Page 52 of Cruel Saint

“What did you tell her?”

“I mentioned you had a rather full schedule this week, but you could carve out an hour of time this afternoon if he didn’t mind coming to you. Looks like today’s the day you set that trap.”

“Which might not have been possible if I hadn’t been at that party last night,” I reminded him. “He wouldn’t have been so quick to reach out.”

“You’re probably right,” Henry admitted with a sigh. “Doesn’t mean I can’t be worried about you, considering I’m fully aware of what these assholes are capable of.”

“True, but this won’t be like last time. Now, do you think you can find someone to pretend to be a housekeeper or assistant in order to keep up the ruse that I’m a billionaire?”

“Youarea billionaire,” he reminded me. “But I’m already one step ahead of you. I called Willow and told her I needed her today.”

“I hope you pay her well with all the shit you put her through.”

“Don’t worry. She’s well taken care of. And these days, it’s more like all the shityouput her through.”

“I knew I could count on you.”

ChapterEighteen

Imogene

“Good morning, sunshine,” I said brightly when Melanie finally emerged into the living room a little before noon, her dark hair disheveled.

“It’s official.” Her eyes were barely open as she shuffled toward the coffee machine and popped a pod into the one-cup brewer. Then she grabbed a glass and filled it with water from the refrigerator, practically downing all of it. “I can’t drink like I used to.”

I laughed as I took a sip from my own coffee. “Join the club.”

She did a once-over of me. “You seem just fine.”

“Because I stopped drinking when we left Liam’s. I certainly didn’t let anyone at the bar talk me into doing shots.” I gave her a knowing look.

While I initially had no desire to go to a bar once we left Liam’s stuffy party, Melanie talked me into it. Said she needed to reconnect with the common folk after being surrounded by high-strung businessmen and their stuck-up wives. So I indulged her, and we stopped by a bar a few blocks up the street for what I thought was just going to be one drink.

I was wrong.

At least it took my mind off what happened with Gideon, if for only a few hours.

“I used to be able to handle tequila, no problem.” She held her stomach before adding a touch of milk and sweetener to her coffee. With sluggish steps, she made her way onto the couch and plopped down beside me, taking a much-needed sip of caffeine. “If I ever try to do shots again, remind me how I feel right now.”

“You got it.”

“So tell me…” She faced me, slowly coming back to life now that she’d had some coffee, her eyes sparkling with curiosity. “What were you doing last night when you disappeared from the party?”

“I don’t?—”

“Or perhaps the question I should be asking iswhoyou were doing.”

As much as I wanted to leave what happened last night in the past, I was desperate to talk to someone about it. Hell, I hoped to tell her last night, but based on her inebriated state, she wouldn’t have remembered this morning.

“We had sex,” I blurt out.

“Please tell me you’re not talking about Liam, because you know how I feel about that fucked-up arrangement.”

I waved her off. “No. Not Liam.” I took a sip of coffee. “Gideon.”

“When?”

“Last night. When I disappeared.”

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