My internal sentinel fires back,I’m sure it was just a matter of securing a location for his side piece.
But, but… He said he loved me and he meant it.
I imagine the sentinel laughing at my naiveté.Oh, I’m sure he does. This is how men like him love. A million dollars says he doesn’t even see the hypocrisy.
I can’t deal with this a second longer. I step back again as Beatrice silently closes the door, staring at me, no doubt shocked to find that she is just as expendable as this tiny Mexican.
“Gael, I’m so sorry,” Beatrice says, her chin wavering again. “I didn’t know that’s what they were going to discuss. Why would he agree to—”
“I need to get out of this house,” I say, interrupting her. “Manor. Whatever you call this hellhole.”
I spin on my heel, looking for the entrance. Recognizing the rugs, I start off in that direction. Beatrice follows me, silent until we reach the door.
“Gael…” Beatrice says, clasping her hands together.
I shake my head. “I… Thank you for showing me around and for speaking to me like I’m a human.”
“Me, too. For reminding me that I, too, am a human.”
I clench my jaw, unable to simply leave her to the wolves. “You don’t have to stay here. You can come with me.”
For the first time since meeting her, something like determination crosses her face. “Thank you for the kind offer. I, however… I needed to hear my father’s plans for me, I think. I’ve been holding myself in check for so long. I think I’m the one who’s done.”
She blinks rapidly, as though she can barely believe the words that came out of her mouth.
“Do you think Heli would—”
“Yes,” she says breathlessly. “He’s been waiting for me this whole time.”
“Then go to him, and tell me how it turns out,” I say, holding up my phone. “Though I might need directions to Adrian’s house. We did not take the direct route to get here.”
“Once you’re past the drive, it’s a straight shot to the left.”
I kiss her cheek again and make my way to the Range Rover and turn the key that’d been conveniently left in the ignition. Thankfully, Bea’s description was accurate. Tolly had truly taken a back way this morning.
I hit Ant’s number as I take off, driving on the wrong side of the car on the wrong side of the road.
“Gael! How’s it going at the rich man’s castle?”
“It’s not a castle, it’s a manor house.”
“What’s going on?” he asks, switching to Spanish. I never could hide a single emotion from him.
“The family is in financial trouble, and Tolly is working out a deal with his father as we speak to marry some rich girl to save the estate. How that works, I don’t know.”
“I can’t imagine Tolly would do that.”
“I wouldn’t have been able to, either, until I heard it from his mouth. They were discussing this girl he was going to marry like she was a piece of cattle. And they even spoke about Beatrice the same way.”
“Who’s Beatrice?” he asks, his words turning sharp.
“Tolly’s sister. Apparently, the family he’s marrying into has a two for one deal with the brother.”
I share with him everything I learned, and he listens like he always does.
Finally, he asks, “How the fuck could he do that? Doesn’t he get that it’s basically high-end human trafficking?” He curses under his breath, getting more and more heated. “Primo, seriously, get the fuck out of there.”
“Already on it. I just need to find a flight.”
