I’ve come to learn that all men are pretty much the same, Brice. If a prettier girl walks into the room, they tend to follow like the dogs they are.”

Brice grimaced. “Ouch. Spoken like a woman scorned.”

Shrugging my shoulders, I leaned closer to Brice. “I’m tired of playing games, Brice. I’m in love with your son and I’m tired of denying it. Clearly he doesn’t feel the same toward me and I need to accept that. We just need to make it through my case, and I know deep down in my heart that Dodge . . . I mean Aaron . . . is going to pour everything he has into winning it. I’ve never been more confident. But my coming here this weekend was a mistake.”

Shaking his head, he chuckled. “Someone needs to bash both your heads together. Sierra, I knew the first time I saw the two of you together you had feelings for each other. My son loves you, Sierra. Please don’t give up on him.”

Looking down, I whispered, “The fight in me is gone, Brice. I’ve tried like hell to keep it alive . . . but . . . I can’t.”

Brice placed his finger on my chin and brought my eyes to his. “No, Sierra. That is one of the things I admire about you. I see that fight in your eyes. I saw it the moment you set foot in my office and I see it now.”

A tear slowly rolled down my cheek. “If only I felt it.”

Brice dropped his hand and shook his head. “My son is about to get his ass kicked.”

Letting out a giggle, I wiped my stupid tears away. “I’m just tired, Brice. Tomorrow will we go over the case? I’d like to head back to Austin as soon as possible.”

Nodding his head, he smiled. “Yes. We’ll get you ready for Robert’s lawyers. Don’t you worry. Go rest, Sierra. I’ll let Kate know you weren’t feeling well.”

“Aaron, too?” I asked.

“Yes, after I kick his ass.”

Laughing at the sound of Brice swearing, I slid further into the limo as Brice told the driver where to go. By the time he was pulling from the country club, tears were streaming down my face.

I hate you, Dodge. I hate you for making me feel weak.

SANDRA FINALLY GOT THE HINT I was not interested in striking up anything from our past. I’d been frantically looking for Sierra for the past twenty minutes. I had tried to keep my eyes on Sierra while Sandra kept her death grip on me while dancing. I’d seen her go out on the deck, and then I lost her.

Em was walking by and I quickly grabbed her by the arm. “Hey, big bro. What in the hell where you doing with Sandra earlier? Where is Sierra?”

Looking around the room, I said, “What do you mean what was I doing with Sandra earlier? Listen, I don’t know where Sierra is and I really need to find her. The last I saw her was before I danced with Sandra and that was almost an hour ago. Where in the hell did she go?”