Page 59 of Donut Overthink It

His jaw tightens. “You’re here for as long as you need to be.”

“Just tonight.” We’ve been distant all day since our meeting this morning. I’ve been in a pissy mood, and so has he. And Asher wasn’t any better. I heard them fighting about a client shortly afterward in his office.

“Hadley.” He growls my name. “I’m not in the mood to fight with you,” he snaps and then walks toward his door. “If you wanna order food, the takeout menus are in the kitchen drawer to the right of the sink.”

“Where are you going?” I ask quickly. Suddenly not wanting to be alone.

“Back to work.”

“What?” I check the time on his stove in the kitchen. It’s almost seven. “You didn’t mention it earlier.”

“I spoke to Asher an hour ago, and we are going to go meet up with Nate at his mother’s house.”

“I wanna come,” I say, already heading toward him.

“No,” he says and opens the door. “Stay here.” Then he slams it shut.

I let out a huff of air. What in the hell am I supposed to do until he returns?

I plop down on the couch and run a hand through my hair. You know what? Fuck this. I’m gonna go out and have drinks with Andrea. I grab my purse off the couch and dig through it, looking for my phone. But it’s not there. I start patting myself down, thinking my dress has pockets, but it doesn’t. “Where did I put it?” I wonder out loud. Then it hits me. I left it in my desk drawer. I make my way downstairs to the office and frown when I see the lights are still on. Aiden had turned them off before we left. I walk down the hallway to my office and enter but come to a stop when I see Bianca sitting in my chair. “What are you doing in here?”

She places her hands flat on my desk and stands. No look of surprise on her face. “Thought you were gone for the day,” she growls.

I tilt my head at her hard tone. “Does Asher have you working late?” She just stares at me. “I thought he and Aiden had to go meet with Nate?”

She lets out a rough laugh. “Fuck, you’re stupid.”

I pull my shoulders back at her remark. “Excuse me?”

She walks around from behind my desk. “First, you fuck a married man. Then you fall in love with him.”

My teeth clench. “You don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Oh, I know enough. I know that you’ve followed him around like a dog in heat for the past three months. I know that you drool all over this fucking desk for him while he fucks every woman he can find. And I know that he’s not gonna leave his wife and kid for a prostitute.”

My heart starts to pound in my chest at her words. “How do you …?” Does everyone in the office know that the cops were here to arrest me last week? “Did Asher tell you?” I demand, taking a step toward her. It wouldn’t be hard for her to see the papers regarding me on his desk. But Aiden assured me that they were going to keep my case private. No matter what.

A slow and devious smile spreads across her face, and it makes the hair on the back of my neck stand up. “No one told me.”

“Then how do you know?” I snap, getting really tired of her game. Bianca has never been a close friend of mine, and I’m starting to see why.

“So tell me which one was better in bed, Nate or Aiden?”

“What are you …?” My words trail off as hers sink in. How does she know Nate’s name? Why would she think I slept with him …? “Do you know Nate?” I ask her.

“I saw him with you at dinner.”

“You were there,” I say more to myself than to her.

She laughs. “Took you long enough. Wow! Does Aiden know how stupid you are?”

“Bianca!” I snap.

She throws her head back laughing. “God, you’re as dumb as Nate. That poor guy never saw me coming.”

Never saw her coming? “You’re the girl,” I whisper in total shock. “You’re the prostitute.” She must have worn a wig.

She holds her hands out wide. “In the flesh.” Then they drop to her side, and she takes a step toward me. “How much do you think Aiden will pay to fuck me?” My hands ball into fists. “I think I could name my price. I mean he fucked you for free.” She looks me up and down with disgust. “I bet he’d pay me just to keep me from telling his wife that he’s been fucking his assistant.” Then before I can say a word, she jumps on me.

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