by Penelope Sky
“Of course, sir.” He walked out and shut the door behind him.
I took a seat and crossed my legs, my fingertips rubbing against my jawline. The fact that London hadn’t mentioned any of this to me told me something significant happened, and it was peculiar for Ariel to change her mind.
And that meant London said something to make Ariel reconsider.
In that moment, I felt like a very lucky man. The woman I loved did whatever she could to keep my business partner in my life, even though she personally hated the woman. Despite our shaky beginning, she really proved her loyalty to me. She cared about my happiness, even if it sabotaged her own.
That was real love.
I wouldn’t take it for granted.
London immediately questioned me when I returned to the royal chambers. “What happened?”
I adjusted my cuff links and did my best to keep a stoic expression. “Ariel changed her mind. She starts again tomorrow.”
London did such a remarkable job with her performance. Even though I knew she had something to do with it, she nearly fooled me into believing her innocence. “Wow. That’s incredible. I’m relieved.”
I inserted my hands in my pockets as I walked closer to her. “I’m glad to have her back. She makes my life a lot less complicated.”
“I know. You’ve been working a lot…”
A smile formed on my lips as I looked at her, seeing the genuine happiness in her eyes. “It’s too bad you two don’t get along. Looks like you’ll be seeing a lot more of her.”
“She’s not so bad,” she whispered. “When she’s around, I see you more. So, this is a win for me.”
“Yeah.” I could have told her I knew everything. I was tempted. I wanted her to know I appreciated the gesture she made for me, that she pressured Ariel into staying, whatever her argument was. I wanted London to know it meant a lot to me that she cared about my happiness so much. But not saying anything at all made it just as special. She proved she loved me without getting anything in return. So I kept it to myself and chose to stare at her instead. “I love you.”
Her eyes softened at the unexpected words. When she was emotionally moved, she looked even more beautiful. She looked even more gorgeous than she did when she said she loved me when we made love. She looked perfect. “I love you too.”
Like nothing happened, Ariel came to work the following day and picked up where she left off. She caught up on everything she had missed, rearranged the data sheets, and managed to pick up another client all within the first hour.
She was definitely a hustler.
In the afternoon, we had a meeting with a client in Edinburg. He owned a branch of high-end restaurants in Greece, and he was interested in making a large order of scotch on a regular basis. Since he was considered a VIP, we met him in person—and even I tagged along.
We got through the meal and signed the papers at the end. He had to leave to catch his flight, so he left us with the bill—not that it made a difference to us. It gave us more time to enjoy the bottle of wine we hadn’t finished.
“That was easy,” Ariel said. “Now he’s in our top ten.”
“Easy money.” I checked my phone for emails before I drank my wine again. Having Ariel at my side made everything smooth. I enjoyed her company as well as her brilliance. “Where did you find him anyway?”
“Cassandra,” she explained. “She’s friends with his brother-in-law.”
“I’ll have to thank her next time I see her.”
“I’ll thank her for you.” She winked then drank her wine.
I didn’t know much about Cassandra, other than the fact that Ariel adored her. “What does Cassandra do for a living?”
“She’s a lawyer.”
That didn’t surprise me. Ariel seemed like someone who would be drawn to another successful person. “What kind of law does she practice?”
“Mainly divorce cases. But she enjoys it.”
“That’s great. The four of us should have dinner together sometime. I’d love to get to know her better.”
“Sounds like a plan.” Her nails were painted black, and she wore a gold bracelet that contrasted against her olive skin. Ariel was a natural beauty who accessorized minimally. Less was always more with her.
“Dimitri told me he saw you and London having a private conversation.”
Ariel swirled her wine like I said nothing of consequence.
She didn’t respond, so I pressed forward. “I don’t know what London said to you, but I’m glad she said it. I was pretty miserable when you left.”
She finally set down her wine and looked me in the eye. “I still don’t like her. I’ll never trust her. I’ll never forgive her. But I will say that she genuinely cares for you, and that’s the only thing I tolerate about her.”
My assumption had been confirmed, and it only made me fall for London harder. The scar over my chest was just a bad dream now. We had our differences, a difficult beginning, but everything had been worth it. Now I was happy again. “Maybe your tolerance can grow to fondness someday.”
“Unlikely, but possibly.” She poured herself another glass of wine. “But you know me. I always keep an open mind.”
“You do.” I tapped my glass against hers. “To new beginnings.”
She smiled. “To new beginnings.”
14
London
The second Ariel walked back into his life, Crewe was in a much better mood.
And he worshiped the ground I walked on. When we weren’t making love, he was still fiercely affectionate. And if he wasn’t touching me with his hands, his eyes still explored me with their usual intensity.
I made a deal with the devil, but right now, I didn’t regret it.
One day I would. But that day was not today.
He walked into the bedroom just before lunch, our usual daily routine. He used to have working lunches when Ariel wasn’t around, but now he had plenty of free time. “Would you like to join me for lunch?”
“Definitely.” I was dressed and ready to go, knowing he would walk in the door between 12:00 and 12:15. “Where are we eating?”
“The sun is out today, so I thought we’d eat in the courtyard. How does that sound?”
We could eat in the bathroom and I wouldn’t care. As long as I got to be with Crewe, it didn’t matter to me. “Perfect.”
He circled my waist with his arms and pressed a quick kiss to my mouth. If he didn’t have time for a rendezvous, he usually avoided giving me too much affection. When he did, it always led to other things. And if that happened, neither one of us would be eating lunch. He took my hand and walked with me to the courtyard. The second he appeared in the midst of the stone, flowers, and neatly trimmed bushes, the maids walked out with platters of sandwiches, salad, and assorted fruit. They set everything on the table underneath the umbrella then disappeared. Even though Crewe said thank you, they didn’t say much back. It was as if they were afraid to anger him in some way.
I knew Crewe could be intimidating, but he wasn’t that intimidating.
“How’s your day?” Crewe had a cup of coffee with his lunch instead of a glass of scotch. He’d had to quit drinking all over again, but at least he was sticking to it.
“Pretty good. Did some reading.” I hadn’t even begun the process of applying to a school. Now that I knew Crewe and I wouldn’t last much longer than a year, I didn’t see the point. It would be a waste of time and money since the credits weren’t transferrable. “How’s yours?”
“Ariel brought a new client to the table. He owns over two dozen restaurants in Greece, Turkey, and Austria, so he’s brought big business. Apparently, Cassandra had a connection to him.”
“That’s nice.”
“We’re gonna have dinner with Ariel and Cassandra soon. They seem serious, so I’d like to get to know her.”
I wasn’t sure why a sweet woman like Cassandra was with Ariel in the first place. That woman didn’t have a heart. “Let me know when.”
C
rewe set his napkin in his lap and ate like we had visitors. His manners were an integral part of his demeanor, so he never ate like a normal person. I, on the other hand, always made a mess—one way or another.
“There’s something I wanted to ask you.”
“I’m listening.” He popped a strawberry in his mouth and focused his expression on me. He always gave me his entire focus whenever I asked for it. I’d dated a lot of guys who only partially listened to what I had to say.
“Can you help me get a phone?”
“A phone?” he asked, his eyebrows raised.
“Yes, like a cell phone.” I made it clear I was an independent human being this time around. “I’d also like a laptop and a car.”
Crewe didn’t shut me down. He took a bite of his salad and slowly chewed, considering my request. “I can arrange that.”
“I can pay for my own car. I just need help getting a license. I can pay for my own laptop too, but since I don’t have a license, I can’t just go out and get one.”
“I can have one of the men take care of that for you.”
“I’d like to pay for it, Crewe.” I didn’t want him to buy everything for me. His wealth didn’t matter to me, and I needed to prove that.
When his eyes darkened in intensity, I knew he wanted to shut me down and say he would pay for it anyway. But he knew how important it was for me to be respected as a real person, not a prisoner. “If you transfer the money into my account, I can have them pick up everything you need. Is that fair?”
That was the best compromise I was going to get. “Yes.”
“We’ll work on the license. I can arrange for you to take the exam here and get your license immediately.”
“Okay.”
He drank his coffee then took another bite of his food.
“I was also wondering if I could use your phone to call my brother.” I knew this would be a difficult subject. When I called Joseph before, I planned my escape so I could get away from Crewe. Crewe would carry that scar on his chest until the day he died. There was no way Crewe could just brush that off like it was no big deal.
He didn’t hesitate before he pulled his phone out of his pocket and slid it across the table from me. “Of course, Lovely. You don’t need to ask.”
I got a much better reaction than I hoped for. “Thanks…”
Crewe looked across the courtyard as he chewed his food, his hard jaw masculine and his features sharp and beautiful. It didn’t matter what he was doing, he always looked sexy doing it.
He took my request a lot better than I expected, and I wasn’t sure if his positivity came from Ariel’s return or something else altogether. I was just grateful the conversation went so well.
When he finished his food, he left his dirty dishes for the maids to clear. “I’ll be in my office. Return my phone when you’re ready. I’ll arrange for one of the men to pick up the things you asked for.”
“Great. Thanks.”
He came around the table and kissed me before he left. “See you later.”
It was the kind of quick embrace that existed between a husband and a wife, or between two partners who were used to saying goodbye for a short period of time every day. I liked how natural it felt. I liked the fact that I could picture myself doing it every single day.
But I also hated that fact too.
When he was gone, I called my brother.
“London?” Joseph immediately assumed it was me, knowing Crewe had no reason to call him ever again.
“Yep, it’s me. How’s it going?”
“Good. I’m guessing things are going well with you since I haven’t heard from you in nearly a month.” His voice was heavy with accusation, but not enough to make me feel guilty.
“Yeah, I’m happy.”
“Well, that’s good. I’m in London right now.”
“So you aren’t too far away.”
“But far enough that I wouldn’t be able to help you if you needed it,” he said. “You don’t need it, right?”
“No. He takes good care of me.”
“Good,” he said with a sigh. “I’m relieved. So, what’s your plan? You’re gonna stay there forever?”
“I was going to go back to school and get my own apartment…but I don’t think that’s going to happen anymore.”
“Are you pregnant?” he blurted.
“No.” I rolled my eyes. “My time with Crewe is limited. I want to enjoy it the best I can.”
“Why is it limited?”
I told him the story about Ariel.
“Man, she’s a freak. I hate that bitch. You should have let me take her.”
“Joseph,” I said coldly. “That’s not funny.”
“Wasn’t trying to be. But she’s a bitch, and you know it.”
“I do know it. But she’s important to Crewe.”
“Is he in love with her or something?”
“I sure hope not,” I said. “Since she’s gay.”
“She is?” he asked in surprise. “Oh. Well, I guess you don’t have to worry about that…”
“Yeah.”
“So, you’re really going to leave him when the time comes? I thought you loved this guy?”
“I do. I really do. That’s why it has to be this way.”
“Doesn’t make any sense to me.”
Joseph had never been in love, so he would never understand. “Even though my time with him will be short, it’s still worth it. I’d much rather spend a little amount of time with him than none at all. Life is short. Live in the moment.”
Joseph sighed over the line. “Whatever you say. Do you have a number where I can reach you?”
“Crewe is getting me a phone today.”
“Well, let me know when you have those digits.”
“Okay.”
“I’ll talk to you later. Bye.”
“Bye.”
He hung up, and I set the phone on the table. I was supposed to return it to Crewe, but I didn’t feel like getting up just yet. Telling the truth to another person made it feel more real, that I agreed to hurt both Crewe and myself at the end of the road. When I asked Crewe about marriage in the past, he didn’t have a real answer to give me. Maybe he never wanted to marry me.
But I knew he loved me.
As soon as Crewe walked through the door after work, he set a bag on the table and stripped his jacket off. “I got the stuff you asked for. Your driving exam is next week.”
“Damn, that was fast.”
“That’s what I pay my men for.” He unclasped his watch and slid it off his wrist. “And you know I’m fast too.” He winked then leaned down and kissed me where I sat on the couch.
“I do, actually.” I set my book on the table and rose to my feet so I could give him a hug. “So, I have a number and everything?”
“Expect a lot of inappropriate texts throughout the day.”
“Oh, I will.”
He grabbed the bag and pulled out the phone and a MacBook. “You’re set. I added the Wi-Fi information for you.”
“Thank you.”
“No problem.” He slid his arms around my waist and looked down at me. It was rare for him not to kiss me, but he seemed content with just a stare. He slightly swayed from side to side with me, almost as if we were slow dancing at a junior high dance.
“What is it?”
“Nothing,” he whispered. “I just like to look at you.”
“Good thing I like to look at you too.”
“Well, how can you not? I’m a very handsome man.” He smiled like he was teasing me.
“Very true.”
He pulled me tighter against his chest, his powerful physique feeling like concrete. “So, are you going to apply for classes with that laptop?”
“No. I just need something to do during the day while you’re at work.”
He gave me a quizzical expression. “Are you saying you won’t be taking classes again?”
“Probably not.”
He couldn�
��t hide the happiness on his face. He didn’t smile, but the joy was in his eyes. “Why is that?”
“I don’t know. Just not sure if I want to go to class while I’m here. Seems like a hassle.”
“Well, you’re more than welcome to live here—with me.” He cupped my face and brushed his thumb across my bottom lip. “Pleasing me is a full-time job. It comes with great benefits.”
“So I hear.”
“It comes with anything you could ever need. And it comes with a personal heater too.”
“You do keep the sheets warm.”
His happiness dimmed. “Don’t tease me, Lovely. Are you going to stay with me? You know there’s nothing I want more.”
It was easy to give up everything for him, at least when he looked at me like that. There was no sacrifice I wouldn’t make to feel this good, to be this happy. I wanted this man to love me just like this for the rest of my life. I would never forget the way I felt the first time I laid eyes on him. There was so much hatred I couldn’t bottle it all inside. But now when I looked at him, I saw the greatest man I’d ever met. “I’d like to stay with you.”
His happiness immediately returned. “You’ve made me a very happy man.”
That made everything worth it. When I packed my bags and left, I would remember this moment to give me the strength to walk away. “There’s something I want from you…and you aren’t going to be happy about it.”
“You know I’ll do anything for you.”
“My brother can’t hate my boyfriend, and my boyfriend can’t hate my brother.”
He stared at me without blinking.
“So I need you guys to get along. He’s the only family I’ve got left.”
“Lovely, you know he shot me.”
“I know. And you kidnapped me. You’re both guilty of terrible things.”
“But I never tried to murder you. And when you were in my captivity, I always treated you with respect.”
“Except when you stripped me naked and forced me to have dinner with Bones.” I didn’t remind him of the incident to make him feel terrible, just to prove my point.
His gaze darkened.
“I need you guys to get along. I’ve done my best with Ariel. You can do this for me.”
