“This attitude,” he says. I open my mouth to speak when he reaches for me, lifts me, and turns to carry me back into the room.
“That is not what you were going to talk about,” I fume. “You’re lying. Just like you have?—”
I stop myself mid-sentence and turn away. I clench my teeth together.
I’m pulled against him. He tilts my chin and forces me to look into his eyes.
“Just like I have what?”
I swallow. I lick my lips. “The whole time,” I say on a whisper, my voice wobbling. “You pretended we just ran into each other. You pretended you didn’t know me. Meanwhile, it was your plan to manipulate me from the very beginning.”
When he doesn’t reply, I push. I need to know. I need him to tell me.
“Are you going to deny it?”
Deny it. Explain this away. Tell me it never happened.
When he shakes his head, my heart sinks to my toes.
His phone rings.
“Jesus Christ,” he mutters under his breath. “Why can’t I get one mother fucking minute? I’m not answering it.”
What if it’s his brother?
Nope. No skin off my nose. It’s his problem, not mine.
The ringing goes on, and on, and on until he grabs his cell and pushes a button.
“What?” He shakes his head. “You want me to bring it now? Fine. Same place?” He drops me on the couch like I’m a sack of potatoes. Then he freezes.
“What?”
He stares at me, his nostrils flared. When he speaks, he doesn’t bother to hide his scalding fury. “Fine.”
He hangs up the phone and throws it across the room. I gasp when it shatters and falls to the floor in fragments.
“You got your wish,” he spits out.
“What?” What the hell is he talking about?
“They told me to bring you.” I stare at him, processing what he’s just said.
“Me?”
“I don’t take orders from people, Nicolette.” He takes a step toward me.
“Oh, believe you me, I know.” I stand my ground, hands on my hips.
“When I find out who this is, they’ll wish they never cornered me.”
“Of course. Naturally.” I swallow and stay right where I am. “When do we leave?”
My heart beats faster as he steps so close to me I can almost touch him.
“Right. Now. Let’s get this over with. Let’s put this behind us, once and for all.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
