Page 304 of The Heart You Kept

“With a pair of scissors?” she mutters dryly.

I chuckle as I make my way to the gym, strip off to my briefs and walk into the sauna.

I lean my head back against the back wall as the infrared lights glow red, it’s steamy and hot and I feel myself begin to relax.

ALORA

I sit on the couch scrolling through my phone. I am in a pissy mood tonight. Hormonal as fuck but damn it, he’s annoying.

A text bounces in, the name Thomas Stone lights up the screen.

Thomas Stone

You okay?

Huh? I reply.

Me

Yeah, why wouldn’t I be?

I see dots as he types back and then they stop. I wait again as they start to bounce and then they stop again. What is he writing, a fucking novel? Too impatient to wait, I dial his number.

“Hi.” He answers first ring.

“Why are you asking if I’m okay?” I snap.

“Umm.” He hesitates.

“What?”

“I know this is probably all bullshit or old footage or whatever, but I just wanted to check on you, that’s all.”

“What is?” I snap.

“You haven’t seen it?”

“Seen what?”

“I’m going to send you a link.”

“Fine.” I roll my eyes and sip my wine, honestly, all men are annoying tonight. He sends me a link to a story on TMZ, the celebrity gossip page. The heading reads:

Busted…

A leopard never changes its spots.

“Huh?” I read on.

Edward Prescott was caught red-handed last week entertaining one of his past love interests, Isadora Auclair, on his yacht

“The fuck?” I murmur.

I look through the images, it’s daytime and Edward is shirtless and cuddling Isadora on the below deck near the gym.

Marcel his guard is standing to the side as if watching on.

This is the woman who was trying to approach me in Monaco that day. I narrow my eyes as I zoom in on the photo. She’s wearing a tight dress and her hair and makeup are done. Her hand is resting on Edward’s bare chest and she has super-long red nails. There’s no denying that she’s hot as fuck.