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I shrug, hoping she buys it, but I can’t ignore the sharp pang of annoyance when she laughs at my suggestion that she and I could be having an affair. “It’s no secret that you and I have been spending more time around each other since Dane’s death. Maybe I’m out on a limb here but that’s my only guess as to why a detective would be asking questions. Is it so unbelievable?”
“That you and I were having an affair?” She laughs again and this time it really pisses me off. “Yes, it’s unbelievable. We can’t stand each other.”
“Funny.” I swirl the last mouthful of scotch in my glass before swallowing it down. “I don’t recall you laughing when I had my cock deep inside you or when you were panting my name, begging me to make you come.”
Her smile fades, her cheeks growing red again. “And I recall you telling me we were just hate fucking.”
That’s the second time she’s used that word in my presence just now and it sends a shock straight to my cock. “Don’t use that word with me.”
“What word?”
“Fuck.”
“You can’t be serious.” She rolls her eyes. “You are so—whatever.”
“You’re a lady, Emery, so unless you’re on your knees in front of me, begging me to fuck you, I don’t want to hear it come from your mouth.”
“What’s the point?” She shrugs. “Pretty sure I did ask you in the basement of the club to fuck me and you said no.”
“Maybe if you had been on your knees asking me nicely, I’d have obliged.” The air grows thick between us. I told myself I’d behave when she was here tonight, but it’s like I have zero control when she’s in front of me. I stand up, placing the glass on the desk, and step toward a drawer. I pull it open, retrieving a burner phone, and hand it to her.
“What’s this?”
“A burner phone. If you have to contact me, use that. I don’t want any traces of our communication on our regular phones.”
“Are you serious?”
“Does it look like I’m fucking joking?”
“What about me being here right now? Or the other night, downstairs?”
“I told you before, this place is tighter than Fort Knox. Nobody will talk about what they witness here.”
“What am I supposed to do about the detective if he contacts me?”
“Don’t speak to him. Don’t let him in your house, Dane’s offices, or your father’s company.”
She nods. “And what about you?”
“I’ll take care of it; don’t worry about it.”
“What does that mean, Mads?” Her expression grows serious.
“Don’t concern yourself it with, Em. You don’t want to know.”
Her eyes are big, studying me as she clutches the phone in her hand. Her lips part and I can tell she wants to ask more questions. I reach out and grab her hand, intertwining our fingers together.
“Come on. Tony is in the alley with your car. I’ll walk you out.” Her fingers feel so delicate in my hand but so right. I’ve never felt the kind of burning desire or connection with anyone that I have with Emery. From the outside, it probably would seem toxic and fucked up, but she and I have been through things in life nobody else can understand. She doesn’t realize it yet, but this is goodbye. Maybe not forever but I have to put some space between us, for the sake of the investigation and the sake of my heart.
I nod toward Tony and he steps inside as I usher Emery out into the alley. I open her door and guide her down to her seat. I’m about to close the door when she juts her hand out.
“Wait,” she says, looking up at me. “What am I supposed to do?”
“About the detective? I told you.”
“No, about everything. Life, Ashford Enterprises, my house. I—I don’t know what to do anymore, Mads.”
I stare down at her, so tempted to tell her to run away with me. To choose me. But it’s all one big fucking lie. And for as much as I don’t really have a heart or conscience about the rest of the world, Emery is the one thing in this life that I care about more than anything. The one reason I’d turn my back on all of it and walk away. The one reason I believe in love.
