Page 146 of Pure Recklessness

‘Any particular reason why you wanted to watch an office romance?’ he asked.

‘Maybe I felt inspired by a certain person.’ I grinned.

Blake didn’t.

Instead, he looked at his watch. He wanted me to leave.

‘I’ll just have a shower. Or I could shower at home,’ I added quickly, not wanting to overstay my welcome.

‘Shower here,’ he replied firmly.

‘Okay.’ Maybe he didn’t want me to leave after all. ‘Would you like to join me?’ I teased.

‘I should go.’ He jumped off the bed. ‘Geoff will take you home. I’ll be in touch.’

Blake left the room and my jaw dropped.

We were having a good time then boom.

He shut down.

What the hell just happened?

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As Geoff pulled up outside a dilapidated building and announced that we’d arrived, I ground my jaw.

‘Are you sure this is the right place?’ I asked.

‘Certain,’ Geoff replied.

I wasn’t expecting Ellie to live in Buckingham Palace, but I didn’t think she’d live somewhere like this.

There were empty cans of beer strewn along the pavement along with cigarette packets and discarded takeaway boxes.

A window on the ground floor was smashed and the entire building was in desperate need of a fresh lick of paint.

Actually, that would be a waste. The best thing for this place was to drive a bulldozer straight through it.

No wonder Ellie wasn’t keen for me to pick her up.

Now I understood why she’d looked around my penthouse with the excitement of a child who’d just been given the keys to Hamley’s toy shop the night before Christmas.

I wasn’t happy with her staying in a place like this.

It didn’t look safe.

And she deserved better.

So much better.

I pulled out my phone.

Me

Outside.