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His right eye twitches slightly at my response. Whoever this man really is, all I know is that he doesn't like Killian.
"Is that right, Mrs. Cross?" He places his hands in the pockets of his pants and rocks back on his heels. "If you ever get bored of eating or looking at the same thing, I work on the fifth floor in the next building over. I would love for you to join me for lunch or dinner. Maybe even both."
"I'll let my husband know and get back to you."
"Are you ready?" I look over at the sound of Ciro's voice, giving him a surprised smile. Ciro glances over at James and then back at me, but I don't miss the way James looks over at Ciro with his jaw set and eyes narrowed.
"He's from the mainland?"
I walk over to Ciro, giving him a look that says go along with whatever I say.
"My husband hired security for me when he isn't able to go with me on the days he has to work."
"Ah, yes. What is Killian Cross up to these days? One wonders what he does in that dark mansion. It is a wonder that the house was already here before the pandemic and technological revolution."
I shrug. "I wouldn’t know. Maybe you could ask him when you see him."
Which is never, asshole.
James Hendricks represents the stark divide between the privileged and the majority of the mainland struggling to survive. Where people are living in the dark surrounded by drones tinged with an undercurrent of oppression and surveillance, the island itself is a picturesque paradise with a perfect landscape and beautiful people on the outside displaying excess wealth. But where there is wealth, there is madness underneath.
"Of course, when I see him."
I slide inside the car, releasing the breath I didn't realize I was holding when the car pulls away.
"Who the hell was that?"
I forgot that Ciro showed up. He sits in the front even though he isn't driving.
"What are you doing here? How did you find me?"
He turns around in his seat and gives me a smirk. "I'm not going to answer you until you tell me why you are out here all alone and not wearing your wedding ring." I roll my eyes at the mention of my wedding ring. "Come on. We're friends, remember?"
"You're more friends with Cross. Why don’t you ask him?"
"I did."
That has me looking straight at him, nervously licking my lips. "What—"
"He didn't say."Of course not. He doesn't care."However, I did tell him that he needs to stop being an asshole to you."
"How do you know he’s being an asshole to me?"
"That's easy. What he said to you at the docks."
I look down at my hands clasped in my lap, remembering what he said, then last night, up until a few hours ago. I guess it's obvious. Everyone knows the truth about Killian and me in his circle, but out here, out here on the island, people wonder why I would choose Killian. I bet they think something is up. I know I would, and James Hendricks is sniffing close.
I meet Ciro's gaze. "I guess everyone knows, huh?"
"Knows what?"
I tear my gaze from his and look out the window, heading to another set of stores between two massive skyscrapers. "That I mean nothing," I say absently.
The worst part of having everything at your disposal growing up is to look around you and know that you mean nothing to anyone. To know that you are kept around for someone's convenience. Like an object to be used and then discarded.
My father did it, and so will Killian.
"How did you get in here?"
