Total pages in book: 160
Estimated words: 164263 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 821(@200wpm)___ 657(@250wpm)___ 548(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 164263 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 821(@200wpm)___ 657(@250wpm)___ 548(@300wpm)
“Just doing my job.”
“If you are following me then you do as I say,” I snap. My phone rings again. “What do you want?” I answer as I move away from Philippe so he can’t hear the conversation.
“Don’t. You. Dare. Hang. Up. On. Me.”
I roll my eyes. “Then stop yelling at me.”
“I’m here trying to work while doing all I can to hide from Hermione only to find out that you are having dinner with your fucking ex.”
What?
Why would he even care?
“Hermione is there?” I ask.
“Yes,” he fumes.
“Did you invite her?”
“No, I did not. The casino is an open business, I have no control over who visits.”
I imagine her all glammed up and looking beautiful and yet here he is being jealous over me, my mind begins to race with hope.
Maybe, just maybe…in some fucked-up psychopath kind of way, he cares.
“I was having dinner and Pascal walked in and his friend bailed on him, he asked if he could sit and have a chat, what was I supposed to say?”
“No. You were supposed to say no, Alora.”
I think for a moment. “Okay,” I say softly. “Why, Edward?”
Silence.
“Why don’t you want me with Pascal?”
“We have unfinished business. You know we do.”
“So if we have unfinished business, why did you leave with another woman last night?”
“I didn’t touch her.”
I screw up my face. That’s bullshit.
“I have to go,” I snap.
“To do what?”
I know this is toxic as all hell, but I want to see what he says if I play along with him. “I’m going to go inside and tell him.”
“Tell him what?”
“Goodbye.” I shrug. “That we are over for good and to not contact me again.”
“Thank you.” His voice softens.
I frown as I listen. “You do the same.”
“I plan on it.”
We hang on the line waiting for the other to say something.
“What’s going on?” I ask. “Between us?”
“I don’t know.”
Wrong answer….
“If you don’t know, why have you left a guard here in Paris to spy on me?”
“To keep you safe.”
“From other men?”
“Just go to bed, Alora,” he demands.
“You can’t tell me what to do, Edward.” My temper rises.
“For the love of god. You are stressing me the fuck out. Go back to your room alone and go to bed.”
“Or what?”
“Or there will be hell to fucking pay!” he screams.
Click.
The phone goes dead.
Oh my fucking god, he did not just hang up on me. I dial his number. Ring….
“What?” he snaps.
“Do not fucking dare hang up on me.” I hang up on him and turn my phone off.
I march over to Philippe like the Terminator. “Do not mess with me or I will fucking end you.”
His eyes widen and he lets out a surprised chuckle.
“And you can tell your wimpy boss to go fuck himself.”
He does laugh out loud this time.
“Nothing about this is funny, Philippe,” I growl as I storm inside and I walk back in through to the restaurant and take a seat.
“Everything alright?” Pascal asks.
“Ahh, yes.” I try to think on my feet. “Just a…family thing.”
He glances over and sees Philippe sit at another table. “Who is that man?”
“Umm.”
He frowns as his eyes come back to me. “Is he….”
I swallow the lump in my throat, please don’t say it.
“Is he one of Prescott’s guards?”
I can’t lie.
“He is,” I murmur.
“So you’re with Prescott now?”
“Pascal,” I whisper. “No.”
His eyes search mine. “You left me because you kissed him.”
“No. He’s not the reason we broke up.”
“But you are seeing him and it’s been all of three weeks?”
“I’m not. I swear to you.”
“He’s with the princess, Alora.” He screws up his face in disgust. “So you’re going to be his side chick?”
“No,” I snap.
He gives a disgusted shake of his head. “So how long were you thinking about him while you were with me?”
From the minute I saw him.
“Pascal, you’re a really great man. You deserve better than what we were together.”
“Did you sleep with him?” His eyes turn murderous. “Were you and he fucking while you were with me?”
“It’s not like that,” I stammer.
“That’s exactly how it is.” He slams his hand down on the table, making me jump. “That fucking asshole,” he cries.
“Everything alright here?” Philippe asks.
Pascal’s heartbreak is palpable and guilty tears fill my eyes, physically I’ve done nothing but yes, I was definitely thinking of Edward while I was with him. “Pascal was just leaving.”
“I’ll never forgive you for this,” Pascal spits as he stands. “I hope he breaks your heart like you have mine.” He marches from the restaurant.
My shoulders slump in disappointment, that couldn’t have gone worse.
Philippe gives me a sympathetic smile as if only now understanding what has just happened. “Can I get you anything, Miss Sorenson?” he asks softly.
“I’m going to have another drink before I go up to my room.”
“Alright.” He calls for the server. “I’ll just be over at my table. Edward will call me to check on you in two minutes anyway.”