I scoff. “You might as well be a smurf when you’re next to me.” It’s a slight exaggeration, but it’s worth it when her laughter fills the car. As I ease into traffic, she starts talking about her plans for The Sterling Thread, and how she’s been chatting to a new artist, Halsey Ward, who has recently moved into town and wants to partner with her. It’s her first artist to sign up, and the excitement in her eyes is undeniable.
“It still feels surreal,” she finishes, eyes focused through the windshield. “Halsey is amazing, Graft. Like, so talented, and I’m sure if she lets me exhibit her work, other people will follow.” The confidence and enthusiasm are contagious, and I reach over, resting a hand on her thigh.
“I’m sure Halsey is fantastic, but it’s you,” I tell her. “People gravitate toward you, knowing without a doubt that you’ll follow through on your promises. You’re genuine and trustworthy, and it shows.”
She hums, not disagreeing but not looking convinced. “I keep thinking the other shoe has got to drop, or something else is going to happen. It doesn’t feel like it should be this easy.”
I squeeze her leg before sliding my fingers under the hemline of her dress, finding the spot where her stockingsend, and I can trace my fingers over warm, silky skin. She shivers under my touch, her flesh pebbling with goose bumps.
“You deserve easy, darling,” I tell her firmly. “And you’re untouchable now. Who would dare come after you?”
She twists her fingers together in her lap. “Caroline and Mom didn’t think that a couple of weeks ago.”
There’s a low pulse of anger at the memory, but I slide my hand further under her dress, savoring her gasp of surprise when my pinky finger rubs against the damp fabric of her panties. Just like that, the anger fades to a muffled whisper, and I exhale softly. “They might have been brave enough then, but they wouldn’t be now.”
I keep my eyes on the road as Lynley swivels to stare at me, her mouth parted. I look her way as I come to stop at a light, and I can see the questions flickering through her eyes… But then it’s chased away with resolve, her jaw setting stubbornly.
Good girl.If she asked, I’d give her the truth. The day she called me to help her leave her mother’s house, Lynley firmly sliced her family from her life. She hasn’t contacted them once since, and, as far as I know, she hasn’t thought much about them, either.
Lynley is warm to her core, but she can be icy when the situation calls for it, and she coldly cuts the rot out of her life with barely a second thought. It’s never going to be something I need to worry about, but I love that she has the ability, especially with people who aren’t worth the air she breathes.
I wasn’t lying when I told her that she no longer needed to worry about her mother and sister. Knox and I made sure that no one within a five-hundred-mile radius would hire either of them. And then we circulated some fun rumorswithin their social circle, ensuring no one would want to be caught dead in their company, including the sister’s waste-of-space husband.
It was just unfortunate that photos and videos had been—anonymously—uploaded to the internet, showing off Caroline at her absolute fucking worst. And everyone knew that kind of shit never went away.
“Remind me not to get on your bad side,” Lynley murmurs, and I look over to catch her devious little smile.
I shake my head. “That’s not possible, baby. I’ve only got one side, and it’s yours.”
Her hand drops to cover mine, and we don’t say much else until I pull into the hotel parking lot, stopping at the valet stand. I get out, handing the keys and a generous tip over to the waiting valet before rounding the car to help her out and taking her arm.
Lynley frowns as she takes in where we are. “We have to be back by five,” she reminds me, a hint of disappointment in her voice. I immediately start making plans to organize an overnight date in our near future, but stall when I realize it means leaving the kids alone.
Maybe we’ll do it when I take her to Florida to meet my parents. They are safe enough to leave the kids with…although they did raise Thatcher.
Filing the problem away to figure out at a later date, I focus on Lynley. “We’re not staying. I just want to show you something.” Her dark eyes flicker downward, and I laugh. “You’ve already seen that,” I say wryly. “But I’m always happy to show you again.” I slide my hand down over her ass to emphasize the point, squeezing her firmly.
We walk inside, but I turn away from the front desk, urging her to the left. I called ahead while she was in the bathroom in my office, warning the managerI was coming by. Lynley’s quiet as she matches my steps, her arm looped through mine.
It hits me again how easily she seems to have gifted her trust to me, especially after everything she’s been through. I’ll prove to her every day that she’s not wrong for giving it to me, treasuring every piece of her that she gives me—especially when there was a time when I thought she could never be mine.
We stop just outside a set of ornate double doors, gilded in gold. Lynley blows out a shaky breath as recognition settles into her stare. I reach out, resting a hand on one curved handle, giving her a moment to steady herself, then push the door open, my other hand gesturing for her to precede me.
If I weren’t watching her so closely, I might have missed the hesitation, but she tips her chin back, walking forward. I follow her, stopping just inside the doorway as she heads for the middle of the room, her head turning as she takes everything in. Her arms are loose at her sides, the slightest tremble to her fingers before she tucks them into tight fists.
Finally, she turns, eyes locking with mine.
I smile. “And now we’re back to where it all started.”
Chapter 31
Lynley
My lips part on a startled gasp, my gaze sliding away from the burning intensity of his stare and shifting back around the massive room, taking it in with new eyes.
I’ve only been here once before. That night, there were tables set out across the rich mahogany floors, and a band had been playing on the raised dais. There was a crush of guests, all of them dressed in Christmas colors, and servers moving through the crowds, silver trays lifted high.
I remember thinking it had been the most extravagant party Reynolds & Media had ever thrown for its employees, but I figured the new CEO was trying to make an impression and improve morale.
