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I watch her climb the stairs to the bedroom and quickly go back to the terrace, just to show my face—and only my face, because I must hide my groin area—so I poke my head around the open doors, just so everyone knows I’ve not dragged her upstairs, out of respect for her parents and nothing else. “Anyone want a beer while I’m in the kitchen?” I see the relief on Ava’s father’s face. He thought I had. He holds his glass up that has an inch in the bottom, and I nod, looking at her brother. He raises his wine glass. Sam holds a hand up.
I spend a few moments waiting for my dick to deflate, then I go to the kitchen and give Cathy and Luigi all the praise they deserve. The kitchen looks like nothing’s happened. It’s astonishing. Then I go to call John.
“What’s up?” he asks in answer.
“Nothing’s up.”
“What did she say?”
“What do you think she said?” I roll my eyes, a bit too cocksure. “Yes, of course.”
“Any news on Van Der Haus?”
“Nothing. The other cameras are out of action so there’s still a massive question mark over who that was in the footage.”
“It’s London. There are a million blond men in suites.”
I scowl as I look up the stairs. I don’t want to talk about Van Der Haus. “We need to send an email out to all our members.”
“Why?”
“Because The Manor will be closed for the weekend in a few weeks.”
“Why?”
“Because there’s going to be a wedding.” I press my lips together, waiting for it.
Silence.
“John—”
“In two weeks?”
“Yes.”
“Does Ava know this?”
Grinning, I look down at my shoes, scuffing the soles across the wood. “She absolutely knows.”
“Jesus Christ,” he grumbles. “Sarah won’t be happy.”
I come crashing down to earth. Speaking of Sarah... “John, I saw the message on Ava’s phone from yours. She wasn’t mistaken at all.”
“Fuck,” he curses, and I have to agree. But I’ll add a few more fucks. “What are you going to do?”
“I have to let her go.” Or, more to the point, Sarah has to letmego. She has to let me live.
I hear his inhale, feel his dread. The blowback could be really ugly. And once again, I’ll protect Ava from the poison coming. I look over my shoulder, seeing her coming down the stairs. “I have to go.” I hang up. “Hey.”
“Is everything okay?” she asks, unsure.
I pluck a smile from nowhere, facing her, summoning her with my arms. “Everything is fine, baby.” I welcome her into my embrace, putting an arm around her and walking her out onto the terrace. And suddenly everything is far from fine. My peace was really short-lived.
And I’m back to protecting Ava from something that could hurt her.
And now, that something is Sarah.
Because she is the key to every last one of my dirty secrets and painful sins.
