We’re a scandal waiting to happen.
The cruel thought gets pushed to the back of my mind when Rosalie stops before me. I’m a little apprehensive at seeing her, recalling the last time we talked at the gym. I expect her to be hostile and send me away.
She surprises me by gently touching my arm, and murmuring, “Hey, Arya, I heard about your cat. The doctor’s waiting in the ER. Let’s go.”
I peek at Nathan, wondering if he’ll leave.
Sensing my stress, he says, “I’ll be here if you need anything.”
Then I let Rosalie guide me inside.
Nathan
The women disappear into the crowd while I fight the pressing urge to be by Arya’s side. I’ve never seen her look so scared. However, I’m trying to keep my distance and not erase it.
An imperceptive and quiet Nova observes me like a hawk. I didn’t remove my hand from Arya’s fast enough.
“Spit it out,” I bark at him.
“Firstly, I feel honored you decided to grace me with your presence, your highness. I’m your childhood best friend, in case you forgot,” he drawls dramatically, and rounds to stand in front of me. “Secondly, have you lost your goddamn mind? Bianca’s little sister better not be your rebound fuck.”
I slide my balled hands inside my pockets and take a calming breath. “I’m not sleeping with her.”
“Oh, so you rush to rescue all your publicists?”
“We were having a meeting,” I lie.
He looks at his wristwatch and arches one suspicious eyebrow. “At eight in the evening? Awfully late to be working together.”
“You’ve never had a meeting run late?”
“I have,” he scoffs, then crosses his arms over his chest. “Except, my meetings happen at my office. Not at the colleague’s home with their pets. I sure as hell don’t provide them personal cab service or demand the ER be reserved for them.”
“Well, unlike you, I’m charming and chivalrous.”
He eyes me hard, then inquires too casually, “Nothing’s going on between you two?”
“No.”
“Fine.” He smiles a Cheshire grin. “Go home, then. Rosalie and I will drop her off.”
Bastard!I grind my teeth, not budging an inch.
“What?” he taunts. “Can’t leave?”
“Arya and Pihu aren’t going home with anyone but me.” There’s no masking the possessiveness in my tone.
His jaw slackens. “Motherfucker!”
“What?” I deadpan. Somehow this reaction is far too troublesome.
“It’s more than sex for you.”
I avert my eyes, stomach bottoming out. Shaking my head, I slip out more lies. “I told you there’s nothing going on between us. She was scared, alone, and panicking. So, I drove her here. It doesn’t mean anything.”
I almost ignored her call when she rang me, like I’ve been doing for the past two weeks. Desperate to hear her voice, my resolve broke and I picked up.
Thank God I did because the thought of not being there for her when she needed me is agonizing and tortuous.
