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Oh.
"I know he's an impossibly good catch, but then...you're a Jones, and it's in our blood to attract the most desirable men—-"
"Who, more often than not, also happen to be the least trustworthy," Pippi finished with a grimace.
Mynt's expression turned anxious. "Is that your way of saying Acheron's a jerk like the rest?"
"Of course not!" Seeing her sister breathe a sigh of relief made Pippi realize rather guiltily just how much her happiness meant to Mynt and the others.Which was something she should have known from the start, Pippi thought with a mental wince,only she had been too busy making out with Acheron to notice.
"It's that Amelia woman, isn't it?" Rue grumbled. "I've been following the news, and I know that woman's still leeching off him, living in his apartment—-"
"Rue."Pippi felt obliged to give her sister an admonishing look. "The woman's been through a lot, and more than that, she was instrumental in helping Acheron leave the gang...alive."
"So?" Rue's tone was challenging. "Doesn't mean he has to pay her back for the rest of his life, does he?"
"It's complicated, okay?" And even more complicated was the fact that she had, despite all of Acheron's constant overtures, refused to let him talk about Amelia with her.The other woman needed him.She got that loud and clear already, so what else was there to talk about?
"At least tell us you're happy," Mynt said. "Swear it."
Choosing her words with care, Pippi said slowly, "This is going to sound totally clichéd, but..." Pippi met Mynt's gaze with a wry smile, adding, "Seeing Acheron get along with you guys is the one thing that's guaranteed to make me happy. So you tell me. Am I happy?"
Mynt's face broke into a wide smile. "Beyond reason."
All's well that ends well, Pippi tried to convince herself later on as she stood under the shower, the memory of Mynt cheerfully telling her to hurry up and join them for breakfast still on her mind.
On one hand, what she had told her sister was no lie. Nothing made her happier than seeing Acheron and her family treat each other with wonderful familiarity.
But on the other hand...
A frisson of fear crawled down Pippi's spine, and she found herself shivering despite the blast of hot water jetting down her body.
There had been too many unspoken truths between them lately. Acheron was keen to talk about Amelia, but she wasn't letting him. Pippi knew she should tell the billionaire about her decision to accept an extended post with Gareth Evans, but she had neglected to do so.
With her sense of foreboding only growing worse with every day that passed, Pippi couldn't help thinking it was only a matter of time before trouble started brewing.
And she was right.
When Pippi finally came down for breakfast, she was about to join everyone in the dining room when she heard Acheron excuse himself from the table to take a call. Instinct, or perhaps more accurately, it was that special sense of intuition women were all born with - whatever it may be was enough for Pippi to halt at the foot of the steps, silent and still as she watched Acheron open the front door.
As he stepped out of the house, she heard him say,"Amelia..."
Just that.
Another woman's name.
But oh, the way he said it.
He had never used such a voice with her before.
So much tenderness.
Just so damn much...that her heart broke under its weight, and pain made everything crystal clear.
I love him,Pippi realized with shock.
I love him.
Acheron.
