Page 94 of Innocent Intent

“I didn’t think you’d be bold enough to come in here.” Tia smiled, and Cassidy kept her emotions schooled as she took the seat across from her, bracing herself for what she would find out and fully prepared to get this over with.

29.

“Where would you like to start?” Cassidy kept her eyes on Tia, waiting. She didn’t have to wait for long.

“With your husband . . .”

Tia’s eyes were devious and taunting when they met with Cassidy’s.

“What about Niles?”

“Niles?” Tia laughed amusedly. “That’s not his name. Neither is Jerrod, but you know that, don’t you, Cass? What you don’t know is who he really is.”

“I’m assuming you do?” Cassidy tensed at the reality of discovering a little more about the man she obviously had no clue about.

“I know who he is. He and I spent quite a bit of time getting cozy.”

“So this whole thing was the two of you working together?”

“No. I knew nothing about the guy before I started working for you. Once you hired me, he and I got to know each other very well. If I wasn’t convinced that all men were full of shit and not worth the trouble beyond providing orgasms, I would have considered keeping him around for a while.”

“Keeping him around?” Cassidy questioned calmly when she felt her insides raging.

“Not there yet, Cass. This is my show, not yours.”

Still playing games.

“So, you are admitting that you were having an affair with my husband?”

“Husband?” Tia laughed lightly. “He wasn’t much of a husband, now, was he? The guy had been fucking other women from the start of your marriage. You do realize he only married you for one reason?”

She hadn’t in the beginning, but she did now.

“And you were one of those women?”

“Yes, but I mean, can you blame me? He was too damn sexy to pass on, and damn, he really knew how to fuck. But I don’t have to tell you that, right?” Tia winked at Cassidy, attempting to taunt her more.

Cassidy’s face flamed with the awareness that she and Tia weren’t alone. Others were watching, but she couldn’t allow herself to get sidetracked. There was an intended goal, and she fully intended to reach the finish line. She wanted the confession.

And you’re going to give it to me.

“How long were you sleeping with him?”

“A little over a year.”

“And you didn’t know him before you began working with me?”

“Fucking your husband was an added bonus. It had nothing to do with my original plan, but it did sweeten the deal. Kept me around a little longer than I intended to stay.”

“And what was that plan?”

“You owed me. I decided to cash in.” Tia smiled, and Cassidy noticed how her confidence shifted.

“Cashing in by killing Niles and framing me for it?”

“No. Actually, that wasn’t the plan, and still not there yet. Follow my lead, or we’re done here.”

Cassidy nodded tightly but felt her patience quickly waning. She wasn’t sure how long she could keep this up.

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