Page 88 of Out Of A Fix

“No, you shouldn’t be. You were going through a terrible time and⁠—”

“Not that,” she murmured, taking a breath. “Believing everything Caitlyn said.”

“Oh.”

“I talked to Ronnie and Kara, and really, she used us all. She had us covering up the affair, and she had me believing it would all be all right because Luke wanted me to take her place.” She shook her head. “I always watch those shows about women who get swindled in romance scams and they give all their money away to people who are catfishing them.”

“What has that got to do with you?”

“Basically, I fell for the same thing. Caitlyn dangled her handsome, funny, caring husband in front of me, and I went for it hook, line, and sinker.”

“Yeah, but⁠—”

“The worst part is she actually thought Luke was so weak, he would simply reach for me because I was here and he didn’t want to be alone. How little she must have thought of him. Because even I know Luke is absolutely protective of his children. He only asked me to look in on them because he had no choice. All the people he knows, his crew, were all with him. I was a last resort until you showed up on your white horse. He must be so terribly grateful you’ve been here.”

Which, now that I was thinking about it, was probably where his hesitancy around my leaving came from. It was gratitude. I would need to clear that up.

“So I wanted to tell him I’d rather he not show up, and then when I get back, perhaps I’ll be ready to talk to him about everything.” She was quiet a moment. “Or perhaps that’s not a conversation we ever need to have. I mean honestly, what would that do for either of us?”

Nothing good in my opinion. “Where are you going?”

“Paris,” she said with a long sigh. “So I might never come back.”

I smiled at her. “Your friends were hoping you would travel.”

“Well, I am. And they’re going with me, at least for the beginning. We’ll see how it goes.”

Squeezing her hand, I liked the smile she was giving me.

“Nash.”

Turning, I saw Weston Kinney standing between the dining and living room.

“May I speak to you outside, please?”

“Oh, sure.” I gave Shelly’s hand a final squeeze before crossing the room toward him. Once I reached him, I followed him through the house out onto the porch. “What’s going on? I thought you were staying for dinner.”

“I wanted you to know that Griffin’s father has basically warned me that if my intentions toward you are not honorable, he doesn’t want to see me outside my office.”

“What?” That was insane. “No.”

He nodded. “I got the impression he thinks that while you’re here, you’re his responsibility, and though I explained that your heart is in no danger, that I was only interested in your body…”

I snorted out a laugh, I couldn’t help it.

“This did not seem to appease him.”

“He doesn’t care who I’m sleeping with, believe me.”

“I don’t mean to tell you your business, fixer, but I think you’re wrong there.”

I shook my head.

“Regardless, before you leave here, I expect to be held down and fucked hard.”

“You are direct, aren’t you.”

“What’s the point of game-playing?”