Total pages in book: 73
Estimated words: 72308 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 362(@200wpm)___ 289(@250wpm)___ 241(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 72308 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 362(@200wpm)___ 289(@250wpm)___ 241(@300wpm)
“Um…” With her hand on her coffee, she tried to think of what to say. “Camille, I know you’re going through a hard time, but this isn’t the answer.”
Guess that meant Grave hadn’t told her that we had a lot in common. “I’ve been in this business for five years. I’m not new to the game. Just getting back to work. But I want to work at a higher level. Grave told me how much he pays you, that you can have a nice apartment in one of the best neighborhoods, that you can afford a nanny and a good car. So I want in.”
Elise couldn’t hide her look of astonishment. “You—you’re a whore.”
“Yep.”
“So, was Cauldron paying you?”
“No. That was real. Well…it was real for me. Not for him.”
She stared at me harder. “I had no idea.”
“So, can you help me out? Introduce me to your handler?”
“I mean, you’ve got the looks for it. These kinds of men don’t want a woman who looks like a whore. They want a woman who looks like a supermodel—and you fit the bill. Yes, I can make the introduction. Now that Grave is my full-time client, Jerome could probably use another girl.”
“That’s great. Thank you so much.”
“But…are you sure you and Cauldron are done?”
Just hearing his name pushed me to the edge. “Oh, I’m sure.”
Her eyes flicked back and forth between mine.
“He doesn’t want me. And even if he did, he’s betrayed me too many times. I’m ready to move on with my life.”
“Really? Because you look a little dead behind the eyes…”
Yep, I know.
“I just want to make sure this is what you want. Because once you’re in…it’s hard to get out.”
“I know it is,” I said. “I need you to do me a favor.”
“What is it?”
“Don’t mention this to Grave.”
“Why?” she asked immediately. “Why wouldn’t you want Grave to know?” Her voice changed, a subtle tone of anger in her voice.
“Because he’ll tell Cauldron, and I don’t need that asshole in my business.”
She immediately deflated like a balloon, slowly coming back down. “I can do that.”
“Thanks.”
She continued to stare at me, searching for something in my face.
I waited for her to speak her mind.
“Can I ask you something?”
“Sure.”
“Something personal?”
“Um, I guess. What is it?”
She moved her coffee to the side, like she feared she would knock it onto the floor. “Did something ever happen between you and Grave?”
It was a loaded question, and I was immediately a deer in the headlights. Obviously, she didn’t know how I was connected to the two brothers, that I was a prize in a very stupid pissing contest.
Her eyes narrowed the longer I stayed quiet.
Shit.
Grave obviously didn’t want her to know. Otherwise, he would have already told her, but he was an idiot for thinking this could stay a secret forever. Grave had just bought me an apartment so I didn’t want to throw him under the bus, but I didn’t know what else to do.
“I guess that’s a yes,” she said quietly, her eyes cold.
“It’s complicated…”
She looked away, releasing a distinct sigh. “Did anything happen while you stayed with him?”
“What?” I blurted. “No. Not at all.”
She turned back to me, her eyes studying my face.
“Grave wouldn’t do that. He has his faults, but he’s a very loyal man.”
“How long were you together?”
I wished this interrogation would end. “Our relationship is long over, so I don’t think it really matters—”
“How long were you together?” Her eyes were furious. “You want my help? Then answer me.”
My assumption about her was dead-on. She had it bad for Grave. “You’re in love with him.”
Her eyes were trained on my face like two lasers.
“You don’t want to hear this.”
“Yes, I do,” she snapped. “I asked him about this so many times, and he always deflected. I want to know why he did that.”
“Because who wants to talk about their ex?”
“Answer. Me.”
Goddammit. “Three years.”
Her eyes steadied, and then slowly, the color started to leave her face. “You’re the woman he was talking about…”
“I-I don’t know.”
“He said he was in a long-term relationship with someone…until she left. He offered her marriage and children, but she didn’t want it.”
There was a lot more to it, but I didn’t want to reveal Grave’s worst qualities to a woman he obviously cared about. I didn’t want to tell her the horrible things he did and risk him losing her.
Defeated, she looked away. “It all makes sense now. You left him because you were in love with his brother…and he was in love with you.”
That was as close to the truth as I would let her get.
“And he’s still in love with you.”
“No, he’s not, Elise.”
She wouldn’t look at me. “I’m a fucking rebound.”
“That’s not true.”
“I’ve seen the way he looks at you. And why you stayed at his apartment for so long…”
“I had nowhere else to go,” I said. “That’s all.”