The Unwavering Heart That Broke novel Chapter 147

His eyes, dark and unfathomable, roamed over her. He seemed to relax a little when he saw the healthy flush in her cheeks.

They left the office and crossed the street to a coffee shop.

Nathalie slid into her seat and stared at him, her tone chilly. “What do you want?”

Lance’s handsome features looked tense. He rubbed at his temples. “Last night, Jasper went missing. Somehow he got stuck in a playhouse, and he couldn’t get out. The place was under construction, it was pitch black around there. He fell asleep inside. I sent people to look for him and it took ages to find him.”

Nathalie flagged down a waiter and ordered a coffee, barely glancing at Lance.

He kept watching her, hoping for some kind of reaction, but her expression didn’t change. “Jasper was really scared. I took him back to Lumina Grand last night.”

For a moment, Nathalie’s mask slipped, but just as quickly she pulled herself together.

She reminded herself, over and over, that she was done with him. That meant she was done with everything that came with him, even the house full of all their happiest memories.

So what if he brought people back? What did it have to do with her? If he wanted to bring a dozen women home all at once, that was his business.

She took a slow breath. Her coffee arrived, and she drank quietly.

Lance frowned. “Nathalie, I didn’t mean to go back on my word last night.”

She set her coffee cup down, voice perfectly steady. “Are you done?”

Her calmness made something twist inside him. He stared, looking desperately for some crack in her cool armor, some emotion that would show she still cared. Anything would have been better than this silence.

But there was nothing.

She finished her coffee and stood up. “If that’s all, I’m going back to work.”

Lance kept his gaze down for a second, then spoke deeper, softer. “Nathalie, I’m trying to explain.”

She nodded. “I heard you.”

“You really don’t care?”

She nodded. “That’s right.”

“Alright then.”

He suddenly smiled, then stood, caught the back of her head, and kissed her.

Nathalie froze, stunned, and the second she could move she scrubbed the spot with the back of her hand.

Lance just looked at her. “I thought you didn’t care. So what was that?”

Her face went icy. “You’re such an asshole.”

He gave her that piercing look. “Don’t act like this is news. Nathalie, I’ve known you long enough to see right through you. You care. You just refuse to admit it.”