Total pages in book: 87
Estimated words: 82034 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 410(@200wpm)___ 328(@250wpm)___ 273(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 82034 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 410(@200wpm)___ 328(@250wpm)___ 273(@300wpm)
I sit up straighter in the bed and can feel Andrew and Dane’s eyes on me.
“What do you want?” I ask, the surprise in my voice evident. I hadn’t heard a word from him these last six weeks since we broke up.
“I’ve been wanting to call you,” he says in what I’d almost describe as a fatigued voice. “Picked up the phone a dozen times, but figured you wouldn’t talk to me.”
“I’m not sure I should be,” I tell him truthfully.
“I’m just so sorry, Av,” he practically gushes. “I didn’t get a chance to say that, but I need you to know that. For the pain I’ve caused you. I love you, and I never meant to do that—”
At this point, I pull the phone away and hit the speaker button. It’s not like I wouldn’t recount the entire conversation to Andrew and Dane anyway.
“—I swear it was a one-time only thing. I was so stupid, and selfish, and I was missing you because you were away.”
Dane gives a disgruntled grunt, and it’s loud enough that Jamie goes silent. Then he asks hesitantly, “Am I on speakerphone?”
“You are,” I tell him as I settle back down into the pillows.
“Who’s there?”
“Andrew and Dane,” I respond in an even voice, even though I want to laugh over the thought of if Jamie could get an eyeful of me right now. “They came over to watch some TV and hang out.”
“Oh… well, um… can we talk privately?” he asks irritably.
“It’s just not a good time,” I tell Jamie.
“When is a good time?”
“Probably never,” I return. “It’s over, Jamie. I’ve moved on and so should you.”
“I’d still like another chance.” His voice is soft and regretful, and there’s a part of me that responds to it. I think I needed the apology more than I care to admit. “People can come back from these sorts of things. We could go to—”
“She said she’s not interested.” Dane leans toward the phone and growls. “Grow a ball sack and move on.”
“Fuck you, Dane,” Jamie retorts into the phone. “You don’t speak for her.”
“No, I speak for myself,” Dane snarls. I turn to look at Andrew, who has a smirk on his face. “And hear me when I say… if you get within fifty feet of her, I’m going to whip your ass again.”
“Again?” I say in astonishment as my head whips around to Dane.
He doesn’t even look at me, but reaches over and pushes the disconnect button on my screen.
“Again?” I repeat to Dane with a raised eyebrow.
Dane shrugs and leans against the headboard. “I might have imparted a goodbye message to him when he came over to pick his stuff up.”
My head turns back to Andrew. “He didn’t?”
“He did,” Andrew says simply and digs the spoon back into the ice cream. “He’s always the one who beats up the guys for you, Av.”
I turn back to look at Dane, and his eyes are soft but intense as they lock onto mine. “Anyone that hurts you gets hurt in return. Simple as that.”
And wow, does that make my heart flutter.
CHAPTER 18
Dane
Oh, the benefits of flying a private jet to Paris. It’s not the first time all three of us have traveled internationally together. We’ve attended biotech conferences over the years in so many different countries, I can’t even remember them all.
We always flew private because when you head a thirty-billion-dollar company, you can afford such niceties.
Large comfortable seats, gourmet food, and top-shelf liquor. There’s even a large couch that can fold out into a bed if necessary, and I’ve not been able to stop thinking about getting Avril naked and on said bed.
The current downside to flying private is that we also have our own dedicated stewardess who hovers nearby in case we need her. I know Avril likes to be watched at The Wicked Horse, but I seriously doubt that applies right now.
Besides… she’s in work mode, and I know this by the serious look on her face as she scowls at a document that she and Andrew have been arguing about for the past twenty minutes.
“It’s not within the current budget to add these research positions,” Avril says for probably the third time to Andrew. They’re sitting opposite me in captain’s chairs that swivel, angled to face each other.
Andrew rolls his eyes. “For Christ’s sake, Avril. You help control the purse strings to millions of dollars in venture capital. Cut loose a few million and let me double down on our efforts to develop the imaging cytometer.”
“How about you having some patience?” Avril snaps. “You do realize we’re going to Paris to meet with Fabron and look at his cytometer up close, right? He’s going to give us confidential access in the hopes of forging an alliance with us.”
“We don’t need another partner,” Andrew retorts. “There’s a developer out of Denmark I’ve got my eye on who can get us what we need.”