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“She never liked my father’s business. I think she just loved him so much, she tolerated it no matter how much it disgusted her.” He shook his head as he let the towel drop and began to dress. “If she were alive, he never would have started trying to take over Aster’s business.”
“I see.” Now I understood why the criminal had a heart—and why he was so intent on stopping Gavin Crude’s expansion into another, more brutal business.
He knotted his tie with quick fingers. “It’s a stupid business move. Now he’s going to run into conflict with Aster when we could simply stay in our lanes.”
Of course Aiden would have to pretend his impulses were entirely logical. “Where are we going tonight?”
“Another of my clubs.”
“Could a girl get dinner first?”
Aiden’s lips curled up. “You’re demanding.”
“I thought our cover story could be that you take very good care of your future fiancée.”
“I intend to do just that,” he promised, his dark eyes smoldering.
True to Aiden’s form, he never admitted that seeing me with Dominic had bothered him, despite his words earlier promising that he didn’t care if Dominic fucked me.
But he let me drive the Bugati to dinner, looking relaxed and careless in the passenger seat. I glanced over at him as I accelerated through the dark, rain-slicked streets, enjoying the way the car took corners.
“If you’re trying to scare me,” he said, a smile curving his lips, “I have complete faith in you.”
I shot him a look and he amended, “For some things, Selena.”
“Oh?”
“When it comes to cars, computers, murder and general mayhem, I’m sure you know what you’re doing,” he said. “You’re only an idiot when it comes to romance.”
I let out a laugh. “All right. You seem to be more of an expert when it comes to sex and depravity than when it comes to the human heart.”
He shrugged. “Maybe.”
Maybe we could learn together,I thought, but swallowed those words. I’d never admit something so cheesy out loud. Besides, I knew Aiden and I had no future beyond our ruse.
He took me to another of his resorts. It was on the coast, and we sat by the windows, watching the surf pound in as the sun faded. The two of us had a pleasant conversation about nothing in particular as the waiters brought course after course so Aiden could sample all the food being prepared in the kitchen. He clearly cared a lot about his legitimate businesses, and I enjoyed sampling a dozen small plates of beautifully prepared seafood and desserts.
And one glass of sangria. I was not going to get drunk around Aiden Crude. The man required every bit of my attention and focus.
On our way out, I slipped off to the women’s room. When I returned to the lobby, Aiden drew my gaze right away. He was tall, elegant, and talking to another woman.Laughingwith another woman.
His shoulders were slightly stiff, tension in his frame. He wasn’t enjoying the conversation, no matter how much he was laughing, and the sense of relief that washed over me was a surprise.
When Aiden saw me, his gaze brightened genuinely. I didn’t quite know what to do with that or with the way it made my heart flipflop before he told her, “This is my girlfriend, Selena. Selena, this is Clarissa.”
“An old friend of Aiden’s.” Clarissa added with a smile.
Aiden and I escaped the conversation and headed for the doors as soon as was polite. When we stepped outside the hotel doors, Aiden’s car was waiting, as was the armored car behind us. Rain beat down on the roof of the overhang, but we were dry. Aiden opened the passenger door for me, and I slipped inside.
Someone sprinted toward us, dressed in the gray jacket of the resort staff, and flagged down Aiden. He spoke quietly to him, and Aiden swore as he got back into the car. He glanced over at me. “My father wants to see me. I’m going to make a stop on our way home.”
I nodded. I welcomed any chance to get close to Gavin and scope out his routines. But I was still curious about what was going on with that woman Aiden despised. As soon as we’d driven away, I asked, “Who was that?”
“Clarissa.”
“So I gathered. Why do you hate her?”
His gaze flickered over to me. “You don’t miss a thing, do you?”
