Chapter 37
Tlowered my voice. “What would you do for a chiamer to be with me Chloe?”
She didn’t have a chance to answer. Acrash came from behind her, and the both of us turned to see where the sound came from
It was Emily.
The tablet she had been holding was now lying on the floor, the screen cracked. She stood in th doorway with wide attention flicked first to Chloe, then to me, then to where Chloe grabbed my tie. Her expression was of nothing but horror.
Only then did I realize what the scene looked like to outsiders. Angne who walked in on us would have thought they were witnessing something intimate,
“Sorry,” she said bitterly. “I didn’t realize you had compatty”
I opened my mouth, words lining up to explain, but Chloe beat me to it.
“Oh, I brought Logan breakfast,” she said sweetly, giving my tie a tug “I thought he could use something warm this morning.
The way she said it, something warm, wasn’t accidental,
I quickly pulled Chloe’s hand off me, stood up, and stepped back. Astorm brewed in Emily’s eyes, though she tried to keep it behind a mask of professionalism.
“I see,” she said coolly. “Well. Let me know when you’re ready for the finance update.”
She turned
“Emily “I started. But she was already gone.
I rounded on Chloe “Get out.”
Her smile cracked. “But-
“Get out. Before I call someone to escort you.”
For a moment, she wavered. Tears pricked at her eyes. After a moment, she spun on her heel and stormed out..
I fellowed behind her to make sure she left the office, even going as far to stand at the top of the staircase as she walked out the front door. As soon as she was gone, I hurried off to find Emily.
I followed her scent, one of cherries and almonds. It was the first time I truly observed how pleasant it was. Even then, I didn’t have the time to ruminate on that. I needed to find her and try to explain.
I found her in the conference room. She typed something into the financial report system, her fingers pounding the keys
“Emily.”
She didn’t look up. “I sent the updated invoices to your email‘
“Emily, please.”
That got her attention. Her spine stiffened, and she slowly turned to face me. When she met my eyes, I saw more than irritation. I saw disappointment, which hurt more.
“It wasn’t what it looked like,” I said.
“Oh really? Because it looked like you were flirting with my step–sister, who tortured me for years. Including cheating on you with my fiance.”
Her words stabbed like a fiery blade: “I wasn’t flirting. She came in on her own, and I was trying to see if I could get any information out of her.”
Emily stood up so fast her chair almost fell over. “What information could you possibly need from Chloe?”
Someone’s leaking stories about us to the press,” I said quickly don’t think it’s random. I needed to see if she’d slip.”
Her face twisted with disbeliet, her voice rising. “So you let her touch you?”
“I didn’t let her.”
“You didn’t stopher.
The silence after that telt volcanic. My pulse roared in my ears.
Emily’s hands curled into fists at her sides, shaking. “Is this about what happened last night?” she asked, quieter now.
“No. I was going to tell you everything, I swear.”
“When, Logan?” she said, eyes glassy. “After she published the next article? After my face was on the front page again?”
I stepped toward her. “I didn’t have proof. Only a suspicion. And I needed to be sure before I dragged you into it.”
“And that’s the problem!” she snapped, backing away from me. “You keep making decisions that involve me, without me. What is so hard about trusting me? About communicating?”
“I do trust you!”
“Then act like it!” she shouted, her voice cracking. “Stop treating me like I’m a figurehead for your little P.R. fantasy. I’m supposed to be your partner, but I feel like your pawn.”
She pushed past me toward the door. I caught a glimpse of her eyes. They were red–rimmed, furious, and hurt. “And I can’t believe you let Chloe touch you like that.”
I followed her out into the hallway. “Emily, I have no interest in Chloe.
“It doesn’t matter!” she spun around, fire in every word. “You should’ve shut it down. You should’ve told me everything. You should’ve chosen me, Logan.‘
I froze. Those words hit somewhere deep, deeper than logic, any deal, or any contract. The truth was, I hadn’t done more than fail to inform her. I’d made her feel replaceable.
And now I was losing her.
“I don’t know how to trust you,” she said softly, like it hurt to admit. “And that terrifies me.‘
H
Chapter 38
