Page 57 of Tempt Me

20.

CHLOE

I finish closing up the open house and head home. I still can’t believe Jase is making an offer, but we started the paperwork, and there’s no going back now. Whatever business he’s in, clearly it’s booming.

I realize again how little I know about him. Our relationship has been all about the physical side of things so far, and we haven’t had a chance to get to know each other yet, but I’m hoping there’s more time to talk, starting tonight.

Talk, and have more incredible sex.

I shower and change. Amanda texts that she’s on her way, so I put on my favorite dress and pin my hair up. I’m in the mood to celebrate, and I’ve got my commission to spend.

There’s a knock at the door. “Did you forget your keys again?” I call, going to let Amanda in. But it’s not my roommate outside waiting.

It’s Max.

I gulp. Damn. I knew I would have to talk to him again, I just wanted more time to prepare. “Hi,” I say, nervous. “How was your trip?”

“Like you give a shit.”

I take a step back, surprised by the scorn in his tone. I expected he might be hurt by the breakup, but Max is sneering at me with a look I’ve never seen before.

“I’m sorry,” I say, staying calm. He deserves an explanation from me. “I wanted to do this in person, but you were out of town. Do you want to come in?”

“Sure, why not?”

I stand aside, and Max saunters into the room. “You’re all dressed up,” he remarks. “Hot date?”

I blush. “Just dinner with a friend.”

“Uh huh.” There’s sarcasm there, and I pause.

“I didn’t cheat on you,” I tell him, regretful. “I’m sorry how everything went down, but I swear, I didn’t go behind your back.”

“Oh yeah?” Max smirks. “Not even with Jase Banner?”

I freeze. “How do you know...?”

“About your British friend?” he snorts. “How do you think? I hired him.”

“What?” I stare at him, confused. Max laughs.

“God, you really are a dumb bitch. Banner’s a private investigator. I hired him to get the dirt on you so I could break things off. And then when that didn’t pan out, I paid him extra to fuck you. Thanks for being such an easy lay.” He winks. “Maybe if you’d given it up that easy with me, I would have let you stick around.”

I shake my head. This doesn’t make any sense. “I don’t understand,” I whisper, my heart aching. “You know Jase?”

Max smirks. “Sorry, darling. Your new lover is a cheap whore, just like you. He was happy to take my money and spread your legs.”

His words cut through me like ice.

“No. I don’t believe you.” My voice trembles.

“Believe it.” He takes a file from his jacket and throws it down. It spills open, revealing pages of information and surveillance photos of me. I flip through in horror. It’s all there: my work, routine, everything.

All with J. Banner Investigations at the top of every page.

And just like that, it makes sense. The way Jase appeared in my life out of nowhere—and why he wouldn’t just let me go the first time I turned him down. He couldn’t walk away, not when he was getting paid to win me over.

Humiliation floods through me. This was a setup? All along, he was lying to me. Playing me. Laughing as I surrendered to his sick games and turned my life upside down—for him.

---