Page 205 of Secret Heir For The Billionaire Twin

Steve does not rush to fill the silence.

After a moment, he says, “That doesn’t mean it doesn’t hurt.”

“I know.”

“You going into the office?”

“Probably.”

“No.”

I look at the phone. “Excuse me?”

“You’re going to bury yourself in work because that’s what you always do when you don’t want to think.”

“I have work.”

“You always have work.”

I glance at the reports on my desk.

Steve continues, “Take the weekend. Take Monday. Hell, take Tuesday if you need it. Blackwell will survive forty-eight hours without you.”

“That sounds optimistic.”

“It sounds accurate.”

I exhale. “The press is going to get hold of this.”

“Probably before the weekend is over.”

“That’ll be pleasant.”

“No, it’ll be ugly for a couple of days,” Steve says.

“Then they’ll find someone else to bother.”

I look down at the unread page in front of me.

“I’ll clear Monday and Tuesday,” I tell him.

Steve pauses. “Good.”

“Don’t sound surprised.”

“I’m trying not to scare you off.”

That earns the closest thing to a laugh I have managed all day.

Steve lets the moment pass before saying, “Get out of the apartment tonight.”

“I’ll think about it.”

“That means no.”

“It means I’ll think about it.”

“Fine.”