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Jo cocked a brow.
“Fine. Maybe you didn’t misunderstand, but perhaps you can find something good out of it. If he charms the ladies and gets us more work, this is a good thing, isn’t it?”
Jo took a huge gulp of her wine. “I worked so hard to cultivate relationships with those women. I am not going to let him ruin it. Besides, if he insists that he is the writer of our plays, then he can write them all himself.”
It was Selena’s turn to grimace. “What if he’s not good at it? Will you jeopardize our livelihood out of spite?”
“Heis takingmylivelihood. How can you blame it on me?” Jo took another large sip. “He doesn’t seem to need the money, unlike me, who has worked days and nights and… why am I explaining this to you? You know all this!”
Selena’s face reddened even more as she sipped her wine and pretended to not hear Jo’s question. Jo narrowed her eyes on Selena’s flushed cheeks, and it finally dawned on her.
“You are having an affair with him,” she said in astonishment. “How could you? He is a boor!”
“He isn’t…” Selena grimaced and turned fully toward Jo. “It isn’t an affair. We just happened to share one night. I didn’t want it to happen either. But it just… did.”
“How did itjusthappen? And when? Only two days ago, I caught him with a maid, no less!” Jo cried.
A few heads turned their way, and Jo bit her lip. Selena looked around and leaned closer to Jo. “Well, it happened th-that night.” Selena wrung her hands together and visibly trembled. Was she afraid of Jo’s reaction this much? Or was she just nervous talking about a tryst with Mick? Mick! “I-I didn’t want to, I promise. But he caught me off guard and…”
“And what?” Jo looked at Selena’s down-turned face. “Did he force himself on you?”
“No! No, of course not. I mean… I was reluctant at first, but my body betrayed me, and…” She grimaced and looked away.
Jo was stunned into silence. For the first time in a long time, she couldn’t find anything to say.
“And then he… we… Well, it happened again last night. I think he might truly like me.”
Something squeezed inside Jo’s chest. “And are you fine with him romancing all those women?”
Selena shrugged. “He is doing it for us. To get us the job. Please, don’t say that’s not what he is doing. I can’t… My mind is muddled as it is.”
Jo raised her glass to take another sip, only to realize it was empty. “I need another drink,” she muttered to herself.
“Please. Do not go against Mick. I don’t want you two fighting,” Selena pleaded.
Jo didn’t want to argue with her friend. But she couldn’t wrap her mind around any of this. Just when she needed her support, Selena turned to the enemy’s side. But Selena looked quite lost and confused. And Jo was not doing anyone any favors by ranting her frustrations.
Her head was starting to hurt, and she was getting too over-warm. And most of all, she couldn’t stand watching Mick and his manipulations. She already knew what his smug expression would be once he landed them a job and how he would boast about it non-stop.
She needed to get out of here. She needed a distraction.
She needed… Her gaze fell to the dashing viscount who was watching her under hooded eyes. A certain viscount who promised that the doors to his bedroom were always open.
This was a very bad idea.
And that was exactly what Jo needed at the moment.
