Page 60 of In Love and Revenge

She slams the empty glass down on the bar. ‘I’ll get my own flight home.’

Storming off through the guests, she attracts more than a few curious glances.

‘Ah, bloody hell,’ I hiss, turning back to the bar.

‘Here you go, buddy.’ Killian hands me a towel he’s got from the bartender.

‘Thanks,’ I grunt, wiping my face.

‘Sister’s friend, hey? I reckon you might have more of that coming if she finds out,’ Jenson says.

He chuckles as I toss the towel on to the bar.

‘I need another drink,’ I rasp, not wanting to think about how accurate he might be if Dove were to realise I have my own private stash of every video Aurora’s ever made.

Forget workaholic, she’ll discover I’m a goddamn wankaholic. A bloody fiend. Unable to stop bashing one out at every opportunity.

I should be disgusted at myself.

Ishould.

But fuck, the only thing I can think about – the only thing that would make me feel better right now – is if Aurora bloody Thorne was kneeling at my feet. And if I was feeding her my cock and making her gag on it.

She’s Dove’s friend.

I don’t even like her.

She’s a goddamn thief.

I scrub a hand around my jaw, letting out a low curse.

What the hell’s wrong with me?

Killian claps me on the back. ‘Get the poor guy another drink,’ he says to the bartender. ‘He looks like he needs it.’

Chapter 17

Aurora

The office is blissfully quiet when I arrive at 7 a.m. It won’t be like this for long. The first people will start arriving soon, along with Rafael.

I huff as I approach the staff room. With any luck he’ll be out at client meetings today and I won’t have to see him. I head to the new coffee machine that’s been installed and grab a mug.

‘Ugh, seriously?’

The empty bean container taunts me.

I knew I should have picked up a coffee on the way in. I was too occupied thinking about Freddie’s owner, Kate, and what she must be going through since I found something I wasn’t supposed to in the coat pocket of her dry cleaning I collected yesterday. I’ve never met her husband face-to-face, but from all of their photos around the house they look like they have the picture-perfect life. What was it Rafael said? ‘Loaded people have loaded secrets?’ Turns out, he’s right about something.

I drum my fingers around the empty mug. Rafael usually has fresh beans in his office beside his coffee machine.

Hesitation swirls in my gut, but the need for caffeine quickly outweighs it.

He won’t know if I borrow a few beans. And even if he realises, the guy’s an arse, but he isn’t going to begrudge me for wanting to start the day with a coffee. Or maybe he will. But I’m prepared to take that risk.

I head to his office, relieved to find it empty with the door open. The coffee machine is on a fancy sideboard on the far side of the room by the dressing-room door, so I cross the newly laid carpet quickly and glance around to check I’m still alone before I flick the machine on and place my mug underneath it.

‘Jesus Christ.’