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“Why the call this morning?”
“I told you why.”
Her head cocks, her blonde hair falling over her shoulder. Her eyes look glassy. Sad. And damn my heart for feeling these days. I breathe in and step out, motioning her to one of the chairs in the foyer while checking we’re alone. The flowers I sent Ava catch my eye, still sitting pretty on the concierge’s desk. My nose wrinkles. They should be in Ava’s bedroom. She should be looking at them and thinking of me.
Freja sits, looking suddenly hopeful past her sadness, and I resign myself to spelling it out. I take the chair opposite her, having a quick rub at my forehead. “How do you know where...”
“You live?” She’s looking at me like it’s a stupid question, because, of course, it is. Her soon-to-be ex-husband is one of the developers of this building, and I bought the fucking penthouse.
I lean forward, resting my elbows on my knees. “You need to pretend what happened never happened,” I say as softly as I can. Lord knows, there are plenty of men around The Manor ready to tie her up if that’s what she wants. I just can’t be one of them.
“Easy for you to say.”
She’s right. It is, and I’m in no position to question why that is these days. “I won’t be around The Manor as often as I used to be.”Or drunk like I used to be.
“Why?”
“I have other interests filling my time at the moment.” Listen to me. Other interests? Who do I think I am? I sigh, flopping back in the chair. I’m no good at reasoning with women. They can’t be reasoned with.
“May I ask what?” she presses.
“No,” I reply flatly. “Freja, The Manor isn’t a place you go to find love. It’s a place you go to fuck.”
“I’m in love with you now?” she asks, her shoulders straightening. “Who said anything about love?”
“So you just want me to tie you up again, do you? Because there are hundreds of members of The Manor prepared to do that. Are you going to show up at their homes asking to talk?”
She wilts a little, looking away, and I find myself rubbing my forehead again. “Freja, concentrate on you for a while.”What am I, a fucking life coach?I laugh to myself, standing from my chair. “I have visitors.”
Freja rises, slinging her bag onto her shoulder, refusing to look at me. I feel like shit. Being sober brings on too many emotions I don’t know how to deal with. She turns and walks away, head held high, trying to claw back some self-respect. The door is pulled open from the other side, and Drew stands back, letting her through, ever the impassive gentleman. His eyes follow Freja’s path, a heavy frown falling into place.
He recognizes her. Great. “Hey,” I say, pulling his attention to me. I’ve never known a man to look constantly and consistently pristine. He’s been at work all morning and looks like his suit has just come back from the dry cleaners. And his hair? Not a strand out of place. His blue eyes look tired though. “Late night?” I ask, strolling to the elevator. Every night is a late night for Drew.
“What was she doing here?” he asks, catching up with me and getting in the elevator.
“It’s not what you think.”
“It’s never what anyone thinks,” Drew says flatly. “So what was she doing here?”
“She’s in love with me.”
Drew scoffs. “It must be so tough being a stud.”
I dazzle him with a smile that could light up the building. “Want some tips?”
“Fuck off.” He rolls his shoulders, pulling at his suit jacket, and I laugh. I’ve made myself clear to Freja. It’s one less thing to worry about amid the dozens of things for me to worry about. I only have to hope Mikael doesn’t find out I slept with his wife, find out I’m seeing the pretty interior designer who I just know he has his eye on, and tell said pretty interior designer that I slept with his wife. Actually, it’s not so much that I slept with his wife, as I didn’t know Ava then. Mikael knows what The Manor is and that’s bound to come up in conversation with Ava. Jesus, he might even think she’s a member. Sexually adventurous. Open to a come-on from him.Jesus.
So, yes. Mikael cannot know about Ava and me.
“If anyone around here is giving tips,” Drew says, “it’s me.”
I’m about to ask if he has any tips for a clueless man who thinks he might have foundthe one, but then I remember who I’m talking to. Drew wouldn’t know love if it slapped him around the face with a dildo. The man’s impenetrable. Probably more clueless than I am. And definitely kinkier. In fact, he’s pure filth.
Says the man who fucked a woman up the arse with no prep to test her boundaries and feelings for him.
The lift opens and Drew’s out, leaving my frowning form tucked away in the corner. I wasn’t testing her boundaries. Was I? I shake my head, following behind my friend. No, I was testing how responsive she is to me. How much she trusts me. How much she’s into me. Her acquiescence. Because one thing I know is that if a woman wasn’t majorly into a man, she definitely wouldn’t let him take her arse. Unless, of course, she was a member of The Manor. Which Ava isn’t.
“What a total pit,” Drew says, completely deadpan, as he walks through the lounge to the kitchen. “And do yourself a favor and get rid of Coral.” My eyes widen as I follow him into the kitchen, finding him with his face in the fridge. “Peanut butter? Is that all you’ve got to offer?”
