Chapter 31 #2
Holy fuck. This is far-fetched, even for me. I bite the inside of my lip, but really it’s my cock that needs calming. “You want to schedule sex?”
She doesn’t flinch. “Yes.”
This is definitely a new one. But I realize something more. This isn’t just about us.
She’s gone back to business. And rightly so. She talked about her career before we signed the contract. This is her securing that path.
Still… something feels off. Her presence here doesn’t feel like it’s just about me. “How about we talk about this properly when I get back?”
“As long as it’s done.” She folds her arms under her breasts.
“Lamb, you do know you could’ve waited until I got back to talk about this.” There has to be a reason she didn’t.
“I didn’t want to risk any delays. Who knows when I’ll see you? I surely don’t.”
Yeah. Something else has definitely happened.
“I told you I’d be back next Saturday.”
“That doesn’t mean you’ll see me now does it. I’m sure something will come up, like it always does. Then you’ll find some excuse to blow me off. You also don’t seem to know what a phone is. So no, it couldn’t wait.”
I half expect smoke to come out of her ears.
Since I can’t exactly argue, I don’t try. That whole scenario is what I’ve shown her so far.
I sigh. Now that we’ve covered what she wanted, I hope she’ll tell me what’s really going on. “Did something happen while I was away?”
She stiffens. “Something like what?”
“You seem extra tense today.”
“Like I said the other day, you don’t know me. So if I seem extra tense to you that’s not your fault. You just don’t know me.”
She’s wrong. I do know her. If I didn’t, I wouldn’t know she’s upset.
“Elodie—”
“We’re done here,” she cuts me off, already moving toward the door.
I’m about to say something more, but the door opens before she reaches. It’s Elena again.
“Sorry to be pain. Miss Susan is on the line. She just wants to know if she’ll be seeing you at the restaurant or the suite next week.”
Fuck. Her timing couldn’t have been worse.
Two pairs of eyes stare back at me. My very eager secretary, and my wife. Both of them waiting for my answer.
Elena just wants to schedule the damn appointment, and Elodie wants to know is Susan is some woman I have on the side.
I should just clear this up. It would be so fucking easy.
I just signed off a deal that’s likely to bring in billions within the next year, but I can’t do this.
“The suite,” I hear myself say. Never in my life have I felt more like a fucking coward.
“Thanks,” Elena chirps and she’s gone again.
I meet the stony eyes of my wife. The emptiness is still there but… there’s a trace of something in the corners of her eyes that tells me she’s still hanging on, and begging me to say something. Something that tells her she means something to me.
And that’s just the thing. She does, but the moment I tell her that, this stops being a business arrangement.
Elodie blinks and the spark goes out, as if it was never there.
Silently she lifts her head and walks out.
Leaving me.
I don’t stop her.
And I know I’ve taken this too far.
* * *
Locke won't shut up about some girl in Chicago.
He's been going on about her since we boarded the jet. That’s a good half an hour. All I’ve heard is how smooth her legs are, how soft her laughter is, and how much she likes seafood.
Now he’s rattling on about some bar she likes on the Gold Coast.
Knox is next to me, completely oblivious to everything that’s going on as he scrolls through pictures of Isla on his phone.
We’re waiting for Levi. He’s late. Again.
It’s seven. Five hours since I saw Elodie. I haven’t been able to function since.
I keep seeing her face. And every time I do, I realize just how badly I fucked up. Now I’m supposed to be in Chicago until next Saturday.
"I'm telling you," Locke says, leaning back in his seat. "This one's different."
Knox doesn't look up, but he raises his brows. A sign he’s actually paying attention. "You said that about the girl in Aspen."
"Aspen was a situational thing. This is—"
"A situational thing in Chicago," Knox finishes, finally meeting Locke’s gaze.
Normally I'd enjoy this back and forth between my brothers. Especially when Locke is trying to make sense of his own shit, but everything is irritating me.
"Dorian."
I blink. Knox is watching me.
"You good?"
"Fine." I shift in my seat. "Where the hell is Levi?" I bark.
“Here, just here.” Levi rushes through the door, panting.
“Where the hell have you been?” I glare at him. Knowing Levi, he was busy dicking around.
“Believe me, I have a very, very good excuse.” He nods, coming closer to dump his bags on his seat. “I was on the phone with Steve. The new publicist. You know I have him keeping an eye on the press.”
“Okay,” Knox says, in a tone that suggests he wants him to get to the point. I wish he would too.
“He said he saw Elodie and Parker walking together on main street.”
I lean forward, my stare cutting into him. “What the hell did you just say to me?”
“Elodie and Parker. I got Steve to follow them. They went into a restaurant. It’s called Opaque.”
I’m already on my feet before anyone can say another word.
“Dorian.” Knox is at my side. “We’re about to take off. We’re already late.”
I hit him with a narrowed stare. “Then take off. I’m not fucking going.”
Decision made.
Elodie is mine.
My wife.