“How’s that?” He didn’t bother looking down at me.
“Because I still have my plane.” It had to be a sign.
A muscle ticked in his jaw. “It was a gift.”
“And because you authorized all the charges, I made this morning.” I shook my arms, showing him what I’d bought on his dime—a new set of diamond everything, and shoes. Really freaking cute shoes, too. Something, anything, to get his attention.
“I gave you that card to use if you needed it.” He shrugged indifferently, but I had spenta lot. Maybe too much. Like maybe I should return the jewelry at least.
“Because you care about me.” I practically screamed. “And by the way, I hope all this sparkly stuff puts a dent in things.” I crossed my arms, feeling ridiculous as the chunky diamond bracelets clinked against each other. It wasn’t my style at all, but that wasn’t the point. The point was, I’d spent upwards of forty million dollars on diamonds and he hadn’t even so much as flinched—on a Tuesday!
“It didn’t.” He almost smirked but quickly dropped the corner of his mouth when I shot him a murderous look.
What. A. Prick. Filthy richasshole.
The tiny pendant he’d given me for my birthday burned against my sternum, practically mocking me from beneath thegaudy diamond-cluster-necklace currently attempting to strangle me.
I could feel myself getting flustered, pissed off that I couldn’t get a rise out of him. I’d hoped a shopping spree on Mr. Frugal’s card would elicit some sort of reaction, and this was rather disappointing if I was being honest.
“Fine, then I’ll make a really, reallybigcharitable donation on your behalf—how about fifty million to the Montclair Medical Center! How about that!” I threatened rather petulantly, wondering if that’d be enough to make him flinch.
This time he did smirk. “You go right ahead and do that, and while you’re at it, why don’t you go ahead and double it. Make it a nice round hundred—and then you can doublethat, pretty girl.” He winced, catching himself using his favorite term of endearment while I erupted.
“Fine!” I shouted, with a stomp of my foot. “I will.” Asshole!
A tense silence hung between us for a long while, as the question I really wanted to ask tightened around my throat like a noose. I didn’t voice it as I motioned to the paperwork that had been between him and Cade, my voice feeling thin. “What’s all this?”
He shifted uncomfortably. “Just business.”
“Carter, I’m worried about you.” I apparently could only keep up the raging bull act for two seconds. I collapsed against the edge of the couch and groaned. “Why the hell are you even working with Cade?” Whatever they were doing couldn’t be good. I didn’t know exactly what Cade did, but whatever it was, I knew it was shady as shit.
“We have mutual interests now.” Carter wandered back to the desk and shuffled through the paperwork, and I could swear I caught a flash of pink, hiding under his Patek.
Maybe I was hallucinating.
Give me something, anything, Carter.
I was actually beginning to believe he reallywasdone with me.
I watched him out of the corner of my eye while I pretended to look at my newly manicured fingernails. “Someone has been following me.”
His eyes snapped up to mine, sharp and assessing.
Ah hah! That’s fucking right. Pretending he doesn’t care. Please.
“Someone’s been following you?” He demanded protectively, finally turning his body towards me.
“Yup.” I shrugged indifferently as I eyed his suit, hunting for any signs of that stupid, beautiful blonde. No stray hairs glimmered anywhere on the dark material. Thank God.
Carter closed the space between us. “Fuck Sara. How long has this been going on?”
“Thought you didn’t care.” I flopped back into the deep couch, running my fingers over the leather tufting.
“This is different.” His jaw fanned, as if I’d caught him actually caring—what a fucking mistake. “Actually, Sara, whereisyour bodyguard?”
I smiled sweetly. “Waiting upstairs for me, like a good boy.”
“This is serious.”
