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Ben moves to the sofa. “I think the better question would be, what the hell isthis?” He plucks out something from behind one of the cushions.
I freeze. I recognize that sheaf of papers.
The contract.
“Where did you get that?” I whisper.
“The glove compartment of your car, of course. Where youhidit,” he sneers at me.
“What the hell were you doing in my car?” I’m shaking now. If I don’t resort to anger, I’ll be reduced to tears.
Ben just shrugs. “Figured, since you were outta commission for a few days, I’d make use of the new wheels. Turns out that was a great decision. Who knew I’d strike gold?”
“You fucking bas—”
“Now, now, Emma, there’s no need to get emotional,” Remmy chides, pushing himself off the wall. “I did warn you.”
I try to lunge for the contract but Ben holds it out of my reach. Chuckling, he passes it to Remmy, who startstut-tuttingin my direction. “Who would have thought, hm? The pretty little assistant, no better than a two-bit hooker on the side of the road.”
“That isnotwhat this is!”
“Oh, no?” Remmy asks with arched eyebrows. “Because there’s a whole clause in this contract that details how you will be paid an exorbitant sum of money every month for spreading your legs two nights a week in a luxurious penthouse with Ruslan Oryolov.”
I want to kill Ben, but since Remmy’s the one with his finger on the trigger, I focus my energy on him.
“Remmy,please—don’t print this.”
He shrugs, eyes gleaming like lit coals. “If you had come clean with me in the beginning, I’d have found a way to protect you. I could have blacked out your name in this contract, protected your identity. Now, though…” He shrugs again. “Now, I couldn’t care less about your reputation.”
He really thinks I care aboutmyreputation. The only reputation I’m thinking about right now is Ruslan’s.
I’m this close to a panic attack. If only I had the luxury of succumbing to one. “Okay. Okay. What do you want?”
Remmy smiles. “Oh,now, she asks.”
“Money—is that it?” I press, looking between the two scumbags in front of me. “I can get you money. Just, please, bury the story.”
Remmy shakes his head. “Sorry, honey. No amount of money will sway me. My only goal is destroying Ruslan Oryolov. You just happen to be collateral damage.” He drops the contract onto the coffee table. “You can keep that. I have plenty of copies.” He slams the door on his way out.
I turn slowly to Ben. “Do you realize what you just did?”
His fists knot up at his sides, but his eyes are weirdly hazy and distant. “I’m not sure the whore should be casting judgment. I saw an opportunity and I took it. It’s not like you were gonna share all your dirty money with me.”
I swallow my tears. My hands are still trembling. I shouldn’t feel so betrayed, but I think a part of me was still clinging to the hope that Ben could be saved. For his kids’ sake, if nothing else.
“The difference between us is that I took Ruslan’s money for those children.” I jab a quivering finger down the hall where they’re sleeping. “You took Remmy’s money foryourself. And you screwed me and the kids over in the process.”
“Oh, boo fucking hoo.”
When he tries to walk past me, I get right in his face. “What the hellhappenedto you?” I scream, stabbing my finger in his chest. “What happened to the man my sister married?”
The scowl on his face freezes. His mouth drops and his eyebrows arch and those hands vibrate even faster at his sides. For a moment, I think he might actually hit me. “That man died when she did.”
Then he pushes past me and disappears into his room.
I let out a strangled sob.What do I do now?But the answer is obvious. There’s only one thing I can do.
I need to tell Ruslan. I need to explain what’s happened so we can fix this. I grab my car keys and race back out…
