“I hope I didn’t wake you,” I said.
“No. Just enjoying the view.” She shifted her screen so I could see what she saw. Across a short street, a wave crashed in and the sounds of the water filled in the spaces between our words.
“I wish I could be there,” I said.
“I have to say, never in a million years did I think I’d be in Galway in a flat.” She laughed after she used the European word for apartment.
She’d left Kalen in Scotland and fled to Ireland on a private flight.
“So he hasn’t found you yet?” The he was Kalen, the love of her life if she’d just admit it.
Her expression dimmed. “I don’t think he’s looking for me. He’s otherwise occupied.”
She and I didn’t agree about that. I was sure Kalen, with his billion-dollar resources, knew exactly where she was–unless he was a total jackass. He hadn’t seemed worried about her whereabouts when I’d stormed his office a while back, so I was sure he had eyes on her. That was why he’d taken her overseas in the first place.
“Is that a good or bad thing?” I asked, hoping to prompt her to express her actual feelings.
“Jury’s still out.” I knew my best friend better than she knew herself and she had moon eyes for only one man. “But what about you? How did things go? How are you handling staying at Kalen’s place?”
“Bad and unsure and great.”
“What do you mean?” she asked.
“Bad because Griffin’s not happy with just being friends.”
“And you?”
“Second-guessing myself again, much like with Hans.”
“Is that the unsure or great part?”
“The apartment is great and mine will be better when it’s done,” I said.
“Have you decided if you’ll sell? I really loved that place.”
“Me too, and undecided there. I’m still on the fence about how safe it is. They got past Griffin’s security.”
“I know. I’m sorry,” she said, glancing away.
“Not your fault.” When she looked back in the camera, I held her gaze. I hadn’t meant to make her feel like shit.
“It is, and we both know it. And yet we still don’t have answers for sure who’s behind it all. It’s a mess. I’m really sorry.”
“Don’t be. I’m staying in a penthouse in Soho. What’s bad about that?”
“Nothing, I guess,” she said, sounding a little said. “So what’s the unsure part?”
That was the best part about having a friend I could trust. I could tell her anything free of judgment.
“Do you remember that guy from the bar?” I asked.
Her jaw dropped. “The one who called you a princess?”
“That’s the one. He was there at the bar tonight.”
“Why were you at the bar?”
“That’s where I took Griff. I thought I’d play his wingman, which I did by the way. He just wasn’t on board with playing mine.”
I laughed when she gave me dagger eyes. “You are not just going to stop there. What happened?”
“There might have been a game of pool and a wager,” I said, then filled her in on the rest.
“You didn’t?”
“I did and lost to Striker. He played me like Matty used to play all his unsuspecting marks.”
“What are you going to do?”
I loved her lots, especially for the lack of judgment in her tone. “I’m not sure.”
She waved a finger at me. “Uh, uh, uh. I remember a certain someone who told me to own my sexuality and screw a certain Scottish prick until my eyes crossed.”
“Did they?” I joked.
“Don’t change the subject. I’m not going to say I like this Striker guy, but if you want to jump him, why the hell not?”
She was right about that. So after our call, I pulled out the card. It was well past two, closing in on three when I sent the text.
Me: Are you in bed?
Several minutes later, I had almost put my phone on the charger, prepared to go to bed alone, when I got a response.
Him: I can be. Is the clock starting?
I took that second bit as a reference to the bet.
Me: Not yet. But my bed needs warming.
The dots circled for some time and I wondered if he was writing a speech for how long it was taking.
Him: Where?
Before I could consider the ramifications, I texted him the address.NineConnorWhat had I done? I stared at the phone screen as if I didn’t recognize the object in my hand. There were reasons I’d gone about things the way I had. Winning the bet meant I could control our play.
When was the last time I’d had conventional sex? Did I even know what that was anymore? Why had I agreed to go over there when she would be wholly unprepared for my dark desires?
“Boss.”
I looked up and found Eliza standing near my desk.
“Are you going home?” she asked.
I saw hope in her naughty expression and found myself comparing my former sub with the blonde I intended on corrupting that night. Eliza hadn’t made a good sub, though she’d tried. She was far too headstrong and willful for that. But she knew how to meet my needs. The blonde had no idea what she was getting herself into.