AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I suppose this is the part where I blush in gratitude and automatically change my opinion of Graeme Bellamy for the better. Instead, I frown. “You don’t think I’ll really use it. Do you?”
He raises a black eyebrow. “I’m not sure how you got that out my offering youexclusiveuse of it—”
“No.” I shake my head, trying to find the right words. “That’s not what I mean. I mean…” My eyes narrow when something in his jaw clenches. “You don’t think I have the balls.”
He blinks. “After a quite thorough examination, I’m fairly certain youdon’thave balls, Evelyn.”
“No, I mean that you think I’m too nice. Proper Evelyn wouldn’t dare take advantage of her poor ex-boss by racking up a huge credit card bill should he happen to trust her with one. Did you think I’d clutch my heart and swoon over how gracious you are?”
“No.” He blinks again and dribbles his next words slowly, as if to ensure I don’t miss his meaning. “I thought that you’d take me at my word. Spend.”
“Oh, I will.” I hold out my hand. “I’ll think of it as market research. Perhaps we’ll discover how Atelier Noir’s range stacks up among its competitors?”
Its equally-as-expensive competitors.
He tightens his grip on the card, inadvertently raising it higher, out of my reach. “I’ll take you up on that,” he says, the edge of a dare sharpening his words. “Let us see what the sensible Evelyn King might spend a man’s money on.”
“You’re on.” I lunge forward and snatch the card from his grip. It feels strange between my fingertips—the virtual keys to Graeme Bellamy’s kingdom. I know that he has others, but for now, I have a direct line to the fortune he seems to value above all else. “What’s the spending limit?” I ask as I curl my fingers around the Amex in a desperate attempt to mask how they shake.
He shrugs. “There isn’t one.”
I swallow hard. Grit my teeth. Meet his gaze.
Game on.
“Allow me to take you to your first stop. What will it be?” That arrogant smirk has returned, tilting his lower lip.
“Bristol’s,” I say, naming one of Atelier Noir’s contemporaries that primarily specializes in evening wear. Their dresses alone are worth more than a year of my college tuition.
He snorts—or as close as someone as polished as him can come to the action. “Bristol’s?I thought you wanted to spendmoney, Evelyn, not pocket change.”
I brush off the jab. “Then where do you suggest?”
That smirk becomes a devastatingly colder imitation of Alexander’s grin. “James, the boutique on Madison, if you please. I’m sure you know the one.”
I don’t argue, even though I have a vague idea that the prices in said boutique will put even Atelier Noir’s to shame. I clutch his credit card instead, sensing every nick and groove in the slick surface of it.
“Am I limited to just one store?” I ask, fighting to keep my voice under control.
Bellamy’s eyes take on that dangerous gleam that typically heralds the moment something mobile will go crashing into a solid surface. “Evelyn, have your run of the goddamn city.” To drive the point home, he adds, “That is a dare.”
CHAPTER27
graeme
Have your run of the city, Evelyn.By now, she’s charged enough to build her own, complete with a solid gold effigy of herself in the bloody center of it. The moment I step from the elevator, my mobile chimes to herald the news of yet another purchase—a five-thousand-dollar one from Atelier Noir’s primary competitor.
“Morning, Mr. Bellamy,” a smiling Ann greets from her desk as I pass. I’m not sure if I manage to greet her in return by the time I bring my mobile to my ear and the recipient of the call picks up on the first ring.
“Good morning. Thank you for calling Bristol’s flagship boutique. My name is Stephanie—how can I help you—”
“My card was just used there. Bellamy.”
“Ah, yes.” Her tone trembles with alarm. “Are you calling to report a fraudulent—”
“No. I merely want to know a summary of what items were purchased.”
“Unfortunately, Mr. Bellamy, we only carry custom designs; each item is tagged with a code. I can’t tell you offhand exactly what she bought, but…”
