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John pushed his fingers through his hair wearily. “She knows who Jerric is. I don’t have a doubt in my mind that she’s also piecing together other bits of information we don’t want her to know.”
Teyha shrugged. “She thinks she knows, John. Without proof or someone to verify it, then she’s still in the dark.” She gave him a warning look. “Just make certain you aren’t the one providing the proof.”
John shook his head as a mocking smile crossed his lips. “Jordan thinks he can control this, doesn’t he?”
Tehya rolled her eyes. “Jordan thinks he can control many things. Whether or not he can is another thing.” She glanced around the room, her expression sobering as a hint of wariness crossed her face. “I’d better go. I have to at least pretend to be Jerric’s mistress. Do you have any idea what a bitch he can be when it comes to working with a woman? You’d think he’s possessed by his wife rather than married to her.”
“He’s possessed by his love for her,” John said quietly. “There’s a difference.”
“He’s still a bitch to work with.” She shrugged. “I’ll keep you up to date on Alberto, and you keep an eye on her.”
“I have her back,” he stated as he moved to the bedroom door. “Do you have a viable cover for being in our room?”
A faint grin touched her lips. “Several people heard Jerric more or less order me to come here and attempt to negotiate with you to drop out of the running. Simple business transaction.”
He nodded at that and opened the door, aware that the cameras aimed at the hallway would monitor her exit from the room.
Bailey was getting fed up with the lies, he could see it in her expression, sense it in the tension that was tightening within her day by day. Bailey didn’t suspect anything. Hell, no. She knew . . .
Running his fingers through his hair, John moved to the door, turned the knob easily and stepped into the steamy confines of the bathroom before closing the door behind him.
He could see her through the glass shower doors, her head braced against the tile wall, her shoulders hunched against the anger. The knowledge. And the pain.
This was destroying her, it was destroying him to watch her hurt like this. Like a beast digging in sharpened claws, the knowledge that the end was coming soon tore at both of them.
Shedding his clothes, he moved to the shower, slid open the doors, and watched as her head jerked up.
John saw the betrayal in her eyes, the fear, the need to know that something, just one thing in her life was a constant. That it was real.
“Come here.” He pulled her into his arms despite her attempt to turn away from him. “Come here, baby. I have you.”
He felt the sob that racked her body as he closed his arms around her, and felt the feminine need for comfort, for security, that she so rarely showed.
Bailey was used to dealing with everything on her own. She wasn’t used to sharing her pain or leaning on anyone. Right now he needed her to lean on him. He needed to protect her against something, he needed a dragon to slay for her, because God knew he couldn’t find a way to slay the situation they were in, or the lies he was forced to live.
He cupped the back of her head and stared across her head, feeling the anger rise inside him that she had to hurt this way.
He kissed her forehead, beside her eye.
She shook her head. “I hate the lies, John.”
She stared up at him, anger vibrating in every line of her body. “I know you’re lying to me. I know Jerric is a lie, just as I know Travis Caine is one. I know it. And I still have to allow it to continue. I hate it.”
Bailey knew how to lie. She knew how to deceive in her job. If there was one thing he knew about her though, it was that outside that job, Bailey was as honest as the day could be long.
This was tearing them both apart.
“There are lies we have to live, for one reason or another,” he said. “That still doesn’t mean the reality is what we want it to be.”
He couldn’t tell her the truth. God knew he wanted to. He needed to. But right now the truth would be more dangerous to her than the lie was painful.
“I’ll end up hating you,” she whispered fiercely.
“And I’ll always dream of you,” he sighed as he lowered his lips to hers.
His hard shaft pressed against her belly, though it was a need he could control now. He needed to comfort her just as much as he needed to love her.
“Did I ever stop dreaming of you?” She cried softly as she melted against him.
